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A Proust Souvenir
1984 Vendome Press oversized softcover(trade paperback), William Howard and Paul Nadar Adams. Gathers fifty-four portraits of people who served as inspiration for characters in Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, and discusses the background of each figure.
- GenresNonfictionPhotography
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 13, 2022
Proust's magnum opus In Search of Lost Time is not really a roman à clef. However, the author did base many of his characters on people that he knew. These people ranged from countesses to cocottes, from generals to gigolos, from marquises to maids. Sometimes this was so obvious that readers, either flattered or furious, thought they could recognize their own portraits or those of people they knew in Proust's pages. Proust was often rather cagey about admitting it though. However, there was not a strictly one-to-one allegorical link between the historical figures and the fictional ones. Sometimes one person unwittingly donated some of his or traits, whether good, bad or ugly, to more than one character. And a character could be a composite of more than one original.
This book explores the links between the people Proust knew and the portrayals, ironic, respectful or mysterious, which can be found in his pages. The description of most of the historical figures and their respective relationships with Proust are followed by one or more citations from the novel to show how Proust recorded and adapted his memories and impressions. The texts for each person are accompanied by a portrait by Paul Nadar (pseudonym of Paul Tournachon), a Parisian photographer famous for his portrayals of celebrities from all walks of life.
Along the way, we also get glimpses of what Proust's subjects thought of him. These comments come from correspondence, from memoirs, and especially from Painter's famous biography of Proust. Although some liked and even admired the author who immortalized them, some found him annoying, eccentric, or even ridiculous. This book does an excellent job of presenting Proust and his writings from a refreshing angle.
This book explores the links between the people Proust knew and the portrayals, ironic, respectful or mysterious, which can be found in his pages. The description of most of the historical figures and their respective relationships with Proust are followed by one or more citations from the novel to show how Proust recorded and adapted his memories and impressions. The texts for each person are accompanied by a portrait by Paul Nadar (pseudonym of Paul Tournachon), a Parisian photographer famous for his portrayals of celebrities from all walks of life.
Along the way, we also get glimpses of what Proust's subjects thought of him. These comments come from correspondence, from memoirs, and especially from Painter's famous biography of Proust. Although some liked and even admired the author who immortalized them, some found him annoying, eccentric, or even ridiculous. This book does an excellent job of presenting Proust and his writings from a refreshing angle.
May 1, 2024
William Howard Adams annotated an impressive collection of portraits of individuals who had some connection with Marcel Proust's massive novel 'Remembrance of Things Past.' I am some 2/3 of the way through reading this novel (at some 2,200 pages out of some 3,500 pages), and decided to, before pressing on, read some things "about" the novel and its author. Adams drew his pictures from famous Paris photographer Paul Nadar.
Proust's fictional literary characters were based on a host of people he came to know with varying levels of intimacy. Many are famous figures in the arts and in public life such as Claude Monet, Paul Desjardins, Anatole France, Claude Debussy, Sarah Bernhardt, Gabrielle-Charlotte Reju, Edward Prince of Wales, and Gabriel Faure.
The fictional characters themselves were often combinations of several real people (including the above list and many more), sometimes at different ages in this novel that covers decades in the narrator's life. Readers of Proust's 'Remembrance' will recognize Odette (Duchesse de Guermantes), Swann, Mme Verdurin, Gilberte, Sainte-Loup, Duc de Guermantes, Charlus, Rachel, Albertine and others. Adams' book reveals the real-life people after whom these fictional characters were in part modelled.
The Adams photo portfolio is indeed a most helpful resource for this Proust reader. He not only provides gorgeous full-page photos, but key identifiers and textual excerpts tying the person and portrait to the story.
'Remembrance' is reputed to be the longest single published work of fiction (I am projecting that I could finish it, start to finish, over about 4 years including taking breaks from the tome and reading dozens of other authors in between - I always have two or more books going at any time). With the final third of Proust's novel yet to go, this felt like a good time to begin tying the novel to some of the people in Proust's world who inspired him. Other contextual elements will likely be matters of social and cultural history.
Partway through Adams' book I looked up Gabriel Faure's masterwork "Requiem," and played on YouTube his final movement "In Paradisium" a few times, reminding myself of one of the finest pieces of choral music I have ever heard much less sung (in fact as a member of 2 different adult choirs). So here was a composer meticulously described by Proust, plus his professional Paul Nadar portrait, before me as I listened to pure genius in 8-part voice and orchestra. If you've read my review this far, find Faure's "In Paradisium" and experience it for yourself.
This is one reading experience that Marcel Proust, Paul Nadar, and William Howard Adams gave me this week. Beauty, memories, pathos, humanity.
Proust's fictional literary characters were based on a host of people he came to know with varying levels of intimacy. Many are famous figures in the arts and in public life such as Claude Monet, Paul Desjardins, Anatole France, Claude Debussy, Sarah Bernhardt, Gabrielle-Charlotte Reju, Edward Prince of Wales, and Gabriel Faure.
The fictional characters themselves were often combinations of several real people (including the above list and many more), sometimes at different ages in this novel that covers decades in the narrator's life. Readers of Proust's 'Remembrance' will recognize Odette (Duchesse de Guermantes), Swann, Mme Verdurin, Gilberte, Sainte-Loup, Duc de Guermantes, Charlus, Rachel, Albertine and others. Adams' book reveals the real-life people after whom these fictional characters were in part modelled.
The Adams photo portfolio is indeed a most helpful resource for this Proust reader. He not only provides gorgeous full-page photos, but key identifiers and textual excerpts tying the person and portrait to the story.
'Remembrance' is reputed to be the longest single published work of fiction (I am projecting that I could finish it, start to finish, over about 4 years including taking breaks from the tome and reading dozens of other authors in between - I always have two or more books going at any time). With the final third of Proust's novel yet to go, this felt like a good time to begin tying the novel to some of the people in Proust's world who inspired him. Other contextual elements will likely be matters of social and cultural history.
Partway through Adams' book I looked up Gabriel Faure's masterwork "Requiem," and played on YouTube his final movement "In Paradisium" a few times, reminding myself of one of the finest pieces of choral music I have ever heard much less sung (in fact as a member of 2 different adult choirs). So here was a composer meticulously described by Proust, plus his professional Paul Nadar portrait, before me as I listened to pure genius in 8-part voice and orchestra. If you've read my review this far, find Faure's "In Paradisium" and experience it for yourself.
This is one reading experience that Marcel Proust, Paul Nadar, and William Howard Adams gave me this week. Beauty, memories, pathos, humanity.
March 25, 2021
Wonderful! I am so happy I found this book at Moe’s in Berkley around 1990. I have been referring to it for years as I read Remembrance/In Search.....(Whatever). I finally read it cover to cover and greatly enjoyed it. Soon I will go back to reading Proust. Again and again.
February 13, 2015
Helps in comprehending the artist.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews