A NOTE ON Mater Triumphalis, prompted by an entry in the original Musée National du Luxembourg description published in 1915:

Grande figure neu, debout, de face, les bras élevés, au-dessis de la téte et de l.épaule droit, dans une sorte “gloire” formée par un arc-en-ceil, dans l’azur intense et profound. A ses pieds, une coupe doreé pleine de petits coquillages; derrière elle, confondue avec le ciel, la mer dont le flot vient déferler doucement sur le sable. Une petit figure ailée se devine qui parait murmurer a gauche, dans l’oreille.

Large nude figure, standing, facing, arms raised, above the head and the right shoulder in a kind of “glory” formed by a rainbow, in the intense and deep azure. At her feet, a golden cup full of small shells; behind her, confused with the sky, the sea whose waves come to break gently on the sand. A small winged figure can be discerned at the left which seems to be whispering in the ear.

I’d noticed this detail of the painting before – a wing and feathers just above the figure’s right forearm, but it remains a bit of a mystery. There is just not enough discernable form to work out what is represented here – a dove?

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SUSAN ISABEL DACRE had exhibits at The Salon, Paris, from 1879 to 1882. The Salon was the exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts (the French equivalent of the Royal Academy), her works were being shown alongside those of such venerated artists as Boudin, Bougereau, Cezanne, Daubigny and Manet. This once again shows what a highly respected artist she was.

1879 – Marietta.
1880 – Portrait de M. le colonel Wolberg (= Portrait of Colonel Volbert?). The title is listed twice, so either there were two versions or this was a printing error – the catalogues are rather rich in typographical and spelling errors.

1881 – Portrait de Mme. F. W.
1882 – Portrait de M. S… / Portrait de capitaine G…

Annie did not have any works exhibited.

Source: Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

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THE FREDERICK SWYNNERTON painting, ‘Ottoman Scene’, failed to sell at auction 30 July, reaching $750 (£615), but this evidently being below the reserve.

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Jonathan Russell