Propos de peintre, première série: de David à Degas

Step into a richly textured meditation on French art, where painter‑critic Jacques‑Émile Blanche guides the listener through the lives and works of Ingres, David, Manet, Degas, Renoir and their peers. His essays weave meticulous visual analysis with the subtle humor of a seasoned insider, revealing how each master balanced tradition and daring innovation. A preface by Marcel Proust frames the collection, hinting at the shared nostalgia for a Paris that is both remembered and reimagined.

Beyond the canvases, Blanche recalls the salons of Auteuil, the flicker of victoria carriages outside his studio, and the delicate tension between public reputation and private creation. These personal vignettes give the criticism an intimate, almost conversational rhythm, inviting listeners to feel the weight of brushstrokes and the whisper of forgotten conversations. The result is an audio experience that feels like wandering a sun‑dappled gallery, where art history unfolds alongside the poet’s own longing for a vanished era.