DOI Heft:
Nr. 150 (September 1905)
DOI Artikel:Frantz, Henri: The exhibition of Besnard's works in Paris
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20712#0321
Exhibition of Besnards IVorks
PASTEL STUDY
his mural paintings in the church ot Berck, his
ceiling Les Idees, his great decorative panel Ulie
Hmreuse, and the vast ceiling of the Theatre
Fran^ais (now in process of completion), Besr.ard’s
mural paintings constitute one of the finest creative
achievements in this line that it has been given to
any artist of our time to produce.
This splendid exhibition leaves Besnard, if
possible, greater than ever; the character of his
work and its powerful originality are here defini-
tively asserted. In other artistic feasts of the same
kind—in the Manet, the Puvis, the Whistler exhi-
bitions—the pleasure experienced was tinged with
a certain bitterness by the thought that those men
of genius were no longer with us. There is nothing
here to spoil the gratification of our eyes and minds,
which is only increased by the certain hope of
other masterpieces to come. I was touched with a
feeling of profound and
grateful emotion on be-
holding this great artist,
still in full vigour and
surrounded by his
friends, present in per-
son at this feast of
labour and of beauty ;
and I reflected that it
is given to few men to
enjoy such an experi-
ence.
Henri Frantz.
The National Art-
Collections Fund has
recently acquired a.Noc-
turne in Blue and Silver
by Whistler, represent-
ing a night effect on the
Thames, with a pier and
part of a span of old
Battersea Bridge in the
foreground. It is one
of the most beautiful
and important pictures
of its class, and has
been offered to the
Trustees of the National
Gallery as a gift to the
nation, owing to this
artist being unrepre-
sented in any of
our national collec-
BY A. BESNARD
tions.
We learn with pleasure that, thanks to the efforts
of the International Society of Painters and Gravers,
the proposal to erect a memorial to Whistler is
shortly likely to take a definite shape. An influen-
tial committee has been formed, and it is proposed
to entrust M. Rodin with the task. It is under-
stood that the memorial will be erected in the open
air. Nothing could be more suitable. With regard
to any proposal to erect it indoors, it would hardly
be possible to find a place for the purpose, com-
patible with the aims of Whistler’s life and the
nature of his genius. It is to be hoped that the
memorial will assume a shape which will retain the
characteristics of the great painter’s rare individu-
ality. In this connection there is absolutely no
one else who can be thought of except M. Rodin
as being able to approach the work in the right
spirit.
3°3
PASTEL STUDY
his mural paintings in the church ot Berck, his
ceiling Les Idees, his great decorative panel Ulie
Hmreuse, and the vast ceiling of the Theatre
Fran^ais (now in process of completion), Besr.ard’s
mural paintings constitute one of the finest creative
achievements in this line that it has been given to
any artist of our time to produce.
This splendid exhibition leaves Besnard, if
possible, greater than ever; the character of his
work and its powerful originality are here defini-
tively asserted. In other artistic feasts of the same
kind—in the Manet, the Puvis, the Whistler exhi-
bitions—the pleasure experienced was tinged with
a certain bitterness by the thought that those men
of genius were no longer with us. There is nothing
here to spoil the gratification of our eyes and minds,
which is only increased by the certain hope of
other masterpieces to come. I was touched with a
feeling of profound and
grateful emotion on be-
holding this great artist,
still in full vigour and
surrounded by his
friends, present in per-
son at this feast of
labour and of beauty ;
and I reflected that it
is given to few men to
enjoy such an experi-
ence.
Henri Frantz.
The National Art-
Collections Fund has
recently acquired a.Noc-
turne in Blue and Silver
by Whistler, represent-
ing a night effect on the
Thames, with a pier and
part of a span of old
Battersea Bridge in the
foreground. It is one
of the most beautiful
and important pictures
of its class, and has
been offered to the
Trustees of the National
Gallery as a gift to the
nation, owing to this
artist being unrepre-
sented in any of
our national collec-
BY A. BESNARD
tions.
We learn with pleasure that, thanks to the efforts
of the International Society of Painters and Gravers,
the proposal to erect a memorial to Whistler is
shortly likely to take a definite shape. An influen-
tial committee has been formed, and it is proposed
to entrust M. Rodin with the task. It is under-
stood that the memorial will be erected in the open
air. Nothing could be more suitable. With regard
to any proposal to erect it indoors, it would hardly
be possible to find a place for the purpose, com-
patible with the aims of Whistler’s life and the
nature of his genius. It is to be hoped that the
memorial will assume a shape which will retain the
characteristics of the great painter’s rare individu-
ality. In this connection there is absolutely no
one else who can be thought of except M. Rodin
as being able to approach the work in the right
spirit.
3°3