Meissonier

Henri BarbusseProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 58K words
Chapters: 6

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Meissonier by Henri BarbusseAuthor: Barbusse, Henri, 1873-1935,Language: English, Class: ND: Fine Arts: Painting, Release Date: Jul 3, 2013

Editor's review

This is Henri Barbusse's critical-biographical text on the French painter Meissonier, belonging to the genre of art history and painter studies. Barbusse observes Meissonier's painting through a writer's eye, attending to his meticulous realist technique, his handling of historical and everyday subjects, and the place of his work within the context of nineteenth-century French art. The text is not a catalogue-style commentary on plates but closer to art criticism informed by personal judgment; from it the reader can see how a writer describes pictures, evaluates style, and sketches the figure of a painter. For readers who wish to learn about Meissonier as a person and as an artist, or who are interested in nineteenth-century French art criticism, this short public-domain book offers an entry point. It is best read as a critical text rather than a complete biography: note the author's selections and tone of evaluation, and you may also compare it with publicly available images of Meissonier's works to form your own judgments about what you see. It is not long, and is suited to slow reading chapter by chapter with brief notes.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century French painting and Meissonier
Literary readers curious about the art criticism of the writer Barbusse
Beginners in art history using it as supplementary reading on an individual painter
Readers who enjoy close reading of pictorial description and stylistic criticism

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a high-resolution plate album or a complete catalogue of works
Beginners seeking a systematic art history textbook and detailed chronology
Readers who want only biographical anecdotes about the painter and no discussion of the works

Reading tips

Begin by browsing public images of Meissonier's representative works, then read the corresponding critical passages.
As you read, distinguish the author's factual statements from his personal evaluations, cultivating a critical awareness.
Write brief summaries by chapter, noting the themes and technical keywords the author returns to repeatedly.
After finishing, revisit the introduction or conclusion to test whether the author's overall judgment is internally consistent.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a plate album or a textual commentary?

The materials indicate that this is a textual work on Meissonier written by Barbusse, belonging to art criticism and painter studies rather than a plate-centred album. Readers should expect mainly textual discussion and may wish to consult public images alongside it.

Can I read it without knowing Meissonier?

Yes. The author's prose itself introduces the painter and his works, but prior familiarity with Meissonier's general subjects and realist style will make the criticism easier to follow. It is advisable to look at a few representative works before entering the text.

Barbusse is known as a novelist—why did he write about a painter?

Barbusse is known for his literary fiction, but he also wrote art criticism. This text on Meissonier shows a writer's observation and judgment of painting; as you read, notice how literary technique enters art criticism.

Is it suitable as a textbook for an art history course?

It is better suited as supplementary reading on an individual case than as a systematic textbook. It offers criticism from the author's perspective; in a course it should be paired with general art history surveys, catalogues of works, and contextual materials so that students can form a fuller understanding.

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About the author

Henri Barbusse Author · French · 1873–1935

Henri Barbusse (1873–1935) was a French novelist, born in Asnières-sur-Seine and died in Moscow. During the First World War he served as an infantryman and, drawing on his firsthand trench experience, wrote Le feu (Under Fire: The Story of a Squad), which won the Prix Goncourt in 1916. With its nearly documentary style, the novel depicts soldiers' daily lives and the cruelty of war, and became an important work of war literature. He later turned to communism and pacifism, publishing novels such as The Inferno and Light, whose themes extend from individual experience to social criticism and idealistic striving. Five of his works are held in this collection, and he also wrote Meissonier. Public information on his early education and specific posts is limited, so no conjecture is offered here; his literary influence rests mainly on his war writing and his ideological turn.