The Troubadour Style in French

Magnus Olausson Director of Collections

Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Stockholm Volumes 24–25 Foreword

Dr. Susanna Pettersson Director General Associate Professor

Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, (An Unpublished Drawing on Panel by Salvator (In the Breach of Decorum: Painting between is published with generous support from the Rosa Depicting a Landscape with a Philosopher Altar and Gallery, Fig. 9, p. 163). Friends of the Nationalmuseum. and Astrological Symbols, Fig. 6, p. 22). © Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY 2.0 © The Capitoline Museums, Rome. Archivio (In the Breach of Decorum: Painting between Nationalmuseum collaborates with Svenska Fotografico dei Musei Capitolini, Roma, Sovrinten- Altar and Gallery, Fig. 13, p. 167). Dagbladet, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, denza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali. © The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Grand Hôtel Stockholm, The Wineagency and (A Drawing for Pietro da Cortona’s Rape of the Sarasota. Bequest of John Ringling, 1936. Nationalmusei Vänner. Sabine Women, Fig. 2, p. 28). (In the Breach of Decorum: Painting between © Bibliothèque Nationale France, . Altar and Gallery, Fig. 19, p. 173). Cover Illustration (The Entry of Queen Christina into Paris in 1656, © Uppsala auktionskammare, Uppsala Étienne Bouhot (1780–1862), View of the Pavillon by François Chauveau, Fig. 2, p. 32). (Acquisitions 2017: Exposé, Fig 4, p. 178). de Bellechasse on rue Saint-Dominique in Paris, © Finnish National Gallery/ Sinebrychoff Art 1823. Oil on canvas, 55.5 x 47 cm. Purchase: the Museum, Helsinki. Photo: Jaakko Lukumaa Graphic Design Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fund. Nationalmuseum, (Self-Portraits and Artists’ Portraits as Portraits of BIGG NM 7434. Friends – A Selection of Paintings and Drawings, Fig. 2, p. 72). Layout Publisher © IKEA. Agneta Bervokk Susanna Pettersson, Director General. (Spika and Tajt – Alternative Furniture for a Young Generation, Fig. 5, p. 88). Translation and Language Editing Editors © Moderna museet, Stockholm Clare Barnes, Gabriella Berggren, and Martin Ludvig Florén, Magnus Olausson and Martin Olin. (Henry B. Goodwin – A Visual Artist with the Naylor. Camera as His Tool, Fig. 2, p. 90). Editorial Committee © The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Digital Publishing Ludvig Florén, Carina Fryklund, Eva Lena image courtesy of the Getty’s Open Content Ludvig Florén, Magnus Olausson, and Martin Karlsson, Audrey Lebioda, Ingrid Lindell, Program. Olin (Editors) and Ingrid Lindell (Publications Magnus Olausson, Martin Olin, Cilla Robach (Per Krafft the Younger and Belisarius – One of Manager). and Lidia Westerberg Olofsson. the Foremost Swedish Examples of Neoclassical Painting in the French Style, Figs. 3–4, pp. 113–114). Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum is published Photographers © Albert Bonniers Förlag, Stockholm annually and contains articles on the history and Nationalmuseum Photographic Studio/ (Nils Kreuger’s Drafts for the Covers of Bland theory of art relating to the collections of the Linn Ahlgren, Erik Cornelius, Anna Danielsson, Franska Bönder (1889) by August Strindberg and Nationalmuseum. Cecilia Heisser, Per-Åke Persson and Hans Ord och Bild (1897), Fig. 2, p. 137). Thorwid. © Bukowskis auktioner, Stockholm Nationalmuseum (Nils Kreuger’s Drafts for the Covers of Bland Box 16176 Picture Editors Franska Bönder (1889) by August Strindberg and SE–103 24 Stockholm, Sweden Ludvig Florén and Rikard Nordström. Ord och Bild (1897), Fig. 3, p. 138; Acquisitions www.nationalmuseum.se 2017: Exposé, Fig, 3, p. 178). Photo Credits © Pia Ulin. © Nationalmuseum, the authors and the owners of © Le Gallerie degli Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti, Florence. (The Nationalmuseum’s New Restaurant – An the reproduced works. Gabinetto Fotografico delle Gallerie degli Uffizi. Artistic Collaboration, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, pp. 149, (An Unpublished Drawing on Panel by Salvator 150, 152 and 153). ISSN 2001-9238 Rosa Depicting a Landscape with a Philosopher © Wikimedia Commons/ Public Domain and Astrological Symbols, Fig. 3, p. 19). (Per Krafft the Younger and Belisarius – One of © Teylers Museum, Haarlem. the Foremost Swedish Examples of Neoclassical (An Unpublished Drawing on Panel by Salvator Painting in the French Style, Fig 3, p. 112 and ArtRosa Depicting Bulletin a Landscape with a Philosopher of NationalmuseumIn the Breach of Decorum: Painting between Stockholm and Astrological Symbols, Fig. 5, p. 21). Altar and Gallery, Figs. 1–8, 10–12, and 14–18, © The State , St. Petersburg. pp. 155–172). Photo by Pavel Demidov. © Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY 3.0 Volumes 24–25

Art Bulletin of Nationalmuseum Volumes 24–25, 2017–2018 ACQUISITIONS/THE TROUBADOUR STYLE IN FRENCH ROMANTICISM

The Troubadour Style in French Romanticism

Magnus Olausson Director of Collections

Fig. 1 Jean-Lubin Vauzelle (1776–1837), View from the Cloister of Saint-Jean-des-Vignes in Soissons, c. 1823. Watercolour and chalk on paper, 323 x 417 mm. Purchase: the Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fund. Nationalmuseum, NMH 3/2018.

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Fig. 2 Henri Louis Baup (1766–1855) after Fleury François Richard (1777–1852), Fig. 3 Henri Louis Baup (1766–1855) after Fleury François Richard (1777–1852), Charles VII Writing a Farewell Letter to Agnès Sorel, 1810. Produced by Valentine de Milan, 1810. Produced by Guerhard & Dihl. Enamel on porcelain, Guerhard & Dihl. Enamel on porcelain, 37.5 x 28.5 cm. Purchase: the Wiros 37.5 x 28.5 cm. Purchase: the Wiros Fund. Nationalmuseum, NM 7436. Fund. Nationalmuseum, NM 7437.

In 1977, during construction work in the monarchs and their families violated; entire or individual parts of monuments, courtyard of the Hôtel Moreau in the 9th other symbols of royal power and the placing them in an authentic historical arrondissement of Paris, a series of frag- Christian church were also destroyed. setting – the Couvent des Petits-Augustins. ments of medieval sculptures were found. From 1791 on, though, there were One of the artists who diligently recorded Several of them turned out to be the lost moves to save threatened monuments, interiors of this museum in the early Jewish kings that had been removed a driving force in that context being 19th century was Jean-Lubin Vauzelle.3 from Notre-Dame during the French Alexandre Lenoir, an artist and the creator He was also the author of one of the Revolution. They had been ritually decapi- of the Musée des Monuments Français, Nationalmuseum’s recent acquisitions, tated, probably because the revolutionary which opened to the public three years View from the Cloister of Saint-Jean-des- vandals believed them to represent ancient later.2 The museum became a refuge for a Vignes in Soissons (Fig. 1), from around French monarchs.1 This was presumably wide range of sculptural and architectural 1823. The drawing served as a design for at the same time as the royal tombs in the works from the Middle Ages onwards a lithographed illustration included in basilica of Saint-Denis were desecrated that would otherwise have been lost for Baron de Taylor’s major survey of historic in late 1793 and early 1794. Not only were ever. Lenoir skilfully managed to create a monuments in France, Voyages pitto- the human remains of France’s former variety of scenes, known as fabriques, from resques et romantiques dans l’ancienne

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Fig. 4 Marie-Philippe Coupin de la Couperie (1773–1851), Adjusts Fornarina’s Hair before Painting Her Portrait, 1824. Oil on canvas, 106 x 89 cm. Purchase: the Hedda and N. D. Qvist Fund. Nationalmuseum, NM 7498.

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France (1820–63).4 This ambitious order appears to have been placed at the and lover hung at the Duchess of Ragusa’s publication was one in a series of literary time of her divorce from the emperor in chateau of Viry-Châtillon, where, inciden- works, buildings, and works of visual and 1810. At the manufactory, the artist Henri tally, she had a Neo-Gothic garden pavilion decorative art that turned the spotlight on Louis Baup painted a copy of Fleury- built, fitted out in the same style. France’s medieval heritage. Interest in the François Richard’s work on a large Another of the more celebrated French Middle Ages did not begin, though, porcelain plaque, probably in preparation Troubadour painters was Jean-Antoine with the sense of loss arising from the for the large service. At the same time, Laurent (1763–1832), who also included complete or partial destruction of historic Baup made a copy of Richard’s companion the Empress Joséphine among his patrons. monuments in the wake of the French piece, Charles VII Writing a Farewell His Richard the Lionheart Answers Blondel Revolution. It had existed even under the Letter to Agnès Sorel, it too owned by the de Nesle’s Singing (Fig. 5), painted in Ancien Régime, but the craze for early empress. Both these porcelain paintings, 1822, once belonged to the artist François French history gathered fresh momentum reproducing subjects from the service, Gérard. Here, Laurent chose a subject that and intensity as a result of the vandalism have been acquired by the National- was the quintessence of the Troubadour of the Revolution.5 The Troubadour style museum (Figs. 2–3). style. It was based on the medieval legend has become the umbrella term for this The Empress Joséphine is generally of how the troubadour Blondel de Nesle, phenomenon. One of its distinguishing described as an important promoter of by his singing, managed to track down the marks was its mouldability, its capacity to the Troubadour style. As well as several place where the Crusader king Richard assume different meanings. It would be works by Fleury-François Richard, she the Lionheart was held captive. The artist embraced in turn by the First Empire, had many other examples of the genre in records the moment at which the king the Restoration and the July monarchy – her picture gallery at Malmaison. One was responds to the singer’s vocal message. political regimes which, while they fought The Ill-Fated Love of Francesca de Rimini Like several of his fellow artists, such as each other, were all equally keen to adopt by Marie-Philippe Coupin de la Couperie, Fleury-François Richard, Laurent has the style and make it their own.6 The which the empress had acquired at the made use of the window motif and the reason was that it was considered to 1812 Salon.9 Joséphine’s predilection for special effect which the backlighting symbolise French national identity and the Troubadour style was something she produces. He and the other artists of the therefore offered legitimacy. Knightly shared with one of her close confidantes, Troubadour style found inspiration for virtues, extolled by the troubadours, gave Anne Marie Hortense Perrégaux, Duchess their polished, highly detailed painting the style its name. of Ragusa (1779–1857), the wife of Marshal in the Dutch art of the 17th century.12 In One of the artists who drew inspiration Marmont.10 After the empress’s death, the Laurent’s case, the technique employed from the Musée des Monuments Français duchess continued to acquire paintings is also evidence of his experience of was Fleury-François Richard (1777–1852). of this kind. From Coupin de la Couperie miniature painting. In particular, a funerary monument to she commissioned Raphaël ajustant les The last in the series of acquisitions Valentina Visconti, Duchess of Orléans, cheveux de la Fornarina avant de la peindre, from the heyday of the Troubadour had seized his imagination. This, along which was shown at the Salon in 1824 (Fig. style was painted by Claudius Jacquand with the medieval stained-glass windows 4).11 This painting was recently acquired by (1803–1878). He was a pupil of Fleury- which Lenoir had salvaged and set up in the Nationalmuseum and is one of the best François Richard and, like him, came the museum, provided the inspiration examples of the genre. The subject, featur- from Lyon. Jacquand moved to Paris in for the work that established Richard’s ing the famous artist, shows 1836 to study at the Academy of Fine Arts. reputation, Valentine de Milan Mourning that anecdotal depictions from the Renais- The following year he painted the work her Husband, the Duke of Orléans.7 It was sance also came under the heading of the recently acquired by the Nationalmuseum, exhibited at the Salon of 1802, attracted Troubadour style, even though the Middle The Night of St. Bartholomew 1572 (Fig. 6), considerable attention and was acquired Ages were by then at an end. Nor was this which was exhibited at the 1838 Salon.13 by Joséphine Bonaparte, wife of the a new subject. Ingres had made a version Here he demonstrates a very different kind first consul, for her art collections at of it back in 1814, although it was far more of painting, with broader brushstrokes Malmaison. This painting is generally restrained in colour temperature than and greater objectivity, compared with regarded as the foremost example of the Coupin de la Couperie’s work. The latter is the sweet idealisation that had previously Troubadour style. Later, as empress, a virtuoso example of fine painting, with an marked the Troubadour genre. Despite Joséphine commissioned the Paris manu- almost enamel-like lustre, a reminder that this, Jacquand experienced a short period factory of Dihl et Guérard to produce a the artist began his career as a porcelain of success, which happened to coincide porcelain service, reproducing this and painter at the Sèvres manufactory. His with the creation of King Louis-Philippe’s other paintings from her collection.8 The image of Raphael with his favourite model museum of French history at Versailles –

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Fig. 5 Jean-Antoine Laurent (1763–1832), Richard the Lionheart Answers Blondel de Nesle’s Singing, 1822. Oil on canvas, 48 x 39 cm. Purchase: the Wiros Fund. Nationalmuseum, NM 7465.

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À toutes les gloires de la France. When he attempted to become the museum’s director following the abolition of the monarchy in 1848, however, he failed. Contemporary expectations of were now very different, and the days of the Troubadour style were at an end.

Notes: 1. Giscard d’Estaing, Les Rois retrouvés, Paris 1977. 2. Alexandra Stara, The Museum of French Monuments 1795–1816: “killing Art to Make History”, Ashgate 2013. 3. L’Invention du passée: Gothique mon amour … 1802–1803 (exh. cat.), Céline Guichard (ed.), Monastère royal de Brou, Bourg-en-Bresse, Paris 2014, cat. nos. 1–2, pp. 86–87 (text Jean-Marie Bruson). 4. Lithographed by Adrien Dauzats (1804–1868), cf. Elsa Cau, Le style Troubadour, l’autre romantisme, Montreuil 2017, p. 10, fig. 58. 5. François Pupil, Le Style Troubadour ou la nostalgie du bon vieux temps, Nancy 1985, is still regarded as a standard work. Pupil draws attention to the long history of this type of and the various phases in its development, both before and after the Revolution. 6. See Cau 2017, pp. 67–79. Cf. Pupil 1985, p. 426. 7. Jean-François Luneau, “Le vitrail dans la peinture de genre ‘anecdotique’”, in L’Invention du passée, Paris 2014, pp. 30–39. Cf. Pupil 1985, p. 125. 8. Staging Power: Napoleon. Charles John. Alexander, Nationalmuseum exh. cat. 661, Magnus Olausson & Eva-Lena Karlsson (eds.), Stockholm 2010, cat. nos. 342–343, pp. 352–353 (text Irina Sokolova). 9. Now in the Napoleon Museum, Schloss Arenenberg. Cf. Pupil 1985, p. 423. 10. Correspondance, 1782–1814 / Impératrice Joséphine; édition établie, présentée et annotée par Bernard Chevallier, Maurice Catinat et Christophe Fig. 6 Claudius Jacquand (1803–1878), The night of St. Bartholomew 1572, 1837. Oil on canvas, 61.5 x 50.5 cm. Pincemaille, Paris 1996, letter no. 90. Cf. an undated Purchase: the Wiros Fund. Nationalmuseum, NM 7466. letter from the empress to the Duchess of Ragusa, thanking her friend for some drawings she had sent (“Madame la duchesse de Raguse, j’ai reçu avec plaisir les dessins que vous m’avés envoyés, mais je pense avec regret à votre prochain départ, votre absence sera pour moi une privation terrible, jusqu’à ce que vous m’en dédommagerés en me donnant de vos nouvelles”, see https://www.viali- bri.net/years/items/1232597/1779-beauharnais- josephine-de-empress-of-the-autograph-letter- signed-josephine-n-p). 11. Oil on canvas, 81.5 x 65 cm, signed and dated on the lower part of the dress: “Fit ... divi Raphaelis Ur… [Urbinas] memoriam. P. Coupin faciebat 1824”. In the Salon catalogue it is listed as no. 380. 12. Pupil 1985, p. 414. 13. 1838 Salon, no. 959.

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