BOMPIANI-BATTAGLIA, CLELIA. Born in Rome, 1847.  Pupil of her father, Roberto Bompiani, and of the professors in the Academy of St. Luke.  The following pictures in water-colors have established her reputation as an artist:  “Confidential Communication,” 1885; the “Fortune-Teller,” 1887; “A Public Copyist,” 1888; and “The Wooing,” 1888.

BONHEUR, JULIETTE—­MME. PEYROL. Born at Paris.  Sister of Rosa Bonheur, and a pupil of her father.  Among her pictures are “A Flock of Geese,” “A Flock of Sheep Lying Down,” and kindred subjects.  The last-named work was much remarked at the Salon of 1875.  In 1878 she exhibited “The Pool” and “The Mother’s Kiss.”

Mme. Peyrol was associated with her famous sister in the conduct of the Free School of Design, founded by Rosa Bonheur in 1849.

BONHEUR, MARIE ROSALIE. 1822-99.  Member of Antwerp Institute, 1868.  Salon medals, 1845, 1848, 1855, 1867; Legion of Honor, 1865; Leopold Cross, 1880; Commander’s Cross, Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic, 1880.  Born in Bordeaux.  She was taught drawing by her father, who, perceiving that she had unusual talent, permitted her to give up dressmaking, to which, much against her will, she had been apprenticed.  From 1855 her fame was established; she was greatly appreciated, and her works competed for in England and the United States, as well as in European countries.

Her chief merit is the actual truthfulness with which she represented animals.  Her skies might be bettered in some cases—­the atmosphere of her pictures was sometimes open to question—­but her animals were anatomically perfect and handled with such virility as few men have excelled or even equalled.  Her position as an artist is so established that no quoted opinions are needed when speaking of her—­she was one of the most famous women of her century.

Her home at By was near Fontainebleau, where she lived quietly, and for some years held gratuitous classes for drawing.  She left, at her death, a collection of pictures, studies, etchings, etc., which were sold by auction in Paris soon after.

Her “Ploughing in the Nivernais,” 1848, is in the Luxembourg Gallery; “The Horse Fair,” 1853, is seen in the National Gallery, London, in a replica, the original being in the United States, purchased by the late A. T. Stewart.  Her “Hay Harvest in the Auvergne,” 1855, is one of her most important works.  After 1867 Mlle. Bonheur did not exhibit at the Salon until 1899, a few weeks before her death.

One must pay a tribute to this artist as a good and generous woman.  She founded the Free School of Design for Girls, and in 1849 took the direction of it and devoted much of her valuable time to its interests.  How valuable an hour was to her we may understand when we remember that Hamerton says:  “I have seen work of hers which, according to the price given, must have paid her a hundred pounds for each day’s labor.”