Wednesday, April 18, 2012

In the eye of the beholder...

Preface by Aldous Huxley to an exhibition of watercolours by W. Eisenschitz in 1935.

“Provence is a much painted and, on the whole, an exceedingly ill-painted region...Those hideously garish railway posters...

The real Provence glows with soft, yet powerful colours; is severe and at times even savage, but full of the most exquisite subtleties; combines breath and nobility with a wealth of delicately varied brightness....In these admirable water colours Mr. Eisenshitz has succeeded, it seems to me, in rendering a great deal of the essential Provence.”

Well,  I do take exception to the "garish railway posters" as I like them very much and do feel they capture Provence.  I find Eisenschitz's water colours of Provence could be anywhere really especially the ones 1935 and before.  There is one he did in 1952 I quite like and feel is evocative of Provence.

Here's some the of garish railway posters...it's possible only the best ones have survived.




I particularly love this one.

The watercolours:




Now this one does say Provence to me....done in 1952.