Where the French impressionists painted for art, James Tissot<\/a> (1836-1902) {‘tea-sow’) painted for a living. While defying easy characterization, ‘society painter’, with all its attendant pejoratives, comes close. <\/p>\n Tissot was much more than a hack painting for shekels from the rich. He was very much his own man and, while friendly with many of the impressionists, he made it a point not to exhibit with these cultural rabble rousers. <\/p>\n He painted the rich, but at a skill level denied the common or garden society dauber. Gaze at the detail and rendering of the beautiful women’s clothing of La Belle \u00c9poque<\/a><\/i> and you will see this is no ordinary artist. Nor are his compositions anything but perfect, the space used well, the dynamics preserved.<\/p>\n <\/i> Tissot was an avowed Anglophile for which he can be forgiven. His work with its charm and lightness could only ever be French. At least the man had the good sense to settle down in St. John’s Wood, close to Lord’s, the home of cricket. James Tissot had a photographer’s eye at a time when photography was yet to emerge as the modern illustrator’s medium of choice.<\/p>\n For a modern image (mine!) in the decorative style of Tissot, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n If the period women’s clothing is of interest, the key designer of the era was Paul Poiret<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you want to see how mediocre even the best photography is when it comes to portraying the rich, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" French society painter. For an index of articles on art illustrators, click here. Where the French impressionists painted for art, James Tissot (1836-1902) {‘tea-sow’) painted for a living. While defying easy characterization, ‘society painter’, with all its attendant pejoratives, comes close. Tissot was much more than a hack painting for shekels from the rich. He … Continue reading James Tissot<\/span>
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\nDynamic composition. Portsmouth, 1877.<\/p>\n
\nAttention to detail. 1878.<\/p>\n
\nWitty and enchanting.<\/p>\n
\nThe pug came too. 1870. <\/p>\n
\nThese competing suitors are more than aware of the wealth of their surroundings.<\/p>\n
\nVacation snap – the sort of thing the Kodak Brownie replaced, poorly.<\/p>\n
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