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GettyResearchJournal,no.3(2011):53–70©2011BridgetAlsdorf
Letmebeginbydescribingapicturethatnolongerexists.Thepaintingislargeandfullof
figures,anambitioussubmissiontotheParisSalonof1865.Thesettingisstrange:there
areindicationsofanartist’sstudioorsomeotherausterebourgeoisinterior,butone
thatopensontoblueskyandwarmlightintheupperbackground,stagingaphantasma-
goricinterplaybetweeninteriorandexteriorrealms.Agroupofeighttotenartistsand
writersaregatheredinthisspace,clusteredaroundanudefemalefigurehoveringover
themasifjustdescendedfromtheheavensinaburstofcottonyclouds.Archingabove
thenude’shead,alabelinclearblocklettersidentifiesheras“VERITE,”spellingoutthe
chastenobilityofhernudityinaroomfullofmen.Itisnotclearwhetherthemenshare
thenude’ssunlitenvironment,andthisspatialambiguityisjustoneaspectofthebroader
clashof“purefantasy”and“reality”thatmakesthepictureperplexing.1Arrangedaround
atablecoveredinawhitetableclothandadornedwithanelaboratefloralbouquet,the
menholdglassesofbluewine,apopulardrinkamongtherevolutionariesof1848.They
proposeatoasttoTruth,theirmuse,who—despitetheluminousaurapaintedaround
her—looksmorelikeastudiomodelthanasupernaturaldeity.Herhairisastrident
orange-red,andshefacestheviewerwithamirrorinonehand.Themenaredressedin
darksuits,withtheexceptionofJamesMcNeillWhistler,wholooksoutfromthecenter
foregroundinarichlypatternedJapaneserobe.Twostandingmenintophatsflankthe
compositiononeitherside,oneofthemturninghisbacktotheviewer.Thepainting’s
creator,HenriFantin-Latour,isseatedinthelowerleftforeground;hisbodyturnstoward
Truthashegesturestoherwithhisrighthandwhilehisheadcranesbackoverhisright
shouldertoaddresstheviewer.Thestill-lifepainterAntoineVollonisfeaturedamongthe
group,gazinginourdirectionthroughheavylids,hisexpressionthoughtfulandsensitive,
whileÉdouardManetstandsnexttoTruth,afigurenotunliketheoneinhispainting
Olympia(1863–65),exhibitedatthesameSalon.Theremainingfigureslikelyincludethe
critic,painter,andsculptorZacharieAstruc,engraverandpainterFélixBracquemond,
thepainterLouisCordier,thenovelistandcriticEdmondDuranty,andthepainterand
lithographerArmandGautier,allofwhomassociatedthemselveswiththemovement
knownasrealism.
ThisisthemostelaboratedescriptionofThe Toast! Homage to Truth(1865)that
canbereconstructedfromitsremains,giventhatFantindestroyedthepaintinginafit
Fantin’s Failed Toast to TruthBridgetAlsdorf
54 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
offrustrationsoonaftertheSalonended.2Itisaspeculativedescription,ofcourse,but
itsmainoutlinesarereliableenoughtosuggestatrulyremarkableandunusualpainting.
Allthatremainsofthepicturearethreeportraitfragmentstheartistelectedtosave:the
portraitofVollon,theportraitofWhistler,andFantin’sself-portrait(figs.1a–c).3Asa
result,scholarshavedevotedlittleattentiontothepaintingandthelargerprojectitrep-
resents,despitethemanysourcesofavailableevidencesurroundingitsdevelopmentand
criticalreception.4Thepaintingwasnotwellreceived,bycriticsorthegeneralpublic,
andthethirty-five(mostlyscathing)criticalreviewsitgarneredareessentialnotonlyto
ourabilitytoreconstructitsappearancebutalsotoourunderstandingofitsperceived
failureasagroupportraitandartisticmanifesto.Evenmoreilluminatingarethethirty-
oddpreparatorydrawingspreservedintheMuséeduLouvre,5andapreviouslyunknown
pen-and-inksketchinthecollectionoftheGettyResearchInstitutethatIbelievetobe
theclearestrepresentationofthefinalcomposition.Thesedrawingsdetailthelongand
meanderinggenesisofthismostambitiousanddisastrousofFantin’sgroupportraits,
revealingtheprofoundchallengesthegenreposedtoartistsofhishistoricalandsocial
situation.Inparticular,thedrawingsrepresentarangeofeffortsatexpressinganotion
ofartistictruth,anotionthatwasatonceindividual(Fantin’sown)andcollective(sup-
portedbyaselectgroup).
ThehistoryofThe Toast!’sdevelopment,failure,andultimatedestructionexem-
plifies several key problems surrounding group portraiture in its mid-nineteenth-
centurymoment.Withthiswork,Fantincontinuedtoinvestigatethetenserelationship
betweenindividualityandcollectivity,self-portraitureandgroupportraiture,alreadyat
workinhisfirstgroupportrait,theHomage to Delacroix of1864(fig.2).Inthisambitious,
manifesto-likestatementfortheSalonof1864,FantinreconceivedtheDutchmodel
ofgroupportraitureasadeclarationofartisticidentity,bothhisownandthatofhis
fellows.6Theconflictwasbetweentheartist’spersonalambitionandhisdesireforan
association—withagroupofcolleaguesandwithDelacroix—thatwouldnurtureand
givegreatermeaningtohisindividualenterprise.ButThe Toast!raisedthestakesofthis
projectsignificantlybybeingmoreexplicitly,andmoreoutlandishly,arepresentationof
Fantin’spersonalphilosophyofart.Thechallengewasthereforenotonlytofindawayto
integrateselfandgroup,tointerminglethemwithoutunderminingeitherone,butalso
tomakethisdelicaterelationshipcontributeto,andsomehowcommenton,theartist’s
visionoftruth.
Fantin’stentativesolutionwastoexploretheindividual-groupproblemthrough
amultilayeredtrope:themirrorinTruth’shand.Wieldedbothasatriumphantattribute
forthefigureandasacompositionaldevicethroughwhichtheartistcouldmeditateon
thenatureofportraiture,Truth’smirrorbecamethework’scentralmetaphor,alens
throughwhichtheindividualcouldcometotermswithhisownimageaswellashisplace
withinalargersocietyofartists.Indrawingafterdrawing,theconfrontationbetweenone
ormoremembersofFantin’sgroupandthemirrorofTruthprovidesthecomposition’s
centraldrama.Asareflective,representationaldeviceinaccessibletotheviewer’sgaze,it
AlsdorfFantin’sFailedToasttoTruth 55
Figs. 1a – c. Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836 – 1904).FragmentsofThe Toast! Homage to Truth,1865,
oiloncanvas.
a.Self-Portrait,36×32cm(141⁄4×125⁄8in.).Privatecollection.PhotocourtesyBrame&Lorenceau,Paris
b.James McNeill Whistler, 47×37cm(185⁄8×145⁄8in.).Washington,D.C.,FreerGalleryofArt,Smithson-
ianInstitution,GiftofCharlesLangFreer(f1906.276a-b).Photo:FreerGalleryofArt
c.Portrait of Antoine Vollon,30.2×18cm(12×71⁄8in.).Paris,Muséed’Orsay(rf1974–17).Photo:Réunion
desMuséesNationaux/ArtResource,NY
56 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
actsasanothermetaphoricalportraitsurfaceinwhichindividualfacesamongthegroup
mightbereflected,butwithinaframethatisprivateandprivileged,unseenbythose
outsidethepainting’sinnerworld.Themultiplevariationsonthisthemethroughout
themanysketchesleadinguptothefinalworkshowthatFantinstruggledtorepresent
theideaofanartist’sindividual—butalsocollective—relationshiptoartistictruth.This
balancingactgeneratedendlesscompositionalchallengesashetriedtodevelopalivelier,
moreinteractivemodelofgroupportraiturethantheonehehadexhibitedin1864.
Inthefirstgroupofdrawings,beguninMay1864,Truthholdsouthermirrortoa
largegroup,asiftheattributewereasymboloftriumph(figs.3,4).7Pressedtogetherat
herfeet,heraudienceclamorsbelowlikeacrowdatarally.Infigure3,oneofthemholds
upastandardwiththeword“VERITE,”whichfacesTruth’smirrorintheupperhalfof
thecompositionasifansweringit—reflectingthemirror’smeaningwhilealsolabeling
thepicture’ssubject.ButwhatismostnotableabouttheseearlydrawingsisthatTruth
presentshermirrortoamobofpeopleinanopen,perhapsoutdoor,setting.8Fantinorigi-
nallyconceivedtheworkasamasshomage,envisioningTruthasapublicleaderableto
manipulatethecrowdwithhermirror-wand.
Laterdrawings,fromNovember1864toearlyJanuary1865,abandonthepublic
settingfortheinteriorspaceofthestudioandalsoshiftfromacollectivetoamoreindi-
vidualizedaudienceforTruth.Inthissecondphaseofsketches,Fantinexperimented
withaone-on-oneencounterbetweenTruthandasinglefigureinthegroup,withother
Fig. 2. Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836 – 1904).Homage to Delacroix,1864,oiloncanvas,160×250cm
(63×981⁄2in.).Paris,Muséed’Orsay(rf1664).Photo:RéuniondesMuséesNationaux/ArtResource,NY
AlsdorfFantin’sFailedToasttoTruth 57
Fig. 3. Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836 – 1904).StudyforThe Toast! Homage to Truth,n.d.(probably
May1865),graphiteandpierrenoireonpaper,14.3×23.1cm(55⁄8×91⁄8in.).Paris,DépartementdesArts
Graphiques,MuséeduLouvre(rf12647).Photo:RéuniondesMuséesNationaux/ArtResource,NY
Fig. 4. Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836 – 1904).StudyforThe Toast! Homage to Truth,30May1864/
5December1864,leadpencilandgraphiteonpaper,21.4×29.8cm(81⁄2×113⁄4in.).Paris,Départe-
mentdesArtsGraphiques,MuséeduLouvre(rf12486).Photo:RéuniondesMuséesNationaux/Art
Resource,NY
58 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
figureslookingon(figs.5,6).9TheprivilegedfigurefacingTruthandhermirrorisalmost
invariablyapainter,holdingabrushandpaletteand/orstandingataneasel,andoften
resemblesFantin.Moreimportantthantheissueofidentification,though,isthewaythe
scenariosarecomposedsothatitisunclearwhetherthepainteristransfixedbythenude
(andhenceTruth)orbyhisownimagereflectedbackathiminthemirror—or,indeed,by
aheadycombinationofboth.Asviewers,wecannotseethemirror’sreflectivesideand
thereforecannotknowifthepainterisenthralledbyTruthorself,andthisveryambiguity
posesthepossibilitythatthetwomightbeunderstoodasoneandthesame,orthatFantin
meanttoprovokereflectiononjustthispoint.Thethemeofspecularity,orreflexivity,
hasmultiplelayersofsignificancehere,suggestingthatvisualartistsareforcedtolook
atthemselvesratherthan—oratleastatthesametimeas—thereality(thetruth)theyare
strivingtorepresent,asiftherealistprojectmustnecessarilyfallbackon,anddrawits
strengthfrom,thetaskofself-portraiture.ThisconceptionofrealismcomplicatesÉmile
Zola’sfamousdefinitionofartas“afragmentofnatureseenthroughatemperament.”10
Zola’sphrasesuggeststhatrealismisaseamlessconvergenceoftwoentitiesthatare
otherwisesplit,orevenopposed—nature(Zola’snotionoftruth)andtemperament(his
notionofself ).WhatFantin’sconceitsuggests,takingtheideafurther,isthatrealism
requirestheartisttolookattruthandalsoathimself—thatself-portraiture,andthus
self-analysis,subtendanyhonestdepictionofthings—andthatthetwosights,selfand
truth,areoftendifficulttoresolve.Byexperimentingwithisolatedself-reflectionwithin
acollectivecomposition,Fantin’sstudiesforThe Toast!revealhowthisself-truthconflict
wasdeeplyimbricatedintheself-groupconflictthatdrovehisgroupportraits.Fantin’s
struggletodefinehisversionofrealismanditsrelationshiptotruthwasinseparablefrom
hisstruggletodefinehisrelationshiptohisartisticpeers.
Ontheonehand,thissecondgroupofdrawingsseemstoresistnotionsofcol-
lectivitybyusingTruth’shand-mirrorasavisualdeviceofexclusiveenlightenmentand
privilege.(MovingTruthintoanartist’sstudioalreadymakesthepointthataccesstoher
isrestricted.)Ontheotherhand,themirrorisasubtlesolutionforimplementinghier-
archyinagroupportraitwithoutseparatingout,elevating,orenlarginganyparticular
figure,thuspreservinganoverallsenseofdemocraticunity.IfFantinhadwantedtopaint
awhollyself-centeredgroupportrait,hecouldhavehewedmorecloselytohismodel:
GustaveCourbet’sThe Painter’s Studio: A Real Allegory Summing Up a Phase of Seven Years
of My Moral and Artistic Life(1855),exhibitedintheartist’sself-mountedone-manshow
adecadebefore.11Theambitious,first-persontoneofthiswork’slengthytitlepervades
itspictorialstructure,whichcentersonCourbethimselfpaintingathiseaselwithanude
model—a“realallegory”fortruth—peeringoverhisshoulder.UnlikeCourbet,who
madehimselftheisolatedcenterpieceofthegroupgatheredinhisstudio,Fantinpushed
hisself-portraittothemarginandabandonedtheone-on-oneencounterbetweenpainter
andTruthsothatTruthcouldaddressamorepublic,collectiveaudience.Fantinalso
chosetoemphasizethecommunalactoftoastinginsteadofartistsobservinganddraw-
ingprivateinspirationfromTruth.12
AlsdorfFantin’sFailedToasttoTruth 59
Fig. 5. Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836 – 1904).Studyfor The Toast!Homage to Truth,5December
1864,charcoalandcrayononpaper,29.9×37.8cm(117⁄8×15in.).Paris,DépartementdesArtsGraphiques,
MuséeduLouvre(rf12397,fol.5r).Photo:RéuniondesMuséesNationaux/ArtResource,NY
Fig. 6. Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836 – 1904).Studyfor The Toast!Homage to Truth,8January1865,
charcoalandcrayononpaper,29.9×37.8cm(117⁄8×15in.).Paris,DépartementdesArtsGraphiques,Mu-
séeduLouvre(rf12415,fol.17v).Photo:RéuniondesMuséesNationaux/ArtResource,NY
60 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
ThelastmajorshiftinthedevelopmentofThe Toast!appearsinthecrucialdraw-
ingof16January1865(fig.7),where,forthefirsttime,Truthturnstofacetheviewer.
AfterpagesandpagesofsketchesinwhichTruthcouldbeseenonlyfrombehind,Fantin
decidedtoshiftthenudedead-centerandpositionherbodytothefront,holdingupher
mirrorinherlefthandandlookingoutinanopenaddresstotheaudience.Atright,a
figureinatophatisdepictedfrombehind,asistheseatedfigureatthetableinthelower
leftcorner;butthefrontalityofTruth’snudebodycommandingthecomposition’scenter
emphaticallyeliminatesanysenseofthegroupasanenclosedinnercircle.Themirrorof
Truthisfinallyvisible,andnowincludesthepublicoutsidetheframeinitsphilosophi-
calmeditation.
What was behind this change? Was Fantin challenging his audience through
Truth’saddress,daringthemtofacehermirror?Whydidheabandontheingenious
tropeofTruthselectingandcommuningwithparticularartistsamongthegroup—their
exchangehiddenfromview—foryetanotherfrontalgroupportrait?Simpleclarityand
comprehensibilitywereprobablypartofhisreasoning:figure7(likethepainting)issym-
metrical,withthefiguresmoreorlessevenlydistributedoneitherside,andhierarchyis
establishedbymoretraditionalmeansofplacementandpose,withFantinrelegatedto
theouterleftmargin(theseatedfigure’struncatedprofileattheedgeisunmistakably
his).However,thesechangesmayalsohavebeeninspiredbyadesireforamorecon-
frontationalandpublicimage(noticehowthesettinghaschangedfromtheintimate
Fig. 7. Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836 – 1904).StudyforThe Toast! Homage to Truth,16January
1865,charcoalandcrayononpaper,29.9×37.8cm(117⁄8×15in.).Paris,DépartementdesArtsGraphiques,
MuséeduLouvre(rf12419,fol.19v).Photo:RéuniondesMuséesNationaux/ArtResource,NY
AlsdorfFantin’sFailedToasttoTruth 61
studioofthepreviousdrawingstoamoreclassical,civicarchitecturalspace);andFan-
tinseemstohavehadsecondthoughtsaboutTruth’smirrorprivilegingasingleartist
amongthegroup,especiallyifhewerethatartist.Hisnoteinthemarginforapossible
title,“ToTruth,ourideal!”(A la Vérité, notre idéal!),suggeststhissketchwasaneffortto
showamorecollectivetoasttoTruth,anidealsharedbythemendepictedintheportrait
andperhapsalsobythepublicthatitwasintendedtoaddress.Fromthispointforward,
theencounterbetweentheartistandthemirrorofTruthistriangulatedtoincludethe
spectator,raisingthequestionofartistictruthfromanotherdirection:Asviewers,isour
truthanimpartialreality?Orisitwhatweseeofourselves—whatwealreadyknow,an
accumulationofwhatwehaveseenbeforeinpreviouspicturesandpersonalexperiences?
Thedrawingof16Januarywasnotthefinalrevision.Apen-and-inkdrawing
sketchedintoaletterFantinprobablywroteinearlyFebruary1865representsamore
advancedstateofthecomposition(fig.8),likelymadeafterthepaintingwasunder
way.Theletterisseverelycropped,makingtheremainingfragmentsoftextverydif-
ficulttodecipherintosentences,butitsprovenanceinBritishcollectionssuggestsit
mayhavebeenoneofthemanylettersFantinaddressedtoEdwinEdwardsorWhistler
whileThe Toast!wasinprogress.13AnotherpossiblerecipientistheGermanpainterOtto
Scholderer,aclosefriendofFantinwithwhomhekeptupalivelyandlengthycorrespon-
dencefrom1858until1901.Scholderer’slettertoFantinfromFrankfurtdated14February
1865confirmsthathehadrecentlyreceivedatleastthreesketchesofthecompositionin
progress,thelatestofwhichhedescribesintermscloselymatchingtheGettydrawing:an
imageofafemalenudesurroundedbymeninblackinscribedwiththeword“VERITÉ.”14
IftheGettydocumentwassenttoScholderer,thenthisisthedrawingthatprovokedan
uncommoncritiquefromFantin’smosttrustedfriend:Scholdererfoundtherepresen-
tationofTruthheavy-handed,especiallywithherprominent“Verité”label,andwarned
Fantinthathewas“goingtoofar,”thatthepicturemightactuallydoharmtothevery
friendsandcolleaguesitmeanttosupport.15
Untilnow,thebestapproximationofthefinalcompositionwasasmalloilsketch,
probablydonearoundthesametime.However,apoorblack-and-whitereproductionof
thisesquisseisallthatremains,16andtheGettydrawingismuchmoreinformativebecause
itissocrisplydrawninpen.Thedrawingisverysimilartotheoilsketchinalmostevery
compositionalrespect,anditalsohewscloselytoFantin’shelpfuldescriptionofthe
finalcomposition(orwhatheplannedasthefinalcompositionwhenhebeganpainting,
anyway)inhislettertoEdwardson3February.17Truthappearsamidanestofcloudsset
againstadarkbackground,herleftarmrestingonacloudandherrighthandholdinga
smallroundmirror.Shenolongerraisesthemirroraloft;insteadsheholdsitrathermore
modestlynearherknee,atthecomposition’sapproximatecenter.Comparedwiththe
drawingof16January,thecompositionissimplified,withdarknessandcloudsreplacing
thepreviousdrawing’sarchitecturaldetails.Inthisrevision,theinteriorspaceisonce
againintimate,narrow,andambiguous,andthefocusmorefullyonthegroupofmen
surroundingTruth’stable.
62 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
Fig. 8. Henri Fantin-Latour (French, 1836 – 1904).SketchforThe Toast! Homage to Truth, ca.late
January–earlyFebruary1865,inkonpaper,12×8.1cm(43⁄4×33⁄16in.).LosAngeles,GettyResearch
Institute(850433)
AlsdorfFantin’sFailedToasttoTruth 63
TheGettysketchalsoconfirmsFantin’sfinaladjustmenttohisplacementinthe
painting:inthedrawingof16January(seefig.7),heappearsatfarleft,justoutsidethe
perimeterofthemenseatedorstandingaroundthetable.Alistoftennamesappearsin
theleftmarginofthedrawing,identifyingtenoftheelevenfiguresappearing,including
Truth.Fantin’snameisnotamongthem.Thisandhisextremelymarginalplacement
suggesthefeltambivalentaboutincludinghisportraitatall.18ButintheGettydrawing,
asinthelostoilsketch,hereassertshispresence,movinghimselfuptothetabletoshare
theforegroundwithWhistler.Seatedatthelowerleftcornerofthetablewithhisbackto
theviewer,hereachesouthisarmandpointshisfingertowardTruthwhileatthesame
timelookingoverhisshoulder.Hisgestureismeanttoinstructhisviewerswheretolook,
butonlyafterfilteringtheirattentionthroughhim.Whenseeninlightofhisdescription
ofthepaintingintheletterof3February,theartist’splacementisrevealing,foritrein-
statesasubtlehierarchyamongthegatheredmen—ahierarchythatplacesthepainter
himselfatthepeakofimportance,evenifheisnotinthecentralormostimmediately
visibleposition:
Infrontofthetable,standing,handonhiship,aglassinhand,Whistlerdressed
en japonais;me,the number one,turningaroundandshowingTruth,thenaround
us,peoplewithglassesinhand,raisingatoasttoTruth!TheydrinktoTruth
theiridealandbyoneofthoselicensespermittedtopaintingwhichareoneof
itscharms,theirIdeal,thesubjectoftheirtoastappearsforhewholooksatthe
picture.Itispurefantasymixedwithreality.19
Accordingtothisdescription,Fantin’sconceptionofthepaintingasagroupportrait
andasarepresentationof“truth”hadfundamentallychanged.Afterattemptingmany
other,moreabsorptivecompositionsinwhichthefigureofTruthcouldbeseenonlyfrom
behind—andinwhich,asaresult,theprecisenatureofherencounterwiththeartists
aroundherwasinaccessibletotheviewer,lostintheinvisiblesurfaceofhermirror—Fan-
tindecidedtoopenupthepaintingtohispublic,addressingviewersdirectlywithamore
frontalcomposition.Andunliketheearliersketches,hereFantinportrayshimselfneither
asthecentralfigureoftheprivilegedartistnorasamarginalfigurerelegatedtothepaint-
ing’soutermostedge.Instead,hehasfoundacompromisesolutioninwhichWhistler
andTruthtakecenterstage20butFantin’sleadinggestureandpointedlyoutwardglance
stillsecurehisplaceasthe“numberone”artistintheimage.Hehasthehonorofreveal-
ingTruth: itishewhoallowsustoseeher,andhisassertionthat“thesubject...appears
forhewholooksatthepicture”makesclearhowmuchhevaluedthisposition.According
tohisconception,theopencompositionheeventuallychosemeantthatonlythosewho
viewthepaintingfromtheoutside—onlythoseoccupyinghispositionastheartiststand-
ingbeforetheimageandfacingin—couldseeTruthinallherglory.WhatFantinseemsto
havewantedwasanimageoftruththatwasbothcollectiveandallhisown.
Itisimportantthattheartist’spositioninsidethepaintingreflectshisstanceout-
sideitaswell,asthe“painter-beholder”(toborrowMichaelFried’snow-classicterm)
64 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
whoseinside-outsidestatusactsasourrelay,drawingusintothepaintingandencour-
agingustoseeitthrough his eyes.21Indeed,intheclosestapproximationswehaveofthe
painting,FantinistheonlyfigureacknowledgingTruth’spresence.Infact,heistheonly
onewhoseemsawarethatsheisthere.InalettertoEdwardswrittenon15February
1865,wellafterhehadbegunthepainting,Fantinmakesthisideaexplicit:“Youareright,
Iamtheonlyonewhowillseeher....BanquodidnotfrightenMacbethsomuchasTruth
frightensme.”22Forhim,The Toast!wasultimatelyabouthisrelationshiptoTruth,not
theaudience’s,andthisrelationshipwasananxiousone,astheMacbethremarkreveals.
ThenotionthathewouldbethesolememberofthegroupabletoseeTruthindicatesthat
theideabehindhiscollectivehomageultimatelywasegocentric.DespiteFantin’sanxiety
abouthisplacementinthegroup,soevidentintheprogressionofdrawings,anddespite
hiseffortstocouchhismetaphorsofindividuationinacompositionpremisedoncollec-
tiveunity,astatementlikethissuggeststhatthegroupheselectedwassummonedasa
supportingcastforhisownself-portrait.Thisistheaspectofthepaintingthatirritated
thecritics.Theycalledthework“acrisisofpride,”lamenting“theseapotheosesofone’s
ownpersonality,thesebeer-mugparadiseswheretheartistclaimstheroleofGodand
Father,withhislittlefriendsasapostles.”23
ThecriticalonslaughtagainstThe Toast!struckarawnerveinFantin,asareal-
istandasapainterofportraitsandgroupsinthe1860s.Aconceptionofrealismthat
placedselfandself-reflectionatthecenterofthings,asthesedrawingsandthedestroyed
paintingdidtovaryingextents,wasatoddswithgroupportraiture,seenascollaborative
andcollective,notnarcissisticinnature.24Itwasalsoatoddswithrealism’sownclaimto
depictthe“real”and“true”materialworld.ThedrawingsforThe Toast!meditateonsome
ofrealism’scentralissues:Areselfandtruthreconcilable?Aretheyone?Istheartist’ssub-
jectivity,hispersonalvisionorstyle,aproblemforrealism,anartisticphilosophyclaiming
toofferdirecttranscriptionofvisualexperienceontothecanvas?Orissubjectivitythe
veryessenceofanartist’simageofthe“real”?Theseareclassicquestionsaboutrealism,
amovementnotoriouslydifficulttodefine.TheyarealsoquestionsatthecoreofFantin’s
oeuvre,splitvirtuallydownthemiddlebetweenlyrical,Wagnerianfantasiespaintedfrom
imaginationandportraitsandstilllifesinwhicheveryanatomicalandbotanicaldetailis
transcribedfromlifewithmeticulouscare.Finally,theyarequestionsthatmadegroup
portraitureallbutimpossibleforanartistwhotookthemsoseriously.Intheend,Fantin’s
personalandcollectivehomagetotruthwassofraughtwithawkwardness,uncertainty,
andchangesofmind,soinvestedwithuntenableallegoricalclaimstorealist“truth,”that
itcouldnotholdtogether.AlthoughitisnotsurprisingthatFantinsavedtheportraits
ofhimselfandWhistler,theleadingartistsinhispicture(whyhesavedVollonismore
ofamystery),25thefactthatthepaintingendedupasthreeseparate,individualpor-
traits—currentlyheldinthreedifferentcollections,noless—poignantlyepitomizesits
failure:afailuretoembodytheparadoxicalideaofaprivilegedyetshareabletruth.
AlsdorfFantin’sFailedToasttoTruth 65
BridgetAlsdorf is an assistant professor in the Department of Art and Archaeology at Princeton
University.
Notes MysincerethankstoT.J.Clark,AnneWagner,DarcyGrimaldoGrigsby,andtheanonymous
reviewersfortheirhelpfulcritiquesandsuggestions.Researchforthisarticlewouldnothavebeenpos-
siblewithoutthegenerosityoftheDépartementdesArtsGraphiques,MuséeduLouvre,andthedepart-
mentofSpecialCollections,GettyResearchInstitute.Alltranslationsaremyown.
1. “C’estdelaphantaisiepuremêléederéalité....”HenriFantin-LatourtoEdwinEdwards,
3February1865,Copies de lettres de Fantin à ses parents et amis, par Victoria Fantin-Latour,Bibliothèque
MunicipaledeGrenoble,R.8867Réserve(hereaftercitedasBMG),fascicule2,63. 2. MydescriptionisdrawnfromFantin’sannotatedpreparatorysketchesintheDépartement
desArtsGraphiques,MuséeduLouvre,Paris(rf12393,12395,12397–12403,12405–12408,12410–12412,
12415–12417,12418–12420,12425,12467,12485–12486,12568,12647–12648,12801),hiscorrespondence
(especiallythelettercitedabove),andvariousSalonreviewsdescribingthefinalpicture,including:Félix
Deriège,“Beaux-Arts:Salonde1865,”Le siècle (2June1865):1:“Derrièreeux,unejeunefilled’unblond
ardentestdebout,appuyéesurunfauteuil.C’estlaVéritétellequ’ellesortitunbeaujourdesonpuits.”
LouisLeroy,“Salonde1865IV,”Le charivari (13May1865):2:“LeToast représentecinqousixjeunesgens
vusàmi-corps,tenanttousunverreàlamain.Aufond,dansunelumièreduBengale,laVéritésedresse
triomphalement.”FrancisAubert,“Salonde1865:IIILesJeunes,”Le pays 135(15May1865):3:“cesgens-
là,rangésautourd’unetablesurlaquelleonamisunenappeblanchepourlasolennité,boiventuncoup
debleuàlavéritéquiapparaîtsouslaformed’unepetitecanaillelaideetbête....Aufondlecielbleu(il
paraîtquelatableestenpleinvent),etc.,letoutdegrandeurnaturelle.”Ch.Bataille,“LeSalonde1865,”
L’univers illustré441(14June1865):374:“Lesthuriférairesboiventdubleu-authentique,lavéritél’exige,
maisilssontlugubressousleursaccoutrements.Parmilesenfantsdechœurterribles,jedistingueZacha-
rieAstruc,uncritiquetrèsparadoxalettrès-primesautier;M.AmandGautier,lepeintreénergiquedes
Folles de la Salpetrière . . . ;puisM.Whisthler[sic],lespirituelelumineurdelafameuseChinoise. Latêtefine
deM.Whisthler[sic]jaillit,ironiqueetrailleuse,d’unerobejaponaisetraitéeavecungrandrespectdes
étoffes.”A.deBullemont,“Salonde1865:Lapeintured’histoire,”Les beaux-arts (15June1865):353–54:
“AinsiM.FantinvoudraitnouspersuaderquelaVéritéc’estcettegrossefillerousseauxchairsflasques,
auxyeuxgris,etquelevraic’estlevinbleuqu’onboitauxbarrières,danscesverrescommuns....Parmis
lesbuveurs,citonsMM.Manet,Whistler,CordieretGautier.”A.-J.duPays,“Salonde1865(quatrième
article),”L’illustration 1164(17June1865):384:“laVériténue,dansuneauréoledelumière....Letitredu
tableauLe Toast etlegestedel’artistequiindiquedudoigtlaVérité(àquitoutlemondetourneledos)ne
rendentpaslascènetrèsintelligible....Lepeintresemblen’avoirpaseugrandeconfiancedanslaclarté
desonsujet,car,au-dessusdel’apparitionlumineusedecettefiguredefemmenue,ilaécritengroscar-
actères:VERITE.”AmédéeCantaloube,“ChroniqueduSalonde1865,”Illustrateur des dames et des demoi-
selles(18June1865):195–96:“Lepeintreresteraitalorsseulenfacedesacréation.”LouisAuvray,“Salon
de1865,”Revue artistique et littéraire (15July1865):26:“cesprétendusréalistesbuvantdupetitbleuàla
santédelaVérité,quiestlàtoutenue....Parmislesréalistesquifigurentsurcettetoile,buvantunlitreen
l’honneurd’uneVéritérousse,onnousasignaléM.Fantin,l’auteurdecettepeinture:iloccupelecentre
delatoile,assis,ledosaupublic,etlatêtetournéeverslespectateur.Puis,M.Manet,jeunehommeblond,
vudeface,leverreàlamain;etsurlepremierplan,M.Whistlerestencostumechinois....Cettecomposi-
tionoffreencorelesportraitsdequatreàcinqueréalistes,entreautresceuxdeMM.CordieretGauthier
[sic],etdedeuxautresvusdedos.”GonzaguePrivat,Place aux jeunes! causeries critiques sur le Salon de
1865: Peinture, sculpture, gravure, architecture (Paris:F.Cournol,1865),62–63:“LeportraitdeM.Whistler,
vêtud’unerobenoirbaignéedefantastiquesarabasques,estunmorceaudepeinturecommel’onenfait
peu.”Some,althoughnotall,ofthesereviewsareavailableintheAlbum de Coupures de Presse: Critiques sur
66 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
l’œuvre de Fantin-Latour,vol.1,BibliothèqueNationaledeFrance,Paris,Est.Yb3-2746-8.Thealbumwas
assembledbytheartist’swife,VictoriaDubourgFantin-Latour,whomayhaveintentionallyomittedsome
ofthenegativereviews.
3. TheportraitofVollonisinthecollectionoftheMuséed’Orsay,Paris,andtheportraitof
WhistlerisintheFreerGalleryofArt,SmithsonianInstitution,Washington,D.C.Thecurrentlocation
oftheportraitofFantinisunknown.AccordingtotheGalerieBrame&Lorenceau,Paris,itwasacquired
fromtheH.E.TenCatecollectioninHollandin1958byaDr.S.LeonardSimpsonofLondon.Itsmost
recentlydocumentedlocationisinaprivatecollectioninJapan.
4. TheliteratureonThe Toast! islimited,butimportantworkhasbeendone.AtushiMiura’s
chapter“Le Toast — hommage à la vérité(1865)deFantin-Latour:Deuxièmemanifestemalaccepté,”inhis
unpublisheddissertation,“Lareprésentationdel’artisteautourdeManetetFantin-Latour” (PhDdiss.,
UniversitédeLilleIII,1996),59–91,triestoreconstructthepaintingthroughtheSalonreviews,afewof
whichIdiscoveredthankstohisthoroughresearch,andalsoinvestigatestheissueofTruth’salleged“vul-
garity.”LéonceBénédite’sarticle,“Histoired’untableau:‘LeToast’,parFantin-Latour,”La revue de l’art17
(10February1905):121–36,concentratesprimarilyonthepreparatorydrawings,describingtheevolution
ofthecompositionthroughitsvariousstages,andisthereforeofgreatuseonlytosomeoneunabletoview
thedrawings.HisconclusionisthatThe Toast!wasaturningpointinFantin’soeuvre,afterwhichwecan
seeadistinctdivisioninhispracticebetweenrealistandallegorical/fantasticalsubjects.DouglasDruick’s
catalogentriesonsevenofthepreparatorydrawingsandthepaintedfragmentdepictingVollonprovide
averygoodoverviewoftheprojectanditsfailure,highlightingseveraloftheproblemsFantinconfronted
whileworkingonit,includingTruth’ssimilaritytoastudiomodelandthechallengeofreconcilingrealist
portraitureandallegory.DouglasDruickandMichelHoog,Fantin-Latour (Ottawa:NationalGalleryof
Canada, 1983),181–92.Finally,MichaelFriedanalyzesseveralofthepreparatorydrawingsinhischapter
“TheGenerationof1863”inManet’s Modernism, or, The Face of Painting in the 1860s (Chicago:University
ofChicagoPress,1996),203–12,wherehisfocusisonthe“dividedstructureofdenial ofanddirect address
tothebeholder”(196)characterizedbyFantin’spaintinginthe1860singeneralandembodiedinthe
sketchesforThe Toast! inparticular.Fried’saccounthasinformedmyreading,althoughIapproachthe
problemofthework’srelationshiptoitsviewers,andtheroleoftheartistinthepicture,indifferentways.
ForrecentcommentaryonFantin’sgroupportraiture,seeVincentPomarède,“Friends’Gatherings,”in
Henri Fantin-Latour (1836 – 1904), exh.cat.(Lisbon:FundaçãoCalousteGulbenkian,2009),240–44,and
PierreVaisse,“Fantin-Latour:Lesportraitscollectifs,”inFantin-Latour, de la réalité au rêve (Lausanne:
Fondationdel’Hermitage,2007),43–47.
5. ThethirtysketchbooksheetsintheMuséeduLouvrelistedabove(seenote2)includethe
drawingsdirectlyrelatedtothecompositionofThe Toast! Homage to Truth. Severalotherdrawingsdat-
ingfromthesecondhalfof1864andthefirsthalfof1865canalsobeconsideredstudiesforThe Toast!,
althoughtheydonotfeaturetheallegoricalfigureofTruth:rf12394,12404,12409,12413–12414,12519,
12637,and12650–12651intheMuséeduLouvre,Paris;andInv.b1445a-bintheMuséedesBeaux-Arts,
Lyon.ThisisbecauseFantinwasalsoconsideringpaintinganhomagetoBaudelairetitledUn Anniver-
saire,includingagroupofartistsandwritersraisingatoasttothedeceasedpoet’simage.Thisideawas
abandonedforthe1865SalonbuteventuallymigratedintoFantin’sstudiesforhisfourthgroupportrait
ofpoets,Corner of a Table, exhibitedattheSalonof1872.FormoreontheunrealizedBaudelairepicture,
seeLuceAbélès,Fantin-Latour: Coin de table, Verlaine, Rimbaud et les Vilains Bonshommes (Paris:Éditions
delaRéuniondesMuséesNationaux,1987),13–16,49,andmy“TheArtofAssociation:Fantin-Latourand
theModernGroupPortrait”(PhDdiss.,UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,2008),267–75.
6. Foranin-depthanalysisofthispaintingandtheFrenchreinventionofDutchgroupportrai-
ture,seemychapter“TheSelfinGroupPortraiture”inArt of Association,37–105,forwhichAloisRiegl’s
“DasholländischeGruppenporträt,”Jahrbuch des allerhöchsten Kaiserhauses22(1902):71–278,translated
AlsdorfFantin’sFailedToasttoTruth 67
byEvelynM.KainandDavidBrittasThe Group Portraiture of Holland(LosAngeles:GettyResearchInsti-
tute,1999),isbothinspirationandfoil.
7. Besidesthetwodrawingsillustratedhere,sketchbooksheetrf12485,MuséeduLouvre,Paris,
includestwosimilardrawingsshowingTruthstandingaboveacrowd.Theinscriptiononfigure3confirms
Fantin’sinterestinaswarmingcrowdofartistsgatheredaroundTruth:“destêtesportraitssepressanten
foule/peintressculpteurs/musicienssavantslittérateurs/beaucoupfoule.”
8. Theallegoricalnudewithherarmheldhigh,thestandard,andtherowdymassareallechoes
ofEugèneDelacroix’sLiberty Guiding the People (1830;Paris,MuséeduLouvre),depoliticizedtobecome
anarcaneartisticmanifesto.
9. Besidesthetwoillustratedhere,thefollowingsketchesrepresentanencounterbetween
Truthandone,two,orthreeparticularartistsamongthegroup:rf12393,12398,12399,12400,12401,
12402,12403(rectoandverso),12405,12406,12408,12410–12412,and12416–12417,MuséeduLouvre,
Paris.Truth’smirrorisnotalwaysdirectedatthepainter.Sometimesshesimplyfaceshim,aimingher
mirrorelsewhere,whilehestaresupather,transfixedbyherimage(e.g.,rf12399and12401).Thisseems
tomefurtherevidencethattherelationshipbetweenartisticTruthandtheartist’sself(-image)wasone
Fantinstruggledwithinvariousways.
10. “Uneœuvred’artestuncoindelacréationvuàtraversuntempérament.”ÉmileZola,
“ProudhonetCourbet,”inidem,Mes Haines: Causeries littéraires et artistiques (Paris:Charpentier,1923),25.
11. Morethananyotherpaintingofthelatterhalfofthenineteenthcentury,The Toast! Homage to
TruthinvokedCourbet’slegacyandtheprofoundimpactofThe Painter’s Studio.Therelationshipbetween
theworks iscomplexanddeservesconsiderablediscussion,forwhichIhavenospacehere.(Seemy“Art
ofAssociation,” 106–67.)Sufficeittosaythattheelaboratemise-en-scèneofCourbet’senormousself-
portraitwithinagroupportraitprovokedwidespreadreflection,andquiteabitofconfusion,aboutthe
relationshipbetweenthepainterandsocietyatlarge.Atthesametime,itsperplexingsubtitledeclaredits
ambitiontoreconcileallegoryandrealism,thenconsideredtobeatoppositepolesofthestylisticspec-
trum,andtodosointhechargedsymbolicspaceoftheartist’sstudio.Fantin’sToast tookupthesame
impossiblechallengeswithlesssuccessfulresults,raisingdoubtsaboutrealism’sunderlyingaimsand
collectiveidentity.FormoreonCourbet’spainting,seetheextensivebibliographyinthecatalogentryby
LaurencedesCarsinGustave Courbet (NewYork:MetropolitanMuseumofArt,2008),220.
12. AnevencloserandmorerecentmodelforThe Toast! mayhavebeenCourbet’splannedsub-
missiontotheSalonof1864,The Source of Hippocrene, irreparablydamagedinastudioaccidentbeforeit
couldbeshown. ThepaintingrepresentedanudeParisianmodelinamythicallandscapearoundwhom
gatheredseveralcontemporarypoets,includingCharlesBaudelaire,ThéophileGautier,andAlphonse
Lamartine,drinkingfromtheHippocrene’swatersforinspiration.Afarceoftheapotheosisgenre,the
workwasintendedtocondemn“poetry’shatredofrealism”andviceversa:themodernnudewasshown
spittingintothefountain,poisoningitsParnassianwatersandallwhodrankthem.Itispossiblethat
Fantin’sToastwaspartiallyinspiredbyCourbet’scanvas—hecouldeasilyhavebeenawareofthepaint-
ingbeforeitwasdestroyed,ashefollowedCourbet’sactivitiescloselyatthetime—buthisgatheringof
artistswasmorereverentialtohisrealistallegoryofTruth.FormoreonThe Source of Hippocrene,seePaul
Galvez,“PaintingattheOrigin,”inLooking at Landscapes: Courbet and Modernism, Papers from a Symposium
Held at the J. Paul Getty Museum on March 18, 2006 (LosAngeles:J.PaulGettyMuseum,2007),www.getty
.edu/museum/symposia/courbet_modernism.html,8–11.Courbetdiscussesthepaintinginlettersto
JulesCastagnary(18January1864)andUrbainCuenot(6April1866)inLetters of Gustave Courbet, ed.and
trans.Petraten-DoesschateChu(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1992).
13. TheletterwiththedrawingwaspurchasedbytheGettyResearchInstituteatauctionfrom
Christie’s,London,in1986.ThepreviousownerwasaMrs.E.M.GordonofBiddlesdenPark,Brackley,
Northamptonshire,England,andhercollectionwasformerlypartofthearchiveofSmith,Elder&Co.,
68 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
aLondonpublisher.AletterfromEdwinEdwardssentfromCornwalldatedFebruary1865suggeststhat
EdwardshadrecentlyreceivedadrawingofThe Toast!fromFantin, sincehisknowledgeofthecomposi-
tionexceedsFantin’sdetaileddescriptionofitinanotherletterof3February.(HenriFantin-Latourto
EdwinEdwards,BMG,fascicule2,63,and EdwinEdwardstoHenriFantin-Latour,February1865,private
collection,Paris.)Tomyknowledge,thedrawingtowhichEdwardsrefersisneitherintheLouvrenor
withtherestofEdwards’scorrespondence,andthereforecouldbetheGettydocument.Whistlerlikewise
indicateshereceivedasketchofthepaintingfromFantinaroundthesametime,buthedoesnotdescribe
it.(JamesMcNeillWhistlertoHenriFantin-Latour,February/March1865,LibraryofCongress,Pennell-
WhistlerCollection,PWC1/33/21.)
14. OttoScholderertoHenriFantin-Latour,Frankfurt,14February1865:
Votreesquissem’adonnébienàréfléchir,jetrouvequ’elleestsuperbeàpeindre,tousces
portraitsennoirautourdelafemmenuesontsuperbesàpeindre,seulement,jenesuispas
d’accordaveclesujet,c’est-à-dire,quevousvoulezfairedevotretableauuntableaudesujeten
écrivantàlettreslenomdelavérité,quantàcelavotreesquissequevousm’avezenvoyéel’autre
jourm’aplumieux,c’étaitplusclaircommesujetcelas’expliquaitdesoi-même,aussiletoast,
l’autreesquisse,celaétaitclair.Maintenantjeneveuxpasdirequeladernièreesquisse(celle
quevousvenezm’envoyer)n’estpasaussijolieàpeindrequelesautres,maisjevousdisfran-
chement,jenesuispaspourunsujetquiabesoindel’explication,lapeinturedoits’expliquer
elle-même,maintenantquandvousvoulezlepeindresansymettrelenomdelavérité,jesuis
parfaitementdevotreavis;lecatalogueoulenomàlettresc’estlamêmechoseàlafin.Pourquoi
n’avez-vouspasfaitundesdeuxautresesquisses,surtoutl’autredéfinitiondelavéritéaurait
faitungrandeffet,était-cepluslongàfaire?
ScholdererandFantin’scorrespondenceissoontobepublishedasMathildeArnoux,ThomasGaehtgens,
andAnneTempelaere-Panzani, eds.,La correspondance d’Henri Fantin-Latour et Otto Scholderer(Paris:
Centreallemanddel’histoiredel’art,2011).MysincerethankstoMathildeArnouxforallowingmeto
reviewthiscollectionofletterspriortopublication,andtoSylvieBrameforgivingmeaccesstothecor-
respondencein2005.SeealsoMathildeArnoux,“LaleçondeCourbet:Àproposdelacorrespondance
entreHenriFantin-LatouretOttoScholderer,”inCourbet à neuf ! Actes du colloque international organisé par
le musée d’Orsay et le Centre allemand d’histoire de l’art à Paris, les 6 et 7 décembre 2007, eds.MathildeArnoux
etal.(Paris:Maisondessciencesdel’homme,2010),281–98.MyguessisthatFantinsentsketchesofThe
Toast!toseveralofhisfriendssolicitingfeedback,andthatEdwards,Whistler,andScholdererallreceived
adrawingsimilartotheoneintheGettycollection.Anyoneofthemcouldhavebeentherecipientofthis
particularsketch,butthefactthatFantin’scorrespondencetoEdwardshasbeencarefullydocumented
(BMG,fasc.2)andthatnoneofitmatchesthesentencefragmentsvisiblearoundtheGettydrawingleads
metobelievethatthisillustratedletterwasaddressedtoWhistlerorScholderer.Fantin’scorrespondence
toScholdererpriorto1871haslongbeenlost.SomeofFantin’sletterstoWhistlerarepreservedinthe
BirniePhilipCollection,GlasgowUniversityLibrary,butnonefromtheperiod1864to1865.
15. “Quantauservicequevousvoulezrendreànoustous,jenepeuxenjugersicelaseraunen
vérité,peut-êtrevousallezdéjàunpeutroploin.”OttoScholderertoHenriFantin-Latour,14February
1865;publishedinMathildeArnoux,ThomasGaehtgens,andAnneTempelaere-Panzani,eds.,La cor-
respondance d’Henri Fantin-Latour et Otto Scholderer(Paris:Centreallemanddel’histoiredel’art,2011).
Scholderer’swarningturnedouttobetrue.AfterthedisastrousreceptionofThe Toast!,Fantinwrote:
“moi,jesuisdétestédespeintres....[O]nditquejesoutiensManet,pourluiêtrenuisible....”Henri
Fantin-LatourtoEdwinEdwards,26June1865,BMG,fasc.2,89.
16. TheoilsketchisreproducedinFried,Manet’s Modernism, 210.Itisunclearwhenitwaslost,
butdefinitelyafterBénédite’sarticleof1905,sincehementionsthe“redveil”floatingbehindTruthinhis
descriptionofit.Bénédite,“Histoired’untableau,”131.
AlsdorfFantin’sFailedToasttoTruth 69
17. HenriFantin-LatourtoEdwinEdwards,3February1865,BMG,fasc.2,63:
Voilaladisposition:Dansunfondsombreunnuageéclatantdescend,ils’ouvreetaumilieu
apparaitlaVérité,unebrillantedejeunesse,d’unbraselles’appuiesurcenuage,del’autretient
unmiroir,unpeudedraperieblanchecachelapartieinférieureducorps.Dessouselle,qui
coupelafigureunetableavecdesfleurs,fruits,verres,bouteilles,instrumentsdemusique,pal-
ette,attributsdesartsetdessciences.Devantlatable,debout,lamainsurlahanche,unverreà
lamain,Whistlerenjaponais,moilen°1merétournantetmontrantlaVérité,puisautour,des
gens,leverreàlamain,quiportentuntoastàlaVérité!IlsboiventàlaVéritéleuridéaletpar
unedeceslicensespermisesàlapeintureetquisontundesescharmes,leurIdéal,lesujetde
leurtoastapparaîtpourceluiquiregardeletableau.C’estdelaphantaisiepuremêléederéalité;
moninventionestseulementvenuedececi:Jecherchaisunmotifpourmettredansunetoile,le
plusdechosesagréablesàpeindre.Etbienilyalà,lafemmenue,latablecouvertedefruits,de
fleursetc.Touslesportraitsautour,autantdetêtes,dontonpourraitfairedeschefs-d’œuvres,
labellerobedeWhistler.Ladispositionvousparaîtrabiensimple,ehbien,celam’aprisun
tempsénorme,etlesessaisdetoutesortecelanepeutsedire.Jepeuxvousledire,c’estlapre-
mièrefoisquejesuiscontentdecequej’aitrouvé.
18. Fantin’stentativeself-placementbegscomparisontoÉdouardManet’sself-portraitatthe
farleftmarginofMusic in the Tuileries Gardens (1862),apicturethatFantinknewwellandforwhichhe
probablyposed.ForsynthesesoftheresearchonthispaintingandFantin’spossibleinvolvement,seeNils
GöstaSandblad,“LaMusiqueauxTuileries,”inManet: Three Studies in Artistic Conception, trans.Walter
Nash(Lund:NewSocietyofLetters,1954),17–68,andFrançoiseCachinetal.,Manet 1832 – 1883 (New
York:Abrams,1983),122–26.
19. HenriFantin-LatourtoEdwinEdwards,3February1865,BMG,fasc.2,63.
20. Fantin’suncertaintysurroundingtheplacementofeachfigurewasmademoreanxiousbythe
pressureofpersonalrelationshipsandhisownvanityorambitionvis-à-visthegroup.Hisexplanationfor
placingWhistlerinthecentralforegroundwhilepaintingtherestofhiscolleaguesclusteredbehindthe
tableoneithersideofTruthrevealsthedelicateinterpersonalimplicationsofthecomposition,aswellas
thecombinationofself-interestandthedesiretopleaseothersthatwasbehinditsarrangement:“Whis-
tlerdevantlatable,ceciestunecourtisanerieassezexcusable.Ilesttrèscontentordinairementd’être
enavant,ilm’atoujoursétésiutile,j’aiétésipeuaimabledurantmonséjourchezlui,puiscetterobejap-
onaise,seraaupremierplan,bienjolieàpeindre....puisencoreWhistlerestsiconnuici!PuissaJaponaise
auSalon,toutcelam’adonnécepremierplan.”HenriFantin-LatourtoEdwinEdwards,15February1865,
BMG,fasc.2,66.
21. FriedmakesasimilarpointinhisanalysisofseveralofthedrawingsforThe Toast!,interpreting
thetwofiguresintophats—describedbycriticsasdepictedfromtherearinthefinalversion—as“emis-
sariesfromthespacein front of thepicture.”ForFried,thesefiguresareinconflictwith“theotherwise
mainlyfrontalstructureoftheworkasawhole,”establishinga“doublerelationtotheviewer”thathe
interpretsastransitionalbetweenCourbet’sabsorptiverealismandManet’s“facing”modernism.Fried,
Manet’s Modernism, 198–222.IagreewithFriedthatFantin’svariouswaysofengagingorexcludinghis
viewers(andthisincludesviewersinside hisworksaswell,asinThe Toast!)constituteoneofhisgroup
portraits’mostcompellingfeatures,andwanttoopenthisproblemfurthertoconsiderwhatIbelievedrove
Fantin’sindecisionmorethanhissplitallegiancestoCourbetandManet:theproblematicrelationship
betweenselfandgroup,individualismandcollectivity,inapersonalmanifestointendedfortheParisSalon.
22. “Vousavezraison,iln’yaquemoi,quilaverrai....BanquonefitpastantpeuràMacbeth,que
laVéritépourmoi.”HenriFantin-LatourtoEdwinEdwards,15February1865,BMG,fasc.2,68.
23. “M. Fantin-La-Tour traverse ( je veux l’espérer) une crise singulière, assez fréquente
chezlesnaturesartistes:lacrisedel’orgueil.”ErnestChesneau,“Beaux-Arts:Salonde1865:III.Les
70 get t y r ese a rch jou r na l , no. 3 (2011)
Excentriques—M.M.Manet.—Fantin-Latour.—Whistler.—Lambron.—Biry.—J.Tissot.—Courbet,”
Feuilleton le constitutionnel (16May1865):n.p.[1–2].“Cesapothéosesdesaproprepersonnalité,cesparadis
delachope,oùl’artistetientlerôledeDieulePère,etlespetitscamaradesfigurantlesapôtres,nesont
peut-êtrepasuneassisebienrassurantepourunereligionnouvelle.”Ch.Bataille,“LeSalonde1865,”
L’univers illustré441(14June1865):374.
24. LikeCourbet,Manet,andEdgarDegas,Fantinwasagreatadmirerofseventeenth-century
Dutchgroupportraits,muchinvogueinmid-nineteenth-centuryFrance.CriticslikeThéophileThoréand
HippolyteTainehailedDutchgroupportraitsasimagesofegalitariandemocracyandcollectiveharmony;
Rembrandtinparticularwasseentoembodypro-republicansentimentsdeartoFrenchartistsandwrit-
ers.SeeThéophileThoré(pseud.WilliamBürger),Musées de la Hollande: I. Amsterdam et La Haye, études
sur l’école hollandaise, vol.1(Paris:JulesRenouard,1858),andHippolyteTaine,Philosophie de l’art dans les
Pays-Bas (Paris:G.Baillière,1869).FormoreonRembrandt’sreputationinnineteenth-centuryFrance,see
AlisonMcQueen,“PoliticizingRembrandt:AnExemplarforNewAestheticValues,Realism,andRepubli-
canism,”inidem,The Rise of the Cult of Rembrandt: Reinventing an Old Master in Nineteenth-Century France
(Amsterdam:AmsterdamUniv.Press,2003),109–21.ForapioneeringstudyoftheinfluenceofDutch
groupportraitureonFrenchpainting,seePetraten-DoesschateChu,French Realism and the Dutch Masters:
The Influence of Dutch Seventeenth-Century Painting on the Development of French Painting between 1830 and
1870(Utrecht:HaentjensDekker&Gumbert,1974),49–61.
25. VollonappearsnowhereinFantin’scorrespondence.Thenatureoftheirrelationshipis
unknown.
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