Somm account

Impressionism, a historical reconstruction:

Henry Somm

(1844-1907)

Account

of his exhibited works

 

 

Introduction:
On this page you will find an account of the works that Somm exhibited at the 4th ‘impressionist’ exposition and at the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français. For general info on Henry Somm and the used sources see the main page. See link for his pictures.

 

 

Somm only joined the 4th ‘impressionist’ exposition:

  • At the 4th ‘impressionist’ exposition in 1879 Somm showed at least 4 works (catalogue numbers 228-230) (R2,p270). The first two being etchings of calendars and the last at least two drawings for a book. Assumably no.230 ‘dessins’ the plural form indicates it contained at least two drawings. Somm made 39 drawings for this book (‘Le Livre des Baisers’), so it must have been between 2 and 39 drawings. Berson renders 4 drawings, based on a review of F.-C. de Syène, but he soms up 7 different topics. In some drawings you can discern more than 1 topic. I will render 6 pictures and to make it easy I also assume he exhibited 6 drawings.
  • See for the suggestions of Moffett (R2,p270) and Berson (R90II,p119+141/2)

Reviews:
Le Petit Journal (1879/04/11) just mentioned ‘pretty drawings by M. Somm’ (R90I,p235).
Le Petit Moniteur universel (1879/04/11) ‘spiritually uplifting pen-and-ink sketches byM. H. Somin (sic)’ (R90I,p235)
Le Petite République française (1879/04/13) reviewed ‘M. Somm exhibits two fine etchings: dry point and spititual pen-and-ink drawings.’ (R90I,p237)
F.-C. de Syène (1879/05/01) reviewed ‘An artist publisher (there are some out there) has illustrated le Livre des baisers by M. Henry Somm, the finest, most imaginative and most Parisian of our aquafortists. The result is a blossoming of mocking women, silky butterflies, perverse cupids, of birds, snakes, strange creatures, of waxing and waning moons that M. Henry Somm exhibits alongside two humorous almanacs, of elegance and prodigious colour.’ (R90I,p243)
X (1879/05/09) remarked ‘M. H. Samm (sic), very fine sketches’ (R90I,p252).

4IE-1879-228, Calendrier de 1878, gravure à la pointe sèche
Eng.: Calendar of 1878, drypoint etching. Moffett doesn’t give a suggestion. Berson leaves it unidentified, she refers to the reviews of La Petite République française (1879/04/13) and de Syène. Henry Somm made many calenders, rendering the names of the saint of the day. Beraldi mentions those of 1879 + 1879 + 1881 + 1882 + 1890 + 1891. So it must be Beraldi no.17 that Somm did exhibit (R85,vol.12). To compare I render: 1880, Beraldi 19, Calendrier pour 1881, ps, 38×28, A2016/05/20 (iR241;iR10;iR11;R2,p270;R85,vol.12); and: 1881, Beraldi 20, Calendrier pour 1882, ps, 38×28, A2012/12/12 (iR241;iR10;R2,p270;R85,vol.12)

4IE-1879-229, Calendrier de 1879, gravure à la pointe sèche
Eng.: Calendar of 1879, drypoint etching. Moffett and Berson refer to the Cabinet des Estampes: 1878, Beraldi 18, Calender for 1879, drypoint, 24×33, BNF Paris (R2,p251;R90II,p119+141;R85,vol.12). Berson refers to the reviews of La Petite République française (1879/04/13) and de Syène.

4IE-1879-230, 1 Cadre, dessins à la plume pour servir à l’illustration du Livre des Baisers, de V. Billaud
Eng.: 1 Frame, pen-and-ink drawings to illustrate the Livre des Baisers (book of kisses), by V. Billaud. Moffett doesn’t give a suggestion. Berson renders 4 drawings titles chosen from the published version of Victor Billaud’s Le Livre des Baisers, avec une eau-forte et 39 dessins à la plume par Henry Sommm (Royan: Victor billaud, Editeur, Secrétariat des Muses Santones, 1879. Berson based her selection on the review of de Syène. She also refers to reviews of Le Petit Journal, Le Petit Moniteur universel, La Petite République française (1879/04/13), X (1879/05/09). (R90II,p119+141/2)

4IE-1879-230-1, (Promenade) dessin à la plume pour servir à l’illustration du Livre des Baisers, de V. Billaud.
The ‘mocking women’ of Syène maybe refers to this drawing, but she doesn’t look as ‘mocking’.

4IE-1879-230-2, (Morte) dessin à la plume pour servir à l’illustration du Livre des Baisers, de V. Billaud.
The ‘birds’ and ‘strange creatures’ of Syène maybe refers to this drawing.

4IE-1879-230-3, (Lune de miel) dessin à la plume pour servir à l’illustration du Livre des Baisers, de V. Billaud,
The ‘perverse cupids’ and the ‘waxing and waning moons’ of Syène maybe refers to this drawing.

4IE-1879-230-4, (Le Délire continue) dessin à la plume pour servir à l’illustration du Livre des Baisers, de V. Billaud.
The ‘birds’ of Syène maybe refers to this drawing.

4IE-1879-230-5, (Frontipiece) dessin à la plume pour servir à l’illustration du Livre des Baisers, de V. Billaud.
I miss the ‘silky butterflies’ and the ‘snakes’ from the Syène review, so maybe he showed 1 or 2 more drawings. To compare I render an etch, namely the front image, which depicts ‘strange creatures’, ‘perverse cupids’, ‘birds’, 1 snake, and a garland made of leaves that evolve like butterflies and/or birds.

4IE-1879-230-6, (Propos féminins) dessin à la plume pour servir à l’illustration du Livre des Baisers, de V. Billaud.
I render 1879, Le Livre des baisers, Propos féminins, dr (aR9;iR10), which depicts a woman and maybe refers to the ‘mocking women’ of Syène, though she doesn’t look as ‘mocking’.

 

Henry Somm at the Salon:
Henry Somm several times exhibited at the Salon de la Société des Artistes Français (=SdAF).
There is a Somm listed in the Salon catalogue of 1876 and 1880, but in the alphabetical order he is not found, nor in other catalogues (iR1;R337=iR19;R331=iR40). There also was a Somm who exhibited at the Salon of 1831/ 41/ 42/ 46/ 49/ 55, but I assume it wasn’t our Henry who was born in 1844. In 1888 there was a Somme, Jacob-Kielland exhibiting; in 1893 + 94 + 95 + 99 + 1900 + 01 + 02 + 03 + 04 + 05 + 07 and later a sculptor called Somme, Théophile(-François) exhibited; , . At the Salon de la Sociéte National des Beaux-Arts there was in 1898 the Swiss artist Sommer, Marie who exhibited a landscape painting.

SdAF-1881-4850, Une gravure: Poisson d’avril;
Appartient à M. L. Monziès. Eng.: Fish of April or: April Fool’s Day. This must be Beraldi 26 (R85XII,no26). As an uncertain option I render: 18xx, Poisson D’Avril, xx, xx (iR10;iR1).

SdAF-1882- 5562, Une gravure à la pointe sèche: Japonisme, composition de l’auteur
As uncertain option I render: 1881, Beraldi 35, Japonism, drypoint, 24×32, Metropolitan (iR10;iR6;iR8;iR40;iR195;R175,p194;M23); the Metropolitan doesn’t confirm my suggestion.

SdAF-1883- 4895, Une gravure: Parisiennes
I couldn’t find a suggestion.

SdAF-1885- 4994, *Une gravure: Ramoneur ;
Appartient à M. Marichy. Eng.: Chimney sweeper. This must be Beraldi 33 (R85XII,no33). I couldn’t find a suggestion.

SdAF-1887-5259, Deux gravures; Pour le Traité d’eau-forte d’Aug. Delatre.
Eng.: Two engravings; For editing of etchings by Aug. Delatre. Probably it was made for Eugène Delâtre (1822-1907), who offered Artistic printing at 102, Rue Lepic in Montmartre. As an uncertain option I render: 1880-90ca, Trading card advertising Imprimerie Artistique, Auguste and Eugène Delâtre, etch, 13×19, NGA Washington / VGM Amsterdam (iR10;iR1;iR40;M73;M21). I couldn’t find a second suggestion.

SdAF-1896-4833, Gravures originales (pointe sèche): Illustrations des Cousettes, de Louis Morin; Coquet, éditeur.
SdAF-1896-4834, Gravures originales (pointe sèche): Illustrations des Cousettes, de Louis Morin; Coquet, éditeur.
Henry Somm made illustrations for the novel ‘Les Cousettes, physiologie des couturières de Paris’ by Louis Morin (aR2;iR26;iR40/bpt6k15226938). Most were dry points. The novel counts 10 chapters and at each chapter were 2 illustrations of Somm added. The introducing pages rendered 3 other illustrations including a watercolour or etch enhanced with watercolour. At the end of the book there were several additional illustrations and also variations of the once added to the chapters. Some of these illustrations look like drawings or earlier stages of the etchings. The two numbers in the Salon catalogue both have a plural form, so Somm must have exhibited at least 2×2=4 dry point etchings. But it could have been more. I render 4 possibilities: 1. 1895, Les Cousettes, physiologie des couturières de Paris (p21+169), chapter II, L’ouvrière (1), ps, xx, BNF Paris (iR40;aR2;iR1); 2. 1895, Les Cousettes, physiologie des couturières de Paris (p39), chapter III, L’état-major de la couture (1), ps, xx, BNF Paris (iR40;aR2;iR1); 3. 1895, Les Cousettes, physiologie des couturières de Paris (p57), chapter IV, Le p’tit amoureux (1), ps, xx, BNF Paris (iR40;aR2;iR1); 4. 1895, Les Cousettes, physiologie des couturières de Paris (p105), chapter VII, Demi-collages et collages (1), ps, xx, BNF Paris (iR40;iR1).

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Recommended citation: Henry Somm, an account of his exhibited works. Last modified 2023/09/24. https://www.impressionism.nl/somm-account/”