Everyday Canvas

Sunday Musings: Profilism and Characterization

9/11 is a sad date, and I have written about it many times. At this time, I feel like focusing on other things, even if my heart is still bleeding.
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Through a very slow process, I am reading Julian Barnes’s Book of essays Through the Window. In the chapter titled The Profile of Félix Fénéon, the author talks about the cantankerous art critic Félix Fénéon, who finally agreed to have his portrait painted by Paul Signac, after several proddings by Signac. He wanted his portrait to be full-face but Signac painted him from the profile, which better emphasizes the characteristics of Fénéon.

Fénéon coined the term “Neo-Impressionism” to identify the painters like Seurat. Fénéon was an elusive man. Having been accused of anarchism, he was tried and released, but that made him more elusive and refused to write again. When urged to do so, he answered, “I aspire only to silence.” Yet, he went to work in a newspaper producing only filler articles.

Fénéon’s pose in the portrait made people think of Uncle Sam, Abraham Lincoln, and Lautrec’s Moulin Rouge dancing figure Valentin le désossé. Although Fénéon himself hated the portrait to the point of not being friendly to Signac, most people think the portrait brings out the most important characteristics of the man.

The reason I am mentioning Fénéon here is because of his portrait and how looking at him from the profile brought out who he is better than a flat full-face rendition. We writers do the same thing with our characters. When we show a character’s personality, we see images of that character and start to feel a connection. We pick and choose the most prominent features of his personality, his quirks, and his mannerisms. We pick instances of his actions that best illustrate who he is. It is like showing a person from the profile.

Anyhow, I think I learn or discover something new each time I read anything by Julian Barnes.

Here is the copy of signac's painting of Félix Fénéon.