DOI Heft:
No. 240 (March 1913)
DOI Artikel:Frantz, Henri: The Rouart collection, [1]: the Corots
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21160#0139
The Rouart Collection.—The CorotsX
"LA TOUR DE RABAT, A GRENOBLE " BY J. B. C. COROT
(Photo proctdi E. Dntet)
or in that delicious and luminous little landscape
Rome, le Colisee ? Here all seems to be the work of
one who is a fine colourist simply—but let us not
deceive ourselves, for beneath this delicious colour,
in which the scene stands out bathed in exquisite
light, there is a foundation of drawing of extreme
power and unerring accuracy.
So, too, the very numerous drawings by Corot in
th3 Rouart Collection—and there was in truth an
admirable harvest of them—show to what extent
his work was built up upon this sureness of hand.
An admirable example and proof is afforded by the
work which we reproduce here entitled A Castel-
Siint-Elie. What amazingvirtuosity is here evinced!
This dravving, executed by Corot with all his ease
and dexterity and, as it were, merely as a prepara-
tion or simply as a note, is in truth a marvel of
correctness and precision, and affords a proof of
how much there is of profound science underlying
the bold execution of the master. These lead-
pencil and pen drawings of his are much less well
known than his charcoal drawings. In the sale
116
they were much sought after and high prices were
given for them.
Corot the figure piinter had also in the Rouart
Collection a preponderant place. For a long time
only his landscapes were appreciated, at any rate
by the public at large, and only lately has his
supreme talent in this other branch come to be
recognised. In this matter a man like Henri
Rouart was not to be deceived, and while buying
those landscapes at which we have just cast a rapid
glance—too rapid, for each single one really deserves
to be studied in detail—M. Rouart was also
gathering together a collection of portraits and
figure paintings by Corot which was the most
complete and representative ensemble one has ever
been privileged to see. Last year a very beautiful
figure painting by Corot, belonging to the late M.
Jean Dollfus, gained considerable success in the
auction-room, and the Femme a la perle was pur-
chased for the Louvre at a price of 150,000 francs.
But the enthusiasm was still greater for certain
pictures in the Rouart Collection, the principal one,
"LA TOUR DE RABAT, A GRENOBLE " BY J. B. C. COROT
(Photo proctdi E. Dntet)
or in that delicious and luminous little landscape
Rome, le Colisee ? Here all seems to be the work of
one who is a fine colourist simply—but let us not
deceive ourselves, for beneath this delicious colour,
in which the scene stands out bathed in exquisite
light, there is a foundation of drawing of extreme
power and unerring accuracy.
So, too, the very numerous drawings by Corot in
th3 Rouart Collection—and there was in truth an
admirable harvest of them—show to what extent
his work was built up upon this sureness of hand.
An admirable example and proof is afforded by the
work which we reproduce here entitled A Castel-
Siint-Elie. What amazingvirtuosity is here evinced!
This dravving, executed by Corot with all his ease
and dexterity and, as it were, merely as a prepara-
tion or simply as a note, is in truth a marvel of
correctness and precision, and affords a proof of
how much there is of profound science underlying
the bold execution of the master. These lead-
pencil and pen drawings of his are much less well
known than his charcoal drawings. In the sale
116
they were much sought after and high prices were
given for them.
Corot the figure piinter had also in the Rouart
Collection a preponderant place. For a long time
only his landscapes were appreciated, at any rate
by the public at large, and only lately has his
supreme talent in this other branch come to be
recognised. In this matter a man like Henri
Rouart was not to be deceived, and while buying
those landscapes at which we have just cast a rapid
glance—too rapid, for each single one really deserves
to be studied in detail—M. Rouart was also
gathering together a collection of portraits and
figure paintings by Corot which was the most
complete and representative ensemble one has ever
been privileged to see. Last year a very beautiful
figure painting by Corot, belonging to the late M.
Jean Dollfus, gained considerable success in the
auction-room, and the Femme a la perle was pur-
chased for the Louvre at a price of 150,000 francs.
But the enthusiasm was still greater for certain
pictures in the Rouart Collection, the principal one,