Page:Women in the Fine Arts From the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentiet.djvu/506

Rh Prud’hon painted several portraits of Mile. Mayer, the best-known being now in the Louvre. It represents an engaging personality, in which vivacity and sensibility are distinctly indicated.

Mlle. Mayer had made her débût 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 Mile. Mayer studied under Greuze she painted in his manner, and he inclines to the opinion that some pictures attributed to