Women
with Baskets
Studies
- 1
for Oyster
Gatherers of
Cancale
John Singer
Sargent -- American
painter
1877?
Musée
d'Art Américain
(Terra
Foundation for the
Arts)
Giverny,
France
Oil on canvas
19 x 11.5 in
Jpg: Friend of the JSS
Gallery
(English
Translation)
La
Cancalaise
La
démarche de la Cancalaise
est rythmique, balancée. Son corps se porte, en mesure, de
droite
à gauche, en un mouvement régulier. Il semble que la
terre
lui soit un immense radeau, et qu'elle y marche avec bonne brise. Il
lui
faut le panier à poisson passé au bras, il faut qu'elle
ait
le poignet sur la hanche, il faut que ses jupes battent au vent de la
Gueuse
. . . Alors elle est superbe !
-- Hippolyte
Devillers
(www.cancale-cancavene.de)
(French
Original)
The
Cancalaise
The step of
the Cancalaise
is rhythmic and balanced. Her body carries itself, in a measurement
from
her right side to the left all in a steady movement. It seems that the
ground is to her an immense raft, and that she walks with a good
breeze.
It is necessary to carry the fish basket under her arm, it is necessary
that she have the wrist on the hip, and it is necessary that her skirts
beat with the wind of the Gueuse [the smell of the oyster mold?] . . .
Then she is superb!
-- Hippolyte
Devillers
(www.cancale-cancavene.de)
* * *
Forum
(Editor's Note
- A continuation of an exchange
between Udo and myself)
From: Natasha
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004
(Cont.)
. . . This just knocked me over with excitement as you [Udo
Dünnebacke] have put together these quotes [above] on Cancale.
If you
look at Sargent's Studies [at this page] I feel almost certain that
Sargent must have been reading or had read Hippolyte Devillers prior to
painting his Oyster Gatherers. I have searched for a date of La
Cancalaise by Hippolyte Devillers but have been unable to find
it. Would you happen to know?
<>From: Udo Dünnebacke
(udo_ due nne backe @ t-online.de)
Thu, 22
Jul 2004
I am
myself very interested in the date of La Cancalaise by Hippolyte
Devillers. The similarity between the description of the women of
Cancale in the text of H.D. and the women in the picture of J.S.S. is
in deed very astonishing. I will ask Hervé whether he
knows the year, and we will write an email to the publishing house “Les
Editions du Phare” in Cancale that publishes the book of H.D. I am sure
that we will get an answer.
In three
weeks, I will travel again to Cancale. I also will ask at the book
there.
Tue, 31 Aug 2004
Bonjour
Madame Wallace!
I am
returned from Cancale, where I have made some investigations about
Hippolyte Devillers in the library of the town. H.D. has completed his
book “Cancalaises” in January 1904. So J.S.S. painting from 1878 is
older then the text of H.D.
From: Natasha
My
goodness. Your findings are astonishing! Then Sargent, it seems, had
made his visual observations about the women of Cancale on his own. One
is left to wonder, if Hippolyte Devillers did not influence
Sargent, maybe the reverse is true – maybe Sargent’s sharp observation
influenced Hippolyte Devillers comments. But then maybe we will
never know the answer to that.
Oyster
Gatherers of Cancale
Oyster
Gatherers of Cancale (sketch)
Notes:
Special thanks to
Madeleine Bruchet,
who's mother lived in Cancale, for sending the image, and Udo Dünnebacke, of
Germany, both friends of
the JSS Gallery.
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