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The World of Proust, as seen by Paul Nadar
Marcel Proust (1871--1922) was one of the great geniuses of modern literature. Born in Auteil to wealthy bourgeois parents, he suffered delicate health as a child. During his high school years, he began to frequent salons such as that of Madame Arman, a friend of Anatole France. Troubled by asthma and neuroses, as well as by the deaths of his parents, Proust increasingly withdrew from the outer world and after 1907 lived mainly in a cork-lined room, working at night on his monumental novel À la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past).The World of Proust, as seen by Paul Nadar offers an intimate stroll through the society on which Proust's novel is based. The heart of the book consists of photographs found in the archive of Paul Nadar. These photographs make up a portrait gallery of Proust's friends and family--as well as of the aristocrats, artists, bourgeoisie, actresses, and "tarts" who inhabit the novel. Included are portraits of Sarah Bernhardt, Jean Cocteau, Alphonse Daudet, Claude Debussy, Stéphane Mallarmé, Claude Monet, and Emile Zola. Each photograph is accompanied by a detailed caption describing the subject and the character in the novel modeled on that person.Paul Nadar (1856--1939), the son of "Nadar," was part of the famous Nadar atelier. He took over his father's business and founded the journal Paris Photographe in 1891.
158 pages, Hardcover
First published October 31, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 27, 2011
This book was right up my alley for a couple different reasons:
*Proust!
*Photography, specifically of the late 19th-century variety.
*Zola!
*Sarah Bernhardt!
(Proust at 16)
There's not much text, so it was a breeze to look through before going to bed last night. The photographs are from Paul Nadar's archives and all involve either Proust, his family, or his contemporaries, many of whom were the real-life inspirations for characters in his collosal Remembrance of Things Past. The blurbs on each page indicated who each person was, their birth and death dates, and if they supplied any inspiration to Proust.
The introduction could have been a little longer, but that may just be my reaction to the fact that there was very little text otherwise so I felt what there was could have been drawn out more. I did appreciate the brief history of photography and explanation who Nadar was and his contribution to photographic history, but above all I was fascinated with the quick discussion about retouching photographs - something I didn't think really became quite vogue until much later. Before photoshopping and airbrushing, retouching photographs was a common practice to remove the wrinkles, moles, scars, etc. that might be considered unseemly. Wonder what Tyra Banks would say to that?
*Proust!
*Photography, specifically of the late 19th-century variety.
*Zola!
*Sarah Bernhardt!
(Proust at 16)
There's not much text, so it was a breeze to look through before going to bed last night. The photographs are from Paul Nadar's archives and all involve either Proust, his family, or his contemporaries, many of whom were the real-life inspirations for characters in his collosal Remembrance of Things Past. The blurbs on each page indicated who each person was, their birth and death dates, and if they supplied any inspiration to Proust.
The introduction could have been a little longer, but that may just be my reaction to the fact that there was very little text otherwise so I felt what there was could have been drawn out more. I did appreciate the brief history of photography and explanation who Nadar was and his contribution to photographic history, but above all I was fascinated with the quick discussion about retouching photographs - something I didn't think really became quite vogue until much later. Before photoshopping and airbrushing, retouching photographs was a common practice to remove the wrinkles, moles, scars, etc. that might be considered unseemly. Wonder what Tyra Banks would say to that?
September 17, 2012
Absolutely love this book! (I will have to purchase it.) I love the poses, the clothing and the furniture. I love black and white photos. Nader was an exceptional photographer!
January 14, 2022
Fantastic book. Just amazing images of a lost aristocratic world. Very interesting if you love Proust, but also fascinating in its own right. Especially if you have an interest in the personalities of that period of French history, or indeed in the history of photography. I always loved Nadar pere, and now I know the son was no slouch either
September 1, 2012
Just magnificent...! For those embarking on a year of Proust, this is a great way to prepare... Some of these pictures
are, if fact, incredibly poignant -- because more than a few of these figures seem so alive and so wonderfully modern.
are, if fact, incredibly poignant -- because more than a few of these figures seem so alive and so wonderfully modern.
April 25, 2011
Insolent and vain, he did not mind losing his friends for the sake of a witticism. Proust was immediately fascinated by his character.
-Anne-Marie Bernard on Robert de Montesquieu
-Anne-Marie Bernard on Robert de Montesquieu
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August 3, 2011A collection of photographs by Paul Nadar - family and friends, artists and aristocrats - a whole range of influence brought to life. Definitely a keeper!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews