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The Complete Works of Philippe Smit
by Andreas Narzt and Florence Castellani

Catalogue entry

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Classification: Pastel
Theme: figurative
Medium: Oil
Support: On canvas
Year: 1935
PS 434 (P 2009)
Méditation (Meditation)
Alternate titles: Angel Appearing to Artist's Father; Méditation
1935
Oil on canvas
76 13/16 x 71 1/8 in. (195 x 180.5 cm)
Neither signed, nor dated
On the back: a handwritten label: Miriam Pitcairn/ N° 2009/ Mediation on the stretcher.
Private collection, Netherlands
Inventories
Inv. Pitcairn, n.d. [c.1957], n.p., LNC archives: no. P 2009: Mrs. John Mitchell, Meditation (old man sitting in arm chair, angel playing harp), Oil, 76 x 70 1/2 [in.].
Exhibitions
Galerie Pierre Maurs, Paris, Peinture et Pastels de Philippe Smit, February 04, 1948, no. 51, as Méditation, 1935 (CP).
Literature & Primary Sources
Massé, René. Journal. 1920-21, 1924, 1929-31, 1933-1935, 18-05-1935, p. [30] ("… la nouvelle œuvre …").
Niehaus, Kasper. Philippe Smit, unkown genius. Revised and edited by Marjorie Bell. Typescript, 1955, p. 18 & 25, as Méditation.
Castleton Thomas, Virginia. "Theodore Pitcairn, Minister and Philanthropist." ? ? [1968 ?], as Angel Appearing to Artist's Father.
Notes

"Gare de Lyon pour Montereau (8.45 – 10.31)/ Paris est blanc de neige. Philippe me conduit en auto à/ Thoury. Dien, Loty, Théo, présentation d’un Pasteur hollandais./ Nous allons à l’atelier, voir la nouvelle œuvre de Philippe -/ Evolution, il va vers plus de lumière après avoir travaillé dans/ des tons sombres et soutenus, sur la gauche son père assis, les/ deux mains sur des appuis d’un fauteuil recouvert d’une étoffe/ aux tons vieux vert – il est de profil sous une lumière éclatante,/ en robe blanche aux plis sculpturales – veste dans les bruns rouges./ A droite un ange jouant de la harpe, belle crispation des mains/ de l’ange sur la harpe, le devant de la robe de l’ange, jaune,/ le reste blanc – le beau dessin des ailes. Derrière l’ange un livre/ est ouvert, puis une fenêtre donnant vue sur le parc – un petit/ sentier conduit à un vieux pont (cette vue est celle de la nouvelle/ fenêtre de son atelier) de rideau, belle transparence de la lumière/ passant à travers ce rideau – son père à des pantoufles rouges sur/ un coussin vert – le carrelage et la belle transparence de l’ombre -/ le mur derrière l’ange et sa belle matière – la belle ordonnance/ de la composition et surtout cette lumière intense – la vue sur/ le parc est ensoleillée, il y a des verts d’une fort belle fraicheur -/ Toute la famille regarde dans le silence. […]" (Gare de Lyon to Montereau (8:45 – 10:31) Paris is white with snow. Philippe drives me in the car to Thoury. Dien, Loty, Théo, presentation of a Dutch pastor. We go to the studio to see Philippe’s new work – Progress, he goes for more light after having worked in dark and intense shades, to the left his father seated, the two hands on the armrest of a chair covered with a fabric in shades of antique green – he is viewed from the side and in bright light, in a white gown with sculptural folds – jacket in red browns. To the right, an angel playing the harp, beautiful contortion of the angel’s hands on the harp, the front of the angel’s dress yellow, the rest white – the beautiful drawing of the wings. Behind the angel an open book, then a window with a view on the park – a small path leads to the old bridge (this is the view from his new studio window) a curtain, beautiful delicateness of the light shining through the curtains, his father with red slippers on a green cushion – the tiles and the beautiful delicateness of the shade – the wall behind the angel and its beautiful texture – the beautiful structure of the composition and especially this intense light – the sunny view on the park, there are greens of very beautiful freshness – All the family looks on in silence. …) (Massé, 18th mai 1935, p. [30])

Record last updated November 11, 2024. Please note that the information on this and all pages is periodically reviewed and subject to change.
Citation: Narzt, Andreas and Castellani, Florence. "Méditation (Meditation), 1935 (PS 434)." In The Complete Works of Philippe Smit. www.philippesmit.com/catalogue/entry.php?id=434 (accessed on May 9, 2025).