something perhaps in the occupation fostered, or even created, this
taste--for not a few distinguished painters have been apprenticed to
the goldsmith's trade--and his father, like a wise man, instead of
opposing his son's wishes, did what he could to further them. He
bought him painting-materials; and instead of sending him to a "school
of design," or putting him under the tutelage of some third-rate
drawing-master, such as is commonly found in country towns, he bought
him a picture by Decamps, an artist since become famous, but then just
in the dawn of his fame, and put it before his son as a model. Young
Gerome made a copy of this picture, and an artist from Paris, who
happened to be passing through Vesoul, saw it, and discerning the
boy's talent, gave him a letter to Paul Delaroche, encouraging him to
go to Paris and there to take up the study of art as a profession. At
seventeen years of age, with his father's consent and $250 in his
pocket, Gerome went up to Paris, and presenting his letter to
Delaroche, was well received by him, and entered the School of Fine
Arts (Ecole des Beaux-Arts) as his pupil.

He had been with Delaroche three years and had proved himself one of
the most loyal and diligent of his pupils, when an event occurred,
insignificant in itself, but which was to have an important influence
upon his life and give a new direction to his talent.

French studios are not as a rule very orderly places. The young men
who frequent them are left pretty much to themselves, with no one to
govern them or to oversee them. The artist they are studying under
makes, at the most, a brief daily visit, going the round of the
easels, saying a word or two to each pupil, although it often happens
that he says nothing, and then departs for his proper work, leaving
his pupils to their own devices. The students are for the most part
like young men everywhere, a turbulent set, full of animal spirits,
which sometimes carry them beyond reasonable bounds. It was a
boisterous outbreak of this sort, but far wilder than common, that
occurred in the studio of Delaroche, and which brought about the
crisis in Gerome's life to which we have alluded. Fortunately for him,
the incident took place while Gerome was on a visit to his parents at
Vesoul, so that he was in no way implicated in the affair. He came
back to find the studio closed; Delaroche, deeply disturbed, had
dismissed all his pupils and announced his intention to visit Ita