Page:Women in the Fine Arts From the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentiet.djvu/40

Rh pupil David won recognition from the world of the First Empire.

French Art of this period may be described by a single word—eclectic—and this choice by each important artist of the style he would adopt culminated in the Rococo School, which may be defined as the unusual and fantastic in art. It was characterized by good technique and pleasing color, but lacked purpose, depth, and warmth of feeling. As usual in a pot-pourri, it was far enough above worthlessness not to be ignored, but so far short of excellence as not to be admired.

In France during this century there was an army of women artists, painters, sculptors, and engravers. Of a great number we know the names only; in fact, of but two of these, Adelaide Vincent and Elizabeth Vigée Le Brun, have we reliable knowledge of their lives and works.

The eighteenth century is important in the annals of women artists, since their numbers then exceeded the collective number of those who had preceded them — so far as is known—from the earliest period in the history of art. In a critical review of the time, however, we find a general and active interest in culture and art among women rather than any considerable number of noteworthy artists.

Germany was the scene of the greatest activity of women artists. France held the second place and Italy the third, thus reversing the conditions of preceding centuries.

Many German women emulated the examples of the earlier flower painters, but no one was so important as to