The young artist exhibited for the first time in
1860, at Birmingham — a composition entitled "Sticks
for Granny." This picture gained seven commissions
for her — one from the Mayor of Birmingham, a great
encouragement for her to persevere in the style and
class of subject in which she so successfully com-
menced. She had from her earliest studies always
painted from models, and when she was asked for



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36 ENGLISH FEMALE ARTISTS.
repeated replicas of the "Sticks for Granny/' she
repainted these firom the living model in preference
to merely copying her own work, and without refer-
ence to the first painting. This practice has, no
doubt, tended to give that charm of freshness which
is so captivating a feature in all her works.
In 1868 she visited Germany and Venice, going
over all the picture galleries, and painting from
nature.
For a long time Miss Bouvier's painting was only
a recreation, taken up at intervals snatched from do-
mestic duties. Her sister Julia had entered " woman's
true sphere," so the responsibilities of housekeeper
devolved upon Miss Agnes Bouvier. The long illness
of her father and mother (Mr. Bouvier died in 1867)
painfully occupied a great part of her time ; and with
such cares upon her, it is not wonderful if at this
period her name appeared only occasionally in the
catalogues of art exhibitions.
In 1874 Miss Agnes Bouvier married S. J. NichoU,
Esq., architect.
