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46 laurel leaves. One of these medals was deposited in the corner-stone of the National Academy of Design. Durand was endowed with certain traits which combined to form a great artist. He was early smitten with the love of nature, his native patience was strengthened by the severity of his early struggles, and to these was added an indomitable perseverance. His love of nature was a passion, an enthusiasm always burning within him, but it was like a steady fire, not a sudden blaze quickly sinking to ashes. His patience enabled him to guide this intense delight in beauty into paths of quiet, steady search for the result. It was touch after touch, line upon line, a gradual approach to victory. Added to this was his untiring perseverance, which no difficulties could overcome, no obstacles affright, or even cold indifference discourage. Though full of nervous energy, alive to every beauty, keenly sensitive to criticism, and a severe critic on his own work, he was yet blessed with a certain serenity of spirit which checked and soothed the restless fever of the creative brain ; a fever often so violent in the painter or poet as to cause a deep and sometimes fatal reaction and depression. Durand formed a habit of working on and on cheerily till the coveted prize was gained. He maintained that a landscape painter in his early 47 studies should not only make careful copies of nature in the fields, but be trained by drawing the human figure, both from the antique and from the living model. Accuracy of eye, with facility and exactness, can rarely, if ever, be acquired without such practice. Such a training quickly asserts itself in the modelling of forms in mountain rock and forest, in cloud structure, the lines of waves, etc. The forms of inanimate nature seldom demand absolute accuracy of drawing ; but in accessory figures, buildings, and animals, it is essential. Durand, though by his drilling as an engraver of figures, and especially of portraits, was habitually true and exact, yet dwelt with great fondness on those qualities which depend on the processes and mysteries of the art, the rendering of subtle and infinitely varying effects of atmosphere, of fleeting clouds, of mist, sunshine, twilight obscurity, and the thousand wondrous phenomena which form the peculiar glory of landscape. He was twice married, and was happily surrounded by an affectionate family. His daughters delighted to wait upon his steps, to lighten his cares, to cheer his hours of fatigue and rest. His sons rose to manhood to do him honor. The whole fraternity of artists were proud of his achievements, reverenced his character, and looked up to him with affection. In the