Women artists in all ages and countries

by E. F. Ellet

October of 1852 saw father and daughter on their way to Europe, the St. Louis diploma and daguerreotypes of Hesper being carefully stowed away in the safest corner of the portmanteau as evidences of what the young artist had already achieved, when, arrived at Rome, she should seek the instruction of one of two masters, whose fame, world-wide, alone could satisfy our aspirant’s ambition. So eager was her desire to reach Rome that a week only was given to England; and then, joining some friends in Paris, the whole party proceeded to Rome, arriving in the Eternal City on the evening of November 12, 1852.

Within two days the daguerreotypes were placed in the hands of Mr. Gibson as he sat at breakfast in the Café Greco, a famous place of resort for artists.

Now be it known, as a caution to women not to enter lightly upon any career, to throw it up as lightly upon the first difficulty which arises, that a prejudice existed in Rome against lady artists, from the pretensions with which some had repaired thither, and upon which they had succeeded in gaining access to some of the best studios and instruction from their masters, to throw those valuable opportunities aside at the first obstacle that arose. Mr. Gibson had himself, it was said, been thus victimized and annoyed, and it was represented to Miss Hosmer as doubtful in the extreme if he would either look at the daguerreotypes or listen to the proposal of her becoming his pupil. However, the daguerreotypes were placed before him; and, taking them into his hands—one presenting a full, and the other a profile view of the bust—he sat some moments in silence, looking intently at them. Encouraged by this, the young sculptor who had undertaken to present them proceeded to explain Miss Hosmer’s intentions and wishes, what she had already done, and what she hoped to do. Still Mr. Gibson remained silent. Finally, closing the cases,

“Send the young lady to me,” said he, “and whatever I know, and can teach her, she shall learn.”

In less than a week Harriet Hosmer was fairly installed in Mr. Gibson’s studio, in the up-stairs room already described. Ere long a truly paternal and filial affection sprung up between the master and the pupil, a source of great happiness to themselves, and of pleasure and amusement to all who know and value them, from the curious likeness, yet unlikeness, which existed from the first in Miss Hosmer to Mr. Gibson, and which daily intercourse has not tended to lessen.

In one of her letters she says:

“The dearest wish of my heart is gratified in that I am acknowledged by Gibson as a pupil. He has been resident in Rome thirty-four years, and leads the van. I am greatly in luck. He has just finished the model of the statue of the queen, and, as his room is vacant, he permits me to use it, and I am now in his own studio. I have also a little room for work which was formerly occupied by Canova, and perhaps inspiration may be drawn from the walls.”

The first winter in Rome was passed in modeling from the antique, Mr. Gibson desiring to assure himself of the correctness of Miss Hosmer’s eye, and the soundness of her knowledge; Hesper evincing the possession of the imaginative and creative power. From the first, Mr. Gibson expressed himself more than satisfied with her power of imitating the roundness and softness of flesh, saying, upon one occasion, that he had never seen it surpassed and not often equaled.

Her first attempt at original design in Rome was a bust of Daphne, quickly succeeded by another of the Medusa—the beautiful Medusa—and a lovely thing it is, faultless in form, and intense in its expression of horror and agony, without trenching on the physically painful.

We have already spoken of the warm friend Miss Hosmer made for herself during her winter at St. Louis, in the head of the family at whose house she was a guest. This gentleman, as a God-speed to the young artist on her journey to Rome, sent her, on the eve of departure, an order to a large amount for the first figure she should model, leaving her entirely free to select her own time and subject. A statue of Œnone was the result, which is now in the house of Mr. Crow, at St. Louis, and which gave such satisfaction to its possessor and his fellow-townsmen, that an order was forwarded to Miss Hosmer for a statue for the Public Library at St. Louis, on the same liberal terms. Beatrice Cenci, which has won so many golden opinions from critics and connoisseurs, was sent to St. Louis in fulfillment of this order.