nd
the fatal malady from which she was already suffering had given to her
remarkable face. The critics had no words for this portrait which were
not words of praise, and two years later, in 1855, Madame O'Connell
reached the height of her talent. "A Faunesse," as it was called, in the
exposition of that year, was a remarkable work, and thus described by
Barty:

"A strong and beautiful young woman was seated near a spring, where
beneath the shade of the chestnut trees the water lilies spread
themselves out upon the stream which flowed forth. She was nude and her
flesh palpitated beneath the caresses of the sun. With feminine caprice
she wore a bracelet of pearls of the style of the gold workers of the
Renaissance. Her black hair had lights of golden brown upon it, and she
opened her great brown eyes with an expression of indifference. A half
smile played upon her rosy lips and lessened the oval of the face like
that of the 'Dancing Faun.' The whole effect of the lines of the figure
was bold and gave an appearance of youth, the extremities were studiously
finished, the skin was fine, and the whole tournure elegant. It was a
Faunesse of Fontainebleau of the time of the Valois."

Mme. O'Connell then executed several fine portraits--two of Rachel, one
of M. O'Connell, others of Charles Edward and Theophile Gautier, which
were likened to works of Vandyck, and a portrait in crayon of herself
which was a _chef-d'oeuvre_. She excelled in rendering passionate
natures; she found in her palette the secret of that pallor which spreads
itself over the faces of those devoted to study--the fatigues of days and
nights without sleep; she knew how to kindle the feverish light in the
eyes of poets and of the women of society. She worked with great
freedom, used a thick pate in which she brushed freely and left the
ridges thus made in the colors; then, later, she put over a glaze, and
all was done. Her etchings were also executed with great freedom, and
many parts, especially the hair, were remarkably fine. She finished
numerous etchings, among which a "St. Magdalen in the Desert" and a
"Charity Surrounded by Children" are worthy of particular notice.

After Madame O'Connell removed to Paris she opened a large atelier and
received many pupils. It was a most attractive place, with gorgeous
pieces of antique furniture, loaded with models of sculpture, books,
albums, engravings, and so on, while draperies, tapestries, armor, and
ornaments i