ARY SCHEFFER

Thème.

When Holland was temporarily annexed to France after the glorious campaign of 1794, Ary Scheffer was naturalized a Frenchman, nor did he afterwards forsake his new country. When quite young he entered the studio of Pierre Guérin, where he had as fellow-students Géricault and Delacroix. During the first part of his life he became a politician and was initiated into several secret organizations, but after the révolution of 1830 he supported the constitutional government of Louis-Philippe, and was even intimate with the royal family. Yet in spite of his aristocratie relations, he kept unshaken his démocratie independence.

During the revolutionary days of June, 1848, Scheffer fought in the ranks of the king's army, but he declined to accept the cross of Commander in the Légion of Honor that was offered to him.

As an artist Ary Scheffer ranks very high. Most of his subjects were taken from Goethe's masterpiece, Faust ; he was, above ail, the painter of Marguerite. His conception of the German maid is both simple and touching.

Scheffer's daughter married E. Eenan, the great philospher, and Ary was the Christian name given to the son of the latter.