Documents associated with: Ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, gravure, lithographie et architecture, refusés par le Jury de 1863, et exposés, par décision de S. M. l'Empereur, au salon annexe, Palais des Champs Elysées, Paris, 1863
Record 10 of 31
System Number: 01080
Date: [26 April 1863][1]
Author: Henri Fantin-Latour[2]
Place: Paris
Recipient: JW
Place: [Amsterdam][3]
Repository: Glasgow University Library
Call Number: MS Whistler F11
Document Type: ALS[4]
Dimanche -
Mon cher Whistler
Un grand evenement artistique est cette note du Moniteur[5]. De nombreuses réclamations ayant été faites par les Artistes Refusées l'empereur a Ordonné que les tableaux refusées seraient exposés dans une autre partie du Palais de L'industrie. cette exposition sera facultative et les Artistes qui voudraient retirer leurs tableaux sont Libre. que dit tu de cela - ton sort je ne le connais pas encore, je viens seulement davoir la certitude d'avoir deux tableaux[6] refusées Legros[7] a ces trois tableaux reçues - Durand[8] un sur trois, Colin[9] refusé, Bracquemond[10] refusé - Amand Gautier refusé[11]. Vernier[12] aussi, Lambron[13] aussi. Manet[14] entierement refusée et cela [p. 2] fait grand bruit on dit même que lorsque l'empereur est allé voir toutes les Victimes du Jury. on lui aurait montré les tableaux de Manet comme Ayant irrité davantage le Jury. l'empereur a dit, mais je ne trouve pas cela desagreable du tout du tout. les Paysagistes, les natures Mortes, les etudes d'après Nature - le Jury avait été très sévère et remplies de Parti pris mais malgré tout Personne n'aurait pu s'attendre a ce que l'empereur vient de faire. exposer les Refusées a côté, Cest dire le Jury nous n'en sommes pas sure nous allons montrer comment l'on juje tout le monde sera temoin. et tu vois [p. 3] d'ici, toutes les haines depuis 30 Ans amassée contre le Jury qui vont l'attaquer et l'on fera des succès dans les Refusés, l'on va exagerer la valeur des peintures refusées. on ne sait pas si l'on va l'ouvrir le 1er[15] Mai en même temps que l'autre car rien n'est près, je pense que tu viendras voir cela car cela ne se reverra pas. Martinet[16] avait l'intention d'exposer les tableaux refusées il a hesité et maintenant il est tué - on nous promet de réunir les meillures choses refusées afin d'accabler le Jury, il y a des quantités de 3me medaill[e] et de mention refusées Legros est triste de n'avoir pas Un tableau refusée. Bracquemond et Manet sont furieux contre le Jury il va y avoir des [p. 4] attaques terribles contre lui, cela va être très amusant cette exposition on n'a jamais vu cela Ne sachant rien de ton sort ne bouge pas le lendemain de l'ouverture Je t'écrirai encore Je te dirai alors et ton sort et l'époque de l'ouverture des Refusée le 1er Mai est le Jour de l'ouverture mais il se peut que le jour soit reculé pour ouvrir en même temp[s] les deux expositions, ou bien l'une après l'autre et tache de venir dis a Mr Swinburne[17] que Baudelaire[18] a lu son Article avec grand plaisir que Sa piece de Vers August lui a paru fort bien. que s'il ne lui a pas ecrit, il va lui ecrire il a demandé ton adresse a Legros. Baudelaire a paru très enchanté
A Bientot
H Fantin la Tour
Rue St Lazare 79 -
This document is protected by copyright.
Translation:
Sunday
My dear Whistler
This note in the Moniteur is a great artistic event. Numerous representations having been made by the Rejected Artists the emperor has ordered that the rejected pictures should be exhibited in another part of the Palais de L'industrie. This exhibition will be optional and Artists who would like to remove their pictures are Free to do so. what do you say to that - I do not yet know your fate, I have only just learned that I have had two pictures rejected Legros has had his three pictures accepted - Durand one out of three, Colin rejected, Bracquemond rejected - Amand Gautier rejected, Vernier also, Lambron also. Manet completely rejected and that [p. 2] has aroused a great deal of comment it is even said that when the emperor went to see all the Victims of the Jury, he was shown Manet's paintings as having particularly annoyed the Jury. the emperor said, but I do not find that disagreeable at all at all. The Landscapists, the Still lifes, the studies from Nature - the Jury had been very harsh and very biassed but in spite of everything nobody could have expected what the emperor has just done. to exhibit the Rejects alongside, That is to say we are not sure about the Jury we are going to show how the judging is done everyone will be able to see. and from this point you can see [p. 3] all the hatred of 30 Years stored up against the Jury who are going to attack it and there will be successes amongst the Rejects, the merit of the rejected paintings will be exaggerated. nobody knows if it will open on 1st May at the same time as the other because nothing is ready, I think you should come to see it because nothing like this will ever be seen again. Martinet meant to exhibit the rejected pictures he hesitated and now he is killed off - we have been promised that the best rejected things will be brought together to expose the Jury, there are large numbers of 3rd [class] medals and mentions in the rejects Legros is unhappy that he has not had one picture rejected. Bracquemond and Manet are furious with the Jury it is going to be [p. 4] severely attacked, it is going to be very amusing this exhibition such a thing has never been seen before Knowing nothing about your fate do not stir on the day after the opening I will write to you again I will tell you then both about your fate and the time of the opening of the Rejects 1st May is the opening day but it is possible that it will be deferred to open the two exhibitions at the same time, or maybe one after the other and try to come tell Mr Swinburne that Baudelaire read his Article with great pleasure that he much liked his piece of verse August. that if he has not written to him, he is going to write to him he has asked Legros for your address. Baudelaire seemed very pleased indeed.
Hoping to hear from you soon
H Fantin la Tour
Rue St Lazare 79 -
Notes:
1. [26 April 1863]
Dated 'Sunday' by Fantin, two days after the publication of Le Moniteur universel on 24 April 1863; see below.
2. Henri Fantin-Latour
Ignace-Henri-Jean-Théodore Fantin-Latour (1836-1904), artist [more].
3. [Amsterdam]
JW had arrived in Amsterdam in late April, from where he had already written to Fantin, #08034.
4. ALS
The letter was evidently written in some haste, with numbers of minor corrections to words. Some single letters are lost as the result of words being continued beyond the edge of the page.
5. Moniteur
An Imperial decree of Napoléon III, published in Le Moniteur universel on Friday 24 April, announced the forthcoming Salon des Refusés.
6. tableaux
Of the three works he was allowed to submit to the Salon, La Féerie, 1863, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Montreal, and a self-portrait were rejected, and only La Lecture, 1863, was accepted (see Fantin-Latour, Mme, Fantin-Latour, Catalogue de l'oeuvre complète, 1849-1904, Paris, 1911, cat. nos. 214, 215).
7. Legros
Alphonse Legros (1837-1911), painter, etcher and art teacher [more].
8. Durand
Émile-Auguste Carolus-Duran (1837-1917), painter [more], Prière du Soir, Italie, was shown at 81st exhibition, Ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure et lithographie des artistes vivants, Palais des Champs Elysées, Paris, 1863 (cat. no. 631).
9. Colin
Gustave-Henri Colin (1828-1910), landscape painter [more].
10. Bracquemond
Joseph Auguste ('Félix') Bracquemond (1833-1914), painter and etcher [more].
11. Amand Gautier
Armand Desiré Gautier (1825-1894), painter and graver [more].
12. Vernier
Émile-Louis Vernier (1829-1887), né Lons-le-Saulnier, painter and print-maker [more].
13. Lambron
Albert Anatole Martin Ernest Lambron des Piltières (b. 1836), genre painter [more].
14. Manet
Edouard Manet (1832-1883), painter [more].
15. 1er
The Salon des Refusés opened on 15 May.
16. Martinet
Louis Martinet (1814-1895), history painter, Directeur des Beaux-Arts [more].
17. Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837-1909), poet and critic [more]; JW and Swinburne had visited Paris in March.
18. Baudelaire
Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867), poet and critic [more].