Scène d’été / Les Baigneurs (Francia, 1869)
"El sol inunda sus lienzos".
Frédéric Bazille Francia, 1841–1870
Fogg Museum de Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Estados Unidos) @harvardartmuseums
Pre-impresionismo en estado puro, de la mano de uno de sus representantes menos conocidos: el muy joven Frédéric Bazille, que antes de nacer el movimiento ya estaba ayudando a construirlo y moriría a los 29 años en la guerra sin verlo todavía eclosionar.
Poco reivindicados están sus cuadros todavía, pero hay quien lo considera una figura capital para la formación del grupo que cambiaría la historia del arte.
Podría decirse que junto a Manet fue de esos pintores que quiso modernizar un poco el arte, no sólo desde un punto de vista técnico, sino también conceptual y temático cuando la vanguardia de la pintura era el realismo,
Bazille nos da un ejemplo con estos bañistas masculinos en traje de baño. Es decir, la clásica escena bucólico-mitológica de bañistas en la Arcadia, pero llevada a la Francia contemporánea, cuando la burguesía empezaba a disfrutar del ocio como por ejemplo bañarse en un día de verano. El cuadro además transpira un evidente homoerotismo. ¿No os recuerda el tipo del árbol a San Sebastian, ese ya aceptado icono gay?
Desde el punto de vista técnico, Bazille pasa de perspectivas (más bien las viola) como también lo haría Manet, pero el pintor ya se estaba oliendo que algo gordo iba a cambiar en París. Iba a llegar un verano con mucha luz y color.
A Studio in the Batignolles Quarter
1870
Oil on canvas, 204 x 274 cm
Musée d'Orsay, Paris
FANTIN-LATOUR, Henri
French painter (b. 1836, Grenoble, d. 1904, Orne)
In this large painting, exhibited at the 1870 Salon, artists and writers are grouped around Manet, leader of the so-called Batignolles school. The figure apparently sitting for his portrait is Zacharie Astruc, while the five men behind him are recognizable as (from the left) Renoir, Zola, Edmond Maître, Bazille, and Monet. The man behind Manet is Otto Scholderer. The spherical vase was made by Laurent Bouvier (1840-1901), one of the earliest Japanese-influenced potters in Paris. It was included in the painting as a symbol of the interest that the most modern artists were now taking in Japanese art, alongside with a statue of the Greek goddess Minerva, standing for reason and truth.
Au Louvre-Lens, une nouvelle expo : "S'habiller en Artiste. L'Artiste et le Vêtement" :
Henri Fantin-Latour - "Un atelier aux Batignolles" (on voit autour d'Edouard Manet, de nombreux artistes impressionnistes dont Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet ou encore Frédéric Bazille...)
Louis Joseph César Ducornet (artiste né sans bras ni fémurs) - "Autoportrait"
Théodore Chassériau - "Portrait de l'artiste, en redingote"
Location: atelier 2 (night) ; city (morning) | Characters: Bazille, Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet
Van Gogh: Hey, have you guys heard anything?
Renoir: No… Unfortunately, I haven't.
Monet: I wonder where Bazille has gone… I can't believe he didn't even show up at the party.
Van Gogh: Even though it's his birthday today… Could it be that something happened to him!?
Monet: Come to think of it, I think he went out 'round noon!
Renoir: So you believe he was involved in an incident outside?
Monet: B-But I mean, it's Bazille, right? He's always calm, he wouldn't get involved unless somethin' really bad happened…
Van Gogh: Maybe that "something really bad" is what happened!
Monet: On his birthday, of all days!?
Renoir: … Hmmm, I don't know what's happening, but I wonder, what is really going on…?
—
Bazille: (–Alright, I should go back for tonight's party… I believe Monet ran out of paint. I think Sisley said something too…)
(... Those guys have been too fidgety every day just because my birthday was coming up.)
… Heh.
(Should I go back a little earlier? They're probably waiting for me–)
Old woman: Uuuh…
Bazille: ! Are you alright!?
Old woman: Yes… I just fell down– ouch! My leg…
Bazille: Let me see.
Old woman: O-Owww…
Bazille: (Doesn't look like it's broken. Perhaps a slight twist…)
From the looks of it, there are no major injuries, but it would be better for you to go to the hospital just in case. I'll give you a hand. Please hold onto it.
Old woman: Yes, thank you very much. That's very helpful.
Bazille: Don't mention it.
(Should I stay with her for a while? I hope it's nothing too serious…)
—
Old woman: Oh well, sorry for the trouble I have caused you.
Bazille: I'm glad that it was nothing too serious. Come to think of it, were you on your way somewhere?
Old woman: No, I was on my way back home.
Bazille: Is that so? I can take you home if you want.
Old woman: No no, don't worry! You have plans too, don't you? You already accompanied me to the hospital, I can't cause you any more trouble.
Bazille: But…
Old woman: Once I get home, all I have to do is sit still.
Bazille: (The test results showed no problems, and she was told that as long as she rested, she would be fine…)
… Do you have any family at home?
Old woman: My son and his wife are out of town. I think he said they would be back soon.
Bazille: If so, I will stay with you until your family returns. I can't leave an injured person alone.
Old woman: You're very kind. Then let me take your word for it. And while we're at it, let me treat you to a cup of tea as a thank you for today. I'll brew you the best cup of tea ever.
Bazille: You can't move around.
Old woman: Fufu, you're right.
Bazille: (Maybe it's a good thing I offered to accompany her…)
Old woman: Well, if that's the case, let's leave quickly. Sorry, could you give me a hand again?
Bazille: Yes, of course.
(If I take her home, will I get there on time? I'll save the shopping for another time, but I think I'll be able to attend the party at the last minute.)
