The Reality Effect

Au bout d'une heure et demie, on frappa doucement à une petite porte qui était derrière elle.

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Aleksey Kivshenko (1851-1896). Kutuzov at the conference of Fili deciding to surrender Moscow to Napoleon. 1880. Oil on canvas. Moscow, Tretyakov Gallery.

During one of these pauses Kutuzov heaved a deep sigh as if preparing to speak. They all looked at him. "Well, gentlemen, I see that it is I who will have to pay for the broken crockery," said he, and rising slowly he moved to the table. "Gentlemen, I have heard your views. Some of you will not agree with me. But I," he paused, "by the authority entrusted to me by my Sovereign and country, order a retreat."

- Leo Tolstoy. War and peace. Trans. Louise and Aylmer Maude. 1922-23.

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J. Ward. Duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. 19th century.

The gentleman who was to give the word then explained to the parties the rules which were to govern them in firing, which were as follow: "The parties being placed at their stations, the second who gives the word shall ask them whether they are ready: being answered in the affirmative, he shall say present, after this the parties shall present and fire when they please. —If one fires before the other, the opposite second shall say, one, two, three, fire, —and he shall then fire, or lose his fire." —He then asked if they were prepared? Being answered in the affirmative, he gave the word present as was agreed on; both parties presented and fired in succession...

- J.M. Mason. An oration, commemorative of the late major-general Alexr. Hamilton. 1804.

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Charles-Marie Bouton (1781-1853). The madness of Charles VI, or View of the 14th c. room in the Musée des Monuments français. 1817. Oil on canvas, 114 x 146 cm. Bourg-en-Bresse, Musée de Brou.

Later on in the century, in the reign of the weak Charles VI., the superstitions of the vulgar were again mixed up with the highest affairs of the state. It was in 1393 that this prince experienced the first attack of that painful malady which affected his reason, and rendered him unfit for several years to fulfil the duties of his high station. People in general ascribed his madness to the effects of sorcery, and they pointed to his beloved Italian sister-in-law, the young and beautiful duchess of Orleans, as the author of it. This lady was a visconti, the daughter of the rich and powerful duke of Milan: and it appears that at this time Lombardy, her native land, was celebrated above all other parts for sorcerers and poisoners.

- Thomas Wright. Narratives of Sorcery and Magic, from the Most Authentic Sources. 1852.

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Daniel Maclise (1806-1870). Caxton Showing the First Specimen of His Printing to King Edward IV at the Almonry, Westminster. 1851. Oil on canvas. Hertfordshire, Knebworth House.

Notwithstanding that Caxton had printed for the use of Edward IV. and Henry VII. there are no grounds for the notion which Palmer takes up, that the first printers, and particularly Caxton, were sworn servants and printers to the crown [...] If, however, the art, or those who practised it, sought the royal favour and countenance, it was a privilege which monarchs might glory to confer. The benevolent of mankind, and more especially kings, as the fathers of their people, cannot bestow more valuable gifts on their wide extended family, than by encouraging among them the exercise of an investigation so adapted to their instruction ; so calculated for their improvement in social and in public virtue.

- C.H. Timperley. A dictionary of printers and printing. 1839.

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German School after a print by Wilhelm von Kaulbach (1805-1874). Goethe ice skating on the Main near Frankfurt. Ca. 1870. Oil on canvas, 63.8 x 46 cm. Ede, Simonis & Buunk (€5,000-10,000).

For the first few months he gave himself up to the excitement of this new life. Among other things he introduced skating. Weimar had hitherto seen no gentleman on the ice; but now, Klopstock having made skating famous by his poetry, Goethe made it fashionable by his daring grace. The Duchess soon excelled in the art. Skating on the Schwansee became "the rage". Sometimes the banks were illuminated with lamps and torches, and music and fireworks animated the scene. The Duchess and ladies, masked as during carnival, were driven in sledges over the noisy ice. "We are somewhat mad here," Goethe writes to Merck, "and play the devil's own game."

- G.H. Lewes. The life of Goethe. Vol I. 1855.

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Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824-1904). The Death of Marshall Ney. 1868. Oil on canvas, 63.5 x 101.6 cm. Sheffield, Graves Art Gallery.

At nine o'clock precisely, the marshal, attended by his confessor, stepped into the carriage prepared for their reception, which drove across the garden on the Luxembourg, to the grand alley leading to the observatory, the place appointed for his execution. A picket of veterans, sixty strong, awaited his arrival. The marshal, having descended from the carriage, faced his executioners, and after taking off his hat with his left hand, and placing his right hand on his breast, he exclaimed with a loud and unfaultering voice—" Comrades, straight at the heart— fire." The officer gave the signal at the same moment with his sword, and he fell dead without a struggle. Twelve balls had taken effect; three of them in the head. There were but few persons present, for the populace, believing that the execution would take place on the plain of Crenelle, where Labedoyere was shot, had repaired thither.

- Edward Baines. History of the Wars of the French Revolution. Vol. II. 1817.

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Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912). Education of the children of Clovis. 1861. Oil on canvas, 129.5 x 177.8 cm. Sotheby's, New York; 04-11-2011, lot 64 (sold $914,500 premium).

Gundobad killed his brother Chilperic with the sword, and sank his wife in water with a stone tied to her neck. His two daughters he condemned to exile; the older of these, who became a nun, was called Chrona, and the younger Clotilda. [...] Queen Clotilda spoke to Chlodomer and her other sons, saying: "Let me not repent, dearest sons, that I have nursed you lovingly; be angry, I beg you, at the insult to me, and avenge with a wise zeal the death of my father and mother." They heeded this; and they hastened to the Burgundies and marched against Sygismund and his brother Godomar.

- Gregory of Tours. History of the Franks II:28, III:6. Trans. Earnest Brehaut. 1916.

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Théobald Chartran (1849-1907). Ambroise Paré at the Siege of Metz practising the ligature of arteries on a wounded arquebusier, 1553. 1886-1889. Fresco. Paris, Université de la Sorbonne.

Another still more important improvement was his employment of the ligature in tying arteries to stop haemorrhage, instead of the actual cautery. [...] His practice was denounced by his surgical brethren as dangerous, unprofessional, and empirical; and the older surgeons banded themselves together to resist its adoption. They reproached him for his want of education, more especially for his ignorance of Latin and Greek; and they assailed him with quotations from ancient writers, which he was unable either to verify or refute. But the best answer to his assailants was the success of his practice. The wounded soldiers called out everywhere for Pare", and he was always at their service: he tended them carefully and affectionately; and he usually took leave of them with the words, "I have dressed you; may God cure you."

- Samuel Smiles. Self-help: With Illustrations of Charakter, Conduct and Perseverance. 1866.

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François Flameng (1856-1923). Napoleon I hunting in the Forest of Fontainebleau, 1807. 1905. Oil on canvas, 104 x 140 cm. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg.

The hunts were [...] very magnificent [...] In 1807 Napoleon had ordered that women who went to the coursing should wear a special costume; that of the Empress and of all the ladies of her household was of amaranthine velvet, embroidered with gold, and a cap with white feathers; that of the Princesses, blue for the Queen of Holland, pink for the Princess Murat, lilac for the Princess Borghese, all adorned with silver embroidery. The Emperor and all his guests wore the same hunting-dress for coursing: a green coat with gold, buttons and lace, breeches of white cassimere, Hessian boots without tops; for shooting, a green coat, with no other ornament than white buttons, on which were carved hunting emblems. Under the first Empire, etiquette was most rigid...

- Imbert de Saint-Amand. The court of the Empress Josephine. Trans. Thomas Sergeant Perry. 1900.

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Carl Gustaf Hellqvist (1851-1890). Valdemar Atterdag holding Visby to ransom, 1361. 1882. Oil on canvas, 200 x 330 cm. Nationalmuseum, Stockholm (Inv. NM 1431).

Here was the Hanse city of Visby, the Pearl of the Baltic. This city had for a long time been the sole intermediary in the trade between western Europe and Russia and the East. It had thus become the wealthiest city in the North. The city boasted of magnificent churches and numerous massive residences, and within their strong city walls the people felt secure. But a stronger came, and with him came disaster. Waldemar triumphed, and the Danes entered the city. The three largest ale casks were set up in the market place to be filled with gold and silver by the people of Visby. After having placed Danish bailiffs in the island, Waldemar sailed home. But one of the ships on which he had placed the booty is said to have perished in the waves.

- Carl Grimberg. A history of Sweden. Trans. C.W. Foss. 1935.

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Eduard Charlemont (1848-1906). Vermeer in his studio. 1890. Oil on panel, 91.4 x 72.4 cm. Private collection.

The subjects he most frequently painted were females occupied in domestic concerns, or engaged in the amusements of reading, writing, music, or cards. These he treated with much of the elegance and suavity of Gabriel Metsu in the figures, and an approach to Peter De Hooge in perspective and chiaro-scuro. [...] The Dutch, who had formerly neglected his pictures, are now fully alive to their merits and value, and so are others; consequently they obtain high prices when they appear in sales, which is but seldom.

- Michael Bryan & George Stanley. A biographical and critical dictionary of painters and engravers. 1849.

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Pompeo Calvi (1806-1884). Canova in his studio. Oil on canvas, 119.5 x 97.2 cm. Christie’s, London; 23-01-2008, lot 11 (sold £13,700 premium).

Perhaps you may have no very clear idea of the progress of a sculptor in his work; at least, I find that many of my countrymen, whom l have introduced to Canova’s studio, had previously supposed that his custom was to fall upon a block of marble, and chisel away till he made it into a statue. Forgive me for the improbable supposition, that you should be in such an error; but let me explain, that a sculptor begins upon much more ductile materials than marble. He forms his model in clay, and this is entirely the work of his own hands; but before he begins, the statue is perfectly ideato,—the visionary figure is before him. [...] Many are the delightful hours I have spent with Canova, both when he has been employed in modelling and chiselling; and few are the companions whose society will be enjoyed with such interest, or remembered with such regret.

- Charlotte A. Eaton. Rome in the nineteenth century. Vol. III. 1820.

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Lorenzo Valles (1831-1910). Paolina Borghese in the studio of Antonio Canova. 1890. Oil on canvas, 57.5 x 75 cm. Christie’s, London; 08-07-2009, lot 227 (sold £22,500 premium).

It was at this time that Canova executed the statue of the princess—perhaps his chef-d'oeuvre. It is a seminude figure, modelled from life, and represented as half reclining upon a couch; the manner and expression strongly recall the Venus of Praxiteles. The statue is known as the Venus Victorious. Pauline, whose audacity in reply was often as remarkable as the irregularity of her conduct, furnished Rome and, indeed, Europe, with a theme for scandal, by a remark made in reference to this statue, many years later, to Madame Junot. The latter expressed her surprise that the princess should have submitted to such an exposure of her person. "What, you, Madame, you were yourself the model, and in Canova's studio?" "Oh, dear me, yes; why not? There was a good fire!" The sister of Napoleon supposed that Madame Junot referred to the inconvenience of the exhibition, and not to its indelicacy.

- Frank B. Goodrich. The court of Napoleon or, Society under the First Empire. 1862.

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Julius Köckert (1827-1918). Harun al-Rashid receiving a delegation of Charlemagne in Baghdad, 786. 1864. Oil on canvas. Maximilianeum Foundation, Munich.

He sent ambassadors to distribute alms in the Holy City; and they were also charged with presents and a message to the Khalif, to intercede with him in behalf of his Christian subjects. Hârûn received the messengers with courtesy; immediately granted all their requests; and even went so far as to make over to Charlemagne the jurisdiction of the Holy Sepulchre and its appurtenances.

- Edward Robinson. Biblical researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea. Vol II. 1841.

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Louis Hersent (1777-1860). Louis XVI distributing his alms to the poor during the rigorous winter of 1788. 1817. Oil on canvas, 178 x 227 cm. Musée national du château, Versailles (Inv. MV 223).

The winter of 1788 was remarkable for its severity: Reaumur's thermometer descended to 17 degrees, and constantly kept below zero, from November 16, 1788, to January 14, 1789. It is easy to conceive what the people must have suffered. Numerous buildings were thrown open, and public fires kept up. The court, which at that period resided at Versailles, anxiously caused great sums to be distributed, whilst Lewis XVI, to stimulate benefaction, visited in person the cottages of the, poor, carrying thetr. that assistance, the value of which is enhanced, by the manner of its being given.

- Jean Duchesne. Museum of painting and sculpture. Vol. VII. 1830.

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Charles Steuben (1788-1856). General Bonaparte remits to young Eugène de Beauharnais his father's sword. Ca. 1824. Oil on canvas, 22.3 x 18.8 cm. Musées de l'île d'Aix, Île d'Aix (Inv. MGA899).

In his fifteenth year, learning that his father's sword had come into the possession of General Bonaparte, he resolved in person to request its restoration. "Well, my brave youth, what would you?" — "General, I come to ask from you my father's sword?" — "Who is he?" — "Count Alexander Beauharnais." The countenance, bearing, and frank procedure of the youth, pleased Bonaparte, who immediately placed in his hands the relic which he sought. Eugene covered it with tears and kisses, and gratefully took his leave.

- Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne. Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte. Vol IV. Trans. R. W. Phipps. 1831.

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Nicolaas Pieneman. Lieutenant-Admiral De Ruyter mortally wounded at the Battle of the Etna. 1850-1863. Oil on wood, 41 x 45 cm. Amsterdam Museum (Inv. A 4958), on loan to the Zeeuws maritiem muZEEum, Flushing (Inv. 1244).

Duquesne immediately sailed to relieve Agousta, and an action took place, in which De Ruyter was mortally wounded in both legs by a cannon-ball. He continued to command the fleet, however, remaining stretched upon the quarter-deck, and had the satisfaction of seeing the French fleet driven before the Dutch, though still contending for the victory so gallantly that the united forces of Spain and Holland were obliged to abandon their attack upon Agousta. The fleet of De Ruyter sailed for Syracuse to refit, and there that great admiral himself expired of his wounds, ten days after the battle.    The news of these events reached Louis XIV. while with his army in Flanders, and that monarch expressed deep sorrow for the death of De Ruyter. Some of the courtiers replied in surprise, that it was the greatest advantage that France could have obtained; to which the king rejoined, that he knew it well, but that nevertheless he could not help regretting so illustrious a man.

- G.P.R. James. The life and times of Louis the Fourteenth. Vol. II. 1851.