P. SIGNAC'S “D'EUGÈNE DELACROIX AU NÉO-IMPRESSIONISME” : A TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY Heather Buckner Vitaglione A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of MLitt at the University of St Andrews 1985 Full metadata for this item is available in St Andrews Research Repository at: http://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/ Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/13241 This item is protected by original copyright P.Signac's "D'Bugtne Delacroix au n6o-impressionnisme ": a translation and commentary. M.Litt Dissertation University or St Andrews Department or Art History 1985 Heather Buckner Vitaglione I, Heather Buckner Vitaglione, hereby declare that this dissertation has been composed solely by myself and that it has not been accepted in any previous application for a higher degree. I was admitted as a candidate for the degree of M.Litt. as of October 1983. Access to this dissertation in the University Library shall be governed by a~y regulations approved by that body. It t certify that the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations have been fulfilled. TABLE---.---- OF CONTENTS._-- PREFACE. • • i GLOSSARY • • 1 COLOUR CHART. • • 3 INTRODUCTION • • • • 5 Footnotes to Introduction • • 57 TRANSLATION of Paul Signac's D'Eug~ne Delac roix au n~o-impressionnisme • T1 Chapter 1 DOCUMENTS • • • • • T4 Chapter 2 THE INFLUBNCB OF----- DELACROIX • • • • • T26 Chapter 3 CONTRIBUTION OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS • T45 Chapter 4 CONTRIBUTION OF THB NEO-IMPRBSSIONISTS • T55 Chapter 5 THB DIVIDED TOUCH • • T68 Chapter 6 SUMMARY OF THE THRBE CONTRIBUTIONS • T80 Chapter 7 EVIDENCE • . • • • • • T82 Chapter 8 THE EDUCATION OF THB BYE • • • • • 'I94 FOOTNOTES TO TRANSLATION • • • • T108 BIBLIOGRAPHY • • • • • T151 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Plate 1. La Route de Gennevilliers, 188~,Paris, Louvre, Jeu de l'aume. Plate 2. Appr~teuses et Garnisseuses, 1885-86, Zurich, BUhrle Collection. Plate 3. Portrait de Felix Feneon,op.217, 1890, New York, Private Collection. Plate 4. Soleil Couchant, P~che A la Sardine, Adagio, 1891, New York, John lIay l.Jhitney collection. Plate 5. Drawing after Delacroix's IIeliodorus chased from the temple in the Saint-Sulpice,£.1900, Signac Arch- ives. ( Bamboo and ink drawing). Plate 6. Le Port de St. Tropez, tartanes pavoisees, op.240, 1893, Wuppertal, von der Heydt Museum. Plate 7. Ademones,£.1910, Paris, Private Collection. Plate 8. Le Poulingen, 1928, Saint Tropez, Musee de L'Annon- ciade. Toulon,1931, Saint Tropez, Musee de L'Annon- ciade. (Wa ter-colour) Plate 9. Application du Cercle Chromatique de Ch. Henry, 1888, Boston Museum of Fine Arts. (First appeared on the programme for the Theatre Libre, 1888), Lithography. ABST~ACT Paul Signac's'D'Eug~ne Delacroix' au nOo-impression­ nisme'ta.translation and commentarY is, to begin with, the first English translation of the painter Signac's treatise written in defense of Neo-Impressionism in 1899. It is one of the rare theoretical treatises written at the end of the 19th century and perhaps more importantly, by an actual part­ iCipant in the movement. Therefore the treatise's historical interest is unquestionable. In addition to the translation is a brief glossary of technical terms used by Signac but not explained in the text and a colour chart for reference on passages on colour, for Neo-Impressionism was, above all, a movement concerned with colour. The many scientific, literary and artistic sources cited by Signac in the text are either identified in detailed footnotes or,in some instances,in the introduction. The introduction discusses Signac's background and his ~otives for changing from palette to pen. It also in~ludes a brief comparison of Signac's practice ~ his theory with several visual examples. Signac's major sources and the treatise's style are discussed in greater detail. Signac's later career is briefly touched upon particularly in reference to his contact with other artists. In conclusion, it is hoped that this dissertation will provide the reader with enough sup0lementary material to better appreciate the vital qualities of D'Eug~ne Dela­ Croix au nOo-impressionni~me, and to .become better acquaint­ ed with its author, Paul Signac. i PREPACE Why undertake an English translation of Paul Signac's D'Eusene Delacroix au neo-impressionnisme first published in 18991 First of all, the work has never before been trans­ lated into English. Secondly, it is one of the rare theore­ tical treatises on painting written at the end of the 19th century. Finally, it was written by an actual participant in the Neo-Impressionist movement, the painter Paul Signac, hence the treatise's historical interest. However, an B~glish translation of the text alone would have been insufficient, a critical edition was called for. This is because the text in isolation leaves the reader with many questions such as; Who was Signac? Who are some of the sources and figures mentioned in the book? Why did Signac write D'BuSene Delacroix au neo-impressionnisme? The aim of this edition is to aa~~er some of those questions. Information on Signac himself remains relatively dif­ ficult to obtain, if compared to his friend Seurat. Only recently has a modern book with reproductions of Signac's paintings been published, by his grand-daughter Fran~oise Cachin (Paul Signac, Paris: Bibliotheque des Arts, 1973). However this book is out of print and according to the pu­ blisher, there are no plans to re-issue it. The only re­ maining way of consulting a copy is through second-hand book­ stores, or libraries. Cachin mentions the existence of three other books by Signac: Jonskind (Paris: Cres, 1927), Stendha1 (Anonymously published, 1914), and an unpublished translation of Ruskin's Elements of Drawing (started by H.E. Cross, and finished after his death by Signac during World War I). All three would have proved uoefu1 for this edition, as samples of this artist's writing, however they were unavailable to me, as I was unable to gain access to the Signac Archives. Nonetheless, the situation was not totally bleak. C'chin's editi6n of D'Bugene Delacroix au neo-impressionisme (Paris: Hermann, 1978) is widely available in France and whereas the first book on Signac by his student Lucie Cousturier (Paul ii Signac,Paris,Cr~s,193S) was impossible to locate, an article in La Vie by the same author provided much needed information. I have simply tried to provide as much background information as pOssible so that the text might be better appreciated. Many questions are beyond'the scope of this study but will hopefully be undertake. someday. The study of Signac deserves mOre attention. Therefore the first step was to translate the text from French into Bnglish and identify the sources, persons and paintings cited within. The translation of Signac's vig­ o~ous,direct and almost agressive French into Bnglish proved to be a difficult task. It was com~unded by the fact that Signac was a painter, writing about a cause very dear to him which presupposed a ea~r amount of art­ istic knowledge on the part of the reader. Nonetheless, I have tried to remain faithful to the sense of urgency expressed in Signac's treatise in this Bnglish version. Many sources cited by Signac needed to be identified for the modern reader which I have done either in footnotes Or in passages in the introduction. Once again, material on some of Signac's sources was not widely available, even in France. After the translation and notes, came the task of supplementing the information in the text. This involved putting the book into historical context, discussing Signac's Career and work as related to his treatise, and providing a brief glossary of terms used by Signac but not explained in his text. In addition a colour chart is included for reference on colour questions. The introduction will hope­ fully answer many questions raised by the treatise. Thus, my "attempt to present DtBug~ne Delacroix au n~o­ impressionnisme to the modern English reader is completed in hope that it will be more fully appreciated when accom­ panied with supplementary information and a presentation. I would like to acknowledge Mr. Robin Spencer and Professor Martin Kemp for their continued assistance which iii was invaluable to me. I would also like to thank my patient husband Daniel Vitag1ione for his help through­ out the course of my work. Heather Buckner Vitaglione Aix-en-Provence,France 1 GLOSSARY Brilliance- I have translated the French word ~clat as bril­ liance. Signac uses this word frequently. Chromatisme- (Fr) This word has been translated as use of colour. Colour- See Colour Chart. Contrast- See Colour Chart. Facture- brushwork, the actual texture of the paint. GOuache_ opaque colours made from pigment, water, honey and gum. Gradation- the gradu.al blending of one tint, tone into ano­ ther. Le d6gr~~ in French. Half-tints- See Colour Chart under Tone. ffatching- application of paint in fine lines, parallel to each other. The French word is hachures. Signac uses this ~Ord frequently, particularly in reference to Delacroix's technique. !rradiation- the qualitj of brilliance or brightness. ~- high or low key. The amouDt of brightness a colour or tone possesses. The Impressionists' palette is high-key be­ cause it is nearer white on the colour scale. Local Colour- actual colour of an object uninfluenced by re­ flected light or colour. Luminosit~_ one" of the properties of colour which conveys the illusion of giving off light. For our purposes this is synonymous with brightness. 2 Glossary continued. POintillate- simply a technique of painting with a brush stroke in the form of a point or dot which is why the Neo­ Impressionists considered the term pointillist derogatory, they also observed the contrast or division and their stroke Was not necessarily a point.