Eugène Carrière
Encyclopedia
Eugène Anatole Carrière (January 16, 1849 – March 27, 1906) was a French
Symbolist
artist of the Fin de siècle
period. His work is best known for its brown monochrome palette. He was a close friend of the sculptor Rodin
and his work influenced Picasso
. (Some see traces of Carrière's monochrome style in Picasso's Blue Period).
He was born at Gournay-sur-Marne
(Seine-Saint-Denis
). He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts
in Paris
and later under Cabanel
. During the Franco-Prussian War
he passed some time as a prisoner in Dresden
, where the art of Rubens made a lasting impression on him, as may be seen in the glowing colors of his earlier pictures. About 1890 he adopted the gray, misty color scheme with contrasts of light and shadow, so characteristic of his art, but which no other artist has been able to imitate without affectation. His themes are usually scenes of his own domestic life, and he repeatedly introduced the likeness of his wife. The first of these, "The Young Mother" (1879), is now in the Museum of Avignon. It was followed by "The Sick Child" (Montargis), "The First Communion" (Toulon), and the excellent portrait of the sculptor Devillez.
Carrière was one of the leaders in the secessionist movement, which led to the founding of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. At the Société, Carrière exhibited, among other works, "Sleep" (1890), the celebrated portrait of Paul Verlaine
(1891, Luxembourg), "Maternity" (1892, Luxembourg), "Christ on the Cross" (1897). and "Madame Menard-Dorian" (1906). He also modeled a monument to Verlaine in the style of Rodin, and wrote gracefully and interestingly on art subjects. Several of his works can be found at the Musée d'Orsay
in Paris.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Symbolist
Symbolism (arts)
Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French, Russian and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. In literature, the style had its beginnings with the publication Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire...
artist of the Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle is French for "end of the century". The term sometimes encompasses both the closing and onset of an era, as it was felt to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning...
period. His work is best known for its brown monochrome palette. He was a close friend of the sculptor Rodin
Auguste Rodin
François-Auguste-René Rodin , known as Auguste Rodin , was a French sculptor. Although Rodin is generally considered the progenitor of modern sculpture, he did not set out to rebel against the past...
and his work influenced Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
. (Some see traces of Carrière's monochrome style in Picasso's Blue Period).
He was born at Gournay-sur-Marne
Gournay-sur-Marne
Gournay-sur-Marne is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France in the Seine-Saint-Denis department. It is located from the center of Paris.-Heraldry:-Transport:...
(Seine-Saint-Denis
Seine-Saint-Denis
- Culture :A number of hip hop artists come from the Seine-Saint-Denis, including one of the first major hip-hop groups in France, NTM, as well as Lord Kossity, or more recent acts such as Tandem or Sefyu.- Miscellaneous topics :...
). He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and later under Cabanel
Alexandre Cabanel
Alexandre Cabanel was a French painter.- Biography :Cabanel was born in Montpellier, Hérault. He painted historical, classical and religious subjects in the academic style. He was also well known as a portrait painter...
. During the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
he passed some time as a prisoner in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, where the art of Rubens made a lasting impression on him, as may be seen in the glowing colors of his earlier pictures. About 1890 he adopted the gray, misty color scheme with contrasts of light and shadow, so characteristic of his art, but which no other artist has been able to imitate without affectation. His themes are usually scenes of his own domestic life, and he repeatedly introduced the likeness of his wife. The first of these, "The Young Mother" (1879), is now in the Museum of Avignon. It was followed by "The Sick Child" (Montargis), "The First Communion" (Toulon), and the excellent portrait of the sculptor Devillez.
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry.-Early life:...
(1891, Luxembourg), "Maternity" (1892, Luxembourg), "Christ on the Cross" (1897). and "Madame Menard-Dorian" (1906). He also modeled a monument to Verlaine in the style of Rodin, and wrote gracefully and interestingly on art subjects. Several of his works can be found at the Musée d'Orsay
Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, an impressive Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture,...
in Paris.
External links
- Musée Virtuel Eugène Carrière
- Hollis, Richard. "Ghostly realist", The Guardian, August 26, 2006
- Paintings at Beauty and Ruin
- Paintings at Artcyclopedia
- Eugène Carrière at Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington, Connecticut