Monday, January 10, 2011

By Georges

Georges Jules Victor Clairin was a French painter and illustrator, working in the heady days of the Art Nouveau movement. Like Mucha, Clairin was drawn to Sarah Bernhardt, in more ways than one.

Poster of Sarah Bernhardt as Theodora by Georges Clairin

Theatrical setting of Bernhardt as Theodora by Georges Clairin

Theatrical setting of La Vierge d'Avila (The Virgin of Avila)
by Georges Clairin

5 comments:

Xenophon said...

Great view on history. It's a pure spectacle. A kind of explanation why "academic realism" became obsolet.
Thanks for the post.

Annie said...

Hi Thom,
I like Bernhardt's face in the poster, and the composition of all three. Maybe it's the character she is portraying, or maybe it's Clairin's style, but her face is "softer" here than in some of Mucha's depictions of her.

Anonymous said...

My favourite Clairin painting is La grande vague, from 1898. Even though I've never seen a colour version, only black and white photographs in art books, it still grabbed my imagination... and held on.

dq405 (Mark)

Thomas Haller Buchanan said...

Yes, that is an intriguing piece. Think good thoughts, you never know when it'll pop up somewhere.

Frank said...

So grateful to you for posting these splendid images, and on a big scale so that their qualities may be enjoyed to the utmost.