Jules
Bastien-Lepage

France • 1848−1884

Biography and information

Every Sunday the little-known Valentin Serovcame to Pavel Tretyakovlook at the picture "Rustic love". And Nesterovsaid that bastien-Lepage a true Russian artist, and "the praise I have for him!". The huge popularity of bastien-Lepage in the Russian media, quite surprising for his countrymen, was due to the fact that his way was the answer to the quest of Russian painters.

Biography Bastien-Lepage


Jules bastien-Lepage (FR. Jules Bastien-Lepage; November 1, 1848, Danville, Mesa — December 10, 1884, Paris) is a native of the peasants, was born in the small town of Danville, Lorraine. The road to art was paved for himself. No favors from the fate in this sense he was not, had to get them.

Education the artist received at the School of fine arts in Alexander Cabanelato pay it managed by getting grants and scholarships in various competitions and programs. He was drafted during the Franco-Prussian war, was wounded and returned in 1870, in his native Lorraine. For the first time the attention of the public and critics attracted in 1874 work "Spring song". In the next two years fought the Rome prize, the winner pays for accommodation in Rome for three to five years. Work "the Annunciation to the shepherds" even got the second place but the winner of the prize he was not destined to be. Not wasting time to grief for this reason, bastien-Lepage went to England, where he spent three years and, of course, was writing. One of the famous English works "The Shoe Shiner in London".

The next journey was Algeria, followed by many French artists bastien turned his gaze to the East. However, his best paintings are considered to be written in native village Danville or depicting it (1, 2, 3). It is in these works of bastien-Lepage was able to fully show their talent and "to convey nature", and sought to something. Bastien-Lepage continues the tradition of the Barbizon school. But he absorbed the artistic discoveries of his era. His later realism is characterized by bleached palette and free style of writing, impasto strokes. It is believed that more than anything bastien affected Milland Courbet.

The influence of bastien-Lepage on Russian painting


Many artists in Russia in 1880-e years was at a crossroads. The classical tradition has largely degenerated into a repulsive academia, revealing the aesthetics of the Wanderers meet, not all aspirations and interests, and coming from abroad influences of impressionism, symbolism and art Nouveau seemed somewhat distant.

In art Bastiage saw the appeal to nature, to tradition (but without the accusing fingers of the Wanderers). And right saw, by the way. Those who wished to learn from him, bastien-Lepage once said that to visit Paris – the right thing. Here, as nowhere else, you can know who, what and how to write, to feel, where now the wind is blowing in the artistic environment, but tasted Paris, need to go home. "Leave to his native country and write close to you stories." In France, bastien-Lepage did not go unnoticed, but did not have the same success as the Russians. Still in Paris in those years impressionism "matured". But those who seek their own way, tacking between academics and Itinerants Russian artists said that bastien-Lepage the best, can boast artistic Paris.

It is widely known quatrain Borisov-Musatovchanging fascination as his teacher on the enthusiasm for the French:
How long have been my ideal
Artist Konovalov our?
But in the Tretyakov gallery visited -
In the heart of the one bastien-Lepage.

In the Tretyakov gallery he, by the way, after Nesterov and Serov admired the "Village of love". The work of bastien also noted Repin, Surikov, Korovin, Vasily and Elena Polenova. However, not everyone was thrilled with bastien, for example, Kramskoy called him "impossible phony".

To sum up the influence of bastien-Lepage on Russian painting, first and foremost, he encouraged Russian artists to use the principles of plein-air and unfolded to the light, the colors, the air is not so revolutionary, as did the Impressionists, but gradually. Work in the open air for bastien was a necessity, he wrote "nature." It is worth noting the great mastery of color despite the fact that the used colors are quite modest. The fact that bastien kept dvuhgorbogo, also played in his favor. In most of his paintings are landscape and portrait seamlessly connected, this genre has acquired the traits of contemplation, and a portrait, with all the detail, including psychological, does not become a "essay about life".

The main and the last pupil of bastien-Lepage


Echoes of the influence of bastien can be seen in the work of many artists, but the most consistent and dedicated his student – Maria Bashkirtseva. She chose bastien's measure of talent, the ideal in painting. Daughter of Poltava nobility, who left after his parents divorced with his mother and grandfather in Paris, talented, emotional, childhood spoiled, and perhaps the ecstatic girl thought bastien as his teacher. "All the others do – still remains just a painting; it is nature itself. Talking about the realists; but these realists, naturalists do not know what reality is: they are just rude and think it's truthfulness. Realism is not in the image roughly-simple things, but the execution has to be perfect" is what attracted her to the teacher.

After the death of Mary was published her diary, which she led for 12 years. She admits that she is just crazy about bastien because he's a genius, "what could be better!". No, it wasn't a love story. Perhaps only for the reason that both died. The girl was then terminally ill with tuberculosis. The bastien was diagnosed with cancer of the stomach. Maria had beside him the last days, trying to care for a teacher, but died before him. When she became very weak, already bastien was visiting a student. It has made, arranged in the seat, and he spent the whole day with Mary.

"I'm wearing a lot of lace, of plush. Everything is white, only different shades. From bastien-Lepage's eyes widen with pleasure.
– Oh, if I could write!".

The artist has experienced Mary for 5 weeks.

Author: Alain Esaulova