There was a great to know about the French actress Sarah Bernhardt (1844–1923). Consider her:
1. rather tragic childhood with an unknown father and her half absent mother
2. being sent to a Catholic school and converting from Judaism to to Catholicism
3. connection to Duc de Morny and Alexandre Dumas, and growing passion for the stage
4. training at the National Conservatory of Music
5. travel around the world with her troupe
By 1874 she was exhibiting her work at the very prestigious Paris Salon, a pleasure that she continued to fulfil for 12 years. Exhibitions of the artist’s sculpture were held in London, New York and Philadelphia. Bernhardt later participated in the World’s Columbia Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900.
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1. rather tragic childhood with an unknown father and her half absent mother
2. being sent to a Catholic school and converting from Judaism to to Catholicism
3. connection to Duc de Morny and Alexandre Dumas, and growing passion for the stage
4. training at the National Conservatory of Music
5. travel around the world with her troupe
6. love affairs, the men she wanted to marry and the men she did marry
7. diverse roles as an actress, tragedienne and entrepreneur
8. art nouveau posters
9. use of modern technology including photography, mechanised printing procedures and then the introduction of colour etc etc
But something I knew nothing about was the Divine Sarah’s skills as a sculptor and painter. The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC noted that while acting, 25 year old Bernhardt began studying sculpture in 1869 with Mathieu Meusnier and Emilio Franchesci, and became passionately devoted to the art.
7. diverse roles as an actress, tragedienne and entrepreneur
8. art nouveau posters
9. use of modern technology including photography, mechanised printing procedures and then the introduction of colour etc etc
But something I knew nothing about was the Divine Sarah’s skills as a sculptor and painter. The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC noted that while acting, 25 year old Bernhardt began studying sculpture in 1869 with Mathieu Meusnier and Emilio Franchesci, and became passionately devoted to the art.
By 1874 she was exhibiting her work at the very prestigious Paris Salon, a pleasure that she continued to fulfil for 12 years. Exhibitions of the artist’s sculpture were held in London, New York and Philadelphia. Bernhardt later participated in the World’s Columbia Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900.
Sarah Bernhardt,
After the Storm c1876
76 cm high
National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington DC
76 cm high
National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington DC
After the Storm showed a heartbroken Breton peasant woman cradling the body of her dead grandson who had been caught in a fisherman’s nets. Sarah Bernhardt had seen this woman on the seashore and was moved by her tragic story. The artist studied anatomy, specifically to convey the intensity of the subject. Her ability to render textures from smooth skin to rough nets added to the naturalism of the piece. Had Bernhardt studied Michelangelo's Pieta where the Virgin Mary supported the dead Christ on her lap?
Four years later Bernhardt sculpted a less classical, more fantasy-based bronze inkwell. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston noted that the mysterious Self-Portrait of the Artist as a Sphinx was perhaps a metaphor for her ability to transform herself, on stage and in life. The combination of the body of a griffon, bat wings and a fish tail seemed to be inspired by contemporary Art Nouveau ornamentation. Note the Tragic and Comic masks as epaulettes on the sphinx’s shoulders, presumably depicting the model’s profession as actress. In any case, Bernhardt was at that stage rehearsing for Le Sphinx, a melodrama by Feuillet.
Four years later Bernhardt sculpted a less classical, more fantasy-based bronze inkwell. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston noted that the mysterious Self-Portrait of the Artist as a Sphinx was perhaps a metaphor for her ability to transform herself, on stage and in life. The combination of the body of a griffon, bat wings and a fish tail seemed to be inspired by contemporary Art Nouveau ornamentation. Note the Tragic and Comic masks as epaulettes on the sphinx’s shoulders, presumably depicting the model’s profession as actress. In any case, Bernhardt was at that stage rehearsing for Le Sphinx, a melodrama by Feuillet.
Sarah Bernhardt
Self portrait as a sphinx
bronze ink well 1880
32 cm high
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
bronze ink well 1880
32 cm high
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Borrowers and Lenders Journal agreed about the Bernhardt’s changing priorities. She became so caught up in the creation of sculptures that she was tempted to give up her stage career. In 1873, unhappy about her work at the Comédie Française and physically unwell, she decided to take a studio and devote herself to sculpture. As she explains in her memoirs: "As I was not able to use my intelligence and my energy in creating rôles at the theatre as I wished, I gave myself up to another art and began working at sculpture with frantic enthusiasm".
Clearly she recovered from her grim mood. When the Comédie Française appeared in London in 1879, the exhibition at the William Russell Galleries on Piccadilly showed 5 of Bernhardt's sculptures. The exhibition was popular, and the art critic for The Times wrote a satisfyingly positive review. Among those who attended the London exhibition were the Prince and Princess of Wales, Sir Frederick Leighton, President of the Royal Academy, and William Gladstone who was prime minister, on and off.
Bernhardt excelled at modelling, and the majority of her sculptures were portrait busts, though she also made smaller objets de vertu. Indeed Bernhardt must have been very busy sculpting – the sphinx self portrait was one of six complex pieces she exhibited at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Fifty of her artworks have been documented but apparently only 40 can be located today. Where are the others; shut away in private collections?
What does not surprise me is that, since Bernhardt was passionate about all forms of the visual art, she took the time to paint or supervise sets, design dresses and direct her own theatre company for her productions - non acting roles. We have many early 20th century examples of people in theatre companies hopping from one of the visual arts to another. The Ballets Russes was particularly keen to encourage the collaboration of modern artists like Leon Bakst, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse in the design of sets, costumes and posters.
Clearly she recovered from her grim mood. When the Comédie Française appeared in London in 1879, the exhibition at the William Russell Galleries on Piccadilly showed 5 of Bernhardt's sculptures. The exhibition was popular, and the art critic for The Times wrote a satisfyingly positive review. Among those who attended the London exhibition were the Prince and Princess of Wales, Sir Frederick Leighton, President of the Royal Academy, and William Gladstone who was prime minister, on and off.
Bernhardt excelled at modelling, and the majority of her sculptures were portrait busts, though she also made smaller objets de vertu. Indeed Bernhardt must have been very busy sculpting – the sphinx self portrait was one of six complex pieces she exhibited at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Fifty of her artworks have been documented but apparently only 40 can be located today. Where are the others; shut away in private collections?
What does not surprise me is that, since Bernhardt was passionate about all forms of the visual art, she took the time to paint or supervise sets, design dresses and direct her own theatre company for her productions - non acting roles. We have many early 20th century examples of people in theatre companies hopping from one of the visual arts to another. The Ballets Russes was particularly keen to encourage the collaboration of modern artists like Leon Bakst, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse in the design of sets, costumes and posters.