Book and Video Review: 'Bohemian Paris of To-Day' 1899 by W.C. Morrow and 'The Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Prix the Rome: Student Life and Academic Training in 19th c Paris' by Ramon Hurtado

A continuation on Ramon Hurtado and Jake recommendations ( https://www.halftonestudio.art/blog-posts/essential-books-guides-on-19th-century-french-academic-drawing-painting-and-history )

First review can be read here. This will complete part 1 of the list focusing on the 'Life in the 19th century Paris' . 'Lectures on Painting by Edward Armitage (1883)' is mistakenly (a little typo) listed as it belongs in part 3, so I'll review Armitage's book along with the others in list 3.

Review: Bohemian Paris of To-Day' 1899 by W.C. Morrow

Can be read for free on:

https://archive.org/details/bohemianparisoft00morriala/mode/1up

and for physical copies

on Amazon, Abebooks or Ebay, however, beware that modern copies of this books have terrible image quality, this is especially felt on the illustrations which otherwise are wonderful on older copies. I learned the hard way, but I take no joy in reading anything on the screen. So either buy at a slightly higher cost the older copies, or buy cheaper purely for the text.

Beware for the modern reprints! Some modern reprints can have missing pages, missing plates, if they have them at all, but if they do is often of very bad quality. But the worse is when both happen, missing pages and plates.

Modern reprint for image comparition purpose

The 'Bohemian Paris of To-day' is very much on the vein of 'An Art Student’s Reminiscences of Paris in the Eighties by John Shirley Fox (1910)' (review) . Do not expect much about the actual Art study and practice, the focus is the 'Life in Paris' In and Out of the studios.

I first want to focus also how wonderfully illustrated it is, Shirley Fox's also has some beautiful drawings. But I must say that Edouard Cucuel did the most fantastic job. And the book may be worth just for it!

The adventure starts with the arrival of two American students to Paris for their Art education. The two men are full of enthusiasm and curiosity to explore. And they go out to see Paris in the daylight as well in the night.

Every character is captured in their description and illustrations, and both the atmosphere of the place and its time can be felt. From friendly neighbours, to women sewing outdoors, the street sellers, the fellow artists, and to the more tragic, lost souls of Paris.

As you read, you can tell the love the author and his companion have for the city. They love it for all its good and accept its bad just as much.

And perhaps because they are adults with life experience before Paris, they are grounded and very willing the accept the customs of Studio 'initiations' with joy and camaraderie. They quickly learn the language and just as quickly, blend in with the city.

Is fun to follow how the city changes them overtime from one cafe to another. The art and the studios only occupies about the first 50 pages, the rest is very much about the cafes, the nightlife and its inhabitants.

Is very easy and therefore common, to suffer from 'Paris Syndrom' . Paris as the 'Utopia of culture and beauty', and the reality on the ground is not just the beautiful that makes Paris. And this book very much shows both Paris.

I very much enjoyed reading it, a wonderful insight, a window in time to what is like to be an student and living in Paris.

1.5/5 **

Part 2 of this review

'The Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the Prix the Rome: Student Life and Academic Training in 19th c Paris' by Ramon Hurtado

I first came across Ramon Hurtado many years ago when he was part of the Safe House Atelier along with artists like Carl Dobsky I have been following his work since.

I have attended his online courses, and from the exchanges we had, what I can say about Ramon is that he is, a very passionate teacher, not to mention the obvious, a great artist himself. But his love for the craft and history, the 19th century Art education and pedagogy in particular, is what sets him apart. Today where many Ateliers are on the rise, some misconceptions and misinformation about historical Art Education has become quite prevalant. To the point that distorts and damages artistic growth on many students.

Ramon brings back the information about how Art was actually studied and practiced, and how many of the masterpieces of the past created. And he does this, the way it should be done, straight from the sources, with quotations, from lectures, books, letters, sketches and many other examples.

Clarifying any misconceptions of misinformation that some individuals or schools may have on the subject.

Of course, reading all the material, which is a lot of it when comes to the 19th century, can be overwhelming and time consuming for many, few do enjoy such academic research. But Ramon makes it accessible and entretaining, his instagram shorts and youtube videos are a must for any art student.

Check his work and online courses on https://ramonhurtado.com/

Also on

https://www.halftonestudio.art/

and

https://underpaintacademy.com/product/figure-drawing-fundamentals-with-ramon-hurtado/

Review:

Ramon introduces what was like to for an Art student to study in Paris in the 19th century, referencing books like Shirley Fox's 1910 'An Art Student’s Reminiscences of Paris in the Eighties' (youtube thumbnail image, is an Illustration from the book) and the review above 'Bohemian Paris of To-Day' 1899 by W.C. Morrow to name a few.

Ramon starts first by introducing Ecole Des Beaux-Arts, and the many studios, their historical background and their aim/function. How you would roll in and become an student.

What exercises they did in the studios, what materials and techniques they employed, what kind of advice and instruction the students would receive. The philosophy and artistic vision, the incentives they would get as well. All of this along with comical episodes of pranks students would do to one another.

When comes to succinct, straight to the point, and full range of practical information, go no further, Ramon is your guy.

4/5****

suggestions (aka*the voice/opinion of my greedy wishes *):

(If time and money was no objections, my suggestion would be to re-edit the videos and re-write them to make them more of a documentary/instruction video format. Making them overall shorter, also every example could be accompanied side-by-side with set-by-step instruction video. )