DOI Heft:
Nr. 99 (June 1901)
DOI Artikel:Mourey, Gabriel: The work of Jean-François Raffaëlli
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19788#0017
Jean-Francois Raffaelli
Indeed, M. Raffaelli's gifts are, to my thinking, Has he ever been one ? Is he one still ? Who
more intuitive than instinctive; but he is an intuitif shall say? And what does it matter, after all?
who, by dint of sound reasoning and long study, In the first chapter of his admirable book, " L'Art
has a marvellous knack of making Nature and Life Impressionniste," Georges Lecomte, explaining the
disclose their secrets. " tendencies " of the masters of that school, thus
Some of his works will doubtless be regarded expresses himself: " Even to a greater extent than
by posterity as more significant than others of his the painters of the Fontainebleau School they
" manner of seeing"—will form a " document " challenged the conventional treatment of rural
more complete, more expressive both of his talent scenes, with their sentimental ' arrangement' and
itself and of the milieux wherein he laboured ; but the commonplace prettiness of their embellished
not one can I find of which it might be said that landscapes ; still more, too, did they strive to
he misapplied his methods or went astray in realising brighten the atmosphere of their canvases,
the effects desired, for there is always perfect equi- " Moved by the calm joy, the poetry of the
librium between his capacity and the purpose to fields, they realised that the aim of every artist
which he intends to put it. Consequently he is should be to record in all sincerity the personal
never declamatory, never goes beyond the limits impressions he has received, and, casting aside all
of his subject, but knows how to contain his feel- academic dogma in order to commune direct with
ings, and is at all times master of himself. nature, they studied each with his own eyes. Instead
Are we to regard Raffaelli as an Impressionist ? ot wearisome sessions in the doubtful light of the
studio, under the influ-
ence of a master ever sug-
gesting his own manner
and his own methods,
there were daily excur-
sions into the suburbs,
profitable studies in the
open air of rural Mont-
martre and in the neigh-
bouring woods.
"They endeavoured to
reconstitute everything,
just as it first impressed
them—landscapes, trees,
and light. In their very
first efforts this passion for
atmosphere was clearly
seen. By means of an
absolutely free and indivi-
dual method, which aimed
at the realisation of instinc-
tive sensations, they sought
to enfold the fields, the
woods and the streams in a
sunny radiance, or in those
shaded mists which veil
them so delicately."
"The New School," re-
marks M. J. K. Huysmans
in "L'Art Moderne,"
"proclaimed this scientific
truth: that broad daylight
."f ' - . _-_■>"' *ll _ . ... .:_.. diminishes the colour
' THE GRANDFATHER" BY JEAN-FRANCOIS RAFFAELLI °f t0neS > that the 0Utline>
(In the Collection of M. P. Gallimard) the Colour of a house Or
Indeed, M. Raffaelli's gifts are, to my thinking, Has he ever been one ? Is he one still ? Who
more intuitive than instinctive; but he is an intuitif shall say? And what does it matter, after all?
who, by dint of sound reasoning and long study, In the first chapter of his admirable book, " L'Art
has a marvellous knack of making Nature and Life Impressionniste," Georges Lecomte, explaining the
disclose their secrets. " tendencies " of the masters of that school, thus
Some of his works will doubtless be regarded expresses himself: " Even to a greater extent than
by posterity as more significant than others of his the painters of the Fontainebleau School they
" manner of seeing"—will form a " document " challenged the conventional treatment of rural
more complete, more expressive both of his talent scenes, with their sentimental ' arrangement' and
itself and of the milieux wherein he laboured ; but the commonplace prettiness of their embellished
not one can I find of which it might be said that landscapes ; still more, too, did they strive to
he misapplied his methods or went astray in realising brighten the atmosphere of their canvases,
the effects desired, for there is always perfect equi- " Moved by the calm joy, the poetry of the
librium between his capacity and the purpose to fields, they realised that the aim of every artist
which he intends to put it. Consequently he is should be to record in all sincerity the personal
never declamatory, never goes beyond the limits impressions he has received, and, casting aside all
of his subject, but knows how to contain his feel- academic dogma in order to commune direct with
ings, and is at all times master of himself. nature, they studied each with his own eyes. Instead
Are we to regard Raffaelli as an Impressionist ? ot wearisome sessions in the doubtful light of the
studio, under the influ-
ence of a master ever sug-
gesting his own manner
and his own methods,
there were daily excur-
sions into the suburbs,
profitable studies in the
open air of rural Mont-
martre and in the neigh-
bouring woods.
"They endeavoured to
reconstitute everything,
just as it first impressed
them—landscapes, trees,
and light. In their very
first efforts this passion for
atmosphere was clearly
seen. By means of an
absolutely free and indivi-
dual method, which aimed
at the realisation of instinc-
tive sensations, they sought
to enfold the fields, the
woods and the streams in a
sunny radiance, or in those
shaded mists which veil
them so delicately."
"The New School," re-
marks M. J. K. Huysmans
in "L'Art Moderne,"
"proclaimed this scientific
truth: that broad daylight
."f ' - . _-_■>"' *ll _ . ... .:_.. diminishes the colour
' THE GRANDFATHER" BY JEAN-FRANCOIS RAFFAELLI °f t0neS > that the 0Utline>
(In the Collection of M. P. Gallimard) the Colour of a house Or