DOI issue:
No. 165 (December, 1906)
DOI article:Khnopff, Fernand: The art of the late Alfred Stevens, Belgian painter
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20716#0239
Alfred Stevens, Belgian Painter
artist. He has obtained—let us put it on record— up the modern woman from one extreme to the
all the highest distinctions and official honours, other. Millet's woman does not live; she gives
to which he attaches great importance, while life to others. Stevens's lives herself, and gives
honestly doubting whether he has deserved them." death to others. The atmosphere breathed by
And this was indeed an entire feminine world, the former is eternally refreshed by the winds, and
which justified the following noteworthy remarks is bounded only by the great open firmament,
by Camille Lemonnier :—" I recognise two great The latter, on the contrary, breathing an atmo-
painters of womanhood in the present century— sphere of poison, stifles in mystery, pain, and per-
Alfred Stevens and Francois Millet. Poles asunder fumes. . . . Alfred Stevens and Francois Millet
as they are in their points of view, they have in open out in their women great vistas into the un-
their two methods of understanding her summed known. They each present the problem of woman,
and pose her in the attitude
of the ancient Sphinx. The
world of woman touches
the world of man, moreover,
at so many points that to
paint woman is to paint us
all, from the cradle to the
grave. It will be the cha-
racteristic mark of the art
of this century that it has
approached contemporary
life through woman.
Woman really forms the
transition between the
painting of the past and the
painting of the future."
If the work of Alfred
Stevens has inspired pages
in this grand style from
the pen of such a powerful
writer, it has also produced
from the painter himself
certain remarks, ranging in
tone from gay to grave, and
generally of profound inte-
rest to his brother-artists.
It is for their benefit that
we have selected a few of
these " Impressions " :
" I. We must be of our
own time: we must submit
to the influence of the sun,
of the country in which
we dwell, of our early edu-
cation.—II. A man does
not understand his art
well under a certain age.—
IV. One should learn
to draw with the brush as
soon as possible.—XIII.
Nobody is a great painter
save on condition of being
LA DAME EN ROSE BY AI FRED STEVENS
(Miiste de Bruxtlhs. Fhcto. P. Becker) a master workman. —
219
artist. He has obtained—let us put it on record— up the modern woman from one extreme to the
all the highest distinctions and official honours, other. Millet's woman does not live; she gives
to which he attaches great importance, while life to others. Stevens's lives herself, and gives
honestly doubting whether he has deserved them." death to others. The atmosphere breathed by
And this was indeed an entire feminine world, the former is eternally refreshed by the winds, and
which justified the following noteworthy remarks is bounded only by the great open firmament,
by Camille Lemonnier :—" I recognise two great The latter, on the contrary, breathing an atmo-
painters of womanhood in the present century— sphere of poison, stifles in mystery, pain, and per-
Alfred Stevens and Francois Millet. Poles asunder fumes. . . . Alfred Stevens and Francois Millet
as they are in their points of view, they have in open out in their women great vistas into the un-
their two methods of understanding her summed known. They each present the problem of woman,
and pose her in the attitude
of the ancient Sphinx. The
world of woman touches
the world of man, moreover,
at so many points that to
paint woman is to paint us
all, from the cradle to the
grave. It will be the cha-
racteristic mark of the art
of this century that it has
approached contemporary
life through woman.
Woman really forms the
transition between the
painting of the past and the
painting of the future."
If the work of Alfred
Stevens has inspired pages
in this grand style from
the pen of such a powerful
writer, it has also produced
from the painter himself
certain remarks, ranging in
tone from gay to grave, and
generally of profound inte-
rest to his brother-artists.
It is for their benefit that
we have selected a few of
these " Impressions " :
" I. We must be of our
own time: we must submit
to the influence of the sun,
of the country in which
we dwell, of our early edu-
cation.—II. A man does
not understand his art
well under a certain age.—
IV. One should learn
to draw with the brush as
soon as possible.—XIII.
Nobody is a great painter
save on condition of being
LA DAME EN ROSE BY AI FRED STEVENS
(Miiste de Bruxtlhs. Fhcto. P. Becker) a master workman. —
219