Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D Part 21

GARDNER, ELIZABETH JANE. Honorable mention, Paris Salon, 1879; gold medal, 1889; hors concours. Born in Exeter, New Hamps.h.i.+re, 1851, her professional life has been spent in Paris, where she was a pupil of Hugues Merle, Lefebvre, and M. William A. Bouguereau, whom she married.

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GARRIDO Y AGUDO, MARIA DE LA SOLEDAD. Born in Salamanca. Pupil of Juan Peyro. She exhibited two works at the National Exposition, 1876--a portrait and a youth studying a picture. In 1878 she sent to the same exposition "The Sacrifice of the Saguntine Women." At the Philadelphia Exposition, 1876, she exhibited her "Messenger of Love." Her "Santa Lucia" is in the church of San Roque de Gardia.

Ga.s.sO Y VIDAL, LEOPOLDA. Honorable mention, 1876. Prizes, 1876, for two works sent to the Provincial Exposition of Leon. Member of the a.s.sociation of Authors and Artists, 1876. Born in the Province of Toledo.

Pupil of Manuel Martinez Ferrer and Isidoro Lozano. At Madrid, in 1881, she exhibited "A Pensioner," "A Beggar," a portrait of Senorita M. J., and a landscape; in 1878, "A c.o.xcomb," "Street Venders of avila," and a landscape; and in 1881, at an exhibition held by D. Ricardo Hernandez, were seen a landscape and a portrait of D. Lucas Aguirre y Juarez.

GEEFS, MME. f.a.n.n.y ISABELLE MARIE. Born at Brussels. 1814-1883. Wife of the sculptor, Guillaume Geefs. A painter of portraits and genre subjects which excel the historical pictures she also painted. Her "a.s.sumption of the Virgin" is in a church at Waterloo; "Christ Appearing to His Disciples," in a church at Hauthem. "The Virgin Consoling the Afflicted" was awarded a medal in Paris, and is in the Hospital of St.

John at Brussels. The "Virgin and Child" was purchased by the Belgian Government. Her portraits are good, and among her genre subjects the "Young Mother," the "Sailor's Daughter," and "Ophelia" are attractive and artistic in design and execution.

GELDER, LUCIA VAN. Born in Wiesbaden. 1864-1899. This artist was the daughter of an art dealer, and her constant a.s.sociation as a child with good pictures stimulated her to study. In Berlin she had lessons in drawing with Liezenmayer, and in color with Max Thedy. She was also a constant student at the galleries. She began to work independently when eighteen, and a number of her pictures achieved great popularity, being reproduced in many art magazines. "The Little Doctor," especially, in which a boy is feeling, with a grave expression of knowledge, the pulse of his sister's pet kitten, has been widely copied in photographs, wood-engravings, and in colors. She repeated the picture in varying forms. She died in Munich, where she was favorably known through such works as "The Village Barber," "Contraband," "The Wonderful Story," "At the Sick Bed," and "The Violin Player," the last painted the year before her death.

GENTILESCHI, ARTEMISIA. 1590-1642. A daughter of Orazio Gentileschi, whom she accompanied to England when he was invited to the court of Charles I. Artemisia has been called the pupil, and again the friend, of Guido Reni. Whatever the relation may have been, there is no doubt that the manner of her painting was influenced by Guido, and also by her study of the works of Domenichino.

Wagner says that she excelled her father in portraits, and her own likeness, in the gallery at Hampton Court, is a powerful and life-like picture. King Charles had several pictures from her hand, one of which, "David with the Head of Goliath," was much esteemed. Her "Mary Magdalene"

and "Judith with the Head of Holofernes" are in the Pitti Palace. The latter work is a proof of her talent. Lanzi says: "It is a picture of strong coloring, of a tone and intensity which inspires awe." Mrs.

Jameson praised its execution while she regretted its subject.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Alinari, Photo.

In the Pitti Gallery, Florence

JUDITH WITH THE HEAD OF HOLOFERNES

ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI]

Her picture of the "Birth of John the Baptist," in the Gallery of the Prado, is worthy of attention, even in that marvellous collection, where is also her "Woman Caressing Pigeons." The Historical Society of New York has her picture of "Christ among the Doctors."

After her return to Italy from England, this artist was married and resided in Naples. Several of her letters are in existence. They tell of the manner of her life and give an interesting picture of Neapolitan society in her day.

GESSLER DE LACROIX, ALEJANDRENA--known in art circles as Madame Anselma. Gold medal at Cadiz, 1880. Honorary member of the Academy of Cadiz. She has spent some years in Paris, where her works are often seen in exhibitions. Her medal picture at Cadiz was an "Adoration of the Cross." One of her most successful works is called "The Choir Boys."

GILES, MISS--MRS. BERNARD JENKIN. This sculptor exhibited a life-size marble group, called "In Memoriam," at the Royal Academy in 1900, which attracted much attention. It was graceful in design and of a sympathetic quality. At an open compet.i.tion in the London Art Union her "Hero" won the prize. In 1901 she exhibited an ambitious group called "After Nineteen Hundred Years, and still They Crucify." It was excellent in modelling, admirable in sentiment, and displayed strength in conception and execution.

GINa.s.sI, CATERINA. Born in Rome, 1590. This artist was of n.o.ble family, and one of her uncles, a Cardinal, founded the Church of Santa Lucia, in which Caterina, after completing her studies under Lanfranco, painted several large pictures. After the death of the Cardinal, with money which he had given her for the purpose, Caterina founded a cloister, with a seminary for the education of girls.

As Abbess of this community she proved herself to be of unusual ability.

In her youth she had been trained in practical affairs as well as in art, and, although she felt that "the needle and distaff were enemies to the brush and pencil," her varied knowledge served her well in the responsibilities she had a.s.sumed, and at the head of the inst.i.tution she had founded she became as well known for her executive ability as for her piety.

Little as the works of Lanfranco appeal to us, he was a notable artist of the Carracci school; Caterina did him honor as her master, and, in the esteem of her admirers, excelled him as a painter.

GIRARDET, BERTHE. Gold medal at the Paris Exposition, 1900; honorable mention, Salon des Artistes Francais, 1900; ten silver medals from foreign exhibitions. Member of the Societe des Artistes Francais and the Union des femmes peintres et sculpteurs. Born at Ma.r.s.eilles. Her father was Swiss and her mother a Miss Rogers of Boston. She was a pupil for three months of Antonin-Carles, Paris. With this exception, Mme.

Girardet writes: "I studied mostly alone, looking to nature as the best teacher, and with energetic perseverance trying to give out in a concrete form all that filled my heart."

[Ill.u.s.tration: GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

BERTHE GIRARDET]

Among her works are: "L'Enfant Malade," bought by the city of Paris and placed in the Pet.i.t Palais des Champs elysees; a group called the "Grandmother's Blessing," purchased by the Government and placed in a public museum; the bust of an "Old Woman," acquired by the Swiss Government and placed in the Museum of Neuchatel; a group, the "Madonna and Child," for which the artist received the gold medal; and two groups ill.u.s.trating the prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread." Also portrait statues and busts belonging to private collections.

At the Salon des Artistes Francais, 1902, Mme. Girardet exhibited the "Grandmother's Blessing" and "L'Enfant Malade." At the same Salon, 1903, the two groups ill.u.s.trating the Lord's Prayer.

A writer, G. M., in the _Studio_ of December, 1902, writes: "Prominent among the women artists of the day whose talents are attracting attention is Mme. Berthe Girardet. She has a very delicate and very tender vision of things, which stamps her work with genuine originality. She does not seek her subjects far from the life around her; quite the reverse; and therein lies the charm of her sculpture--a great, sincere, and simple charm, which at once arouses one's emotion. What, for instance, could be more poignantly sad than this 'Enfant Malade' group, with the father, racked with anxiety, bending over the pillow of his fragile little son, and the mother, already in an att.i.tude of despair, at the foot of the bed? The whole thing is great in its profound humanity.

"The 'Benediction de l'Aeule' is less tragic. Behind the granddaughter, delightful in her white veil and dress of a _premiere communicante_, stands the old woman, her wrinkled face full of quiet joy. She is thinking of the past, moved by the melancholy of the bells, and she is happy with a happiness with which is mingled something of sorrow and regret. It is really exquisite. By simple means Mme. Berthe Girardet obtains broad emotional effects. She won a great and legitimate success at the Salon of the Societe des Artistes Francais."

GLEICHEN, COUNTESS. Bronze medal at Paris Exposition, 1900.

Honorable member of Royal Inst.i.tute of Painters in Water-Colors, of Royal Society of Painter Etchers. Sculptor. Pupil of her father, Prince Victor of Hohenlohe, and of the Slade School, London; also of Professor Legros.

She has exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy since 1893.

In 1895 she completed a life-size statue of Queen Victoria for the Victoria Hospital, Montreal. The Queen is represented in royal robes, with one child asleep on her knee, while another, with its arm in a sling, stands on the steps of the throne. Shortly before the Queen's death she gave sittings to Countess Gleichen, who then executed a bust of her majesty, now at the Cheltenham Ladies' College. The Const.i.tutional Club, London, has her bust of Queen Alexandra, which was seen at the Academy in 1895. Her "Satan" attracted much attention when exhibited in 1894. He is represented as seated on a throne composed of snakes, while he has scales and wings and is armed like a knight. In 1899 her statue of "Peace" was more pleasing, while a hand-mirror of jade and bronze was much admired both in London and Paris, where it was seen in the Exposition of 1900. In 1901 she executed a fountain with a figure of a nymph for a garden in Paris; a year later, a second fountain for W.

Palmer, Esq., Ascot. She has made a half-length figure of Kubelik. Her sculptured portraits include those of Sir Henry Ponsonby, Mme. Calve, Mrs. Walter Palmer, and a bust of the late Queen, in ivory, which she exhibited in 1903.

GLEICHEN, COUNTESS HELENA.

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GLOAG, ISOBEL LILIAN. Born in London, the daughter of Scotch parents. Her early studies were made at St. John's Wood Art School, preparatory to entering the School of the Royal Academy, but the conservative and academic training of these inst.i.tutions so displeased her that she went to the Slade School. Ill health compelled her to put aside all plans for regular study, and she entered Ridley's studio for private instruction, following this with work at the South Kensington Museum. After still further study with Raphael Collin in Paris, she returned to London and soon had her work accepted at the Royal Academy.

Miss Gloag is reported as saying that women have little sense of composition, a failing which she does not seem to share; in this respect and as a colorist she is especially strong. "Rosamond," in which the charming girl in a purple robe, sitting before an embroidery frame, is startled by the shadow of Queen Eleanor bearing the poisoned cup, displays these qualities to great advantage. The leafy bower, the hanging mantle, show great skill in arrangement and a true instinct for color.

"The Magic Mantle," "Rapunzel," and the "Miracle of the Roses" have all--especially, the first named--made an impression; another and strikingly original picture, called the "Quick and the Dead," represents a poorhouse, in the ward of which is a group of old women surrounded by the ghosts of men and children. Miss Gloag has also made some admirable designs for stained-gla.s.s windows. She has been seriously hampered by ill health, and her achievements in the face of such a drawback are all the more remarkable.