DOI Heft:
No. 132 ( March, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Frantz, Henri: Modern French pastelists: Jules Gustave Besson
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19881#0138
Modern French Pastellists
m
ODERN FRENCH PASTEL- a formula of realistic art which is at the very
LISTS : JULES GUSTAVE antipodes of the idealism whereto Moreau was
BESSON. BY HENRI FRANTZ. always devoted ; he abandons the forms of legend
and of dream which live in Moreau's work, to
Jules Gustave Besson is a pupil of Gustave choose his subjects from amid the real life which
Moreau, which may seem surprising at first, seeing he has under his eyes; and despite all that he
that here we find ourselves face to face with a talent remains, in one essential side of his talent, one ot
essentially different from that of the master—a the most worthy disciples (I do not says contitiuators)
talent which would seem to owe nothing to the of his master, Moreau. The latter, indeed, always
painter of the Salomes, the Herodiades, and all the inculcated among his pupils the importance of fine
other sumptuous apparitions with which Gustave colouring, and it was with this object in view that
Moreau's gallery is peopled. Such is the first he made them pay such frequent visits to the
impression one is inclined to feel. But we must Louvre. Now is not this same sense of colour a
remember how broad and eclectic was Moreau's ceaseless preoccupation with M. Besson, this bom
teaching; must remember, too—as all his pupils, colourist who is one of the best of his generation
together with his faithful friend, M.
Rupp, will testify—that Moreau was,
above all things, anxious to let each
f cl^ dlhfl'^h'
while the othci ^became ^ iealists.
against all Moreau's ideas. That ' ''
is a grave error. It cannot be dis- "dormeur" from the pastel by j. g. besson
puted, of course, that Besson adopts (In the collection of Madame Lemie)
121
m
ODERN FRENCH PASTEL- a formula of realistic art which is at the very
LISTS : JULES GUSTAVE antipodes of the idealism whereto Moreau was
BESSON. BY HENRI FRANTZ. always devoted ; he abandons the forms of legend
and of dream which live in Moreau's work, to
Jules Gustave Besson is a pupil of Gustave choose his subjects from amid the real life which
Moreau, which may seem surprising at first, seeing he has under his eyes; and despite all that he
that here we find ourselves face to face with a talent remains, in one essential side of his talent, one ot
essentially different from that of the master—a the most worthy disciples (I do not says contitiuators)
talent which would seem to owe nothing to the of his master, Moreau. The latter, indeed, always
painter of the Salomes, the Herodiades, and all the inculcated among his pupils the importance of fine
other sumptuous apparitions with which Gustave colouring, and it was with this object in view that
Moreau's gallery is peopled. Such is the first he made them pay such frequent visits to the
impression one is inclined to feel. But we must Louvre. Now is not this same sense of colour a
remember how broad and eclectic was Moreau's ceaseless preoccupation with M. Besson, this bom
teaching; must remember, too—as all his pupils, colourist who is one of the best of his generation
together with his faithful friend, M.
Rupp, will testify—that Moreau was,
above all things, anxious to let each
f cl^ dlhfl'^h'
while the othci ^became ^ iealists.
against all Moreau's ideas. That ' ''
is a grave error. It cannot be dis- "dormeur" from the pastel by j. g. besson
puted, of course, that Besson adopts (In the collection of Madame Lemie)
121