Van Gogh Museum to feature Alfred Stevens ~ Painter of Worldly Women |
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| Written by Patricia Weigardten |
| Sunday, 22 November 2009 02:10 |
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 Alfred
Stevens attended the Brussels Academy, where he was schooled in the romantic
tradition. But it was not long before he sought artistic innovation and moved to
Paris. It was at the Paris World Fair of 1855 that he achieved a breakthrough
with a painting of a beggar woman and her children in the snow. In this early
period of his career he was particularly influenced by realist artists such as
Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) who chronicled the everyday lives of simple people,
as well as by the Dutch interior tradition of depicting genre scenes in
contemporary interiors. The works of the realist Courbet, who chronicled the
everyday lives of simple people, served as an example in this regard. From 1845
until 1857 Stevens likewise concentrated on painting socially realistic themes,
as seen in such works as Small industry. Gradually Stevens abandoned socially engaged realism and went on to develop a modern form of realistic painting showcasing society ladies in their luxuriously appointed salons. These works evoke the spirit of the good life in Paris. Stevens’s subject choice was nothing short of pioneering at the time, as women had until then always been portrayed or painted exclusively in a mythological or historical context up until then. Stevens depicted women as a sort of priceless ‘objects’ in their beautifully furnished homes. This provided him with an opportunity to demonstrate his craftsmanship. In addition to the harmonious colours, the public also greatly admired the lifelike portrayal of the various materials. As a result his paintings sold widely. From 1862 onwards Stevens’s works feature more and more exotic elements. He and painter James McNeill Whistler were among the first artists to cultivate a fascination with Japanese art and objects. Stevens was also an eclectic collector, filling his house with furniture and works of art from a wide range of periods, styles and countries. Still, he was primarily interested in attractive exotic trinkets and items such as kimonos, fans, parasols and folding screens, which he incorporated in his paintings. Stevens not only painted the Parisian bourgeoisie; he was also an active participant in the decadent life of Parisian society . His close friends included luminaries of the French literary and artistic circles, from authors Charles Baudelaire and Alexandre Dumas Jr. to painters Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas, and actress Sarah Bernhardt. Visit the Van Gogh Museum : http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/ Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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