Studio: international art (48.1910)

Studio-Talk

BRONZE PLAQUETTB BY HUBERT PONSCARME

Among the engravers of the last century, Hubert
Ponscarme deserves particular and especial mention,
and his work, though unfortunately but little known,

BRONZE PLAQUETTE BY HUBERT PONSCARME

merits an important place in the history ot the
medal in France. After the very early struggles
of his artistic career, Ponscarme became the pupil
of Oudine, and in 1852 his master presented
several of the young artist's works to the Conseil
General des Vosges, in order to procure a subsidy,
which continued to be paid to him for several
years. His life did not, however, become any the
less a struggle, and Ponscarme remained still un-
known to the public at large. He has been
reproached with having never gained the grand

■brix de Rome or never obtaining election as membre
de PInstitut, and after at first hailing him as a
master of his art the critics have seemed to obscure
his memory and ignore his undoubted gifts in a
kind of conspiracy of silence. It is consequently
rather difficult to form a comprehensive idea of
Ponscarme's talent, and the recent exhibition of
his work at Hessele's and the publication of an
interesting volume by M. Orliac, was needed to

MEDAL BY HUBERT PONSCARME

restore to him his reputation and to reinstate this
artist in the worthy position he merits. He is, strange
to say, represented completely and adequately no-
where save in the Hamburg Museum. One of his
most successful achievements was the portrait of
Naudet dated 1867, which we reproduce. Pons-
carme was above all a portraitist, which fact is
amply attested by the portrait done in 1852 of

BRONZE PLAQUETTE: "LA PAIX"

BY HUBERT PONSCARME

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