DOI Heft:
Special winter-number 1896-7
DOI Artikel:Mourey, Gabriel: Some French artists at home
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17298#0353
Some French Artists at Home
dagnan in his studio
of the glaciers, the beauty of the Alpine scenery.
At the same time, in all his work, even the smallest
and least pretentious, what sparkling originality,
what acuteness of perception, what a marvellous
faculty for transforming and transposing reality into
genuine poetry !
He lives in Rue Guillaume-Tell, close by the
Avenue cle Villiers, in a private house built from
his own designs, while in the summer he has a villa
on the shores of Lac d'Annecy, whence he derives
many of his most striking impressions.
An acute art-critic, when in the vein, his writings
are full of force and interest.
M. Dagnan.
A minute and conscientious worker, whose
genuine ability is in complete contrast to the spon-
taneous, happy-go-lucky efforts which in these days
of hasty production so often take the place of real
knowledge and talent. And M. Dagnan has other
qualities. Somewhat after the fashion of the
German portrait-painters of the Holbein school, he
aims steadily at precision, expression, and revela-
tion of character. The truthfulness of his work is
obtained by the most elaborate care bestowed on
all the details. Dans la Font, for instance, one of
3o
his finest works, shows a group of wood-cutters
seated on the fallen trunks, or standing by atten-
tively listening to one of their comrades playing the
violin. The singing of the four strings seems to fill
the canvas, and rise, vibrating in tones of strong
emotion, through the branches overhead. And
looking in the faces of the men grouped around
one may see the effect of the music in the expres-
sion of each one of them ; while the player stands
transfigured by the emotions of the others. In him
is concentrated all their capacity for affection and
love, and suffering, and generosity, and longing. He
is the centre of this little universe, bounded by the
tall bare trunks, which by-and-by perhaps, when
work begins anew, will fall beneath their axes.
M. Dagnan is somewhat like this violin-player
whom his masterly talent has produced. The airs
he plays go straight to the soul; and though he
may play with varying skill, it is always with that
faculty, peculiar to himself, of evoking a whole
world of impressions. A subtle, cunning psycho-
logist, knowing much of our poor humanity, from
having studied its secret windings with patience
and intelligence.
In his portraits one may urge against him a
certain hardness of treatment; but there is no
dagnan in his studio
of the glaciers, the beauty of the Alpine scenery.
At the same time, in all his work, even the smallest
and least pretentious, what sparkling originality,
what acuteness of perception, what a marvellous
faculty for transforming and transposing reality into
genuine poetry !
He lives in Rue Guillaume-Tell, close by the
Avenue cle Villiers, in a private house built from
his own designs, while in the summer he has a villa
on the shores of Lac d'Annecy, whence he derives
many of his most striking impressions.
An acute art-critic, when in the vein, his writings
are full of force and interest.
M. Dagnan.
A minute and conscientious worker, whose
genuine ability is in complete contrast to the spon-
taneous, happy-go-lucky efforts which in these days
of hasty production so often take the place of real
knowledge and talent. And M. Dagnan has other
qualities. Somewhat after the fashion of the
German portrait-painters of the Holbein school, he
aims steadily at precision, expression, and revela-
tion of character. The truthfulness of his work is
obtained by the most elaborate care bestowed on
all the details. Dans la Font, for instance, one of
3o
his finest works, shows a group of wood-cutters
seated on the fallen trunks, or standing by atten-
tively listening to one of their comrades playing the
violin. The singing of the four strings seems to fill
the canvas, and rise, vibrating in tones of strong
emotion, through the branches overhead. And
looking in the faces of the men grouped around
one may see the effect of the music in the expres-
sion of each one of them ; while the player stands
transfigured by the emotions of the others. In him
is concentrated all their capacity for affection and
love, and suffering, and generosity, and longing. He
is the centre of this little universe, bounded by the
tall bare trunks, which by-and-by perhaps, when
work begins anew, will fall beneath their axes.
M. Dagnan is somewhat like this violin-player
whom his masterly talent has produced. The airs
he plays go straight to the soul; and though he
may play with varying skill, it is always with that
faculty, peculiar to himself, of evoking a whole
world of impressions. A subtle, cunning psycho-
logist, knowing much of our poor humanity, from
having studied its secret windings with patience
and intelligence.
In his portraits one may urge against him a
certain hardness of treatment; but there is no