France 1951 - Modern Poets (Part 3)

"I'm now making myself as scummy as I can. Why? I want to be a poet, and I'm working at turning myself into a seer. You won't understand any of this, and I'm almost incapable of explaining it to you. The idea is to reach the unknown by the derangement of all the senses. It involves enormous suffering, but one must be strong and be a born poet. It's really not my fault." (Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud, 1871. Wikipedia)

Some people turn to writing and expressing their deepest emotions with the power of words later in life, their copious experiences their thesaurus. In others, the spark is lit early in life, burns bright, then is snuffed out. 

Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud, born 20 October 1854, started writing from a very young age, and it was quickly obvious he was a gifted poet. He was an excellent student, but perhaps stymied in the world of academia, he ran away to Paris as a teenager during the Franco-Prussian War. It was during this time that the words poured from his soul and he wrote many works of poetry, a lot of which was assembled in the book titled, Illuminations. Then inextricably, he completely stopped writing at the age of 21. He spent the rest of his brief life exploring several continents as a merchant. Tragically, he died of cancer just after his 37th birthday on 10 November 1891.   .

Rimbaud was known as quite a restless soul who loved hard and played harder. In 1871 Rimbaud had a torrid love affair with fellow poet Paul Verlaine (see Part 2 of this series for information on Verlaine). The next few years was a wild ride for the pair, spiced with absinthe, opium and hashish. Yet during this time Rimbaud still churned out the poetry, including one of his major works, A Season in Hell. Rimbaud is best known for his work with Symbolism and helping to ignite the flame of Surrealism. 

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On 27 October 1951, France issued a set of three stamps celebrating modern French poets. The 15f value of the set depicts Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud. This stamp was designed by Paul-Pierre Lemagny and engraved by Gabriel-Antoine Barlangue. It is worth mentioning that the portrait of Rimbaud used in this stamp was based on a portrait by Henri Fantin Latour.. 

The turbulent nature of this composition seems to mirror the wild life of Rimbaud. In the foreground we are faced with a youthful Rimbaud. His sits pensive, with hand on chin, perhaps ruminating over his next masterpiece. At the back left of the composition waterspouts (tornadoes on land) abound. Adrift in the churning maelstrom, a direct reflection of the poet's life, is a hapless ship, adrift, in dire need of respite. Behind the poet's shoulder to the right we see towering, snow-capped mountains and some butterfly-like creatures gamboling to some poetic tune only they can hear. In conclusion, what an awesome stamp!

Until next time...

France 1951 - Modern Poets (Part 2)

It can ignite our deepest passions. It can awaken such emotional beasts as sadness and despair. It enables us to live vicariously through the magical use of words, whether in metre or rhyme. This is Poetry.

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Paul-Marie Verlaine, born 30 March 1844, was a French poet whose work is associated with the Decadent movement. The Decadent movement was, at the time of Verlaine, a shattering new style with lurid themes such as self-disgust, general skepticism, delight in perversion, crude humor, and a belief in the superiority of human creativity over logic and the natural world. Indeed, this movement was considered the fin de siècle or turn of the century movement.

Verlaine considered himself, along with a host of contemporary poets such as Stéphane Mallarmé, Arthur Rimbaud, Aloysius Bertrand, Comte de Lautréamont, and Alice de Chambrier, to be a poète maudit "cursed poet". He and the other poets mentioned were scorned by critics for their new, brash style of poetry. But in 1886, just two years after calling himself a cursed poet, opinions were to change based on the publication of Jean Moréas' Symbolist Manifesto. This book introduced the idea of symbolism, and suddenly Decadent poetry and all its subtleties began to make some sense. Now Verlaine and other poets were being termed "Symbolists". Verlaine's work studied the notions of human will, fatality. the power of unconscious forces, and - quite radically - the theme of sex in various forms, including with prostitutes. Themes associated with delirium triggered by narcotics and alcohol were also to be found.

Despite the use of such strong themes, Verlaine pointed out the need for subtle suggestion as opposed to brutal statement. His purpose was "to evoke moods and feelings through the magic of words..." (Wikipedia). Verlaine actually described his style - this "turn  of the century" style - in great detail in his poem Art Poétique. He stresses the importance of musicality and elusiveness. Further, he stresses:

"Keep away from the murderous Sharp Saying, Cruel Wit, and Impure Laugh." 

As was the case with so many artistic minds of this era, Paul Verlaine was addicted to drugs and alcohol. In his later years he lived in the slums of Paris and public hospitals. He was often seen in cafes drowning his sorrows with copious glasses of absinthe. His drug and alcohol abuse finally got the better of him. He died in Paris at the age of 51 on 8 January 1896. 

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On 27 October 1951, France issued a set of three stamps celebrating modern French poets. The 12f value of the set depicts Paul-Marie Verlaine. This stamp was designed by Paul-Pierre Lemagny and engraved by Charles-Paul Dufresne. You will note that  the stamp featured in Part 1 of this series was also designed by Paul-Pierre Lemagny. An immensely talented designer. It is worth mentioning that the portrait of Verlaine used in this stamp was based on a portrait by Eugène Carrière.

The composition of this stamp is fantastic.I love the way Verlaine stares directly at us, the viewer, as if ruminating on a new piece of poetic elusive symbolism. The design is also packed with stunning minute detail. Dufresne has done a masterful job in rendering the abundant flora to the left of the stamp. I particularly like, being a fan of engraved beards, the copious beard and moustache of Verlaine. In all, a brilliant composition. See below for a couple of close-ups.

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Until next time...

France 1951 - Modern Poets (Part 1)

Poetry can capture the mind, ensnare the soul, and grip the heart. It is the language of love and sorrow, the artistic expression of our deepest emotions. 

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Charles Baudelaire, born 9 April 1821, was a French poet who possessed an original style of what can be considered prose-poetry. For the 19th century it was a radical, almost brutal, new style. Indeed, he himself is said to have coined the phrase "modernity". He uses this phrase to illustrate the fleeting nature of life in an ever-growing urban metropolis, in this instance Paris. He points out that it is the responsibility of the poet to capture this experience through the beauty of words. This theme is most evident in what can be considered his most famous collection of poems, entitled Les Fleurs du mal (The Flowers of Evil). According to one commentator at the time, his work was:

"immense, prodigious, unexpected, mingled with admiration and with some indefinable anxious fear". (Wikipedia)

If nothing else, Baudrlaire's work was bold. Indeed, in a poem entitled Au lecteur (To the Reader), which he uses as a preface to the collection, he actually goes so far as to accuse his readers of hypocrisy and of being as guilty of sins and lies as he himself. Pretty audacious!

... If rape or arson, poison or the knife

Has wove no pleasing patterns in the stuff

Of this drab canvas we accept as life—

It is because we are not bold enough! (Wikipedia)

Baudelaire was not only a poet. He was a skilled essayist and art critic. He was also a fan of the work of Edgar Allan Poe, and he spent quite a deal of his time translating his work into French. Baudelaire's unique style and honest approach to the modern lifestyle in his work has inspired a whole generation of poets including Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud and Stéphane Mallarmé to name just a few.

Baudelaire's addiction to laudanum, opium, and excessive drinking finally took  its toll on his body. In 1866 he suffered a massive stroke. He lived a further year in a semi-paralysed state. He died in Paris on 31 August 1867, aged just 46. Most of his poetry we are now familiar with was published posthumously by his mother to help recover some of the substantial debts he incurred due to his life  of "excesses".

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On 27 October 1951, France issued a set of three stamps celebrating modern French poets. The 8f, and lowest, value of the set depicts Charles Baudelaire. This stamp was designed by Paul-Pierre Lemagny and engraved by Jean Pheulpin. I believe this is the first time I have featured a stamp engraved by Pheulpin in this blog. What a dreadful oversight. This engraver oozes talent, as you can see in the gorgeous stamp below.

The surreal, dreamlike quality of this design is truly breathtaking. There is detail in every nook and cranny. From the rather poignant depiction of a pensive Baudelaire to the owls off the right. And from the tall ship powering toward the left border of the stamp to the feral, somewhat demonic creature floating at the top left of the composition. Wow! Below I have included a few detail pictures, simply because I think this amazing design deserves some close-ups. Enjoy.

Until next time...

France 1951 - Vincent d'Indy

A dramatic symphony can arrest the senses and send one's spirit on a journey through many subtle levels of emotion. Our mind's eye travels across scenic vistas and plummets into dark, cavernous places. Our hearts race. We laugh. We cry. We transcend...

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Vincent d'Indy, born 27 March 1851, grew up with music filling his ears. As a young boy he began learning the piano. He showed great promise, and at 14 he began to study the art of harmony with Albert Lavignac, a French composer. Then in 1870 after the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war, he enlisted in the National Guard. He was 19.

At the end of the war, he returned to his passion - music. But it wasn't until his first work Symphonie italienne was performed by an orchestra as a part of their rehearsal routine that his career took off. This performance triggered a chain reaction of associations that led d'Indy to study at the Conservatoire de Paris under César Franck, a renowned music teacher. While studying with Franck, d'Indy came to admire the beauty of German symphonism.

His love of the German Symphony enticed d'Indy to visit Germany in the summer of 1873. There he was fortunate to meet Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahms. This trip must have been truly inspiring. One can only imagine the thrill of talking with the top minds in one's field. Then on 25 January 1874 he was given the great honour of having his overture Les Piccolomini performed at a Pasdeloup concert, between works by Bach and Beethoven.

Vincent d'Indy went on to compose many symphonies, but perhaps his most enduring work is Symphonie sur un chant montagnard français, Symphony on a French Mountain Air. Written in 1886, this symphony was conceived as a piano and orchestral piece, which was, I believe, unusual. 

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On 17 May 1951 France issued a stamp to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vincent d'Indy.  The stamp was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris.

To me this stamp is an excellent blend of portrait and landscape, a harmonious symphony of two styles. In the foreground we see d'Indy staring intently into the distance, perhaps envisaging how to render what he sees into the language of musical notes. The eye is then drawn into the background, along tree-lined streams, through rolling countryside, and ascending sheer cliff-faces. These are the unfolding scapes of the Cévennes mountain region, the region that inspired Symphony on a Fresh Mountain Air. Vraiment magnifique!

Until next time...

France 1951 - Palace of Fontainebleau

How can a Medieval Hunting Lodge for French Kings be transformed into a stunning Palace that spawned Renaissance Art in France? To answer this question we need to delve into the fascinating history of the Palace of Fountainbleau (in French: Château de Fontainebleau).

The long history of Fontainebleau stretches back almost a millennia. In 1167 a fortified castle was built at Fontainebleau, about 50 km from Paris. Termed a castle, it seemed to be more of a glorified hunting lodge for the Kings of France to show off their prowess against the abundant game in the area. Then, when done hunting, they could luxuriate in one of the many springs scattered throughout the surrounding forest. Indeed, the name of the later Palace was derived from one of these springs, the fountain de Bliaud.

Over the course of the next three centuries more than one King Louis cavorted behind the castle's stout walls. King Louis VII invited Thomas Beckett to the castle and had him consecrate the chapel in 1169. And Louis IX had a hospital and a convent built next to the castle.

To witness the beginning of the large scale changes to the castle we need to skip forward to the 15th century to the reign of King Charles VI (1380-1422). It was actually Charles' wife Isabeau of Bavaria who began to shake the place up a bit with some modifications to the castle. 

Isabeau had definitively set the stage but it wasn't until 1515 when Francis I took the throne that the renovations truly got off to a start. Francis commissioned French architect, Gilles le Breton, to build him a grand palace in the new Renaissance style, a palace henceforth known as the Palace of Fountainbleau, Instead of demolishing everything, Giles le Breton built around portions of the original castle, incorporating them into the new palace. His architectural prowess can be seen in such areas of the Palace as the monumental Renaissance stairway, known as the portique de Serlio.

But perhaps the most significant period of the Palace's history, and indeed the history of art in France, was yet to come. Francis I had a grand gallery (long hallway) built, linking his apartments with the Palace's chapel. He wanted it elaborately decorated. To achieve this goal he hired Italian architect, Sebastiano Serlio, and Florentine painter, Giovanni Battista di Jacopo, better known as Rosso Fiorentino. For the next six years they worked tirelessly, adorning the gallery with sumptuous murals and stucco reliefs, all glorifying the King. A third painter, the Italian, Francesco Primaticcio, came over to add his own artistic flair. Together this team created a style now known as the first 'School of Fountainbleau'. This can be considered the beginning of Renaissance Art in France.

Over time more French kings added their own touches to the amazing Palace of Fountainbleau, either to the current structure or acquiring more surrounding lands to build more wings. To detail all of the building works would take me all day! Click HERE for a more detailed discussion on the Palace of Fountainbleau. Having said that, there were two later additions that I found interesting. The Theatre, built during the reign of Louis XV. And the Chinese Museum, added in 1867.

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On 22 January 1951, France issued another set in their Sites and Monuments series. This series comprised six stamps. The 12f Palace of Fountainbleau stamp was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris.

This gorgeous stamp features the East Wing of the Palace. Decaris has managed to capture the true essence of this incredible example of Renaissance architecture. The steep-pitched roofs. The elegant dormers. The tall, slender chimneys. It's all here. Decaris has even chosen a font for the titles that reflects the Renaissance era. But perhaps the most important aspect of this stamp design is the famous Horseshoe Staircase, dominating the foreground.

This striking architectural feature was originally constructed during the reign of King Henry II. Henry and his wife, Catherine de' Medici, extended the East Wing of the Palace and added this staircase to serve as a grand entrance. In 1640 the staircase was rebuilt for Louis XIII into what we can see today. The image below gives one the sense of the scale of this massive staircase.

Until next time...

France 1951 - Textile Exhibition

The heart of the textile industry in France was in the region of Lille. So what better place to host the 1951 International Textile Exhibition. The Exhibition was held at the Grand Palais de la Foire de Lille. This building was constructed in 1932. It was actually damaged quite badly during WWII, so the opportunity was taken to repair and renovate the building for the Exhibition.

The Exhibition opened on 28 April 1951 and it truly was an international affair with the textile industries of some 22 countries represented. The visitor could peruse textile exhibits from countries including Germany, Belgium, South Africa, Pakistan, Japan, New Zealand and Australia to name just a few. Each day boasted a different theme focusing on a particular material such as silk, nylon, rayon,wool, cotton and many others.

Perhaps the primary purpose of the Exhibition was to allow participating countries to present their own production methods, and the types of machinery and materials they utilized. For instance, Japan demonstrated how they manufacture cotton and rayon garments in a simple and cost-effective manner.

The Exhibition ran for three weeks, concluding on 20 May 1951. Judging by the number of visitors to the Grand Palais, it was a smashing success. It is said that over 1.5 million visitors attended the Expo from France and across the world.

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On 7 April 1951 France issued a stamp to celebrate the International Textile Exhibition of 1951 in Lille. The stamp was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris.

This lovely design depicts a pair of hands proudly holding a weaving shuttle for us to admire. In the background we see the shuttle at home with numerous others of its kind in a weaving loom. So just what is a shuttle? Something used for flying into space? Well, not in this instance. A shuttle is basically a tool that is used in the process of weaving yarn called the "weft" horizontally through vertical strands of yarn called the "warp". See the image below. The title of the stamp has been written in such a way as to suggest that it has been woven from the thread stored within the shuttle. Very artistic!

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While researching this subject I came across another rather cool stamp, presumably issued for the Exhibition as a label of some sort. It also features a shuttle. And I have been informed that this label was actually engraved by Pierre Gandon, one of my other primary collecting interests (thanks for the information, Adrian). You may like to check out my Pierre Gandon blog. Click HERE

Until next time...

France 1951 - Georges Clemenceau

Georges Benjamin Clemenceu was born 28 September 1841 in Mouilleron-en-Pareds, France, He began his career as a political activist and writer, all the while studying to be a doctor. In 1861, at the age of 20, he co-founded with the some friends, the weekly newsletter entitled Le Travail. In 1862 he spent a 77 day stint in prison for distributing posters for a demonstration. These were the first signs of his radical nature. During the years 1862-1865, Clemenceau founded several literary magazines and he wrote many articles for these magazines. Moat of his articles attacked the imperial regime of Napoleon III. In 1965 he completed his studies and graduated as a doctor. In that same year, fearing the imperial regime's crack down on dissidents, he moved to the USA. In New York he opened a medical practice and met the woman who would become his wife. 

In 1870 he returned to Paris, and for the next 36 years rose through the French political ranks. In 1906 he became Prime Minister. He served for three years till 1909. Then in 1917, towards the end of World War I, he became Prime Minster for the second time. He advocated total victory over the German Empire, and he was one of the primary architects of the Treaty of Versailles. It was his rigid stance against the German Empire that earned him the nickname Le Tigre (The Tiger).  He died on 24 November 1929 after a long and illustrious career.

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On 12 November 1951, France issued a stamp with a face value of 15f commemorating this interesting French statesman. It was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. 

The dark, confronting nature of this stamp is striking. And the crisp, living detail highlight the burgeoning talent of Decaris. Just look at that moustache! One is also drawn to the eyes of the statesman. They suggest of an analytical, and perhaps slightly haunted, mind. This is a beautiful addition to Decaris' growing body of work.

Until next time...

Stay Decaris Crazy!

France 1951 - Stamp Day.

On 10 March 1951 France issued its annual Stamp Day stamp. It was designed and engraved by Albert Decaris. In a previous blog I outlined the history of Stamp Day and looked at France's 1950 Stamp Day issue (also designed and engraved by Decaris) - click HERE to check out the blog.

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For the 1951 Stamp Day issue, Decaris chose a rather interesting subject. In the 1950 issue he portrayed a postman marching proudly down the street. For the 1951 issued he decided to focus on the process of sorting mail, the stage before the postman, as it were. The stamp has a face value of 12f with a 3f surcharge to be donated to the Red Cross.

This stamp really captures the organised chaos of a mail sorting room. Along the sides we see the mail sorting cubby holes receding into the distance. In the foregound a young man drags a bag laden with mail - either sorted or unsorted (take your pick) - through the sorting room. As a brilliant touch, Decaris has added the title of the stamp on the side of the bag Journee du Timbre 1951 or Stamp Day 1951. I love this stamp. And I think I like it more than  the 1950 Stamp Day issue...

So what is your favourite?

Until next time...