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| Gérôme in his workshop, a 1889 edition Century Magazine |
to conclude our look into four parts to the teaching style of Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-104) we will examine the memories of some of his students look back on their time studying with him at the School of Fine Arts in Paris.
EH Blashfield said Gerome "allowed me to take pictures [for criticism] as often as I wanted, and he was always kind of giving time and attention to young people, about the half hour with enthusiasm of classical antiquity, saying "you surround everything you can, -casts, photographs, terracotta, paintings of vases, -and watch them . constantly with all your strength "
Kenyon Cox recalled," I once heard him say to a student: "When you draw the shape is the important thing; but in painting the first thing to look for is general impression color. " Certainly Manet could say no more .... As a teacher, I do not think he superiors, and his criticism is always based on the essential, and rarely affects methodological issues "
Wyatt Eaton remembered ". In the critical compositions and images that he brought to bear his extensive knowledge and experience of physical laws. . With me, it usually makes suggestions that would add to the picturesque of my compositions, his critics still coming from the intellect rather than his heart "
George de Forest Brush, said:" As a teacher, it is very dignified and seemingly cold but really nice and tender heart, giving foreign students each Attention in his teaching, he avoids as revenue for the painting. he constantly makes the nature of truth and teaches that Art can be achieved through better perception and not through processes. but he constantly pleaded with his students to understand that although the absolute fidelity to nature should never be in mind, but if they do not the last mark imitation used term they will end as they began - Only children "
Thomas Eakins wrote." Gerome comes to each and unless absolute proof of this savant have been inactive, it looks carefully and long model, then drawing, then he will point out every fault. He treats all alike good and bad. What he wants to see progress. Nothing escapes his attention. Often he draws for us. The last time he made no change in my work, said he was not bad, had some good weak parts in it, but was still somewhat barbaric .... The greatest compliment that I was never paid, was to say that he saw a sense of bigness in my modeling, "there, now you're on the right track, now push. "
J. Alden Weir described his lawyer as" just, severe, and grateful. " Abbott Thayer says "One of my most intimate desires will always get the approval of my work." SW Van Schaick wrote that his presence "has raised us in the moment, beyond our capacity, our stared errors in our work, we saw with his eyes, told us the unfriendly "simpler, '' it is not that" we judged only to return to our weakness his departure "
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. Sources:
the monthly magazine Century Illustrated, 1889 Volume 7, at page 636.
letters of citation Eakins of Paris Thomas Eakins
) Series GurneyJourney:
"Fine Arts Education" series Part 1 Part 2, Part 3
Books
Charles Bargue and Jean-Léon Gérôme
The attraction of Paris : nineteenth-century American painting and Their french teachers 
Studios of Paris: the capital of art in the late nineteenth century
Academy and french painting in the 19th century
Studios of Paris: the capital of art in the late nineteenth century
Academy and french painting in the 19th century
BOOK SIGNING TODAY 3:30
Upon exposure of Dinotopia in Stamford, Connecticut. Show will be up to 25 May
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