TH'

. E PENNY MAGAZINE ' . . .

OP TU.

Soclety for the DlffusloD Or Usefal K,Dowledge.

414,] PUBLISHÈD EVERY SATURDAY. [SBPTBMBBH. 15, 1838.

LEOPOLD ROBERT.

LFithermen or the pon vC CluOgglll, Dear Veruce, prepanng to depart COI the deep-BeA Fishery.]

THE early life of Leopold Robert, a native of the canton' of the king of Prussia's territories, and Robert could nol
of Neufcbltel, Switzerland, where he was boro in 1794, compete for tbe first grand prize in engraving offered ~
in tbe village of Chault de Fonda, waa marked by the the French gov~rnment. Shut out from tbis path k)
ulual eventa which occur wbere natural talenta and strong distinction, he bècame more eamest in his lllbours, and ,
predi1ectioD8 are thwarted by circumstances which do more anDous to profit by the advantages which he en-
not pertDit their indulgence. Robert had evioced an joyed aa one of Davirl's pupi1s. The exile of tbis painter
early taste for drawing, but it was onIy after having in 1816 temporari1y interrupted Robert's studies, and he
vainlyendeavoured to be contented in a commerciaI situa- retumed to his mouotain village in the Jura. Here he
tion, that bis friends at length determined upon placing employed himself for some time in taking portraits, to
him in a position which wou1d allow bis talents to be de- whicb he gave a truthful expression aod character beyond
ve10ped in tbe direction to which tbey seemed most to wbat are usunlly seen in this c1al!s ofraiotiogs. M. Roul1et
incline. Some bad engravings which he bad copied with Mézerac, an enlightened amateur o NeufcbD.tel, waa io-
great exactness were sent to Paris for inspe.ction by a deed 80 much struck with tbem that he advised Robert
friend òr tbe fami1y, and be himself was placed witb an to proceed to Italy for his improvement, and kuowillg
engraver in the same city in 1810. In 1814 he obtained tbe sacrifices his fllmily had already mnde, thia generous
the seeond grand prize for bis merita aa aline engraver. patron proposed to àdvance to tbe y,oung painter a suffi.-
He waa, bowever, bent upon rU1'8uing anotber branch of cient SUD1 ior tbe journey aDd for biS support during the
art, aDd beeame a student o David. Political circum- necessary period of study,on the lole condition of being

,
I

i
atancea favoured bis design or applying bimself to paint- repaid on1y when bi8 fortunes became proeperous. On
ing, for at the Pence or 1814 Neufchltel became a portionarriving at Rome in 1818, Robert Itudied wich great quiet-
VOL.VIl.
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 354 ,TUE PENNY MAGAZINE. [SBPTB:MBBD. 15,

ness and perseverance for two years. • Hetens us bimself Ietterà abound in correct viewa of morai feeling, aud bis
that he was never so happy as when thus engaged. His simple and virtuollS habits could Iead to none of that re-
tastes were so simple that he found bis cbief plessure in morse of eonscience whieh sometimes driTes men who have
bis studies~ and envied not those who gained much money led a life or' thougbtlessness aild sometbing worse into tbe
by tbeir art. Man}' artists would finish ten pictures dep~ of despair. Tbe writer of a biograpbicai sketch
while he would complete one, but he engaged in the work of Leopold Robert states, that be had always regarded
:with bis whole heart and soul, and hr.nce derived a grllti- with proper feeling tbe act of suicide; and that in the
fication which the mechanical execution of a picture could greatest trials to which be bad been aubjected, be had
Dot poesibly aft'ord. Great timidity of cbaracter, at the sought tranquillity of .pirit in tbe sublime exhortation!!-
BRme time, prevented bim obtaining those resources OD of tbe Bible. The character of bis mind waa singuw, and
which artists who study at Rome for their improvement while nat1U"Blly tÌmid aud even sad in bis disposition, his
are generally accustomed in some degree to depend. He imagination was ardent and of a character which gave
had been so much absorbed in bis pursuits, and liked so bim some 01 tbe true cbaracteristics of greatness of mind.
little to follow the ordinary modes of adding to bis income, Beyond the talents ~bich be showed in bis profeasion be
,and tbe period for which M. Mézerac had undertaken to does not however appea'l' to bave possessed mentai quali-
supply him with funds had passed so pleasantly, that he fications of a higb order.
waa rf'.ally in some danger of being Ieft witbout the means We sball, in a future number, give another engraving
ofsupport. He had engaged bis kind friend M. Mézerac of one of Leopold Robert's paintings, wbich will afford
to proiong bis aid throughout the winter which was ap- a fitting opportunity of offering a few remarks OD the
proaching, when BuddenIy, without any efforts beyond composition which ap~ears in tbe present number.
those which devotion to his art called forth, he found the •
tide of patronage flowing briskly in his favour. A few TRE SMALL FARMS OF BELGIUM.
months afterwards he was in circumstances which enabled [FIOra tu •Thùd RepO" or George Nichon., ~., OIIDtalniug the Result or ali
Inqoiry iDio the CoaditiOIl or tbe LaboariDj! CIaoes &Dd "\be l'Ioùsioll ror
him to invite one of his brothers, who W8S engaged in a tbc Rellce or !he Poor iIllIol1alld aDd BelgilUll.']
branclfof the art ofwatchmaking that afforded him but nar- Tua extcnsive manufactures which al no very remote
row prospects in life, to come to Rome, and to devote period tlourished in Bclgium appear fa have congregated Il
himself to painting, for which be bad shown taste. '!'bere numerous population of artisans in and around the groat
beillg now a general demand for his works, Robert ex- towns. AI the scene of manufacturing industry changed.
ecuted a great number of amalI paintings, which were this populatio~ was deprived of its means or handicraft em-
eagcrly purchased ba amateurs. By the year 1828 he ployment, and was compelled to resort to thc cultimtion of
the soil for subsistenee. 1'his &eemS to haTe been the chier,
had repaid his kill benefoctor, aud also replaced the though possibly nol the sole origin or tbe system of small
8ums which had been supplied by his own family for bis farms, whieh slill prevails, and whieh are eultivatOO. by tbc
instruction, and was now recognised as one of the best lJulder and hi!! famil)', generalIy without other assistance.
painters in Europe. In the fourteen years between 1822 Tbe farms in Belgium very rarelyexceed 100 acres. The
und 1835, the number of Robert's works amounted to number containing 50 aeres is nol greaL 1'hose 01 30 and
above 250. In 1824 and 1827, two of his begt produc- 20 aeres are more ~umerous, but the. number 01 holdings
tion&-L'ImpTm'isatetlr Nltpolitain and La RelouT de or Irom 5 to lO, 15, and 20 aerea 1$ very considerable,
la Fate de la Madon~-were placed in the annuai exhi- espceially those of tbe smaller elltent; and to these I chietiy
eonflned my inquiries.
bition at the Louvre. In the exhibition of 1831 the The smaU farms of from five fa ten aeres, whieh abound
}lainting of the ArrivaI of Renllers in thc Pontine Marshes in many parts of Belgium, elusely resemble tbe small hold-
(a represcntation of which 'will be found in the' Pem~y ings in lreland; but the small Irish cultivator exists in a
Magnzine,' No. 348) appcared in the saloon; and in state or miserable privation or thc commOD eomforla and
1836, tbe year after bis death, the painting of which we conveniences 01 ci,ilized life, wbilst the Belgian peasant
118ve given an engraving at tbe head of the present notice, far~èr enjoys a large portio I) of those comforts. The houses
which reprcsents Le Départ des PichettTS de l'Adria- of the smalI cultivators in Be1j!ium are generally substan-
tique paur la pr.che de long rouTS. The King of the tially built and in good repm: they bave commonly a
slceping-room in the attic, and closets fur beds coDnected
Freucfl presented Leopold with the cross df the Legion of with tbe lower apartment, which is convenient in size. A
HOl1our after the exhibitiol1 of his picture of the Har- smalI cellarage for tbe dairy, and store for tbe grain, 113
vcst-men in thc Pontine Mllrshes. During his sojourll \Veli as an oven, and an outhouse for the potatoes, witb a
at Paris he shrunk from the praises whieb his name roomy cattle-stall, piggery, and poultry-Ioft. Tbe huuse
called fortb, so unpretending was be in spirit and cbarae- generally contains deeent furniture, the bedding sufticient
tcr. The 18st few years of his life were spent at Venice in qllantity; and although the scrupulous cleanIiness or
in thc pursuit of bia art. The Fishcrmcn of tbe Adriatic the Dutch may not be everywhere observable. an air or
was thc Iast of his important works, and it was one in the comfort and propriety pervades tbo whole establishment.
In tbe cowhollse the cattle are supplied with stra\\' for
cxccution of which he found the higbestenjoyment. It en- bedding; the dung and urine are careflll1y collected in t he
gagcd hilU in the study of nature, for be was not content Ùlnk; the ditcbes had been scoured to colleet materials fur
with imitatillg art; and tbis again was a true source of manure; the dry lea,·08, potato-tops, &c. had becn colk-ctt-.I
a
gratification to a man ofbis taste. He th\1s slowly elabo- in moist diteh to undergo tbe proeess oi fcrmentatioa.
ratcd hi!' ideas, as if fearing to exbaust tbe subject which and heaps of compost wcre in course or preparation. TlIe
he bad determined to represent. Re cared little for gain, premises were kept in neat and compact order, and a BCru-
amI not much more for fame, but passed laborious days pulous attention to a most rigid oconomy was everywher~
in tbe simplest manner in his studio, or in the contempla- apparento The family were decently ciad, none or tht.'IU
tion Cif such natural objects as were calculated to attract \Vere ragged or sI0,cnly, e,'en when tbcir dress eonsistcd oì
the eoarsest material. The men universally wear th.:
the notice of an artist: like tOO grent masters of tbe fif- blouse, and wooden shoes are in common llse by both sexes.
teenth and sÌXteenth centuries, be did not disdain to grind Tbe diet cunsista to a large extent of rye bread and milk;
his own colours. tbe dinner being usual1y compose!1 or a mess of potatoe;
It is to be regretted that this eminent painter died by and onions, with the occasionaI addition of IIOme poundcd
his own hand on tbe 20th of March; 1835, on the tenth bam or slices of bacon. Tbe quantity of brown wheaten
anniversary of the deatb of olle of bis brothers in tbe bread consumed did not appear to be considerabIe. I nOl'Ù
same unhappy mnnllcr. Thc mallllcr of hig end was unt nol point out tbe striking contrast of tbe mode or li\-in~
bero dcscribcd, with tbc statI! of thc same class of persolb
thc consequence oC a profligatc life which blld exhaustcd all in lrelalld; alld it appcars important 10 investigate thu
the means of happincss, alld left no hopcs either in this causas or tbis diWerence.
world or the next, but is to he attributed to a mallldv ofthe In thc !-Irenter part or the Uat country or Bclgium tlle
mind which VariOIlS circumstanccs had eUlL"clldcred. Ilis soil ili Iight alld sandy, and e&lòil . ~ke.'· 1lUliti produc-
Digitized by \.Joog e