International studio (50.1913)

Studio- Talk

PARIS.—One might search Europe and
find no place more unique belonging to a
municipality than the Petit Chateau of
Bagatelle with its surroundings, where
during the past two or three months an exhibition
of the Art of the Garden has been held, while the
house itself has been devoted to the work of various
artists who have found inspiration for their ex-
hibited pictures'in things relative to L’Art du Jardin.
In looking round the various rooms it was surpris-
ing how delightfully varied the work was, especially
when remembering how monotonous a large exhibi-
tion of any similarly set subjects can be. Many of
the pictures exhibited had already been shown in
one or other of - the annual Salons, but amongst
those which stood out and made a new, as well as
a unique, appeal in this Petit Chateau was Le
Conflit by Gaston La Touche, in which the fore-
ground figures are delightfully placed in front of a
fountain playing under a harmony of golden leaves
and trellis-work. Then there was M. J. Francis
Auburtin’s sombre Jardin de Provence, in which a
fountain too has a dominant position. Each year
the work of this artist becomes more notable by his
refined outlook, and one feels the mantle of France

rapidly enfolding him among her distinguished
decorative artists.
In looking round this exhibition it was interesting
to note how many of the artists had been fascinated
by the sad yet essentially dignified and picturesque
qualities of the yew and cypress trees; the spirit of
their dark dignity was well expressed in such works
as Charles Cottet’s LJs dans les jardins du Haut
Pera and Les Cypres de la Villa d'Este by R.
X. Prinet. The subtle difference that one feels
between flowers growing and those in a vase away
from their natural environment was delightfully
revealed by J. A. Muenier’s Poses tremieres (p. 163).
Among more complete garden pictures Le Pavilion
(Crespuscule) and Le Pavilion (Soleil couchant) by
H. E. Le Sidaner attracted by their alluring design,
his little circle of rose-trees tinged with the even-
ing light in the latter being especially charming.
Other markedly notable works were the Nature
Morte au Soleil and Roses et Bluets au Soleil by
Abel Truchet; Le Jardin d'Hiver and EAllee des
LJs by Mme. B. M. H. Crespel; a delightful little
coloured drawing, Dans tin Parc, by Francois de
Marliave ; Le goitter dans le jardin (Holland) by


“JARDIN DE PROVENCE”
l6o

(“ L'Art du Jardin," Bagatelle)

BY J. F. AUBURTIN