Pierre Grassou E-Book

Honore de Balzac

• Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

In "Pierre Grassou," Honor√© de Balzac offers a penetrating exploration of the complexities of artistic ambition and societal validation within the milieu of the 19th-century French art world. Written in a rich, descriptive style characteristic of Balzac'Äôs broader panoramic storytelling'Äîoften documented in his monumental series "La Com√©die Humaine"'Äîthis novella delves into the life of Pierre Grassou, a mediocre painter driven by his relentless desire for recognition. The narrative is laced with keen social commentary, revealing the stark contrasts between true artistic merit and the superficial accolades often bestowed by society on the talents that align with fashionable tastes. Honor√© de Balzac (1799-1850) was a prominent French novelist and playwright whose works frequently axiomatically dissected the social and economic structures of his time. His keen observation of the bourgeoisie and his own experiences within the circles of Parisian art and literature greatly influenced his portrayal of characters like Pierre Grassou, mirroring Balzac's own struggles with creative success amidst a competitive landscape. This background provides a vital context for understanding the motivations that spark Grassou'Äôs journey toward acceptance in a world that often rewards the unworthy. "Pierre Grassou" is not merely a tale of an aspiring artist; it is a thoughtful reflection on the nature of success and the often capriciousness of public acclaim. Readers will find in its pages not just a captivating narrative but also profound insights into the human condition. This novella is essential for anyone interested in the intersections of art, ambition, and authenticity.

Leseprobe

Honoré de Balzac

Pierre Grassou

Published by Good Press, 2022

[email protected]

EAN 4057664616418

Table of Contents

Translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley

PIERRE GRASSOU ADDENDUM

PIERRE GRASSOU

ADDENDUM

The following personages appear in other stories of the Human Comedy.

Translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley

Table of Contents

Dedication To The Lieutenant-Colonel of Artillery, Periollas, As a Testimony of the Affectionate Esteem of the Author, De Balzac

Table of Contents

PIERRE GRASSOUADDENDUM

Table of Contents

PIERRE GRASSOU

Table of Contents

Whenever you have gone to take a serious look at the exhibition of works of sculpture and painting, such as it has been since the revolution of 1830, have you not been seized by a sense of uneasiness, weariness, sadness, at the sight of those long and over-crowded galleries? Since 1830, the true Salon no longer exists. The Louvre has again been taken by assault,—this time by a populace of artists who have maintained themselves in it.

In other days, when the Salon presented only the choicest works of art, it conferred the highest honor on the creations there exhibited. Among the two hundred selected paintings, the public could still choose: a crown was awarded to the masterpiece by hands unseen. Eager, impassioned discussions arose about some picture. The abuse showered on Delacroix, on Ingres, contributed no less to their fame than the praises and fanaticism of their adherents. To-day, neither the crowd nor the criticism grows impassioned about the products of that bazaar. Forced to make the selection for itself, which in former days the examining jury made for it, the attention of the public is soon wearied and the exhibition closes. Before the year 1817 the pictures admitted never went beyond the first two columns of the long gallery of the old masters; but in that year, to the great astonishment of the public, they filled the whole space. Historical, high-art, genre paintings, easel pictures, landscapes, flowers, animals, and water-colors,—these eight specialties could surely not offer more than twenty pictures in one year worthy of the eyes of the public, which, indeed, cannot give its attention to a greater number of such works. The more the number of artists increases, the more careful and exacting the jury of admission ought to be.

The true character of the Salon was lost as soon as it spread along the galleries. The Salon should have remained within fixed limits of inflexible proportions, where each distinct specialty could show its masterpieces only. An experience of ten years has shown the excellence of the former institution. Now, instead of a tournament, we have a mob; instead of a noble exhibition, we have a tumultuous bazaar; instead of a choice selection we have a chaotic mass. What is the result? A great artist is swamped. Decamps' "Turkish Cafe," "Children at a Fountain," "Joseph," and "The Torture," would have redounded far more to his credit if the four pictures had been exhibited in the great Salon with the hundred good pictures of that year, than his twenty pictures could, among three thousand others, jumbled together in six galleries.