Studio: international art (34.1905)

Constantin Guys

subjects, and as his production was
extremely abundant, it may justly be
considered as a true and complete
representation of French society during
the reign of Napoleon III.

Regard him in the first place as the
painter of horses and carriages. As an
old cavalry man he preserved his love
for horseflesh and all that concerned
hippie sport. So in his drawings he
delighted to represent fine-limbed, long-
shouldered thoroughbreds, mounted by
young and graceful riders, prancing
along under the trees. The horse and
everything connected with it plays a
leading part in the painter's work. He
appears again and again in four-in-hand,
in pairs, or in tandem, now driven by
the stiff automatic coachman, now ridden
by multi-coloured postilions. We see
him drawing the heavy gala-carriage,
the landau, or the berline, with kings
and emperors and great dignitaries
therein, even the Pope himself—for it
appears that Guys spent some time in
Rome. In other pages we see him at
the galop, bearing light-weight officers
of Hussars or Cent-Gardes. In others
again he steps high between the shafts
of a tilbury, or ITOrsay, or phaeton,
"lbs volants noirs" by constantin guys or araignee; or again in the avenues

of the Bois he draws the victoria or
the caliche wherein sit two women
century. For although the Goya nightmare is per- "lying idle as if in a boat, listening vaguely to
ceptible at times in certain visions of Guys'— the compliments that reach their ears, in full enjoy-
soldiers in wild debauch, street orgies and depravity ment of their leisurely promenade," as Baudelaire
—on the other hand the charm of the pretty woman, wrote. Sometimes the hoise is caught by Guys
attired as the school of Fragonard and Boucher in the most natural poses, amidst groups of
attired her, stands out from a great number of these riders and carriages ; and however depicted he
works, particularly in the precious collection of plays his part to perfection in these scenes of
water-colours owned by M. Gaubert de Sainte- grace and beauty.

Croix. At the same time Guys is also the military

Most of the draughtsmen of the Second Empire historian of his age. It is pleasant to observe the
appear to have specialised in subjects and surround- soldiers of his period in their original attitudes, hit
ings. Gavarni, with his vast and seductive talent, off in his characteristic and brilliantly personal style
was first and foremost the painter of the lorette, the —scarlet Horse-Guards mounted on black chargers,
Bohemian, and the petite bourgeoise ; Travies was papal guards with their white tunics, with blue sash
the chronicler of poverty and humble life; Marcelin across the chest, and a high helmet on the head,
devoted himself to la galanterie; and if one thinks Guides, Cuirassiers, and Chasseurs passing bravely
of those charming, witty, and delicate artists, Cham, by, amid clouds of dust, in a dazzling confusion of
Gre'vin, Trimolet, DeveVia, Numa, and Lami, it will steel and gold. All the military types of the
be evident that none of these knew aught but just Empire figure in this precious series, each with his
a phase of the society of his own time. Guys, on own personality and, as it were, his own style,
'he other hand, was universal in the choice of his Here, as elsewhere, Guys' fertility and penetration