r art
until she visits Florence when fourteen years old, and her love of
pictures and statues is awakened. She spent hours in galleries, never
sitting down, without fatigue, in spite of her delicacy. She says: "That
is because the things one loves do not tire one. So long as there are
pictures and, better still, statues to be seen, I am made of iron." After
questioning whether she dare say it, she confides to her readers: "I
don't like the Madonna della Sedia of Raphael. The countenance of the
Virgin is pale, the color is not natural, the expression is that of a
waiting-maid rather than of a Madonna. Ah, but there is a Magdalen of
Titian that enchanted me. Only--there must always be an only--her wrists
are too thick and her hands are too plump--beautiful hands they would be
on a woman of fifty. There are things of Rubens and Vandyck that are
ravishing. The 'Mensonge' of Salvator Rosa is very natural. I do not
speak as a connoisseur; what most resembles nature pleases me most. Is it
not the aim of painting to copy nature? I like very much the full, fresh
countenance of the wife of Paul Veronese, painted by him. I like the
style of his faces. I adore Titian and Vandyck; but that poor Raphael!
Provided only no one knows what I write; people would take me for a fool;
I do not criticise Raphael; I do not understand him; in time I shall no
doubt learn to appreciate his beauties. The portrait of Pope Leo X.--I
think it is--is admirable, however." A surprising critique for a girl of
her age!

When seventeen she made her first picture of any importance. "While they
were playing cards last night I made a rough sketch of the players--and
this morning I transferred the sketch to canvas. I am delighted to have
made a picture of persons sitting down in different attitudes; I copied
the position of the hands and arms, the expressions of the countenance,
etc. I had never before done anything but heads, which I was satisfied to
scatter over the canvas like flowers."

Her enthusiasm for her art constantly increased. She was not willing to
acknowledge her semi-invalidism and was filled with the desire to do
something in art that would live after her. She was opposed by her
family, who wished her to be in fashionable society. At length she had
her way, and when not quite eighteen began to study regularly at the
Julian Academy. She worked eight and nine hours a day. Julian encouraged
her, she rejoiced in being with "real artists who have e