Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Mayer, Constant

MAYER, Constant, artist, b. in Besançon, France, 4 Oct., 1832. He studied in Paris in the Ecole des beaux-arts and under Léon Cogniet, and followed his profession in that city till 1857, when he removed to New York. Mr. Mayer is best known by his life-sized genre pictures, many of which have been photographed or engraved. He has contributed frequently to the Paris salon since 1865, and in 1869 was made a chevalier of the Legion of honor. He was elected an associate of the National academy in 1866, and he is also a member of the American art union. Mr. Mayer's works include portraits of Gen. Grant and Gen. Sherman; “Beggar-Girl” (1863); “Consolation” (1864); “Recognition” (1865); “Good Words” (1866); “Riches and Poverty”; “Maud Muller”; “Street Melodies” (1867); “Early Grief” (1869); “Oracle of the Field”; “Song of the Shirt” (1875); “Song of the Twilight” (1879); “In the Woods” (1880); “The Vagabonds” (1881); “Lord's Day” and “Lawn Tennis” (1883); “Mandolin Player” (1884); “First Grief” (1885); and “The First Communion” (1886), which has been etched by Thomas Hovenden.