All this time she had been her own instructor. She afterward painted small pictures in oil and water-colors, but confined herself chiefly to portraits. Her superiority in Biblical scholarship was shown by a valuable series of letters on the Physical Geography of the Exodus. She published another series entitled “The Rephaim.”
Fanny is described as being small, with figure slightly bent, but cheerful and charming in manner. Her mother, living with her, is said to be lively and agile in movement.
Miss Merrifield is the author of a treatise on the Art of Painting.
A “Society of Female Artists” was established in London in 1857. Among its members, and now secretary to the association, is Mrs. Elizabeth Murray, the wife of the English Consul at Teneriffe. She has great celebrity as a water-color artist. Her style is dashing and vigorous, but highly finished; her coloring bright, transparent, pure, and sparkling, though something deficient in depth and middle tint. Mrs. Murray has lately published a book entitled “Sixteen Years of an Artist’s Life, etc.” She says of herself: “A vagabond from a baby, I left England at eighteen, independent, having neither master nor money. My pencil was both to me, and, at the same time, my strength, my comfort, and my intense delight.” Honorable Mrs. Monckton Mills, Miss Louisa Rayner, Miss Florence Caxton, and others, are mentioned with praise. Mrs. Benham Hay is known as the illustrator of Longfellow’s Poems; and Barbara Leigh Smith, an admirable writer, is an excellent artist. Of Miss Mutrie’s work Mr. Ruskin says: “It is always beautiful;” and Miss Howitt and Mrs. Carpenter are noted as artists. Many whose names are now beginning to be familiar have hardly yet done justice to their own powers.
The Netherlands have done their share during the present century, preserving the old Dutch reputation, and producing a number of women who have made themselves independent by the exercise of skill in different departments of art.
The encouragement Goëthe has given, in his observations on the women artists of his day, is applicable to those of the present. They have taken more firm hold, and manifested yet more ability in the profession. If many of them have been deficient in creative power, they have shown themselves capable of the highest excellence in the tender, the graceful, the pathetic, the ideal, and in the delicacy and quick perception, which often achieves so much, as by intuition. Dr. Guhl regards the indications of the present age as exceedingly promising, and urges women to enlarged ambition and activity. Severe exertions are demanded, but when was any success worth having commanded without them? The time is now ripe for their emulation of their most eminent rivals of the other sex, not by laying aside womanly delicacy, but by labors entirely consistent with that true modesty which will ever be the most attractive ornament of the sex. History is the great teacher of the present; and what we have seen of the achievements of by-gone ages is so full of encouragement, that it is but reasonable to look for still greater triumphs in the wider arena now opened, than have yet crowned the genius or the persevering industry of woman.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
Felicie de Fauveau.—Parentage.—Her Mother a Legitimist.—The Daughter’s Inheritance of Loyalty.—Removals.—Felicie’s Studies.—Learns to Model.—Resolves to be a Sculptor.—Labor becoming to a Gentlewoman.—Her first Works.—Early Triumphs.—Social Circle in Paris.—Evening Employments.—Revival of a peculiar Taste.—Mediæval Fashions.—The bronze Lamp.—Equestrian Sketch.—Effect of the Revolution of 1830.—The two Felicies leave Paris.—A rural Conspiracy.—A domiciliary Visit.—Escape of the Ladies.—Discovery and Capture.—The Stratagem at the Inn.—Escape of Madame in Disguise.—Imprisonment of Mademoiselle.—Works in Prison.—Return to Paris.—Politics again.—Felicie banished.—Breaks up her Studio.—Poverty and Privation.—Residence in Florence.—Brighter Days.—Character of Felicie.—Personal Appearance.—Her Dwelling and Studio.—Her Works.—The casting of a bronze Statue.—Industry and Retirement.—“A good Woman and a great Artist.”—Rosa Bonheur.—Her Birth in Bordeaux.—Her Father.—Rosa a Dunce in Childhood.—Her Parrot.—Rambles.—The Spanish Poet.—Removal to Paris.—Revolution and Misfortune.—Death of Madame Bonheur.—The Children at School.—Rosa detests Books and loves Roaming.—Remarriage of Bonheur.—Rosa a Seamstress.—Hates the Occupation.—Prefers turning the Lathe.—Her Unhappiness.—Placed at a Boarding-school.—Her Pranks and Caricatures.—Abhorrence of Study.—Mortification at her Want of fine Clothes.—Resolves to achieve a Name and a Place in the World.—Discontent and Gloom.—Return home.—Left to herself.—Works in the Studio.—Her Vocation apparent.—Studies at the Louvre.—Her Ardor and Application.—The Englishman’s Prophecy.—Rosa vowed to Art.—Devoted to the Study of Animals.—Excursions in the Country in search of Models.—Visits the Abattoirs.—Study of various Types.—Visits the Museums and Stables.—Resorts to the horse and cattle Fairs in male Attire.—Curious Adventures.—Anatomical Studies.—Advantages of her Excursions.—Her Father her only Teacher.—The Family of Artists.—Rosa’s pet Birds and Sheep.—Her first Appearance.—Rising Reputation.—Takes the gold Medal.—Proclaimed the new Laureat.—Death of her Father.—Rosa Directress of the School of Design.—Her Sister a Professor.—“The Horse-market.”—Rosa’s Paintings.—Bestows her Fortune on others.—Her Farm.—Drawings presented to Charities.—Demand for her Paintings.—Her Right to the Cross of the Legion of Honor.—The Emperor’s Refusal to grant it to a Woman.—Description of her Residence and her Studio.—Rosa found asleep.—Her personal Appearance.—Dress.—Her Character.—Her Industry.—Mademoiselle Micas.—Mountain Rambles.—Rosa’s Visit to Scotland.—Her Life in the Mountains.—At the Spanish Posada.—Threatened Starvation.—Cooking Frogs.—The Muleteers.—Rosa’s Scotch Terrier.—Her Resolution never to marry.
FELICIE DE FAUVEAU.
Felicie was born in Tuscany, but was taken, when an infant, to Paris, where her education commenced. Her parents were persons of much intelligence and culture. Her mother had great taste for music and painting, and it was from her that her daughter’s talents received their first direction and encouragement. The family favored the aristocrats and Legitimists, and endured much in the cause of the Bourbons. Madame de Fauveau’s eyes had opened on the terrors of the guillotine, and she was as proud of those memories of exile, proscription, and the scaffold as most persons are of honor and titles. Her chivalrous loyalty looked on them as dignities, and the privilege of suffering for the family to which she was devoted was cheaply earned in her eyes by the ruin and exile of her own.