Studio: international art (65.1915)

The Paris Salon of Fifty Years Ago

The part the Emperor Napoleon III played in
the artistic world of France has never been
thoroughly explained, nor has he received the
honour due to one who stood by and assisted the
younger men before they were recognised by the
public. We know that in the Emperor’s private
apartments in the Tuileries, and at Fontainebleau, he
possessed some most excellent pictures, and notably
the famous Corot Souvenir de Mortefontaine, of
which the artist’s own drawing is here reproduced.
This beautiful picture, now in the Louvre, hung
from 1864 to 1889 at the Chateau of Fontainebleau.
There was also a fine Daubigny in the Tuileries,
and more than one Corot. It is related that when
the palace was taken by the Communists in 1871
one intruder called to another : “ Honour to Art!
Do not touch these pictures, they are Corot’s.”

It is to be hoped that even yet one of the
entourage of the Emperor before the 1870 war will
still find it possible to tell the story of the decided
penchant the sovereign possessed for men such as
Corot, Daubigny, and Messieurs les Refuses. I
may say that I have tried to obtain some informa-
tion from the revered Lady who, since then, has
made this country her home, but without result.

Be this as it may, it is quite certain Napoleon III
was more of an art patron than has ever been
allowed. His military and political misfortunes
have entirely eclipsed his better qualities, and his
support of Corot and Daubigny was remarkable
and consistent. It should not be forgotten that
immediately after the royal purchase of Mortefon-
tai?ie Corot was chosen Chevalier of the Legion of
Honour, and this on the personal intervention of
the Emperor, otherwise the decoration would not
have been conferred.

We shall commence our further survey of the
Salon of Fifty Years Ago with a consideration of
the works of Daubigny (1817-1878), represented
among our illustrations by two drawings.

One, the famous Moonlight, forms our frontis-
piece—about which there are some interesting facts
to relate—and the subject of the other is Villerville,
a seaside place near Trouville, where the artist often
painted. Of this fishing village perched on the cliffs
he made pictures both from above and below, and
these were mostly produced with full colour, and
even with the palette-knife in place of the brush, a
method our own Constable successfully inaugurated.
Villerville was painted for Madame Daubigny, the
artist’s wife, and it remained her property a long
time. The subject, notwithstanding its grimness,
was one that all the family liked, and their friend,
Emile Vernier, lithographed it at least two separate
times. Afterwards the picture was bought by the
famous artist-banker of Holland, M. Mesdag, and
it remains in his well-known collection at The
Hague.

To the 1865 Salon Daubigny sent the Chateau et
Parc de St. Cloud, commissioned by the enlightened
but unfortunate Emperor, together with the great
canvas, Effet de Lune, in which English people
should be specially interested. Of the latter picture
Daubigny’s own sketch forming our frontispiece
shows the composition well. The moon appears to
float through the clouded sky, and the little hamlet
sleeps peacefully on the plain. Towards the h ouses
two figures move, one carrying a lamb and the
other a lantern, and they are followed by a dog.
The painting itself is in richly-toned colours, and,
with the mystery added by the moonlight, it is a
work of the highest artistic quality.

“ HONFLEUR : ENTREE DU PORT

150

BY J. B. TONGKIND