Studio: international art (44.1908)

Brittany as a Sketching-Ground

“CONCARNEAU”

land of soft greys and greens, in colouring and
tree form resembling England rather than France;
of wild and desolate coast whose rugged outline is
broken again and again by bays and inlets, as
those of Douarnenez, de la Forest and Quiberon;
lonely moors where weird Druidical stones stand
stark against the sky, notably at Carnac; deep
valleys where oak and beech border the rushing
streams, whose waters turn the moss-grown mill-
wheels of a bygone age;
the architecture of towns,
ancient and modern, of
churches with their lace-
like structure of perforated
stone, typically Breton, of
timbered houses, of great
chateaux known in story,
of harbours big and small
with all the strenuous life
of the seafaring folk; the
sardine boats, and the
forest of masts of the
shipping at Nantes; the
peat-gathering at the bogs
of Grand Briere; the
apple-gathering and the
cider-press ; these are but
a few of the many attrac-
tions contained in the pen-
insula which forms Brit-
tany, bounded to the north,
south and west by the sea. “ lannion ”

20

Of all the artist resorts
of Brittany the most
famous is Pont Aven, “ la
ville de renom, quatorze
moulins, quinze maisons,”
according to the local
guide, whose veracity,
however, leaves grave
room for doubt, as houses
are springing up with
mushroom-like rapidity in
all directions. The queen
of the town is Mile. Julia
Guillon, and her celebrated
Hotel des Voyageurs is its
centre. Very many years
ago when Pont Aven was
really a village, where
artists abounded and
tourists were few, Mile.
Julia opened a small hotel.

Here congregated painters
from many lands, Bohemian in ways and dress,
the latter more often than not a modification
of the Breton, even to the sabots. Gradually the
panelled salle-ct-manger became picture-panelled,
and now forms a little collection of which any
art-lover might be proud, for all who contributed
gave of their best to beautify the little hotel of the
kind-hearted woman who gave a helping hand
to many a poor struggling artist. Now the little

liY w. H. CHARLTON

FROM A PENCIL DRAWING BY W. H. CHARLTC