Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D Part 15

[Ill.u.s.tration: From a Copley Print.

ANGIOLA

LOUISE c.o.x]

A writer in the _Cosmopolitan_ says: "Mrs. c.o.x is an earnest worker and her method is interesting. Each picture is the result of many sketches and the study of many models, representing in a composite way the perfections of all. For the Virgin in her 'Annunciation' a model was first posed in the nude, and then another draped, the artist sketching the figure in the nude, draping it from the second model. The hands are always separately sketched from a model who has a peculiar grace in folding them naturally."

Mrs. c.o.x gives her ideas about her picture of the "Fates" as follows: "My interpretation of the Fates is not the one usually accepted. The idea took root in my mind years ago when I was a student at the League. It remained urgently with me until I was forced to work it out. As you see, the faces of the Fates are young and beautiful, but almost expressionless. The heads are drooping, the eyes heavy as though half asleep. My idea is, that they are merely instruments under the control of a higher power. They perform their work, they must do it without will or wish of their own. It would be beyond human or superhuman endurance for any conscious instrument to bear for ages and ages the horrible responsibility placed upon the Fates."

CRESPO DE REIGON, ASUNCION. Honorable mention at the National Exhibition, Madrid, 1860. Member of the Academy of San Fernando, 1839.

Pupil of her father. To the exhibition in 1860 she sent a "Magdalen in the Desert," "The Education of the Virgin," "The Divine Shepherdess," "A Madonna," and a "Venus." Her works have been seen in many public exhibitions. In 1846 she exhibited a miniature of Queen Isabel II. Many of her pictures are in private collections.

CROMENBURCH, ANNA VON. In the Museum of Madrid are four portraits by this artist: "A Lady of the Netherlands," which belonged to Philip IV.; "A Lady and Child," "A Lady with her Infant before Her," and another "Portrait of a Lady." The catalogue of the Museum gallery says: "It is not known in what place or in what year this talented lady was born. She is said to have belonged to an old and n.o.ble family of Friesland. At any rate, she was an excellent portrait painter, and flourished about the end of the sixteenth century. The Museo del Prado is the only gallery in Europe which possesses works signed by this distinguished artist."

DAHN-FRIES, SOPHIE. Born in Munich. 1835-98. This artist was endowed with unusual musical and artistic talent. After the education of her only son, she devoted herself to painting, princ.i.p.ally of landscape and flowers. After 1868, so long as she lived she was much interested in Frau von Weber's Art School for Girls. In 1886, when a financial crisis came, Mme. Dahn-Fries saved the enterprise from ruin. She exhibited, in 1887, two pictures which are well known--"Harvest Time" and "Forest Depths."

DAMER, MRS. ANNE SEYMOUR. Family name Conway. 1748-1828. She was a granddaughter of the Duke of Argyle, a relative of the Marquis of Hertford, and a cousin of Horace Walpole. Her education was conducted with great care; the history of ancient nations, especially in relation to art, was her favorite study. She had seen but few sculptures, but was fascinated by them, and almost unconsciously cherished the idea that she could at least model portraits and possibly give form to original conceptions.

Allan Cunningham wrote of her thus: "Her birth ent.i.tled her to a life of ease and luxury; her beauty exposed her to the a.s.siduity of suitors and the temptations of courts; but it was her pleasure to forget all such advantages and dedicate the golden hours of her youth to the task of raising a name by working in wet clay, plaster of Paris, stubborn marble, and still more intractable bronze."

Before she had seriously determined to attempt the realization of her dreams, she was brought to a decision by a caustic remark of the historian, Hume. Miss Conway was one day walking with him when they met an Italian boy with plaster vases and figures to sell. Hume examined the wares and talked with the boy. Not long after, in the presence of several other people, Miss Conway ridiculed Hume's taste in art; he answered her sarcastically and intimated that no woman could display as much science and genius as had entered into the making of the plaster casts she so scorned.

This decided her to test herself, and, obtaining wax and the proper tools, she worked industriously until she had made a head that she was willing to show to others. She then presented it to Hume; it has been said that it was his own portrait, but we do not know if this is true. At all events, Hume was forced to commend her work, and added that modelling in wax was very easy, but to chisel in marble was quite another task.

Piqued by this scant praise she worked on courageously, and before long showed her critic a copy of the wax head done in marble.

Though Hume genuinely admired certain portions of this work, it is not surprising that he also found defects in it. Doubtless his critical att.i.tude stimulated the young sculptress to industry; but the true art-impulse was awakened, and her friends soon observed that Miss Conway was no longer interested in their usual pursuits. When the whole truth was known, it caused much comment. Of course ladies had painted, but to work with the hands in wet clay and be covered with marble dust--to say the least, Miss Conway was eccentric.

She at once began the study of anatomy under Cruikshanks, modelling with Cerrachi, and the handling of marble in the studio of Bacon.

Unfortunately for her art, she was married at nineteen to John Darner, eldest son of Lord Milton, a fop and spendthrift, who had run through a large fortune. He committed suicide nine years after his marriage. It is said that Harrington, in Miss Burney's novel of "Cecilia," was drawn from John Damer, and that his wardrobe was sold for $75,000--about half its original cost!

Mrs. Damer was childless, and very soon after her husband's death she travelled in Europe and renewed her study and practice of sculpture with enthusiasm. By some of her friends her work was greatly admired, but Walpole so exaggerated his praise of her that one can but think that he wrote out of his cousinly affection for the artist, rather than from a judicial estimate of her talent. He bequeathed to her, for her life, his villa of Strawberry Hill, with all its valuables, and 2,000 a year for its maintenance.

Mrs. Damer executed many portrait busts, some animal subjects, two colossal heads, symbolic of the Thames and the Isis, intended for the adornment of the bridge at Henley. Her statue of the king, in marble, was placed in the Register Office in Edinburgh. She made a portrait bust of herself for the Uffizi Gallery, in Florence. Her portrait busts of her relatives were numerous and are still seen in private galleries. She executed two groups of "Sleeping Dogs," one for Queen Caroline and a second for her brother-in-law, the Duke of Richmond. Napoleon asked her for a bust of Fox, which she made and presented to the Emperor. A bust of herself which she made for Richard Payne Knight was by him bequeathed to the British Museum. Her "Death of Cleopatra" was modelled in relief, and an engraving from it was used as a vignette on the t.i.tle-page of the second volume of Boydell's Shakespeare.

Those who have written of Mrs. Darner's art have taken extreme views.

They have praised _ad nauseam_, as Walpole did when he wrote: "Mrs.

Darner's busts from life are not inferior to the antique. Her shock dog, large as life and only not alive, rivals the marble one of Bernini in the Royal Collection. As the ancients have left us but five animals of equal merit with their human figures--viz., the Barberini Goat, the Tuscan Boar, the Mattei Eagle, the Eagle at Strawberry Hill, and Mr.

Jennings' Dog--the talent of Mrs. Damer must appear in the most distinguished light."

Cerrachi made a full length figure of Mrs. Damer, which he called the Muse of Sculpture, and Darwin, the poet, wrote:

"Long with soft touch shall Damers' chisel charm, With grace delight us, and with beauty warm."

Quite in opposition to this praise, other authors and critics have severely denied the value of her talent, her originality, and her ability to finish her work properly. She has also been accused of employing an undue amount of aid in her art. As a woman she was unusual in her day, and as resolute in her opinions as those now known as strong-minded.

Englishwoman as she was, she sent a friendly message to Napoleon at the crisis, just before the battle of Waterloo. She was a power in some political elections, and she stoutly stood by Queen Caroline during her trial.

Mrs. Damer was much esteemed by men of note. She ardently admired Charles Fox, and, with the beautiful d.u.c.h.ess of Devons.h.i.+re and Mrs. Crewe, she took an active part in his election; "rustling their silks in the lowest sinks of sin and misery, and in return for the electors' 'most sweet voices' submitting, it is said, their own sweet cheeks to the salutes of butchers and bargemen." She did not hesitate to openly express her sympathy with the American colonies, and bravely defended their cause.

At Strawberry Hill Mrs. Damer dispensed a generous hospitality, and many distinguished persons were her guests; Joanna Baillie, Mrs. Siddons, Mrs.

Garrick, and Mrs. Berry and her daughters were of her intimate circle.

She was fond of the theatre and frequently acted as an amateur in private houses. She was excellent in high comedy and recited poetry effectively.

Mrs. Damer was one of the most interesting of Englishwomen at a period of unusual excitement and importance.

When seventy years old she was persuaded to leave Strawberry Hill, and Lord Waldegrave, on whom it was entailed, took possession. Mrs. Damer then purchased York House, the birthplace of Queen Anne, where she spent ten summers, her winter home being in Park Lane, London.

She bequeathed her artistic works to a relative, directed that her ap.r.o.n and tools should be placed in her coffin, and all her letters destroyed, by which she deprived the world of much that would now be historically valuable, since she had corresponded with Nelson and Fox, as well as with other men and women who were active in the important movements of her time. She was buried at Tunbridge, Kent.

Da.s.sEL, MRS. HERMINIE, whose family name was Borchard. Daughter of a Prussian gentleman, who, having lost his fortune, came to the United States in 1839. His children had enjoyed the advantages of education and of an excellent position in the world, but here, in a strange land, were forced to consider the means of their support. Herminie determined to be a painter, and in some way earned the money to go to Dusseldorf, where she studied four years under Sohn, all the time supporting herself. Her pictures were genre subjects introducing children, which found a ready sale.

She returned to America, determined to earn money to go to Italy. In a year she earned a thousand dollars, and out of it paid some expenses for a brother whom she wished to take with her. Herminie was still young, and so pet.i.te in person that her friends were alarmed by her ambitions and strenuously opposed her plans. However, she persevered and reached Italy, but unfortunately the Revolution of 1848 made it impossible for her to remain, and she had many unhappy experiences in returning to New York.

Her pictures were appreciated, and several of them were purchased by the Art Union, then existing in New York. Soon after her return to America she married Mr. Da.s.sel, and although she had a large family she continued to paint. Her picture of "Oth.e.l.lo" is in the Dusseldorf Gallery. Her painting of "Effie Deans" attracted much attention.

Mrs. Da.s.sel interested herself in charities and was admired as an artist and greatly respected as a woman. She died in 1857.

DEALY, JANE MARY--MRS. W. LLEWELLYN LEWIS. Silver medal at Royal Academy School and prize for best drawing of the year. Member of Royal Inst.i.tute of Painters in Water-Colors. Born in Liverpool. Studied at Slade School and Royal Academy School. Has exhibited several years at the Royal Academy Exhibition and Inst.i.tute of Painters in Water-Colors.

In 1901 her picture, "A Dutch Bargain," was etched and engraved.

"Hush-a-Bye Baby" and "Good-by, Summer," have been published by Messrs.

De la Rue et Cie. She has successfully ill.u.s.trated the following children's books: "Sixes and Sevens," "The Land of Little People,"

"Children's Prayers," and "Children's Hymns."

To the Academy Exhibition of 1903 Mrs. Lewis sent "On the Mountain-side, Engelberg."

DE ANGELIS, CLOTILDE. This Neapolitan artist has made a good impression in at least two Italian exhibitions. To the National Exposition, Naples, 1877, she sent "Studio dal Vero" and "Vallata di Porrano," showing costumes of Amalfi. Both her drawing and color are good.

DEBILLEMONT-CHARDON, MME. GABRIELLE. Third-cla.s.s medal, Salon, 1894; honorable mention at Paris Exposition, 1900; second-cla.s.s medal, Salon, 1901. This miniaturist is well known by her works, in which so much grace, freshness, skill, and delicacy are shown; in which are represented such charming subjects with purity of tone and skilful execution in all regards, as well as with an incomparable spirit of attractiveness.

This artist is one of the three miniaturists whose works have a place in the Museum of the Luxembourg. She has had many pupils, and by her influence and example--for they endeavor to imitate their teacher--she has done much to improve and enlarge the style in miniature painting.