Spring of 2019 the Musée d’Orsay held a long awaited and amazing exhibition, Le modèle noir. Giving a voice to the black models that have been depicted and “invisible” in some of the most recognizable pieces of art and also gave them a name. The first exhibit of its kind, looking back through three major stages of history. The abolition of slavery from 1794-1848, era of new paintings of Manet, Bazille, Degas and Cézanne and the early 20th century avant garde. Giving a long awaited moment to one of the most overlooked and ignored members in art history.
Théodore Géricault, Etude d’homme, d’après le modèle Joseph
Théodore Géricault one day visited the acrobatic troupe of Madame Sagui in 1818. Géricault spotted a strong young man and asked him to come to his studio. Joseph was born around 1793 in Saint Domingue, he arrived in Marseilles before finally moving to Paris. Working as an acrobat, learning how to control his body and stand he would make a perfect model. Géricault would use Joseph as the central figure of his monumental Raft of the Medusa, standing on the raft bare chested and waving a scarf, a sign of salvation and hope. In his early studies of the Raft he only had a black model, the central figure, as it was accurate to the historical event. In his final piece it now included Joseph and two other black figures. It was Géricault’s way of stating his feelings and capturing his solidarity.
Gèricault, Etude de dos pour Le Radeau de la Mèduse
Géricault painted him many times including a portrait. Until now many of these paintings were titled, “portrait of a man”. However after the diligent work of art historians that can now give them a name. Joseph is as recognizable as Victorine and should be. Joseph would also model at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts from years where many other artists would find him and would sit for Theodore Chasseriau as well.
Première esquisse pour le tableaus exposé au Salon de 1819
Marie Guillaume Benoist painted Portrait of a Black Woman in 1800. The painting of the beautiful woman, that was never given a name when the artist was alive hangs in the Louvre. Madeleine, born in Guadeloupe was an emancipated slave and arrived in Paris to become the domestic servant in the home of the artist's brother in law. Madeleine with the piercing glance exposes a breast, a symbol of slavery. I wish the artists felt it was more important at the time to give these images and the model the respect of a name.
Marie-Guillemine Benoist, Portrait de Madeleine
Jeanne Duval, a woman of Haitan heritage, was involved with poet Charles Baudelaire for close to twenty years. She was his muse and inspiration for Flowers of Evil and Spleen and Ideal, and their relationship would make it onto the pages of A Phantom and Exotic Perfume. Their relationship was dramatic most of the time, filled with public arguments. His “vénus noire” and “mistress of mistresses” was never far from his side. When she became ill, he took care of her and paid for any doctors she needed. Manet would paint her on a couch in Baudelaires home in 1862. In Courbet’s l’Atelier du peintre he painted his poet friend Baudelaires and Jeanne Duval into the corner. Through restoration over the years her silhouette has been uncovered from overpainting.
Edouard Manet, Jeanne Duval
One of the most recognized paintings of Manet, is surely Olympia, the painting that caused quite a stir at the 1865 Salon. The naked woman was a usual subject in art as far as we can go back to cave drawings but it was the look on Olympia’s face, the pose of her body and the implied job that she has that made a few turn their heads in disgust. Manet painted Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe the same year as Olympia and used the same model for both, Victorine Meurent . Victorine as Olympia is laying on a bed of crisp white sheets and oriental shawl beneath her, with a beautiful heeled slipper on, one discarded and laying on the bed. The flower behind her ear, the gold bracelet on her arm and the black ribbon and jewel hanging around her neck all give the impression of a seductive and wealthy Parisian courtesan. For Olympia, Manet gave every aspect of the painting the same importance. The cat, a symbol of prostitution, the gaze on her face that seems to say “next” and the bouquet flowers that are just as vibrant as the oriental shawl beneath her naked body. For over one hundred years, it has always been known simply as Olympia, with no name given of her maid that is presenting her with flowers from what we assume is a client. The exhibition finally gave her a name, Laure. Laure posed for Manet three times after metting him while walking through the Jardin des Tuileries. Her name is only known today from a diary Manet kept, and only her first name and her address in Paris. “Laure, very beautiful black woman, 11 rue Vintimille 3rd floor” written around 1862.
Manet, Olympia
However it was Manet that painted her and gave her the “invisibility”, but with Laure we get a better impression of what the entire painting is trying to tell us. With the addition of Laure, Olympia now has high social standing as a courtesan. Laure presents the flowers of her gentleman caller, giving a slight bow as she enters the room.
Frédéric Bazille, Jeune Femme Aux Pivoines
Frédéric Bazille would also use, we assume Laure in two paintings he did in 1870. Young Woman with Peonies, a closer look at Laure’s beautiful face. Bazille had taken a page from Manet’s book with his painting La Toilette that also enraged the Salon with its strong impression of Olympia on Bazille.
Cézanne Une Moderne Olympia
Olympia, the painting that shocked Paris would stay in the procession of Manet hanging in his studio until his death. Claude Monet would purchase it from his widow, Suzanne and give it to the Musée du Louvre. An image many know so well, went from the hand of one master to another and then lucky for us, on view to share with the world. It’s breathtaking to see up close and no wonder it has been copied many times by other artists including Cézanne. Cézanne took a spin at Olympia with a behind the scenes glimpse before Manet took to the canvas.
The Orsay did an amazing job with Le Modèle Noir and gave names to the beautiful faces long forgotten in the art world and their stories that should be told.