GENIUS AND PRECOCITY. 475 



was sent to learn of Perugino when twelve years old, and at seventeen 

 was painting on his own account. Tiziano showed as a child a decided 

 preference for art over classics, and painted at the age of twelve a 

 Madonna and Child in the tabernacle of a house, and about two years 

 later studied under Gentile Bellini. Tintoretto used as a child to 

 draw on the walls of his father's house, and received the name by 

 which he is most widely known at this early date. Hardly less strik- 

 ing in his precocity is Michael Angelo, who as a lad kept running off 

 to the studios, and at fourteen was received by Ghirlandajo as a regu- 

 lar pupil. 



Turning from Italy we meet with no less interesting illustrations 

 of artistic precocity. Murillo displayed talent as a child, covering the 

 walls of his house with his drawings. It is said that he painted pict- 

 ures as a boy and sold them at the fair. Holbein, who was taught at 

 an early age by his father, painted finished pictures by the age of thir- 

 teen. Ruysdael is said to have painted notable pictures at twelve. 

 At the same age Cornelius painted original compositions in the cathe- 

 dral at Neuss, which show great talent. Yernet helped when a boy 

 to paint his father's pictures. Ary Scheffer, the son of a painter, 

 painted from early childhood, and exhibited in the Amsterdam Salon 

 at twelve. 



Among sculptors, Canova is said to have carved a lion at twelve. 

 Thorwaldsen entered on a regular course of study at eleven. 



Corning to our own country, we find instances of precocity which 

 equal, if indeed they do not surpass, those furnished by other countries. 



Perhaps the most remarkable instance is George Morland. He is 

 said to have taken to pencil and crayon almost as soon as he left the 

 cradle. Sketches of his made at the age of four, five, and six, were 

 exhibited to the Society of Artists, and won praise for the child-artist. 

 Sir Thomas Lawrence was another childish marvel. As a small boy 

 he could draw portraits, and at nine not only copied historical paint- 

 ings in a masterly* style, but succeeded in compositions of his own. 

 At ten his childish fame was such that he was sent by his father to 

 Oxford to paint bishops, earls, and other notabilities an experiment 

 which brought great gain to his impecunious parent. At seventeen 

 the period of his riper and more lasting fame commenced. With these 

 instances must be reckoned Landseer, who, taught by his father, could 

 draw well at five, and excellently at eight. "When only thirteen he 

 drew a majestic St. Bernard dog which was etched by his brother, and 

 in the same year pictures of his appeared in the Royal Academy under 

 the name of Master E. Landseer. Gainsborough was a confirmed 

 painter at twelve. Turner, though hampered by poverty, made such 

 progress that he exhibited at fifteen. Wilkie says he could draw be- 

 fore he could read, and he exhibited at fourteen. Flaxman amused 

 himself when a sickly child by drawing in crayons, and exhibited busts 

 at fifteen. 



