The Complete Works of Philippe Smit
by Andreas Narzt and Florence Castellani
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Photo: Christopher Burke Studios, NY; © FdDPS
Series
Series
Series: Rollinat
Keywords
- Figure composition:
- Landscape:
- Inspiration:
- Object:
- book »
PS 421 (P 116; LNC 191)
La source (The Spring)
Alternate title: La Source
1933–34
Oil on canvas
83 1/8 x 51 3/8 in. (211 x 130.5 cm)
Neither signed, nor dated
On the back: two metal plates: Pitcairn and 116 on the frame upper right.
Inventories
Inv. Les Pleignes, P. Damidot, 1938, LNC archives: no. P 116: p. 7, hall d'entrée, Grand tableau par Philippe Smit./ Vieil ermite se désaltérant à une source dans une forêt. 8.000 [FRF].
Inv. Pitcairn, n.d. [c.1957], n.p., LNC archives: no. P 116 F: Rev. Theodore Pitcairn, The Spring, Smit, Oil, 80 1/2 x 50 [in.].
Inv. LNC, 1984, updated Oct. 1998, LNC archives: no. P 116: p. 2, The Church Hall - Art Gallery, The Spring, Oil, 80 1/2 x 50 [in.].
Provenance
Exhibitions
Galerie Pierre Maurs, Paris, Peinture et Pastels de Philippe Smit, February 04, 1948, no. 55, as La Source, 1933 (CP).
Literature & Primary Sources
No known published references.
Notes
The subject of this painting is based on the poem of the same title La Source from the volume La Nature by Maurice Rollinat:1
p. 101
[…]
La source filtre de la roche
Comme des pleurs furtifs des yeux,
[…]
p. 103
Je vis près de l’humble fontaine
Un vieux mendiant paysan
Sur son bissac se reposant
De quelque marche très lointaine.
Immobile tel qu’un objet
Devant la source minuscule,
[…]
p. 104
Puis, au creux de sa maigre main,
A deux genoux dans le mystère,
Il but de ces pleurs que la Terre
Versait là comme un être humain.
[…]
So far we do not have any explication on the open book by Emanuel Swedenborg lying next to the old man.
Record last updated May 4, 2017. Please note that the information on this and all pages is periodically reviewed and subject to change.
Citation: Narzt, Andreas and Castellani, Florence. "La source (The Spring), 1933–34 (PS 421)." In The Complete Works of Philippe Smit. www.philippesmit.com/catalogue/entry.php?id=421 (accessed on December 11, 2024).