DOI Heft:
No. 42 (September, 1896)
DOI Artikel:Mourey, Gabriel: A modern portrait-painter: M. Aman-Jean
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17297#0217
A Modern Port rait-Painter
ever has sufficed. He must be a psychologist, point of view of aesthetics, since he succeeds so
ever on the alert, ever seeking to grasp and to thoroughly in carrying out the object he has in
express in material form the mental characteristics view. The series of women's portraits reproduced
of his subject. What do I care for the blood flow- here proves this, to my mind, incontestably; and
ing beneath the skin; for the network of swelling these pictures also show the artist's predilections,
and throbbing veins ? What matters the sight of the his personal bent, his own peculiar conception of
straining muscles full of life, if the invisible part, art and life.
the mystery of this living being, be absent from As I said before, M. Aman-Jean's art is one of
the canvas; if I cannot enter into communication delicacy and subtle refinement. To prove this,
with its spirit? I care not how brightly, how examine carefully the figures he so delights in.
truly, the eyes may shine, if I know nothing of the His subjects are intensely alive with an inner life,
thought, the fancy, animating them. Even a flat- and seem heedless of all that might tear them
ness, or the projection of a bone, or the irregularity from their own secret dreamings. They make no
of a line, a deformity even, gives evidence of some attempt at futile agitation, but are content with the
habitual trait which, if at times contradictory, is thoughtful gestures of repose, the attitudes of pen-
nevertheless always full of interest. sive grace, in which the artist has fixed them.
Thus it is, I fancy, that M. Aman-Jean under- These are no special poses, assumed in the
stands the art of portrait-painting; and far be it studio, under the painter's gaze, but rather their
from me to say he is wrong. Nay, he is right, habit, their ordinary way of being ; and one feels at
doubly right; in the first place from the general once that the artist has painted them with his
heart, rejoiced at the kin-
ship in spirit he has dis-
covered between himself
and them, at that perfect
understanding between
painter and model without
which there can result only
the most superficial work,
merely skin deep, like a
photograph. A portrait
thus conceived becomes a
plastic, psychological syn-
thesis of the person repre-
sented. Everything in it
has its meaning, with no-
thing left to chance, or to
the unforeseen happy touch,
put in with more or less
success, according to the
artist's ability in execution.
Hence the air of harmony
pervading M. Aman-Jean's
pictures, a skilful harmony,
with nothing pedantic about
it, studied, without affecta-
tion, deep and concentrated,
substantial and mellow, ex-
pressing exactly what he
wishes, neither more nor
less, neither too much nor
too little.
M. Aman-Jean's portraits
of Mile. Yvonne Lerolle and
PORTRAIT OF MLLE. CLAUDIUS JACQUET DE LA VERRIERE BY E. AMAN-JEAN Mlk. dd La VerricVC are
199
ever has sufficed. He must be a psychologist, point of view of aesthetics, since he succeeds so
ever on the alert, ever seeking to grasp and to thoroughly in carrying out the object he has in
express in material form the mental characteristics view. The series of women's portraits reproduced
of his subject. What do I care for the blood flow- here proves this, to my mind, incontestably; and
ing beneath the skin; for the network of swelling these pictures also show the artist's predilections,
and throbbing veins ? What matters the sight of the his personal bent, his own peculiar conception of
straining muscles full of life, if the invisible part, art and life.
the mystery of this living being, be absent from As I said before, M. Aman-Jean's art is one of
the canvas; if I cannot enter into communication delicacy and subtle refinement. To prove this,
with its spirit? I care not how brightly, how examine carefully the figures he so delights in.
truly, the eyes may shine, if I know nothing of the His subjects are intensely alive with an inner life,
thought, the fancy, animating them. Even a flat- and seem heedless of all that might tear them
ness, or the projection of a bone, or the irregularity from their own secret dreamings. They make no
of a line, a deformity even, gives evidence of some attempt at futile agitation, but are content with the
habitual trait which, if at times contradictory, is thoughtful gestures of repose, the attitudes of pen-
nevertheless always full of interest. sive grace, in which the artist has fixed them.
Thus it is, I fancy, that M. Aman-Jean under- These are no special poses, assumed in the
stands the art of portrait-painting; and far be it studio, under the painter's gaze, but rather their
from me to say he is wrong. Nay, he is right, habit, their ordinary way of being ; and one feels at
doubly right; in the first place from the general once that the artist has painted them with his
heart, rejoiced at the kin-
ship in spirit he has dis-
covered between himself
and them, at that perfect
understanding between
painter and model without
which there can result only
the most superficial work,
merely skin deep, like a
photograph. A portrait
thus conceived becomes a
plastic, psychological syn-
thesis of the person repre-
sented. Everything in it
has its meaning, with no-
thing left to chance, or to
the unforeseen happy touch,
put in with more or less
success, according to the
artist's ability in execution.
Hence the air of harmony
pervading M. Aman-Jean's
pictures, a skilful harmony,
with nothing pedantic about
it, studied, without affecta-
tion, deep and concentrated,
substantial and mellow, ex-
pressing exactly what he
wishes, neither more nor
less, neither too much nor
too little.
M. Aman-Jean's portraits
of Mile. Yvonne Lerolle and
PORTRAIT OF MLLE. CLAUDIUS JACQUET DE LA VERRIERE BY E. AMAN-JEAN Mlk. dd La VerricVC are
199