International studio (49.1913)

The French Institute and “American' Art

Metropolitan. France does not pretend to mon-
opolize art; it does not pretend to know all there
is to be known on the subject, but what it does
know it is willing to pass on to others. Some of
the best architects of this country owe what they
know of their art to the teaching received at the
Beaux-Arts in Paris. The planting of the French
Institute on American soil is only an extension of
that general principle of helpfulness to others
which has ever guided the French world of art.
Instead of arousing distrust and suspicion it should
arouse enthusiasm and gratitude.
Thanks to the generosity of the French nation,
the American artist or artisan feeling a leaning for
the French manner of seeing and portraying, will
have an opportunity
to study the doctrine
of art as taught to and
applied by French
artists. Here is a ref-
erence library open to
them, in which not¬
able precedents are
pictured giving ad¬
vice as much on what
to avoid as on what
to imitate.
A
NOTE ON
ALBERT
BESNARD
The collection of
Besnard’s works to
be placed upon ex¬
hibition here is varied enough in character to
permit an intelligent verdict being rendered on
the ensemble of that painter’s art. Not only
will he be shown as a portraitist and decorator,
but as an etcher and engraver as well.
The dazzling fire and flame effects which first
brought him into public notice twenty-five years
ago are present in one at least of the paintings to
be shown, the portrait of Princess Mathilde, but
the sensational canvases of Rejane and Mme.
Roger Jourdain, in which this incandescence of
color finds its fullest expression, are missing from
the collection.
The editor of the Studio has thought that the
readers of the magazine would be interested in a
reproduction of these two famous portraits and
in a short article touching upon a phase of
Besnard’s work not sufficiently emphasized in

the coming exhibit, and that is, his illumination
effects.
Since Besnard’s fame will probably rest upon
his magical treatment of conflicting lamp light
and moonlight and the play of these upon satin
and silk, the article in question may prove of some
interest.
One of the characteristics of Besnard’s work
which the forthcoming exhibition will not show, is
his evolution from the pre-Raphaelite school into
the impressionist and from the impressionist into
the academic or if not quite the academic, at least
the naturalist.
As his mode of expression changed, critics found
new prototypes for his paintings. In his youthful
beginnings his Re-
morse brought him
into comparson with
Burne-Jones. When
his Isle Heureuse
was shown it was at
once likened to Wat-
teau’s Embarquement
pour Cythere, and
when his mural dec-
orations were in-
stalled a resemblance
was found with Dela-
croix.
Besnard himself
would probably in-
dignantly reject the
imputation that he
had ever sought to
imitate Burne-Jones.
About Watteau or
Delacroix one is less sure, but this at least is well
known, the author of Isle IIeureuse prides him-
self upon his individuality, and no matter how
suggestive of the Embarquement his Isle Heureuse
may be found, there is yet enough of Besnard color
in it to single it out from among any number of
Watteaus.
Besnard is turned sixty, but his brush is as
prolific as when he was thirty or, if anything,
more so.
He is not so radical a painter as in his
younger days, his use of violent yellow and blues
has been subdued; he is, in fact, a revolutionist
turned constitutionalist, but his mastery of draw-
ing and composition remains complete, and the
thought back of the hand mark him a poet and
composer, and not merely a reader of verse or a
player of music.


ISLE HEUREUSE BY ALBERT BESNARD


BY ALBERT BESNARD


XVII