EN ORIENT

EXECUTED IN 1871, THIS OIL CAN BE LINKED TO FANTIN'S EXQUISITE CHARCOAL OF 1866, REFLETS D'ORIENT. THE EAST WAS, FOR THE ARTIST, A MYTHICAL LIEU DE L'âME; HE HAD NEVER TRAVELLED TO AFRICA, NOR TURKEY, NOR THE FAR EAST. HIS INSPIRATION AND DEEP FASCINATION CAME FROM LISTENING, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, TO SCHUMANN'S SIX IMPROPTUS FOR PIANO - VARIUOSLY KNOWN AS IMAGES, TABLEAUX, OR REFLETS D'ORIENT (BILDER AUS OSTEN, OP. 66, 1848) - PLAYED BY MRS. EDWARDS'S SISTER AT SUNBURY IN 1864. IN HIS 1866 CHARCOAL -WHICH HAS MANY OF THE SAME ELEMENTS AS THE PAINTING OF THE SAME NAME SUBMITTED TO THE 1869 SALON - FANTIN REPRESENTED 'R. SCHUMANN AFTER READING THE ARABIAN TALES, DREAMING ABOUT THE PIECES IN HIS REFLETS D'ORIENT,... WHILE HE IS LOST IN HIS THOUGHTS OF THESE LITTLE PIECES, IN THE FOREGROUND I SHOW TO THE VIEWER THE THINGS IN HIS DREAM ALL AROUND HIM; THIS IS THE REFLETS D'ORIENT. THROUGH THE HAZE ONE SEES THE INTERIOR OF A HAREM... WHERE ALMéE IS DANCING. AROUND ALMéE WOMEN ARE PLAYING MUSIC AND, ENTERING THROUGH A WINDOW, A MOONBEAM MIXES HIS BLUE AND WHITE LIGHT WITH THE PINK AND GOLDEN GLOW OF THE LANTERNS' (LETTER FROM FANTIN-LATOUR TO EDWARDS, 21 MARCH 1869).

TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FORTHCOMING FANTIN-LATOUR CATALOGUE RAISONNé CURRENTLY BEING PREPARED BY GALERIE BRAME & LORENCEAU.