Mirage (charcoal project, 1877)

Overview

On 11 June 1877 at Nice Marie writes that she has also "préparé au fusain un tableau" (072.0002): a desolate beach with a tall palm in the foreground, under which she herself stands with arms stretched to the horizon, head thrown back in distress. In the clouds appear the dome of St Peter's, the cathedral of Florence, Vesuvius. #Dina kneels beside her in deep dejection; the dog Pincio imitates Marie's tense pose "autant qu'un chien le peut" towards "le Mirage". On a bench at the right sit the aunt, Mme Kondareff and her mother, very sad, with the dog Prater at her mother's feet; small arrows rise from above their heads towards a roulette wheel in the sky (Monaco). #Walitsky with a similar arrow wrings his hands before an empty purse; the dogs Victor and Bagatelle watch, puzzled; Lise does nothing; and her grandfather, in a dressing gown, turns his back on all and holds out a hand to Renard. The figures are to be "hauts de dix centimètres seulement". A marginal note says: "L'idée de ce tableau appartient à Dina" (072.0003).

Marie and this work

It is an allegorical caricature of the household in exile at Nice, longing for Italy (the Naples winter had just ended) while the older women and Walitsky dream of gambling. Marie says only that it is "préparé au fusain" (charcoal); no later mention shows it was ever painted, so the entry treats it as a project (charcoal cartoon), whereabouts unknown, no image. "Mirage" is her own capitalised word for the vision of Italy (the LAN note reads it as the title).

References in Diary

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