Tissot, Bad News/The Parting, 1872,
69x91 cm. National Museum Cardiff
Jacques Tissot (1836-1902) fought in the Franco-Prussian War to defend Paris, as part of the Paris Commune. His 1870 art evoked the period of the French revolution. But it wasn’t a happy time for the Commune; he left Paris for London in 1871 and spent a decade as an ex-pat in London, immersing himself in and chronicling modern society.
When Tissot refused Degas’ invitation in Mar 1874 to join in the first Impressionist Exhibition, he paid a price. But why would Tissot leave London where he was doing very well on his own, especially financially? His pictures were shown at the Royal Academy, and his portrait of adventurer Frederick Burnaby was hung in the London International Exhibition, 1872. He could buy a lovely house in St John’s Wood!
Look at the attention Tissot paid to composition, costumes and colour. But in Bad News/The Parting (1872), we focus on more than the faces’ sorrows. The young captain, ready in his uniform, sadly slumped forward at the prospect of imminent departure, as did his sweetheart. Glimpse the other sailors sadly going out to join their ship.
When Tissot refused Degas’ invitation in Mar 1874 to join in the first Impressionist Exhibition, he paid a price. But why would Tissot leave London where he was doing very well on his own, especially financially? His pictures were shown at the Royal Academy, and his portrait of adventurer Frederick Burnaby was hung in the London International Exhibition, 1872. He could buy a lovely house in St John’s Wood!
Look at the attention Tissot paid to composition, costumes and colour. But in Bad News/The Parting (1872), we focus on more than the faces’ sorrows. The young captain, ready in his uniform, sadly slumped forward at the prospect of imminent departure, as did his sweetheart. Glimpse the other sailors sadly going out to join their ship.
Yet under Manet's influence, Tissot did scenes from modern life eg fashionable women. He loved social events and balls, painting fun metropolitan life. But even his loveliest society pictures showed rich and complex commentary on Belle Époque culture, religion, fashion and politics. The exhibition included many key modern-life works from his time in London and Paris eg The Ball on Shipboard (1874) and The Prodigal Son in Modern Life (1882).
84 x 130 cm. Tate, London.
In Holyday/The Picnic (1876), two young girls were shown having a great deal of fun, picnicking with a gentleman. Why did they bother with a chaperone; he was doing his own thing by a lakeside tree.
76 x 99 cm. Tate London
The exhibition James Tissot: Fashion and Faith started at the Legion of Honour in San Francisco in Oct 2019. The curators knew the artist was organised and ambitious when they discovered his 1857-1890 carnet de ventes/sales book while the exhibition was being researched.
In 1874, Tissot proudly displayed his paintings in his London house studio, a fashionable thing to do, before successfully submitting them to the RA: London Visitors (1874). Note the diligent man pausing on the steps of the National Gallery buried in his guide book, while his wife looked directly out of the picture to search for something more interesting. In their detailed depictions of elegant dress, these society scenes were accomplished examples of his later work.
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In many of them, Tissot set up an eye-to-eye confrontation in his portraits, as if encouraging them to assert themselves as modern independent women. The show displayed October (1877); the painting depicted Kathleen Newton, a young Irish divorcee, who had become his live-in lover and muse until her death from TB in 1882. Dressed in black, Kathleen looked calmly at the viewer as she hurried through a park. ![]()
Tissot, October, 1877.
A week after Kathleen tragically died, Tissot permanently left London. The change in direction that followed this move was the best part of the exhibition. It was on his return to Paris that Tissot painted his well-known La Femme à Paris series (1883–85)
It was then that Tissot had a revival of his Catholic faith which led him to spend the rest of his life painting Biblical events. He spent long periods of productive retreat at his family estate in the French countryside, nurturing his commitment to religion.
As was popular during the late C19th, Tissot dabbled in mysticism and attended Spiritualist séances. His famous mezzotint from the Fine Arts Museums’ collection, The Apparition (1885), depicted the ghost of Kathleen Newton with a spirit guide as they reportedly appeared to Tissot during a séance.
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Tissot, Christ's Blessing, c1885
In 1874, Tissot proudly displayed his paintings in his London house studio, a fashionable thing to do, before successfully submitting them to the RA: London Visitors (1874). Note the diligent man pausing on the steps of the National Gallery buried in his guide book, while his wife looked directly out of the picture to search for something more interesting. In their detailed depictions of elegant dress, these society scenes were accomplished examples of his later work.
Tissot, London Visitors, 1874,
160×114cm. Toledo Mus Art, Ohio
In many of them, Tissot set up an eye-to-eye confrontation in his portraits, as if encouraging them to assert themselves as modern independent women. The show displayed October (1877); the painting depicted Kathleen Newton, a young Irish divorcee, who had become his live-in lover and muse until her death from TB in 1882. Dressed in black, Kathleen looked calmly at the viewer as she hurried through a park.
216 x 109 cm, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
A week after Kathleen tragically died, Tissot permanently left London. The change in direction that followed this move was the best part of the exhibition. It was on his return to Paris that Tissot painted his well-known La Femme à Paris series (1883–85)
It was then that Tissot had a revival of his Catholic faith which led him to spend the rest of his life painting Biblical events. He spent long periods of productive retreat at his family estate in the French countryside, nurturing his commitment to religion.
As was popular during the late C19th, Tissot dabbled in mysticism and attended Spiritualist séances. His famous mezzotint from the Fine Arts Museums’ collection, The Apparition (1885), depicted the ghost of Kathleen Newton with a spirit guide as they reportedly appeared to Tissot during a séance.
In 1886 he left for the first of three visits to the Holy Land where he sought traditions from biblical times. During these trips, he and produced hundreds of watercolours to illustrate the Bible. Very popular in Tissot’s lifetime, these religious images became known as the Tissot Bible. Meantime his The Annunciation was adopted wholesale for silent films from 1916 on.
joyfulheart
Back in France, he retired to his rural chateau and embarked on the massive project of illustrating the New Testament in 350 watercolours. These were exhibited to popular acclaim in Paris, London and then on tour across the U.S. In 1900, The Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences bought the whole set. The printed version, The Life of Christ (1897), known as the Tissot Bible, became popular.
A group of biblical watercolours was lent to the exhibition from the Brooklyn Museum and the Jewish Museum, New York. The final room in the exhibition displayed eight Old Testament and 14 New Testament illustrations, plus part of a printed edition of The Life of Christ. Among them was the daring What Our Saviour Saw from the Cross, which raised the viewer to experience Christ’s perspective.
This exhibition showed Tissot’s narrative strengths and his skill in portraying the emotional world of his sitters.
Tissot also utilised the relatively new medium of photography by painting from photographs and recording many of his works as well as his home and family in well arranged albums. Photographs from the Fine Arts Museums’ collection in the exhibition, along with recently discovered photos published in the exhibition catalogue.
With new knowledge about the artist’s the broad oeuvre and techniques, the exhibition provided a critical reassessment of Tissot for us moderns. The exhibition drew on art from Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; National Gallery of Art Wash DC; Tate London; Musées d’Orsay et de l’Orangerie; Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris; the Musée d’Arts de Nantes; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. The show included c60 paintings, plus drawings, prints, photos and cloisonné enamels.
Back in France, he retired to his rural chateau and embarked on the massive project of illustrating the New Testament in 350 watercolours. These were exhibited to popular acclaim in Paris, London and then on tour across the U.S. In 1900, The Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences bought the whole set. The printed version, The Life of Christ (1897), known as the Tissot Bible, became popular.
A group of biblical watercolours was lent to the exhibition from the Brooklyn Museum and the Jewish Museum, New York. The final room in the exhibition displayed eight Old Testament and 14 New Testament illustrations, plus part of a printed edition of The Life of Christ. Among them was the daring What Our Saviour Saw from the Cross, which raised the viewer to experience Christ’s perspective.
This exhibition showed Tissot’s narrative strengths and his skill in portraying the emotional world of his sitters.
Tissot also utilised the relatively new medium of photography by painting from photographs and recording many of his works as well as his home and family in well arranged albums. Photographs from the Fine Arts Museums’ collection in the exhibition, along with recently discovered photos published in the exhibition catalogue.
With new knowledge about the artist’s the broad oeuvre and techniques, the exhibition provided a critical reassessment of Tissot for us moderns. The exhibition drew on art from Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; National Gallery of Art Wash DC; Tate London; Musées d’Orsay et de l’Orangerie; Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris; the Musée d’Arts de Nantes; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal. The show included c60 paintings, plus drawings, prints, photos and cloisonné enamels.