DOI issue:
No. 70 (January 1899)
DOI article:Charles Cottet's "Au pays de la mer", and other works
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19230#0270
Charles Cottet
" VIEUX CHEVAL SUR LA LANDE (BRETAGNE)" BY CHARLES COTTET
difficult, is simple indeed, when one uses the the greyish skies, the twilight shades, or other
sombre colour schemes, the black tones so largely among his sad and melancholy motifs: but let no
affected by M. Cottet. I have been expecting one complain if he choose to paint the fleeting
this objection for a long time past. passage of the storm-cloud, or the inside of a
Certain critics and painters have, indeed, not church during a burial, or a group of women
seldom accused him of painting darkly. If this seated in a death - chamber; let no one feel
objection were simply levelled at an individual aggrieved that he should not handle subjects such
preference on the part of the artist for somewhat as these with a bright and joyous brush!
sombre colour schemes and dark effects, it would For is he one whit inferior as a colourist on this
not be worth discussing, for no one has the right account ? Does he not excel in realising the
to dictate to an artist on the subject of this or that subtlest gradations of light, in harmonising and
special peculiarity by which he may obtain this or balancing his tones, in grouping his "values " with
that particular effect; moreover, in this special all possible skill and boldness ? There are those
respect, how can M. Cottet be blamed if, in striv- who say to him, "You are right indeed in painting
ing to render as impressive as possible a country dark; " while others reproach him with this very
such as Brittany, with all its old traditions, its primi- fact. The truth is there is neither right nor wrong
tive manners, its mysticism, its air of wildness and about the matter; it is an insult to an artist of
fatality, if, having to evoke the spirit of the soil this calibre to suggest that he is capable of any
and of its people, he should choose its most im- such narrow bias. People seem to forget that he
pressive manifestations, those which have acted can paint brightly or sombrely just as the subject
most strongly upon his own sensibility ? The suggests. Do they not remember the radiant
essential point is that his manner of realising his works from his brush inspired by his travels in
work is in adequate accordance with the very spirit Egypt (1894)? Have they forgotten that he brought
of its subject. Condemn him who will for loving back from Italy in 1896 a series of Vues de Venise
239
" VIEUX CHEVAL SUR LA LANDE (BRETAGNE)" BY CHARLES COTTET
difficult, is simple indeed, when one uses the the greyish skies, the twilight shades, or other
sombre colour schemes, the black tones so largely among his sad and melancholy motifs: but let no
affected by M. Cottet. I have been expecting one complain if he choose to paint the fleeting
this objection for a long time past. passage of the storm-cloud, or the inside of a
Certain critics and painters have, indeed, not church during a burial, or a group of women
seldom accused him of painting darkly. If this seated in a death - chamber; let no one feel
objection were simply levelled at an individual aggrieved that he should not handle subjects such
preference on the part of the artist for somewhat as these with a bright and joyous brush!
sombre colour schemes and dark effects, it would For is he one whit inferior as a colourist on this
not be worth discussing, for no one has the right account ? Does he not excel in realising the
to dictate to an artist on the subject of this or that subtlest gradations of light, in harmonising and
special peculiarity by which he may obtain this or balancing his tones, in grouping his "values " with
that particular effect; moreover, in this special all possible skill and boldness ? There are those
respect, how can M. Cottet be blamed if, in striv- who say to him, "You are right indeed in painting
ing to render as impressive as possible a country dark; " while others reproach him with this very
such as Brittany, with all its old traditions, its primi- fact. The truth is there is neither right nor wrong
tive manners, its mysticism, its air of wildness and about the matter; it is an insult to an artist of
fatality, if, having to evoke the spirit of the soil this calibre to suggest that he is capable of any
and of its people, he should choose its most im- such narrow bias. People seem to forget that he
pressive manifestations, those which have acted can paint brightly or sombrely just as the subject
most strongly upon his own sensibility ? The suggests. Do they not remember the radiant
essential point is that his manner of realising his works from his brush inspired by his travels in
work is in adequate accordance with the very spirit Egypt (1894)? Have they forgotten that he brought
of its subject. Condemn him who will for loving back from Italy in 1896 a series of Vues de Venise
239