Chapter CCIV: To Verwée

There is an International Exhibition at Petit's now, and I am showing some sea-pieces there with great success. The exhibition is made up, with one or two exceptions, of young men. They are very clever, but all alike; they follow a fashion--there is no more individuality. Everybody paints, everybody is clever.

We shall end by adoring J. Dupré. I don't always like him, but he has individuality.

Too many painters, my dear fellow, and too many exhibitions! But you see, at my age, I'm not afraid of showing my pictures among the young men's sometimes.

Yet I hate exhibitions; one can hardly ever judge of a picture there.

_Alfred Stevens._

ITALIAN MASTERS