- Describe the watercolour above and explain why you like (or do not like) it.
- Who was Romanin?
- What did Jacques Martel mean by: "ce qui est le plus voyant demeure le plus invisible..."?
- What other World War II leaders were also amateur artists?
Banquet démocratique
"C’est le buste de Platon, celui qui
a fait Le Banquet."
"Vous faites bien de m’en parler, je dirai quelques mots
dans mon discours pour le féliciter. Son canard aux navets est vraiment
réussi."
- Translate the dialogue of the (1920s?) editorial cartoon by Romanin above.
- Describe and comment the cartoon.
- Translate the dialogue of the 1917 editorial cartoon by Romanin below.
- Describe and comment the cartoon.
À la curée
Aigle: « Au secours, ma chère colombe ! »
Colombe: « Ouais ? Et qui m’a coupé les
ailes il y a trois ans ?! »
1. Describe the watercolour above and explain why you like (or do not like) it.
ReplyDeleteThe colours are very bright. There is a noisy festive crowd. It is a masked ball. There are two central characters: Arlecchino with a long-nosed mask, tall and strong, leaning over Il Capitano (we see his face as his mask is on his forehead), sullen and bespectacled. There is an oversized masked character in the foreground on the right; his nose and lips appear too big and his eyes threateningly small. There is a female character dressed in white pulling the Harlequin character by his left arm. The scene at first appears carefree, but there is an underlying violence; will the two protagonists come to blows? I like this watercolour very much because it makes me think about human nature and relations; the masks symbolize the way we hide our feelings and intentions.
2. Who was Romanin?
Romanin is the pseudonym of Jean Moulin, who was a gifted amateur artist but also the head of the French Résistance.
3. What did Jacques Martel mean by: "ce qui est le plus voyant demeure le plus invisible..."?
“What is hidden best is right under your nose.” Moulin (aka Jacques Martel) had to hide his identity as leader of the French freedom fighters from the Gestapo so he decided to play a role: art salesman. This is a profession which involves a lot of public relations. Moulin thought that, by not hiding, he would go unnoticed. The theme of hiding in a public place (playing a role, using a mask) of his “Carnaval” painting was unwittingly premonitory…
4. What other World War II leaders were also amateur artists?
Winston Churchill, the wartime British Prime Minister, was an amateur landscape artist. Adolf Hitler was a failed Arts student. He became the Nazi leader and then, perhaps, began considering the world itself as a “canvas” on which to let his imagination run wild…