The Taste and Smell from My Childhood. The "Chocolate Girl" by Jean - Etienne Liotard.
The Poster of a "Chocolate Girl" by Jean - Etienne Liotard was hanging in the kitchen of my parents' house. So, I have special feelings for this painting as it brings me back to my happy childhood. I don't remember that I had a particular story of this girl in mind but I remember I smelled coffee and tasted sweetness when I looked at the painting. At that time I didn't know it was Jean - Etienne Liotard and that the painting was made with pastel.
Liotard was an artist by profession and a tramp by mission. He became rich and lost money staying joyful. Often rich people took him on their journeys in order he could paint them. So, he traveled a lot.
When he was 36 years old he was fascinated with Byzantium enamel and decided to learn the secrets of that art in the country of its origin. He learnt Turkish and came to Turkey. Staying in Turkey was extremely dangerous for Europeans. Pretended being Turkish he walked around that Muslim world and was impressed with the exotic East.
He was coming back through Austria where there were big changes while he was absent. Three years ago 23 years old Maria Theresa, the daughter of the Emperor Karl IV, was crowned.
As soon as Liotard came to Austria, he was invited as a "famous artist" to the Palace. His colourful appearance attracted attention immediately. He was also known not only as a talented portraitist but as an expert in arts and crafts: porcelain, jewelry and enamel.
The Empress considered herself a big expert in art and after studying his works Maria Theresa ordered a portrait of her.
But during that visit Jean - Etienne experienced the strongest emotion in his life. A young lady came to the Empress with a little tray with a glass of water and a porcelain cup with chocolate. Her pretty face was so charming that his breathing seized. Her figure was so accurate and she was different from the spicy Eastern girls. That scene called for to be painted but he knew the rules.
First he had to paint portraits of Maria Theresa, her family and close relatives.
There were so many people who were eager to be painted that he had to hire 2 assistants for the technical work.
And finally the moment when he could paint that little treasure came. The name of the girl was Anna Baltauf. She was a maid to the Empress. Girls from noble families got that title in their childhood and when they grew up they had to serve at court.
Anna liked the portrait he made with pastel for her very much. But for himself he created something different - not a portrait but the scene which was called "La Belle Chocolatière" ("Chocolate girl") which became a real masterpiece, the most beautiful painting he had ever created.
When I look at it I can't believe it was made with pastel. HOW??? You even can hear how her skirt was rustling, you can smell the chocolate and become thirsty when looking at the glass with water. She is SO soft and cozy that you wish you were there in that room and all your problems would go away and you would be safe.
Later Anna Baltauf became the wife of a very rich Duke Joseph Wenzel von Liechtenstein. He got her as a gift from Maria Theresa for outstanding successes during the war for Austrian legacy. The family of Liechtenstein gave to the world outstanding commanders, scientists, travelers and poets.
We don't know if Balduf visited the Dresden Gallery but I bet she couldn't even imagine what love and fame her little portrait would get. That painting became one of the treasures of the Dresden Gallery in 1765.
Right before the end of World War II when bombing of Germany started, all pieces of art from the Dresden Museum were secretly evacuated and hidden in temporary shelters. Searching for the lost treasures was started right after Germany was occupied by Soviet troops. The pastels were found the last.
Not far from Dresden down the river Elbe there is a fairy - tale area, wild and beautiful. There are rocks, caves, waterfalls and hanging bridges. It is Saxon Switzerland. In the center of it there is a huge castle Konigstein situated on an inaccessible rock. Starting from 1941 the nazis used the castle as a concentration camp for imprisoned French officers. Once some boxes were brought there. They were lifted with a special hoist. At war's end the guards made their escape when Russian paratroops arrived. The imprisoned French and some scared German soldiers stayed behind and showed the secret hiding spot.
The door to the basement was mined. It was a miracle that the Germans didn't bomb it when they were leaving. It was a miracle that it was not damaged during the removal of the mines. It was a miracle that the pastels weren't ruined by the cold and moist environment as they are so tender. Pastel is laying as an extremely thin layer not connected neither with oil or lacquer.
Pastel became famous in the beginning of the XVI century. Leonardo da Vinci made sketches with it.
But Jean - Etienne Liotard honed it to perfection.
Liotard left 400 pastels and oil paintings, 250 drawings but "The Chocolate Girl" was one of the wonderful creations in the history of the World art.
I really admire the passion and obsession of famous artists. They were ready to put everything on the altar of art. They paint everything and everywhere, they devote their life to it. They sacrifice everything: life, money, love, health. And it was worth it as they left a priceless legacy and will always be in the hearts of people.
The post is written under impression of childhood and the book "100 Masterpieces" by N. Sinelnikova.
Yours, @aksinya.
Wonderful read again, thank you. I'm getting some ideas here :)
That's great! I hope too see them one day))). And thank you!I highly appreciate your opinion.))
Extremely interesting, thank you for posting.
thank you!