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#0218
A Modern Portrait-Painter
conspicuous illustrations of the harmonious concen- (Salon of 1895), Mme. B. . . ., and Mile. P. T.
tration of vision peculiar to him. Full of grace, and P. . . ., in the last Champ de Mars Exhibition;
investing the true likeness of their subjects with an and among the portraits of men in those of Colonel
exquisite fascination, they have a certain something de K. . . ., with its princely air, M. Luiz de
about them which seems to suggest the very spirit of Pezende, M Jules Case, Paul Verlaine, the sculp-
tor Dampt, and quite re-
cently, the painter Besnard.
Considering the admir-
able principles realised in
all M. Aman-Jean's works
it is not surprising that his
pictures should be so full
of decorative effect: a
logical result, which shows
how well versed he is in all
the resources of his art.
His scrupulously studied
figures demand a setting of
their own, a special atmo-
sphere, one of to-day, in
which they may really live,
an atmosphere which never-
theless shall remain the at-
mosphere of to-morrow and
for ever. M. Aman-Jean
will have none of that strict
exactitude, the importance
of which is so greatly exag-
gerated by most of the
modern portrait-painters.
Imagination has too strong
a hold on him for that; not
mere fancy for fancy's sake,
but just for so much as it
is worth in adding to reality,
in transfiguring, and magni-
fying and generalising it.
Thus the decorative side
of M. Aman-Jean's work
has a high importance of
its own. This it is which
impels him to those subtle
combinations of lines, those
surprising effects of colour
" LA JEUNE FILLE AU PAON " FROM A PAINTING BY E. AMAN-JEAN Which give SUCh irresistible
charm to his figures. And
all this is achieved with the
the eternel feminin. And the same careful study, simplest originality, without overloading the canvas,
the same striving to get at the secrets of the indi- but by giving each thing its proper place, and bring-
viduality of humanity, the same desire to record ing into prominence only that which is material,
completely and definitely the special traits of his Thus it is with the Jeune Fille an Paon, and with the
types, are seen in his portraits of Mine. Henri portraits of M. Jules Case and the sculptor Dampt,
Martin, Mile. T. C. J. . . . (Salon of 1892), in which the arrangement of the backgrounds, the
Mme. D. . . . (Salon of 1894), Mile. M.J. L. objects around, and the costumes, is highly decora-
200
conspicuous illustrations of the harmonious concen- (Salon of 1895), Mme. B. . . ., and Mile. P. T.
tration of vision peculiar to him. Full of grace, and P. . . ., in the last Champ de Mars Exhibition;
investing the true likeness of their subjects with an and among the portraits of men in those of Colonel
exquisite fascination, they have a certain something de K. . . ., with its princely air, M. Luiz de
about them which seems to suggest the very spirit of Pezende, M Jules Case, Paul Verlaine, the sculp-
tor Dampt, and quite re-
cently, the painter Besnard.
Considering the admir-
able principles realised in
all M. Aman-Jean's works
it is not surprising that his
pictures should be so full
of decorative effect: a
logical result, which shows
how well versed he is in all
the resources of his art.
His scrupulously studied
figures demand a setting of
their own, a special atmo-
sphere, one of to-day, in
which they may really live,
an atmosphere which never-
theless shall remain the at-
mosphere of to-morrow and
for ever. M. Aman-Jean
will have none of that strict
exactitude, the importance
of which is so greatly exag-
gerated by most of the
modern portrait-painters.
Imagination has too strong
a hold on him for that; not
mere fancy for fancy's sake,
but just for so much as it
is worth in adding to reality,
in transfiguring, and magni-
fying and generalising it.
Thus the decorative side
of M. Aman-Jean's work
has a high importance of
its own. This it is which
impels him to those subtle
combinations of lines, those
surprising effects of colour
" LA JEUNE FILLE AU PAON " FROM A PAINTING BY E. AMAN-JEAN Which give SUCh irresistible
charm to his figures. And
all this is achieved with the
the eternel feminin. And the same careful study, simplest originality, without overloading the canvas,
the same striving to get at the secrets of the indi- but by giving each thing its proper place, and bring-
viduality of humanity, the same desire to record ing into prominence only that which is material,
completely and definitely the special traits of his Thus it is with the Jeune Fille an Paon, and with the
types, are seen in his portraits of Mine. Henri portraits of M. Jules Case and the sculptor Dampt,
Martin, Mile. T. C. J. . . . (Salon of 1892), in which the arrangement of the backgrounds, the
Mme. D. . . . (Salon of 1894), Mile. M.J. L. objects around, and the costumes, is highly decora-
200