| For their 28th exhibition, French orientalist painters had organized, under the chairmanship of Mr. Leygues and the vice-chairmanships of Mr. Baron Chassériau and Mr. Louis Hautecoeur, a small retrospective of Oriental works by Chassériau, which we seem to want gradually give place to its real and distinct. (...) Around this retrospective, the crowd of diverse talents from our current orientalists gathered: Etienne and Jean Bouchaud, one with young Algerians, the other with charming Laotians, Ad. Jouclard with motionless figures, Yves Brayer who tirelessly notes rapid impressions, nuanced and luminous Bascoulès, Emile Bernard, J. Bouchor, Paul Buffet, A Chapuy, P.-E. Dubois, Ch
Duvent, R. d'Erlanger, Ch. Fouqueray, M. Fredouille, E. Gaudissard, P. Girieud, P.-L. Rousseau, G.-H. Sabbagh, Miss Jeanne Thil, etc. and the sculptor Poisson with his Little dancer from Bou Saada.
Everyone has seen the Orient in their own way, but without particular originality, sometimes wearily, and many are content to repeat what they or others have already said. Where is the time when we had the "revelation of the East"? It was in Chassériau's time. |