Béliard, account

 

 

Impressionism, a historical reconstruction:

Edouard Béliard

(1832-1912)

Account

of his exhibited paitings

 

Introduction:
Here you will find an account of the paintings Béliard has exhibited at at the 1st ‘impressionist’ exposition of 1874 (=1IE), the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition of 1876 (=2IE), the Salon (=S) in 1868 + 1873 and the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français (=SdAF) in 1880 + 1881. Also you will find the titles of his posthumous catalogue of 1913 rendered in a topographical and thematical overview (=P1913). See for the used sources at the bottom of the main page on Edouard Béliard. See link for his known pictures and a topographical and thematical overview of the titles of his known pictures.

 

The first ‘impressionist’ exposition 1874:

General overview:

  • catalogue numbers 13 – 16
  • so in total Béliard exhibited 4 works ;
    • 2x an indication of place
    • 0x an indication of time, season or weather
    • 0x a study
    • 1x a loan (no.13): M. D.
  • Berson doesn’t render reviews (R90II,p3).
    Adhémar explicitly mentions that the press said nothing about Béliard (R87,p230).
    Still, Béliard is summed up in 5 reviews as one of the partakers by Burty (1874/04/16 + 25), d’Hervilly (1874/04/17), Drumont (1874/04/19) and in La Liberté (1874/04/20).
    Emile Zola (1874/04/18) also summed his name up ‘I also mention other works … landscapes of Mrs. Pissaro (sic), Monet, Béliard and Sisley; …’ (R90I,p38)
    C. de Malte (1974/04/19) summed up ‘The landscapes, studies, marines of madame Berthe Morisot, of Mrs. Brandon, de Molins, Belin (sic), Baudin (sic), Lépine, etc., etc.’ (R90I,p28). ‘Belin’ is probably a writting error for Béliard.
  • Adhémar, nor Moffett, nor Berson render a suggestion (R87,p230;R2,p119; R90II,p3).
    Patry/Robins render 1 possible suggestion for no.15 (R410,p107+269).
  • See link for his (exhibited) pictures.

The catalogue numbers:

1IE-1874-13, Le Fort de la Halle (appartient à M.D.)
Eng.: the porter of the market place. So probably this was a figure painting. ‘Les Fortes des Halles’ were handlers who transported goods  from outside to inside the pavilions of the old Halles de Paris, wearing a very distinctive work uniform (iR4). See also several pictures.
To compare I render a coloured etch by another artist: Jean-Marie Mixelle (1858-1839): 1800-1830ca, Le fort de la Halle, colour etch, 18x12cm, Musée Carnavalet Paris (M8;iR10).

1IE-1874-14, Saules
Eng.: willows. Béliard asked 200fr for this work (R411). Béliard hadn’t sold any work in 1874 during the exposition (R415,p366/7).
=P1913-48 — Les Saules. Exposé en 1874. In 1913 it was sold for 10 francs (aR6,p162), so Béliard didn’t sell it in 1874 or later.
Compare: P1913-74 — Les Saules.
I couldn’t find a painting of Béliard depicting willows, so to compare I render a painting of Corot: 1850-60ca, La pêche sous les saules, 43×45, A2022/12/08 (iR10;iR11;iR11).

1IE-1874-15, Rue de l’Hermitage, à Pontoise
Béliard asked 200fr for this work (R411). Béliard hadn’t sold any work in 1874 during the exposition (R415,p366/7).
This work has the same title as 2IE-1876-6, which was sold in 1913 for 100 francs (aR6,p163): =P1913-101 — Rue de l’Ermitage, à Pontoise. Exposé en 1876. This was the only work with this theme that was exhibited in 1913. So, maybe the work exhibited in 1874 is the same as the one exhibited in 1876.
See location in map. See also Google-images (iR10).
To compare I render: 1873-77ca, Street scene, 39×47, AI Chicago (iR6;iR30;M20).
This was probably a copy after Jongkind: Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819-91): 1866, SDbr, Rue Nôtre-Dame, Paris (Rue Censier), 39×47, RM Amsterdam (iR6;M77). So, the streetview of Béliard was probably located in Paris and not in Pontoise.
To compare I also render one of the many works that Camille Pissarro depicted of this road: 1866ca, CCP109, Rue de L´Hermitage à Pontoise, 38x47cm, Tel Aviv Museum of Art (iR10;iR6;R116,CCP109;M131). Note: Pissarro moved to this road April 1872: 18 (now 36), rue de l’Hermitage (R116II,p322)

1IE-1874-16, Vallée d’Auvers
See location of Auvers-sur-Oise, which lies just north of Pontoise.
As a very uncertain suggestion I render: 1860-76ca, Fortified Farmstead near Pontoise, 95×73, Axx (iR103;iR10).
This pictures depicts a valley in the nearbourhood of Pontoise.
Note: I couldn’t find a painting of Pissarro (R116) that has any resemblance with this painting of Béliard.
Nor could I find a castle in the surroundings of Pontoise and Auvers that has any resemblance.

 

The 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition 1876:

General overview:

  • catalogue numbers 1 – 8
  • so in total Béliard exhibited 8 works ;
    • 7x an indication of place (3x of Pontoise)
    • 1x an indication of time, season or weather
    • 0x a study
    • 0x a loan
  • L’Audience (1876/04/09) reviewd: ‘Please note of M. Béliard les Fabriques au bord de l’Oise, un Effet de neige and his Vue du port de Granville.’ (R90I,p53)
  • Emile Blémont (1876/04/11) reviewed: ‘M. Béliard’s landscapes, “Bords de l’Oise, la Jetée, Fabriques”, are of a fair and pleasant feeling, with a lot of air and depth.’ (R90I,p64).
  • Émile Zola reviewed in ‘Le Sémaphore de Marseille’ (1876/04/30) ‘Mr. Béliard is a landscaper whose characteristic feature is conscientiousness. One senses in him a careful copyist of nature. He benefits from studying it with perseverance, a powerful robustness that makes his slightest canvases a learned and literal translation. Some of his landscapes: the “Rue de Chaufour à Etampes”, the “Bords de l’Oise”, the “Rue Dorée à Pontoise”, are excellent works, solidly built, of an extremely accurate tone, which reach to the ’trompe-l’oeil’ (=highly accurate painting), so faithful are they. My only criticism is that the personality is still a bit lacking. I would like a flame to rise in all this consciousness, even if this flame were to burn at the expense of truthfulness. (R90I,p108)
    A slightly different review of Émile Zola was published June 1876 in Le Messager de l’Europe (St. Petersburg): ‘Mr. Béliard is a landscaper whose characteristic feature is meticulous. One senses in him an applied copyist of nature. Having thoroughly studied, he has acquired a solid touch which makes each of his pictures an erudite and textual translation of nature. Some of his landscapes: Rue de Chaufour à Étampes, Les Bords de l’Oise, La Rue Dorée à Pontoise, are excellent choices, perfectly drawn, with a true tone and with an absolute faithfullness. I had liked that an inner flame consumes his scruples, even if this flame were to burn at the expense of truthfulness. (R90I,p112)
  • Moffett and Berson only render a suggestion for no.1 (R2,p160;R90II,p33+47).
  • See link for his (exhibited) pictures.

The catalogue numbers:

2IE-1876-1, Bords de l’Oise
For info on the Oise see.
The reviews don’t render a discription (R90I).
Moffett (R2,p160) suggests (with a perhaps):  1875, Le Quai du Pothuis, effet de neige (Banks of the Oise), 74×94, Musée Municipal d’Étampes (R2,p160;R90II,p33+47;R88,p65;aR6,p191;aR2=M254)  (see location along the Oise).
Note: This work was exhibited in London in 1876; it was in the posthumous exhibition (=P1913-97 — Le Quai de Pothuis, à Pontoise. Exposition de Londres en 1876), where it was sold for 200 francs and the same year donated to the Museum in Estampes (aR6,p163+152). The fact that it was exhibited in London also in 1876, makes it possible that the time of the exhibitions overlapped. Than, this work couldn’t have been exhibited at the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition. In the 1913 catalogue this neither is mentioned.
Besnus (1923) mentions a work called ‘Les bords de la Seine à Pontoise’ that was praised by art-critics, namely Mario Proth, Auguste Dalligny, Gonzaque Privat, Eugène Véron (aR6,p176). But these art-critics are not mentioned by Moffett or Berson to have reviewed Béliard at the 2nd ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1876 (R2,p490/1;R90II,p33).
Balas (1947) mentions this work is in the l’Hôtel de Ville d’Étampes (aR6,p187), probably the same location.
Monneret mentions that  Schurr describes ’the soft touch and lively and vibrant tones’ of this work (aR6,p193).
WGA comments on this work: ‘Edouard Béliard painted with Pissarro, from whom he took the structure and composition of street views with figures and the creation of spatial depth by the use of twisted lanes.’ (iR104).
I have doubts if this was the work exhibited as 2IE-1876-1.
So, I give 3 other uncertain suggestions:
1860-76ca, Banks of the Oise, 33×41, private or A2015 (iR2;iR16)
1860-76ca, Banks of the Oise, 33×45, A2007/12/13 (iR2;iR14;iR41)
18xx, Sbr (??), Banks of the Oise, on panel, 26×53, A2023/03/17 (iR11;iR10;R2,p160)

2IE-1876-2, Fabriques au bord de l’Oise
See info 2IE-1876-1.
Blémont only refers to this work, L’Audience only mentions it (R90I).
A very uncertain suggestion is: 1872-75, Pontoise, view of the Lock, 38×65, MCP Pontoise.
Lock or sluice-gate = Nl.: schutssluis; Fr.: écluse (see location; see information on Joconde=iR23).
Note: in the distance Béliard depicted factories (the large chimney at the gasworks; iR23) and this lock is situated in the Oise, that makes it a possible suggestion, but the fabrics are not the central theme.
Note: this work compares a work of Camille Pissarro: CCP123, 1868, Quai du Pothuis, Pontoise, 52×81, Kh Mannheim (R116,CCP123;M51)
Camille Pissarro made some paintings of a factory on the banks of the Oise, one has an almost similar title as this work exhibited by Béliard: CCP299, 1873, Factory on the banks of the Oise, Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, 38x55cm, Jerusalem IM (iR10;iR6;iR8;iR94;R116,CCP299;M130). I will also render this one to compare.

2IE-1876-3, Rue de village
Eng.: village street. A very general title, so hard to identify.
An uncertain suggestion is: 18xx,, Streetscene, xx, xx and: 18xx, Rue de village, 31×17, A2012 (iR102;iR10;iR16).

2IE-1876-4, La rue de Chaufour à Etampes, effet de neige
For the location see map. Étampes lies about 50km south of Paris.
Zola only mentions this work.
Maybe: 1878, Moulin de Chauffour, effect of snow, 77×108 Musée d’Étampes (iR2;iR35;M254).
Note: the contemporary spelling is with double ff. A side street of the Rue de Chauffour is called Rue du Moulin á Tan. So it’s very possible there was a mill in Béliard’s days.
This work was  exhibited in Philadelphia in 1878 (probably the World Exposition of 1877 in meant, where this work had a great succes, R88,p65;aR6,p191+163+165+152), shown at the posthumous exhibition in 1913 (P1913-111 — Moulin de Chauffour, « effet de Neige ». Exposition de Philadelphie en 1878), sold for 320 or 300 francs; probably donated to the Musée d’Étampes in 1913.
Besnus (1923) also calls this work ‘Moulin de Chauffour, effet de neige’ and comments ‘He excels in snow effects, which are always highly commented.’ (aR6,p176).
Balas (1947) mentions this work is in the l’Hôtel de Ville d’Étampes (aR6,p187).

2IE-1876-5, Port de Granville
For the possible location on the southside of the Normandy peninsula see map. This must be a harbour view.
Béliard made several works in Granville, see the posthumous catalogue nos.36 +82 +102.
Blémont (1876/04/11) reviewed: ‘M. Béliard’s landscapes, “Bords de l’Oise, la Jetée, Fabriques”, are of a fair and pleasant feeling, with a lot of air and depth.’ (R90I,p64), so probably Béliard depicted a jetty.
I couldn’t find a work of Béliard that comes close, so I render to compare a pastel of another artist depicting the harbour (and jetty) of Granville: Léon Augustin Lhermitte (1844-1925): 1892, The port of Granville in the evening, pastel, 29×38, auctioned ?? (iR7;iR10;iR13)

2IE-1876-6, Rue de l’Hermitage, à Pontoise
The same title as 1IE-1874-15.
=P1913-101 — Rue de l’Ermitage, à Pontoise. Exposé en 1876. In 1913 it was sold for 100 francs (aR6,p163).
This was the only work with this theme that was exhibited in 1913. So, maybe the work exhibited in 1876 is the same as the one exhibited in 1874.
See location in map. See also Google-images (iR10).
To compare I render: 1873-77ca, Street scene, 39×47, AI Chicago (iR6;iR30;M20).
This was probably a copy after Jongkind: Johan Barthold Jongkind (1819-91): 1866, SDbr, Rue Nôtre-Dame, Paris (Rue Censier), 39×47, RM Amsterdam (iR6;M77). So, the streetview of Béliard was probably located in Paris and not in Pontoise.
To compare I also render one of the many works that Camille Pissarro depicted of this road: 1875, CCP411, Rue de L´Hermitage à Pontoise, 58x69cm, National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa (iR10;iR6;R116,CCP411;M113). Note: Pissarro moved to this road April 1872: 18 (now 36), rue de l’Hermitage (R116II,p322)

2IE-1876-7, Rue Dorée, à Pontoise
Mentioned by Zola (R90I).
For the possible location Rue du Faisan Doré see map, but this lies more outside Pontoise.
Compare also:
P1913-68 — Le Pont-Doré à Étampes.
(the bridge seems to have been disappeared; see map)
P1913-88 — Le Pont Doré.
So, there is a possibility that this road was located in Étampes.
Compare my suggestions for number 3 and 6, depicting two other roads.
To compare I render a work I also suggest for no.1: 1860-76ca, Banks of the Oise, 33×45, A2007/12/13 (iR2;iR14;iR41)

2IE-1876-8, Promenade des Fossés, à Pontoise
I couldn’t find a road with this name; for the location of Pontoise see map.
Not mentioned by Berson, so there were no reviews (R90II,p33).
As an uncertain suggestion I give a picture with the same name: 1872ca, Promenade des Fossés, Pontoise, 55×46, MTD Pontoise (iR2;iR35;iR23;R2,p160;M173). This suggestion is also done by Joconde (iR23).
Pissarro depicted the Boulevard des Fossés in Pontoise, now Boulevard Jean-Jaurès:  CCP277, 1872, Boulevard des Fossés, Pontoise, 46×56, Pasadena NSM Passadena (iR10;M43;iR7;R116,CCP277).

 

 

Edouard Béliard at the Salon:
My main sources are the Salon database of Musée d’Orsay (=iR1) see. For the other general references (=R) see and for references to internet sites (=iR) see . (Note: an artist mostly submitted two works at the Salon.)
Krämer writes Béliard takes part in the Salon from 1868-1881 (R21,p277), which suggest a regular exhibition, which is not true.

 

S1867
Besnus suggests that Béliard did exhibit ‘Pont Saint-Ange à Rome’ at the Salon of 1867 (aR6,p170). Balas (1947) follows him (aR6,p187), so does Monneret (R88,p65;aR6,p190) and Walther (R3,p647). But this is not affirmed by the Salon database (iR1). Besnus described the work as: ‘It is designed in a warm and blonde range. The sky and water have good qualities of depth and transparency in contrast to the vigorous halftones of the shady parts of the bridge, the churches and the Château Saint-Ange, which are reflected in the waters of the Tiber. The sun is soft and caressing. The colourful design is rich and opulent.’ (aR6,p170/1).

S1868-170, Intérieur d’atelier
Eng.: interieur of a studio. I guess one of his few interieurs. In a review of 1881 this is called his debut. This work is described as a ‘gender painting revealing a conscientious observation and imitation of nature’. (aR6,p132)

SdR-1873-346, Rue Rochechouart (étude)
So probably Béliard was refused for the Salon of 1873. See map for a possible location in Paris.

S1878-?, (les 4 chemins à Étampes)
S1878-?, (La Prairie de Saint-Martin)
In the posthumous catalogue (P1913-8) there was a work titled ‘ La Prairie de Saint-Martin‘. There was added that is was exhibited at the Salon of 1878. (aR6,p157) Besnus also mentioned that ‘les 4 chemins à Étampes‘ was exhibited at the Salon of 1878, the catalogue just mentions ‘exhibited in 1878’ (P1913-23), which could also mean it was exhibited in Philadelphia (compare P1913-111). But this is not confirmed by the Salon database (iR1).

SdAF-1880-231, Le faubourg Saint-Martin à Etampes, pendant la neige
The indicated measures are 38×56. Eng.: The suburb Saint-Martin at Étampes, during the snow (see possible location). A contemporary review wrote: ‘Snow effect very truly rendered. The fields / plains, the houses and the land / grounds, everything is rendered in a just way and proves that this talented painter is on an excellent path.’ (aR6,p131). =P1913-0 (aR6,p157). Besnus mentioned this work as a work praised by art-critics (aR6,p176).

SdAF-1881-121, L’housche de Saint-Martin, à Etampes
This work was given to the Musée d’Étampe in 1913 after Béliard his death, it than is called ‘L’Ouche de Saint-Martin’. This title is rendered two times, one being exhibited in 1881 and one exhibited at the Salon in 1881. (aR6,p152). The meaning of ‘l’housche’ or ‘l’ouche’ is unclear. Saint-Martin is a suburb of Étampes (see 1880-231) but also a church in Étampes (see info). A contemporary review describes the painting: ‘Under a clear and silvery sky, the silhouette of a massif of green trees, at the foot of which a trail of sunlight plays. In the background, the bell tower and the church of Étampes dominate the city’s with their grey rooftops, where a road leads through the meadow, in the shade in the foreground.’ It is called ‘a conscientious and sincere direct study’. (aR6,p132). Compare ‘Dans L’ouche de Saint-Martin d’Étampes’ =P1913-2 (aR6,p157). I render an untitled work with no further information from Google images that describes very well the review: Béliard, 1881ca, L’Ouche de Saint-Martin (detail), xx, MdÉtampes (iR10;aR6,p132+152+157) Probably: S1881-121, L’housche de Saint-Martin, à Étampes. So I assume l’ouche or l’housche is a part of the church, maybe the bell tower.

SdAF-1881-122, Les courtils de Saint-Martin, à Etampes
Eng.: the meaning of ‘courtils’ is unclear.  Also see SdAF-1881-121. A contemporary review describes it as ‘a small landscape where you can see haystacks erected on the land stripped of their harvests, and, at the bottom, the bell tower of a church, probably that of Saint Martin.’ That his work was ill placed and that Béliard was never rewarded is explained as due to his independent spirit.   (aR6,p132/3). In the posthumous catalogue: P1913-116 (aR6,p159).

 

 

The posthumous catalogue of Béliard, 1913:
Here below I will render the paintings and studies mentioned in the posthumous catalogue of the auction held in 1913 (aR6,p157-166). I will do so thematically and also will mention the sums for which they were sold. Some works will be mentioned more than one time.

Works exhibited:
Note: it is often unclear where these works were exhibited. Besnus refers to paintings that had been exhibited several days at an art-dealer in Le Havre (aR6,p179).

P1913-108 — Pont Saint-Ange à Rome. Exposé en 1867
(sold for 500 francs ; considered his major work; aR6,p163; see map)
 P1913-98 — Intérieur d’Atelier. Exposé au Salon en 1868.
(sold for 300 francs, aR6,p163; Besnus mentions it was owned by Richou, who made a buste of Béliard and was his friend. Besnus gives this description: ‘It is eloquently simple in its expression and significantly calm. A woman sits in the studio with her eyes half-closed. She dreams, leaning against the wall.  Her feet rest on the bars of a stepladder.  A cardboard box on an easel in front of her is closed…… Some canvases are hung on the walls.  Silence reigns in this sanctuary of work.  What thoughts come to light the forehead of this young woman whose face seems to reflect an intimate ecstasy and is nestled in beauty and intelligence… There is a feeling of Corot in the way Édouard Béliard dealt with this subject, which is so evocative and impressive.  It is consistently made in the same grey range. Low daylight gently filters from the tiles of the workshop frame and spreads into the room.  The single patch of the young woman’s garment of long skirt creates a more accentuated value on the rest of the whole, where a feeling of morbid delicacy and a rare distinction prevails.’ (aR6,p178/9) It is sad that such a well described work seems to have been disappeared.
 P1913-48 — Les Saules. Exposé en 1874.
(sold for 10 francs ; aR6,p162; see 1IE-1874-14)
 P1913-97 — Le Quai de Pothuis, à Pontoise. Exposition de Londres en 1876
(sold for 200 francs; aR6,p163; given to Musée Municipal d’Étampes; aR6,p152; maybe an exhibition of Durand-Ruel?, though he stopped his exhibitions in London in 1875)
P1913-101 — Rue de l’Ermitage, à Pontoise. Exposé en 1876.
(sold for 100 francs ; aR6,p163; see 1IE-1874-15 + 2IE-1876-6)
 P1913-38 — Rue des Moulins, à Étampes. Exposé en 1877
(sold for 35 francs, aR6,p162; mentioned by Besnus, aR6,p177; It is unclear where this work was exhibited.; see map)
 P1913-118 — Rue Reverseleux, à Étampes. Exposé en 1877.
(sold for 1000 francs, aR6,p163; given to Musée Municipal d’Étampes, aR6,p152; mentioned by Besnus, aR6,p177; It is unclear where this work was exhibited;  see map)
 P1913-96 — Petit-Saint-Mars, près d’Étampes. Exposé en 1877
(sold for 100 or 500 francs ; aR6,p163+165; see map)
 P1913-99 — Lavoir sur la rivière d’Étampes. Exposé en 1877.
(sold for 90 francs, aR6,p163; mentioned by Besnus, aR6,p177)
 P1913-103 — Moulin de Vaujouan près d’Étampes. Exposé en 1877
(sold for 70 francs ; aR6,p163; named by Besnus, aR6,p177; probably not existing anymore)
 P1913-23 — Les 4-Chemins à Étampes. Exposé en 1878
(sold for 15 francs, aR6,p163; mentioned by Besnus to be exhibited at the Salon of 1878, aR6,p177; It is unclear where this work was exhibited.)
 P1913-8 — La Prairie de Saint-Martin. Exposé au Salon en 1878.
(This is not affirmed by the Salon database; iR1)
 P1913-111 — Moulin de Chauffour, « effet de Neige ». Exposition de Philadelphie en 1878
(sold for 320 or 300 francs ; note: the exhibition is now dated as 1877; aR6,p163+165; given to Musée Municipal d’Étampes; aR6,p152; This work had a great succes, R88,p65;aR6,p191. Compare 2IE-1876-4)
 P1913-0 — Faubourg Saint-Martin d’Étampes, « Effet de neige ». Exposé au Salon en  1880.
(See SdAF-1880-231)
 P1913-4 — L’Ouche de Saint-Martin. Exposé en 1881.
(sold for 100 or 200 francs, aR6,p163; given to Musée Municipal d’Étampes, aR6,p152. It is unclear where this work was exhibited.)
 P1913-100 — L’Ouche de Saint-Martin. Exposé au Salon en 1881
(sold for 100 or 200 francs, aR6,p163; given to Musée Municipal d’Étampes, aR6,p152; by Besnus titled as ‘dans l’ouche de Saint-Martin’, aR6,p177; see also SdAF-1881-121)
 P1913-116 — Les courtils de Saint-Martin. Exposé en 1881
(sold for 50 francs, aR6,p163; mentioned by Besnus, aR6,p177; see also SdAF-1881-122)

 

 

Recommanded citation: “Impressionism: Edouard Béliard, an account of his exhibited works. Last modified 2024/07/26.  https://www.impressionism.nl/beliard-account/.”