Hi Subscriber,
Thomas Couture was a history painter, thinker, and educator working in France during the second half of the 19th century.
He ran a private atelier where many influential artists studied, including Édouard Manet, Henri Fantin-Latour, John La Farge, and Puvis de Chavannes. A talented educator and communicator, he also wrote a book setting forth his techniques and philosophy of art, translated into English as Conversations on Art Methods in 1879. Conversational and charmingly direct, his book is full of useful information even for today's art student, and is well worth the read (it's entertaining too!). Now in the public domain, you can read it online here - below is an excerpt from his chapter on the advice he gave to his young art students on how to cultivate a lifestyle and quality of mind conducive to art-making.
Today's set of classics, particularly in the English-speaking world, has evolved somewhat - few of us read Moliere or Rousseau - but if you'd like some recommendations on the classics from a modern artist, you can visit this interview with Ken Salaz.
Enjoy today's selection,
BoldBrush Studio Team
