y and sensibility are distinctly indicated.

Mlle. Mayer had made her debut at the Salon of 1896 with a portrait of
"Citizeness Mayer," painted by herself, and showing a sketch for the
portrait of her mother; also a picture of a "Young Scholar with a
Portfolio Under His Arm," and a miniature. From this time her work was
seen at each year's salon.

Her pictures in 1810 were the "Happy Mother" and the "Unhappy Mother,"
which are now in the Louvre; the contrast between the joyousness of the
mother with her child and the anguish of the mother who has lost her
child is portrayed with great tenderness. The "Dream of Happiness," also
in the Louvre, represents a young couple in a boat with their child; the
boat is guided down the stream of life by Love and Fortune. This is one
of her best pictures. It is full of poetic feeling, and the flesh tints
are unusually natural. The work of this artist is characterized by
delicacy of touch and freshness of color while pervaded by a peculiar
grace and charm. Her drawing is good, but the composition is less
satisfactory.

It is well known that Prud'hon and his pupil painted many pictures in
collaboration. This has led to an under-valuation of her ability, and
both the inferior works of Prud'hon and bad imitations of him have been
attributed to her. M. Guenllette writes that when Mlle. Mayer studied
under Greuze she painted in his manner, and he inclines to the opinion
that some pictures attributed to Greuze were the work of his pupil. In
the same way she imitated Prud'hon, and this critic thinks it by no means
certain that the master finished her work, as has been alleged.

In the Museum at Nancy are Mlle. Mayer's portraits of Mme. and Mlle.
Voiant; in the Museum of Dijon is an ideal head by her, and in the
Bordeaux Gallery is her picture, called "Confidence." "Innocence Prefers
Love to Riches" and the "Torch of Venus" are well-known works by Mlle.
Mayer.

<b>MESDAG-VAN HOUTEN, S.</b> Gold medal at Amsterdam, 1884; bronze medal,
Paris Exposition, 1889. Born at Groningen, 1834. In 1856 she married
Mesdag, who, rather late in life decided to follow the career of a
painter. His wife, not wishing to be separated from him in any sense,
resolved on the same profession, and about 1870 they began their study.
Mme. Mesdag acquired her technique with difficulty, and her success was
achieved only as the result of great perseverance and continual labor.
The artists of Oosterbeck and Brussels