Friday, March 11, 2011

Henri-Edmond Cross (May 20, 1856 – May 16, 1910)

                                                                                     
The Scarab
1906-1907

Cross started off, as you can see in the earliest portraits, with experimentations in Realism (e.g. Crazy, Study) and slowly moved on to Realist-edged Impressionism (e.g. Corner of the Garden in Monaco), after having met Monet; then, after having made the acquaintance of Signac, he moved on to Pointillism (e.g. In the Woods), which he became renowned for; though, eventually, his Pointillism did morph into Fauvism (e.g. The Scarab). Among all the styles he was absolutely masterful, yet he's almost completely forgotten. Why? I seem to ask this question often. I suppose in Cross's case his pieces are absent some level of fantasy that's desired by the public, yet I can't help but feel that this is wholly balanced by the extreme level of emotion injected into his scenes and portraits; but perhaps I'm missing something in my argument. 

Crazy, Study
1883

In the Woods
1906-1907 

Flight of the Nymphs
1906

Corner of the Garden in Monaco
1884

Cape Layet (Provence)
1904

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