'I would like to feel that these memories could paint some pictures of a life forever passed away, yet not without its beauty.'
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Parmi toutes les femmes qui ont enchanté l'art preraphaelique... Toutes si talentueuses, aux personnalités extraordinaires et qui nous ont laissé une vision du monde si belle et empathique, connaissiez vous, Jessie Bayes (1876-1970) que j'ai découvert cet après midi en poursuivant ma lecture du livre consacré aux artistes féminines de ce mouvement :
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Plus j'avance dans ma lecture et plus j'ai envie de vous dire, ne tardez pas à vous laisser séduire par ce livre merveilleux et par l'univers de ces dames, aux talents multiples qui ont du combattre toute leur vie contre le sexisme d'une société patriarcale qui les as trop souvent caché derrière leur mari, père et frères qui se sont attribués le mérite de leur créativité.
Comment ne pas me reconnaître dans les propos des mémoires de cette artiste, dans cette vision d'un monde généreux, empathique et fraternel, aimant le beau, aimant partager la poésie du monde : "We who were young were ardent romantic socialists dreaming of the simple life, and all things hand made, all things beautiful and all society a brotherhood that knew no place for servants and masters – I believe I have never quite got over it."
"Nous, les jeunes, étions d’ardents socialistes romantiques rêvant d’une vie simple et de tout ce qui était fait main, de tout ce qui était beau et de toute société où règne une fraternité qui ne connaissait ni serviteurs ni maîtres – je crois que je ne m’en suis jamais vraiment remis."
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Among all the women who have enchanted Pre-Raphaelic art... All so talented, with extraordinary personalities and who have left us such a beautiful and empathetic vision of the world, did you know Jessie Bayes (1876-1970) whom I discovered this afternoon while continuing my reading of the book dedicated to the female artists of this movement:
'I would like to feel that these memories could paint some pictures of a life forever passed away, yet not without its beauty.'
The more I advance in my reading, the more I want to tell you, do not delay in letting yourself be seduced by this wonderful book and by the world of these ladies, with multiple talents who had to fight all their lives against the sexism of a patriarchal society that has too often hidden them behind their husbands, fathers and brothers who have taken credit for their creativity.
How can I not recognize myself in the words of this artist's memoirs, in this vision of a generous, empathetic and fraternal world, loving beauty, loving to share the poetry of the world: "We who were young were ardent romantic socialists dreaming of the simple life, and all things hand made, all things beautiful and all society a brotherhood that knew no place for servants and masters – I believe I have never quite got over it."
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Another book, but this one, unfortunately only in Kindle format, following changes in the management of the collections within the Bourgois publishing house, the French specialist of JRR Tolkien, Vincent Ferré (see his blog, where you will find many links to follow to find out more) had to and was able to rely on Adar editions, to offer us to download, this remarkable work on the son without whom the work of the father would have reached us incomplete: The Worlds of Christopher Tolkien. Tribute for his centenary. And as in the correspondence and in the interviews, the personality of Christopher Tolkien (1924-2020) touches us deeply, not only because he was brilliant, intelligent, cultured... All this, many academics are, without having that extra soul and heart that would thus bind them to such a human work, which invites us on a journey into this parallel universe, where does each of us live that part of each of us that aspires to the right to be free and to share a dream, an ideal of beauty, of "simplicity", a deep harmony. In this work, each co-author, including Vincent Ferré, gives us testimonies of exceptional relationships that they were able to have with Christopher, including that of Baillie Tolkien his second wife, who gives us the feeling of sharing a few conversations, a few laughs, winks to the humor always so British but illuminated by the sun of Provence. This preface touched me deeply, by the emotion and the spirit that emanates from it. You will also find studies on the medieval universe but also societal and the relationship to the "machine" which debases that the father and the son had in common and that I admit to sharing fully.
In short, do not miss this book, both fascinating and where the emotion on the surface of the skin, is that which the road taken by the Fellowship of the Ring, generates in each of its readers. To follow it is to find ourselves, to question ourselves but also to accept to launch into the unknown, the discovery and to making Gandalf's quote your own, that it is up to us to decide what we must do with this time which is given to us, at best.
This book was published on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of Christopher Tolkien, accompanied by conferences including one organized at the Bodleian Library (in English with subtitles on Youtube) which preserves many manuscripts of JRR Tolkien, but also on TolkienDil, the channel of specialists and enthusiasts of those who travel the roads and paths opened by JRR Tolkien and his son Christopher.
Que le chemin vous mène à vos rêves.
Par Monique Parmentier