In Search of a Reputation: Bastien-Lepage

By Neil Miley

The War of 1870 between France and Germany has been over for a year.
In the turmoil of a defeated France, rebuilding with an uncertain form of government, still occupied by the armies of the newly formed German Empire, a young artist emerges.
Recovering from wounds, finding allies in all classes, developing self understanding and building alliances

• Language: English
• Publisher: Upside Down Inside Out Art
• Release date: Nov 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9780648967729

Neil Miley

Neil Miley is a practising artist, working in oil paint, graphite and clay sculpture. He brings his keen interest in the arts and history together in writing his novels. The novels are exhaustively researched to ensure an accurate period feel comes through to the reader. To be able to write authoritatively about the paintings in the novels Neil has visited France, England, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Austria, The Netherlands, Belgium, spending in total almost two years in Europe. Not to mention all the major collections of 19th-century paintings in Australia. Neil's hoped-for visit to Spain is unfortunately on indefinite hold due to COVID-19 and travel restriction from Australia. Since writing his first book in 2013 Neil has studied creative writing and expanded his knowledge of the period covered in his first book. The new Bastien-Lepage series is much more dialogue focussed than the early book that followed a narrative stream. Apart from novel writing, Neil is also involved in instructional design and delivery. At the end of the four novels in the Bastien-Lepage series, Neil will turn his attention to writing instructional books on Oil Painting.

Book preview

Preface

This book is the first in a series of works intended to follow the development of Jules Bastien-Lepage’s career from 1870 to 1885. Its creation has taken the writer through periods of extreme drought, wild bush fires, and the arrival of the COVID19 pandemic. The book was a work of solace from day to day pressures and a reminder that people have been through far worse periods than we have encountered in 2020.

Most characters were real people, but the author has resorted to placing some in situations they did not encounter, their personalities have hopefully been kept intact. The author has tried to build from historical documents a picture of a period of immense change in all aspects of French society. The main story of an artist becoming the leader of the Naturalist movement in painting is the central focus.

There are two points where the novel has a character give a commentary on Edouard Manet. Neither is particularly complementary, the first represents Meissonier’s view of Manet, and the author makes no apology for presenting his interpretation. The second incidence is when a particular painting by Manet is reflected against, in the creation of new work by Bastien-Lepage. This reflection should not be taken as denigrating Manet; it is just a technical analysis of the painting. Many artists use this approach when developing new works.

The problem of how to present a novel based mostly on dialogue has been difficult to solve. The final approach ignores the guide that each change of speaker should be the start of a new paragraph. Instead, the novel presents multiple characters speaking in the same paragraph. This approach aims to give paragraphs in their traditional role of containing an idea or development. The alternative of a much more narrative-based work seemed disappointing as it would have made the individual characters less accessible to the reader.

Several characters seem to appear and disappear in this novel. As the first of a series of novels, many of the characters will reappear later in later books. On the development of the main character, it is vital to keep in mind that the novel is tracing the young man’s development and growing self-awareness. The end of this novel does not see the end of the character’s story.

One last comment of note is that the novel is in English, but the entire story should have been in French. English is the author’s first language, so the limitations of English have had to be dealt with, subtleties that would have been present in French have had to be ignored.

1

Chance Meetings and Verdun

No dust today but the road, as usual, is badly damaged with no chance to maintain it. A well-dressed grey-haired man of about 40 sighs in disappointment, before continuing in a tone of anger. The Germans have trampled it in both directions for over a year. Reminding us that the reparations are the only way they will leave—the man’s lack of trust of his travelling companion, showing on his face.

The Omnibus carries only two passengers this cold, overcast October day, the middle-aged man and a blond-haired, grey-blue-eyed boy of about 20. The rumble of the metal wheels made conversation difficult. The noise of the straining horses pushing towards the end of the day-long journey had almost buried the passenger’s complaints.

The younger man leans forward self consciously, to overcome the din. I’m returning to Paris but must then go on to Bordeaux to paint a portrait of Monsieur Pereire. The older man looks directly at the boy with interest but says nothing as the young man continues. My village, Damvillers, has paid its impost to the Germans. Now recovered from my wounds I can get on with my career. It will be a great relief to have the Germans gone, 1871 has been a terrible year.

Holding out his hand in friendship, the young man continues, My name is Jules Bastien-Lepage sir. The older man enjoys the naivety of the young man’s exaggerated desire to escape from the German occupation of his cherished land. The offered hand grasped firmly by the older man a lengthy country handshake continues for some seconds.

The middle-aged traveller more confident in his companion asks: Do you know Claude Bastien, he is a good friend of mine and the Republic. The younger passenger is showing his sense of pride, My father…. yes, he has played a leading role in attaching the village to the Republic. He assisted the Franc Tirailleurs during the war, at great risk to himself. With near hilarity, the boy continues, I particularly enjoy his story of providing the Germans with all the old unpasteurised wine he had… which caused quite a few to be sent homesick. Jules pauses before explaining with greater ease of expression and growing pride, I should explain my hyphenated name. It was suggested by Canabel my teacher, so I would not be confused with Denis Ernest Bastien, a student of Flandrin at the Salon. The older man’s wry smile over the unpasteurised wine ended, stopped by a sharp jolt of the Omnibus that throws the two from their seats.

The older man recovers himself asking while dragging himself back into his seat with a helping hand from Jules, Which of the Pereires, these men of great influence and dangerous ideas are you to paint. Jules, also dragging himself back onto his seat, responds, My friend Lemarchand’s father is a family friend, they went to school together in Bordeaux, and some of Pereire’s projects have involved him as the architect. Monsieur Pereire is in Bordeaux waiting for Paris to calm down. It appears he is not yet certain of what will happen to those that bankrolled the Empire’s projects. Jules explicit statement draws a response Jules does not quite understand. If Monsieur Pereire needs a friend amongst the Deputies you can let him know I’m well-disposed and please give him my carte de visit. The man gives Jules a photo business card, Jules absent-mindedly deposits it in his carry bag without understanding its importance.

The substantial role of the omnibus wheels had halted the carriage for a moment, the crack of the driver’s whip pushes the horses to pull again. A few more moments of struggle and whip-cracking, accompanied by strong words of encouragement from the driver finally have the horses moving. Jules calling out to the driver, Mind the language Nicolas; we are not all country bumpkins. A pained grimace and clenched teeth reinforce the irritation of the older passenger, One day we will get a macadamised road surface, one day… but until then my back will be ruined on these trips. You know the driver?. Jules casual response, full of praise for the driver, Most surely, Nicolas Gille, the husband to be of my cousin Marie. A fine man, he will take over from his father as owner of the Omnibus in a year or two.

The younger passenger expectantly looking to the left side of the Omnibus, the military club-- at last. Only a short distance to go to the bridge and then Verdun. Jules attempt to relieve the old passenger of the prospect of further discomfort seems to work as the older man relaxes. After a few hundred yards on what was now a cobbled stone road, the Omnibus halts, at the start of the wooden bridge crossing the Meuse River, for the German guards to check travel documents.

Your travel permits, a demanding though bored German soldier asks. Both travellers present their documents that are perused at length by the German and his compatriot. Deputy, you are going to Paris. I hope you can convince your Government to finish the negotiation of peace so we can go home. I haven’t been home in over a year, the German asks in his best French, almost but not quite pleading. The older traveller replies in a tone that showed he objected to talking to Germans for any reason If it were not for the persistence of demanding Alsace and Lorraine the peace would have been signed long ago, I hope you will be home soon. The German slightly taken-back by the arrogance of the Deputy rather meekly responds, thank you, as he returns the document.

With some surprise, the younger traveller asks, Eugene Billy, our representative at the National Assembly?, to which a yes nod is the reply. What an honour sir, I have much to tell as I have been gathering information in Lorraine, as I went about painting portraits of my relatives this last year. Billy, after a moment’s hesitation of annoyance, expresses interest in whatever his young companion could tell him. It has been hard for me to get any direct word from Lorraine, but I assume your relatives have spied on our behalf and have valuable information.

Jules, pleased at the importance Billy places on his knowledge continues. It is a little confused; some want France to fight for Lorraine, others want to leave to come to France, while many want their sons to go to France to avoid being conscripted by the Germans. Jules pauses to confirm Billy is still interested, Billy responds, nodding his head in encouragement. So, I have troop dispositions, a rough idea of how many citizens will leave and come to France. There seems little support for an insurgency right now, some Franc Tirailleurs maintain the fight, but in rapidly diminishing numbers, the cost to the local population is thought too high.

Billy comments, Yes, our freedom fighters are causing some concern. I applaud their courage and determination. Unfortunately, they are sacrificing themselves and others for what for the moment is a lost cause. In a more determined and angry mood, Billy continues, We need time to be able to act against the Germans in full force. Lorraine will be with France again! Billy’s closed fist thumps down on his knee to reinforce the final words.

The Omnibus jolts into action, rumbling on across the bridge; halting midway to wait for the draw bridge section to lower. Then it clatters on through the great stone gateway the Porte Chausse and onto the cobblestone streets of the city. Jules expression saddens and his words are mumbled, How sad to see the city so badly damaged. A single poplar is all that remains of the beautiful stand that lined the entire riverbank. His expression of loss shows how much those trees had meant to him. Most of the houses along the river line are demolished. The College I went to; destroyed, and German soldiers are everywhere. Jules’ anger becomes more visible and audible with his final four words expressing his disgust. After passing the College, Jules and Billy silently take in the destruction, trying to resolve the bitterness of this circumstance, as the Omnibus drags slowly up the steep cobblestone street, horses snorting and slipping on the stones. The Omnibus finally pulls into the square in front of the railway station; Billy half groans At last we can get out, as his body attempts to shift in the cold October air.

Jules also showing a little pain on alighting, his left arm being less able to support him and his left leg less mobile than would have been expected of such a young man. Jules is attempting to lighten the tone of the arrival with an anecdote. At least the train will be a little more comfortable than the one last year when I came out of Paris. Turning briefly to the driver, See you, Nicolas, when I come back for holidays, take good care of Marie and your father. The silent wave of familiarity was enough from Nicolas to indicate his acceptance of the undertaking. Jules mood is humorous as he proceeds with Billy, It was a freight train the Germans had used to resupply Paris after the siege. It took me only as far as St Menould because the Meuse bridge was in mid reconstruction after being demolished in the siege. Jules with a grin that exposed his love of such adventures The trip was most uncomfortable. The pair walk across the gravel to the bright and shiny year and a half old station building; there are Germans scattered about in clusters of two or three.

To the left of the station, entrance stands a teenager dressed in fashionable pinstripe grey trousers and a dark blue jacket. Recognising the boy as his old friend from school Raphael Collin, Jules bounds over to rejoice at seeing his friend, limping just a little. Embracing his friend and kissing both cheeks, Collin my dear friend how are you… what are you doing still in Verdun?-- recovered from the rat diet, I see. He refers to surviving the siege of Verdun the year before and pocks a bit of fun at Collins increased weight since the last letter between them. Turning quickly to introduce his newfound travelling companion, Collin this is our Deputy, Monsieur Billy, a staunch republican returned from exile at the end of the Empire. Collin’s response is a little more serious, first shaking Billy’s extended hand, Deputy Billy; I hope you are well; I voted for you. Then turning to Jules, I’m well, and you seem very well, last I heard you were wounded at Paris and in hospital for months.

Jules, speaking rapidly without taking a breath in his excitement, Yes, a clump of dirt hit me square in the chest. Then thinking to make the wound sound a bit more serious, slowing his words, My Lieutenant sent me back to the hospital, and they wouldn’t let me go back to the front. Jules continues pressed on by the silence of both Collin and Billy, My lieutenant thought me too gallant and likely to give my life for no real benefit. I’m quite grateful to him. I can’t imagine what pain it would have cost my parents and grandfather. Collin what of you and the siege? Jules deliberately understates his injury; he had been laid low by the clod of earth, the fall