"A magnificent series of landscapes sent in by an unknown who is a master." - Unknown writer in Le Temps (Paris), 1892.
Two recent exhibitions have this in common: an enthusiastic response to the symbolist landscapes of Charles Guilloux (1866-1946). The first was Paris 1900, on view last year at the Oklahoma City Art Museum and, now on view at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Expanding The Boundaries: Selected Drawings from the Yvonne & Gabriel P. Weisberg Collection. 
It was only two years ago that the Musee D'Orsay acquired its first two works by Guilloux, although several other French museums own his works.
Apparently, it is Guilloux's fate as an artist to need rediscovering. A self-taught artist, who supported himself with a position at the Bibliotheque Nationale, Guilloux began submitting pictures to the Salon des Independents in 1891. Critics compared his work to another Charles (Marie Dulac, of whom, more soo
n), although the artists are easy to tell apart, despite similar subject matter, and dubbed him a Symbolist.
n), although the artists are easy to tell apart, despite similar subject matter, and dubbed him a Symbolist.Intriguingly, Gulloux achieves his harmonious, veiled effects with extreme color separations. In his landscapes the hour is one between day and night when soft light naturally blends colors, yet a Guilloux landscape possesses the sculptural qualities of a silhouette. To my eyes, there are similarities here to the art practiced by the Nabis that Guilloux quite probably knew. The atmospherics suggest that Gulloux had also studied the ukiyo-e prints of Ando Hiroshige.
4 comments:
Gosh, Jane! Another great artist I've never heard of. What a subtle yet definite touch he had. Fantastic.
Twilight World - what a place to dwell. Self-taught and he was a wonder. Lovely places and mystery trees. Soft, blended, very nice. Thanks for *another* artist introduction! - Jeanne
Neil, it was "The Deluge" from the Cleveland Art Institute that first caught my eye. When we lived on the coast of Massachusetts, this type of temporary causeway would appear and disappear with the tides. My mother would take me for walks out toward the ocean that are enchanted in my memory. Which reminds me that the site (see my links list) "Postcards from the Past" in England is in the process of uploading my mother's postcards collected from Essex County, MA. I'll let everyone know when he finishes the feature on them.
Jeanne, if you haven't already heard it, try listening to "Twilight World", a song written by Marian McPartland, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The recording "85 Candles: Celebrating Marian McPartland" has a version sung by Karrin Allyson. It fits perfectly with the pictures, but I didn't think of it until reading your comment. Thanks.
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