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The secrets of Czanne | TLS

Theleadinginternationalforumforliteraryculture

ThesecretsofCzanne
JulianBarnes
Czannehadhisfirstonemanshowin1895,attheageoffifty six.Hisdealer,AmbroiseVollard,puttheBathersatRestof 18767inthewindowofhisshop,safelyknowingthatitwould causeoffence.Healsosuggestedthathisclientmakealithograph ofthepainting.Czanneproducedasizeablework,knownas LargeBathers,andheightenedsomeoftheimpressionswith watercolour.In1905,Picassoboughtoneandtookitofftohis studio.Twoyearslater,itssecretsfedintoLesDemoiselles dAvignon.CzannesinfluenceonGeorgesBraquewasjustas clear,andopenlyadmitted.Thediscoveryofhiswork overturnedeverything,Braquesaidinoldage.Ihadtorethink everything.Therewasabattletobefoughtagainstmuchofwhat weknew,whatwehadtendedtorespect,admire,orlove.In Czannesworksweshouldseenotonlyanewpictorial constructionbutalsotoooftenforgottenanewmoral suggestionofspace.

AlexDanchev CZANNE ALife488pp.Profile.30.9781 9781846681653

Published:19December2012

Czannewasanobscure figureevenwhenfamous hewassecretive,frugal,unacquisitivehewould oftengomissingforweeksonend

Artistsaregreedytolearnandartisselfdevouringthehandoverfromthenineteenthtothetwentiethcenturywas swiftlydone.Aswasthehandoverfromonekindofartisttoanother.Czannewasanobscurefigureevenwhenfamous hewassecretive,frugal,unacquisitivehewouldoftengomissingforweeksonendhisemotionallife,suchasitwas, remaineddeeplyprivateandprotectedandhehadnointerestinwhattheworldcalledsuccess.Braquewasadandywith achauffeurwhilePicassosinglehandedlyembodiedthetwentiethcenturysidealofanartistpublic,political,rich, successfulinallthemeaningsoftheword,cameralovingandconcupiscent.AndifCzannemighthavethought Picassoslifevulgarinthesensethatitdetractedfromthetime,andthehumanintegrity,requiredtomakearthow austereandhighmindedPicassowouldcometoseemcomparedtothemostsuccessfulartistsofthetwentyfirst century,floggingtheirendlessversionsofthesameideatoknownothingbillionaires. PaulCzannewasborninAixenProvencein1839,theeldestofthreechildrenastheonlyboy,heenjoyedhismothers favouritismandhisfathersexpectation.Robust,stubbornandadventurous,heformedaschoolgroupofthreewhocalled themselvestheInseparables:theothertwobeingBaptistinBaille(lateraprofessorofopticsandacoustics)andmile Zola.AllthreeendedupinParis,theaspirationofmostambitiousprovincialsbutofthethree,Czannewasthemost

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ambivalentaboutwhatbenefitsmightbegainedthere.Youngandunknowninthemetropolisintheearly1860s,heand Zolatogetherponderedtheterriblequestionofsuccess.Theirmuchlaterquarrelturnedouttobelessaseparation causedbyZolasnovelLOeuvrewhichoutsidersassumedtobeabouthisoldfriendasadriftingapartbasedonthe differentanswerseachfoundtothatquestion.(Itsgenerallytruethatsuccess,howeverdefined,drivesartisticfriends apartmorethanfailuredoes.)Zolaneededhisliterarysuccesstobeexpressedinmaterialterms:bighouse,finefood, socialadvancement,bourgeoisrespectabilitywhereas,thebetterknownCzannebecame,themoreheavoidedthe world.Inhislateryears,whenhisworkwasbeingtradedbytheinsatiableVollard(whoin1900boughtaCzannefrom oneclientfor300francsandimmediatelyresoldittoanotherfor7,500anargumentfordroitdesuiteifevertherewas one),thepainterwaslivinginaquarry,seeingasfewpeopleaspossible,andreadingFlaubert.Inthemodernworld,one ofStAntonystemptationswouldbethatofartisticsuccess. PaulValryheldupCzanneastheexampleofthededicatedlife.AlexDanchevcallshimtheexemplaryartist creatorofthemodernage.Anexamplemorepowerfulthanthatoftheartistwhothrowsitallup(Gauguinfoundthe voluptuousconsolationsofTahitiinworkandplayRimbaudmadegoodmoneyasanarmstrader),ortheartistwhogoes madand/orkillshimself.Morepowerfulbecausecontinuingtolivecanrequiremoreheroismthansuicide:theconstant work,constantstriving,thefrequentdestructionofunsatisfactorywork,andtheneed,asCzannesawit,for incorruptibilityinthelife,onwhichtheincorruptibilityoftheworkdepended.CliveBellnotedthedesperatesincerity ofCzanneswork.DavidSylvesterconcludedthathisart,withitsfullacceptanceofhumancontradiction,offersusa moralgrandeurwhichwecannotfindinourselves. Thesearehighclaims,andDanchevskilfullyholdsinbalancewhatCzannewas,whathepretendedtobe,andwhat othersmadeofhim.Themythwasofakindofnoble,selftaughtsavage,anartisticidiotsavant.True,hecalledhimself aprimitive,andwas,asRenoirobserved,aspricklyasahedgehogwhile,farfrommellowing,heimmaturedwith age,asDanchevnicelyputsit.Butthemythtookrootpartlybecausehefosteredit,playedthegameofbeing Czanne,anartisticversionofthewilypeasantwhoalwaysknowsmorethanhesays,andwinsbypretendingtolose. Underneath,Czannewascultured,literaryandtobeginwith,anywaybourgeois.Hishatterbankerrentierfatherwas moreunderstandingthanmanysuchfathers,evenfindinganeatlyselfcongratulatoryreasonforsupportinghissoninhis crazycalling:Icouldnthaveengenderedanidiot.Hehadnt:Paulwonliteraryprizesatschool(whilehisfriendZola wonartisticones)later,hisfatherboughthimoutofarmyservice.Hewaswellreadintheclassicsandalsoprovedthat itispossible,ifrare,tobeaBalzacian,aStendhalianandaFlaubertianallatthesametime.MonetcalledhimaFlaubert ofpainting:certainly,Czannehadthemonkishnessrequiredalso,thebeliefthattheartistbehindtheartshouldremain obscure.ThoughhewasalsounlikeFlaubertratherprudishandproperwhenitcametowomen.Hedeeply disapprovedofZolassalebourgeoismaidtuppingandwhen,inoldage,hepaintedfemalebathers,heusedthelife drawingsfromhisyoungerdaysratherthantroubleamodel(and,perhaps,himself). Inevitably,weseehimasthepointwheremodernartbegan:sothefirstroomoftheMuseumofModernArtinNewYork, initscurrenthang,givesusaGauguinandthreeSeuratsontheleftoutnumberingthem,ontherightandstraightahead, arehalfadozenCzannes.But,justasinevitably,inhisowntimetheycouldseemoreclearlywherehecamefromthan wherehewouldlead.SoafriendlycriticcalledhimaGreekoftheBellepoque.Renoirsaidthathislandscapeshad thebalanceofPoussin,whilethecoloursinhisBathersseemtohavebeentakenfromancientearthenware.Czanne, likeallseriousmembersofanyartisticavantgarde,wasconstantlylearningfrompreviousmasters,studyingRubensall hislife.Andwhilewemightadmirehisdaringfragmentationsofvision,whatthepainterhimselfsoughtwasharmony, whichwasnothingtodowithfinishorstyle.ItbeganwithsettingtwotonesinjuxtapositionjustasVeronesehad done.CzannehardlysawhimselfasfoundingsomethingwhichotherswouldlatercallModernismforhim,painting wasaboutexpressingthetruthaboutnaturethroughhisowntemperament.

DanchevwritesasifCzanneslifeand characterareasimmediatelypresentbeforehim asistheart

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Danchev,previouslyknownasapoliticalandmilitarywriter,seemedtoarrivefullyformedasanartcriticandbiographer withhiswonderfulBraque(2005).HisCzannehasthesamevirtuesofimaginativesympathy,independenceofmind, andwidescholarship.HewritesasifCzanneslifeandcharacterareasimmediatelypresentbeforehimasistheartand iftherearegapsinthebiographicalrecord(specifically,aroundhismotherandhismodelmistresswifeHortense),these almostseemtoechogapsinthepaintings,whichsomehow,nonetheless,becomepartoftheharmony.Danchevs parametersarethework,theprinciples,thelife,theart,theviewer,thereader.Hewritesasifhedoesntreallyneedthe centuryofcritics,academicsandtheoristswhohavepreviouslyexplainedthepainter.Notthathehasntreadthem:his destructionofMeyerSchapirospsychosexualexplanationofCzannesApplesisconductedwithmuchzestandhe isconstructivelydismissiveofJohnRewaldssideliningofHortense.Danchevpreferstousewritersandartists(ofall kinds)togiveinsightintothepaintersworkandlife.Rilkespresenceisinevitable,buttherearealsoKafka,Samuel Beckett,SeamusHeaney,DerekWalcott,FernandoPessoa,OliverSachs,RobertBresson,EricRohmer,Alberto GiacomettiandAllenGinsberg.Danchevsselfconfidenceisevident,andfullyjustified:thusheisunafraidtoquotea wholepageoftheyoungKafkasletteraboutfearinghisfather,fromwhichwearetoinferparallelswithCzannesfilial problems. Talk,laugh,move,Manetusedtotellhismodels.Tolookrealyoumustbealive.Czannessitters,bycontrast,had tobeguardsmanlikeforhours.WhenVollardmadethemistakeoffallingasleep,thepainterbawledhimout:Wretch! Youveruinedthepose!Itellyouinallseriousnessyoumustholditlikeanapple.Doesanapplemove?.Andwhen anothersitterturnedawaytolaughatsomeonesjoke,Czannethrewdownhisbrushandstormedout.Sohisportraits aretheoppositeofthosemadetocatchamood,apassingglance,afugitivemomentwhichreleasesthesitters personalityouttowardsthespectator.Czannedespisedsuchtriviality,ashescornedthesedulouslylifelikeandthe attempttodefinecharacter.Ipaintaheadlikeadoor,heoncesaid.And:Ifaheadinterestsme,Imakeittoobig.On theotherhand,therewassomethingbeyondcharacter.Youdontpaintsouls,hegrowled,Youpaintbodiesand whenthebodiesarewellpainted,dammit,thesouliftheyhaveoneshinesthroughallovertheplace.ACzanne portrait,asDanchevwiselyputsit,ismoreatherenessthanalikeness.DavidSylvestercalledthepaintersupremein dealingwiththeproblemofrecreatingthedensitythatpeopleseemtohaveaswelookatthem. SoCzannesportraitsareallstilllives.Andwhentheysucceed,theydosoaspaintingsgovernedbycolourand harmony,ratherthanasvisualdescriptionsofhumanbeingswhodonormalhumanthingsliketalk,laughandmove. Thosecardplayersbentovertheirtableareneveractuallygoingtoplayacardortakeatricktheymaybestaringatthe besthandtheyveeverseen,buttheundertakerwillarrivebeforetheywillbepermittedtolayitdown.MmeCzanne, strappedintoherchairbyherhusbandssterncommandtoimmobility,isnotgoingtorevealherpersonalitytous, howevermanytimeshepaintsher.AndsoDanchevsargumentforhergreaterimportanceinthepainterslifestumblesa littlewhenweconsiderCzannesattitudetoportraiture.Shemightaswellhavebeenhisfavouritedoor. Though,ofcourse,adoor,oranapple,orabowl,canbejustasinteresting,andjustasaliveasahumanbeing.Danchev quotesJ.K.Huysmans,insomewhatexasperatedadmiration,referringtoskewedfruitinbesottedpottery.That besottediswonderful.Becausethoughanapple,unlikeanartdealer,canholdanobedientposeuntilitbeginstorot,it isalsomorethananapple,ifwedefineanappleintermsofshape,colourandedibility.VirginiaWoolfnotedthatthe longeryoustareatCzannesapples,theheaviertheyseemtoget.Czannewoulddoubtlesshaveapprovedtheaperu. Grapplingdirectlywithobjectswascentraltohispurpose.Theybuoyusup.Asugarbowlteachesusasmuchabout ourselvesandourartasaChardinoraMonticelli....Peoplethinkasugarbowlhasnophysiognomy,nosoul.Butthat changeseveryday,too. Abowlwithasoul.Doesasugarbowlchangeeveryday?Ofcoursethelightonitmaychange,andsomightourfeelings (aboutitsassociations,oritsintrinsicbeauty),butthebowlitself?Itsweight,itsform,itssurface?True,itmaybea conduittowider,greaterthings,andDanchevcitesAudenonhowthecrackintheteacupopens/Alanetothelandof thedead.Butthereisapointwhereasternandprincipledpantheismshadesintoanimplausiblepatheticfallacy. WassilyKandinskywrotethatCzannemadealivingthingoutofateacup,orratherinateacupherealizedthe existenceofsomethingalive.Heraisedstilllifetosuchapointthatitceasedtobeinanimate.Thismaybetrue,butthen soisitsoppositethatheloweredorsatonhumanlifetothepointwhereitalmostceasestobeanimate.Movementin thepaintingsisgenerallythemovementoftheviewerseye,followingthemovementofthepaint,ratherthanthe representationofmovement.Occasionallytheremightbeascurryofshorterbrushstrokesanimatingthebranchesofa

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treebutjustashiscoloursrarelyblazeheusedbrightcoloursbutinagreylight,ashisfriendandclosestcolleague CamillePissarroobservedhislandscapesrarelystir.Whattheydo,nonetheless,isexpressandinspirejoy,andperhaps, amidthenecessaryaccountofstruggleandhighprinciple,thisisoneaspectofCzannesworkthatDanchev underemphasizes(justashespendslittletimeonthewatercolours).OnesideofCzanneholdstheworlddown,paintsit thicklyasiftokeepitpinnedinplaceanotherparthasabuoyancyanddancingnessaboutitwhatJohnUpdikecalled thisoddlyairyseverity,thistremorinthefaceofthemundane.IfyouwereaskedinaroomfulofCzannesthatcrass butreliablequestionwhichonewouldyoustealifyoucould?mostpeople,Isuspect,wouldchoosebetween skewedfruitinbesottedpotteryandoneofthoselandscapeswithtrees,water,arisingriverbank,hillsideandthe lozengeofaredroofinthedistance. Art,forCzanne,hadaparallelexistencetoliferatherthanadependence,imitativeorotherwise,onit.Ithaditsown rules,soughtitsownharmonies,purgedoldstyleinterpretativeness,andannouncedthedemocracyoftachepainting,in whichapatchorstainintheformofapairoftrouserswasassignificantasapatchorstainrepresentingahead.Happily, alltheoriesfallfouloflife,andtheinhabitantsofCzanneworldweresometimesnomoreobedientthanintheparallel worldtheyoccupiedwhenposing.Thepainter,workingonhisportraitofHenriGasquet,oncetriedtoexplainhis procedurestoGasquetsson: Look,Gasquet,yourfather,hessittingthere,isnthe?Hessmokinghispipe.Heslisteningwithonlyoneear.Hes thinkingwhatabout?Besides,hesbuffetedbysensations.Hiseyeisnotthesame.Aninfinitesimalproportion,an atomoflight,haschanged,fromwithin,andhasmetthechangingoralmostunchangingcurtaininthewindow.Soyou seehowthistinylittleminusculetonewhichdarkensundertheeyelidhasshifted.Good.Icorrectit.Butthenmylight greennexttoit,Icanseeitstoostrong.Imoderateit....Icontinue,withalmostinvisibletouches,allover.Theeye looksbetter.Butthen,therestheotherone.Tome,itsquints.Itslooking,lookingatme.Whereasthisoneislookingat hislife,hispast,you,Idontknowwhat,somethingwhichisnotme,notus.... AtwhichpointGasquet,permittinghimselftobreaktheposeandmovehislips,observes,IwasthinkingofthetrumpI helduntilthethirdtrickyesterday.Youdontpaintsouls,youpaintbodies,andthesoulshinesthrough.Butsometimes thesoulisreallyconcernedaboutthesixofhearts. PissarroobservedthatwhenManetcamealong,hemadeCourbetsuddenlyseemjustpartofthetradition,addingthat CzannewoulddopreciselythesametoManet.Thisprovedtrue.Theshockofthenewisabsorbed,dispelled, commodified.InTheGuermantesWay,ProustsDuchessgoesonavisittotheLouvre:andwehappenedtopass ManetsOlympia.Nowadaysnobodyisintheleastsurprisedbyit.ItlooksjustlikeanIngres!Andyet,heavenknows howIhadtotakeupthecudgelsonbehalfofthatpicture,whichIdontaltogetherlikebutwhichisunquestionablythe workofsomebody. TheDuchessiswronginanarrowsense:ManetdoesntstilldoesntlookintheleastlikeIngres.Butherwiderpoint istrue.AndifCzannedidtoManetwhatManetdidtoCourbet,whathavethosestartingwiththeCubistswhotook over,absorbedandcannibalizedCzanne,leftbehindofhim?ItisclearthatheiswheremodernartevenModernArt beginsheistheunmissablelink.Yetnowadays,onthewallsofthegreatpubliccollections,hefitssmoothlyintowhat hasbecomethetradition.Weseethedebtsowedandpaidtohim.Weunderstandwhyhisfellowartistsvaluedand admiredandcollectedhim.Ontheotherhand,weprobablydontsharehislowopinionofmostofhiscontemporaries, hisuttercontemptforGauguin,orhispreposterousnotionthatDegasisntenoughofapainter.Wecertainlyrevere himasanexampleofartisticintegrity,andsavourtheharmonieswhichseemtimelessasmuchasmodernofhis greatestpaintings.Isthisright?Isthisenough?NotforDanchev,whoclaimsbothatthestartofhisbiographyandat itsconclusionthatCzannesimpactonourworld,andourconceptionofourworld,iscomparabletothatofMarxor Freud.Thisseemsmoreanenthusiastic,lovingflourishthanasustainableargument.AlexDanchevquotesBresson sayingthatCzannewenttothebrinkofwhatcouldnotbedone.Thismaybetrue,butpaintinghascontinued,andart haschanged,sometimesbuildingonCzannesdiscoveries,sometimesnot.Hasourdailyvisionreallybecome Czannified?IsitasfullofhisvisualtropesasourmentallivesareofMarxianorFreudiantropes?Atthispointthereader might,likeoneofthepainterscardplayersallowedtounfreezeforamoment,rapthetablequietlyandmurmur,Pass.

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JulianBarnessrecentbooksincludeTheSenseofanEnding,publishedlastyear,andThroughtheWindow:Seventeen essays(andoneshortstory),whichappearedearlierthisyear.
Bycontinuingtousethesite,youagreetotheuseofcookies.Youcanchangethisandfindoutmorebyfollowingthislink.

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