Parisian Outcasts of the 19th Century: Realistic Paintings from the Life of the Poor, from which the heart shrinks

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Despite the fact that (Fernand Pelez) was a Knight of the Legion of Honor, he never became the favorite artist of the 19th century public, who would adore him. The offended and proud painter continued to work and create new paintings, but, as a protest, he completely refused to submit them to Paris exhibitions, hiding from the eyes of people, over and over again depicting incredibly realistic scenes from the life of the poor, who had sunk into the soul for a long time.

Perhaps he is the only one who so deeply and strongly touched on the most exciting topic at that time, showing the Parisian outcasts so generalizingly accurately and mercilessly, but at the same time with such sincere compassion that it is impossible to remain indifferent even today.

The origins of his creativity, penetrating to the marrow of his bones, originate from the 1880s, it was then that, offended by everyone and everything, the artist, having completely revised his salon-historical works, delved into the dramatic realities of everyday life in the capital, capturing homeless women and children, wandering artists, art all the forces trying to cheer up the crowd gathered around, the emaciated beggars who tiredly look not at the world, but at their feet, and all those who were called “outcasts”.

Experiencing compassion, he managed to convey not only a heavy, almost suffocating atmosphere, but also all the tension with which looks, faces and clothes are saturated. Unlike his colleagues, he did not try to embellish reality by adding bright colors to it, but on the contrary, showed how everything is in reality. And while some turned a blind eye to what was happening, depicting the gloss and oiled faces of young aristocratic persons, Peles strenuously painted the bare "nerves" of the streets, on which an unremarkable gray life was still boiling, more like existence.

One can talk about Parisian passions indefinitely. Legends wind around them, myths are formed and true stories are told. More than one drama and more than one love story has been experienced here, fashion was born here and the aroma of coffee "legalized" in the morning to the crunch of croissants. Bright, but at the same time dull and nondescript Paris from time immemorial attracted a sea of tourists and curious photographers who managed to carry and preserve wonderful ones to this day.