| If I were the Minister of Fine Arts, I would go to the Galerie Druet, and (after buying for Luxembourg a bright little landscape of the Alpilles or Moustiers Sainte-Marie), I would say to Pierre Girieud: "You have a serious, honest and pure talent; the figures you draw are of a beautiful style, your interpretation of Tintoretto and Rubens attest to the extent of your technical knowledge; as for your Provençal sites, everyone agrees to declare that "they are perfectly exquisite, cadence, fullness, truth. These steep peaks, these deep valleys, which, in another, would serve as the background for some tragic ride of Walkyries, your serene soul, the gifts of calm and tender nobility. You are a classic in the modern profession, you have understood Cézanne's lesson: "Faire du Poussin sur nature". Now therefore, Pierre Girieud, as you are now fifty, that your career is admirably straight, I bring you the Lé gion of honor, how nice, fair, and elegant!
Unfortunately, the minister, rather than decorating a Pierre Girieud, will sign a promotion where we will read the names of various sub-academic sagouins. And Girieud, who asked nothing, will return, as wise as he is, to the workshop on rue de Lauriston where he will get back to work with joy. When commenting on his beautiful exhibition, which achieved considerable success, I forgot to mention his portraits which are true and expressive; we remember those of Gasquet and Georges Duhamel; you will see at Druet the proud face of this magnificent poet who is our Fernand Mazade. |