DOI Artikel:
Bouyer, Raymond: Modern French pastellists: Fantin-Latour
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20710#0060
Fantin-Latour
sirens; there is Siegfried and the Rhine Maidens nobly draped, move easily in their atmosphere.
(1886) , the meeting of the heedless hero with the Finally, an Etude dated 1882, and as an exception
sprightly water-nymphs before the dark hour of the almost a portrait, might be entitled LEventail
tragical denouement, a mute dialogue which at the Rouge and be given as a musical commentary on these
time of the last Centennial Exhibition in 1900 lines of Victor Hugo, the painter's favourite poet:—
accompanied the grand and touching scene of « Voyez-vous, un parfum eveille la pense'e.
L'Anniversaire (1884), where the feminine creations Repliez, belle enfant par l'aube caressee,
Of Berlioz come to pay homage at their author's Cet "-entail aile, pourpre, or et vermilion,
tomb—a poetical idea which touches us the more Qui 'iremble dans vos mains comme un grand PaPillon-"
after having so recently celebrated the centenary This simple study, the sweet meditation of a fair
of France's great musician. And then there is young woman in a white evening dress, is the best
the tender duet of Beatrice et Benedict (1888), a pastel of the painter who made music visible. His
nocturne in the depths of an old park, dimly very method of vibrant cross hatching does in fact
illumined by obscure twilight reflections from a express the melody of the lines ; and he reveals
fountain. Berlioz and Wagner, those two hostile himself a musician by his mastery of nuances.
brothers, are reconciled by the sympathy of a Nowadays, when painting aspires to become musical,
master of the pencil. M. Fantin-Latour appears the herald of a new
That inward music spoken of by one of technique. But to speak fittingly of pastel as
Shakespeare's heroines, which every man carries wielded by a poet it would be necessary, following
in himself, breathes in like
manner from many other
allegories. Musique et Poesie
(1894), L'Auroreet la Nuit
(1887) , Un Jugement de
Paris (1890), Une Evoca-
tion (1892), Ondine (1896)
—a nymph whose rosy nud-
ity is caressed by the blue-
green wave, and who is
more of an enchantress
than the Germanised fancy
of the Baron de la Motte-
Fouque could ever have
imagined—are all of them
pastels which attest the
originality of a beautiful
dream, and confirm us in
our admiration for one of
the masters of our owrn time.
Dwelling apart, afar from
mere ephemeral fashion,
counselled only by his
great initiators, Schumann
and Prud'hon, M. Fantin-
Latour contrived to endow
with new life the familiar
attributes of the ancient
allegories; the soul of a
poet animates his forms,
rhythmic vapours enshroud
them; his scenes are set
m romantic landscapes;
motes dance in the sun- " l'anniversaire de berlioz" from the pastel by fantin-latour
beams; and his figures, (By permission ofM. Esnault-Pellerie)
43
sirens; there is Siegfried and the Rhine Maidens nobly draped, move easily in their atmosphere.
(1886) , the meeting of the heedless hero with the Finally, an Etude dated 1882, and as an exception
sprightly water-nymphs before the dark hour of the almost a portrait, might be entitled LEventail
tragical denouement, a mute dialogue which at the Rouge and be given as a musical commentary on these
time of the last Centennial Exhibition in 1900 lines of Victor Hugo, the painter's favourite poet:—
accompanied the grand and touching scene of « Voyez-vous, un parfum eveille la pense'e.
L'Anniversaire (1884), where the feminine creations Repliez, belle enfant par l'aube caressee,
Of Berlioz come to pay homage at their author's Cet "-entail aile, pourpre, or et vermilion,
tomb—a poetical idea which touches us the more Qui 'iremble dans vos mains comme un grand PaPillon-"
after having so recently celebrated the centenary This simple study, the sweet meditation of a fair
of France's great musician. And then there is young woman in a white evening dress, is the best
the tender duet of Beatrice et Benedict (1888), a pastel of the painter who made music visible. His
nocturne in the depths of an old park, dimly very method of vibrant cross hatching does in fact
illumined by obscure twilight reflections from a express the melody of the lines ; and he reveals
fountain. Berlioz and Wagner, those two hostile himself a musician by his mastery of nuances.
brothers, are reconciled by the sympathy of a Nowadays, when painting aspires to become musical,
master of the pencil. M. Fantin-Latour appears the herald of a new
That inward music spoken of by one of technique. But to speak fittingly of pastel as
Shakespeare's heroines, which every man carries wielded by a poet it would be necessary, following
in himself, breathes in like
manner from many other
allegories. Musique et Poesie
(1894), L'Auroreet la Nuit
(1887) , Un Jugement de
Paris (1890), Une Evoca-
tion (1892), Ondine (1896)
—a nymph whose rosy nud-
ity is caressed by the blue-
green wave, and who is
more of an enchantress
than the Germanised fancy
of the Baron de la Motte-
Fouque could ever have
imagined—are all of them
pastels which attest the
originality of a beautiful
dream, and confirm us in
our admiration for one of
the masters of our owrn time.
Dwelling apart, afar from
mere ephemeral fashion,
counselled only by his
great initiators, Schumann
and Prud'hon, M. Fantin-
Latour contrived to endow
with new life the familiar
attributes of the ancient
allegories; the soul of a
poet animates his forms,
rhythmic vapours enshroud
them; his scenes are set
m romantic landscapes;
motes dance in the sun- " l'anniversaire de berlioz" from the pastel by fantin-latour
beams; and his figures, (By permission ofM. Esnault-Pellerie)
43