Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Charismatic Yong Joon - Manet Series IV


Hi Hi dear sisters ..... I am having some major computer problem, so I'll try to post before it crashes on me soon, sob sob :( Once again, thanks gosijo for your wonderful translation which gives us a different dimension to appreciate Manet's scripts and our Yong Joon.

In this chapter, I attempt to explore Manet’s still life painting and its relevance to our prince’s favourite passion, the art of photography :

Manet dedicated one-fifth of his drawings, no less than 80 of them, to still life paintings. He believed still life, more than any other genre, tried the painter’s ability to convey the appearance of subject in its purest form. The artist’s mastery of the arrangement of subjects, angle of vision, illumination and precision are of crucial importance. The creativity of still life is two-fold : first expressed in the arrangement of the subjects, second during the course of painting. Manet regarded still life painting as the epitome of an ‘art built upon another art’.





In modern times, this creative process is rediscovered in the art of photography whereby the artist would consider the same four aspects : arrangement, angle, illumination and precision. We heard numerous accounts from renowned photographers and art directors of how Yong Joon can transcend like a dream, a miracle through camera lenses. For us family who appreciates his acute sense of aesthetics and quest for perfection, these compliments are not magnification but a recognition of his metamorphosis. While outwardly appearing relaxed and acting leisurely to complement the impression of each shoot, his work attitude is strictly intense and professional. Our prince would meticulously examine each picture for its precision and aesthetic quality to his high standard. We are blessed with the end-product of that scrutiny as his radiance is beautifully captured under designed illumination and each picture becomes a self-contained perfection.





For Manet, the charm and style of apparel were hardly superficial matters. His notion of dressing was in many layers - implying external appearance, style of behaviour and speech reflected one’s awareness of artistic and literary tendencies, as well as philosophical, social and political concerns. His remarks ‘Il faut etre de son temps’ - meaning ‘it’s necessary to be of its time’, conveyed a tone of his modernism. If Manet were a photographer in present day’s 21st century, he could well be inducted into our prince’s favourite photographers circle, among the likes of Kim Tae Hwan and the late Henri Cartier-Bresson. This set of drawings illustrates Manet’s consciousness of the relationship of inanimate objects to the delights of human life, further substantiated by our prince as a style icon :



et elle déménage. Je suis même étonné de ne pas avoir eu de ses nouvelles. J’ai peur de vous fatiguer de mes lettres. Vous me le disez n’est-ce pas.

(gosijo's translation : and she is moving. In fact, I am surprised I have not received any news from her. I worry you will tire from my letters. You will let me know, won’t you?
gosijo's thoughts : Joonie being very gentlemanly, here, but still a bit tongue-in-cheek smile – How comes that other woman has dared not to send news? And does he really expect his present correspondent will tire of receiving his letter? Is he fishing for a compliment??)




Bellevue Jeudi
___ si vous voulez chère Madame mais jeune ___ celle-là, et qui me permet de passer très agréablement mon temps. Je me porte de mieux en mieux (…)
(gosijo's translation : Thursday
___ if you so wish, dear Lady, but that is simply a young ____, and one that allows me to spend my time very pleasantly. My health is steadily improving (…)
gosijo's thoughts : Aha! It seems this Lady is somewhat older and has mocked our Joonie for doing something only young people do. He looks rather unconcerned and seems to imply that spending his time pleasantly improves his health!)




Bellevue,
J’attends Chère Demoiselle une relation _____ par vous – on vous a vu vous promener ____ - avec qui ? ____ feu d’artifice _______ de ___ jardin ____ dit-on dans les journaux. Mettez-moi un peu au courant ____ _____ (…)
(gosijo's translation : I expect, my dear young Lady, a (full) account from you – you were seen strolling ____ - With whom? ____ fireworks ____ _____ garden ____, it says in the newspapers. Fill me in (on the details) ____ _____ (…)
gosijo's thoughts : Joonie is playing at being Hyeong with his words, here, but his devastating looks let us know he has ulterior motives. How dare this young lady stroll with what can only be another man??? ‘Hyeong’ wants to know!!)




Bellevue
14 juillet 1880,
Vive l’armistice, E. Manet
Je ne vous écrirai plus vous ne me répondez jamais
(gosijo's translation :
July 14th, 1880
Happy Armistice Day! E. Manet
I will no longer write as you never answer
gosijo's thoughts : Ooooh, and I always thought this picture showed Joonie feeling a delicious cooling breeze caress his serene features. But no! He is pretending to be supremely unconcerned by his correspondent’s neglect. The note gives no direct clue as to the gender of the intended recipient but Joonie’s look makes that abundantly clear, ahem!!)


References :

1. Impressionism, Belinda Thomson and Michael Howard, Bison Books Corp. 1988
2. Impressionism Art, Leisure & Parisian Society, Robert L.Herbert, Yale University Press, New Haven & London. 1988
3. Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, James N. Wood, The Art Institute of Chicago. 2000
4. Manet The Still-Life Paintings, George Mauner, The American Federation of Arts. 2000


12 comments:

Hydee Pole Photography said...

Hello Jaime,
I like this post a lot. Not only you wrote about YJ but emphasized on the connection of the impressionist technique to the art of photography which is one of his passion.
I am an avid fan of Monet, Manet and the others. Thank you.

Regards
Hyds

jaime said...

Hi Hyds,

Thanks for reading this post and appreciate your comments. Both Manet and Yong Joon are masters of their respective arts and truly inspirational. Nice to know you are an avid impressionist fan, please share your knowledge with us when you desire, thanks.

regards .... jaime

Hydee Pole Photography said...

Hi again jaime,
You don't have to post this comment . I have been a fan of BYJ since WLS and started a blog only a couple of months ago. I always visit your site and other sisters. If you want to know a bit of me and my journey kindly visit http://baeyongjoonuk.blogspot.com/
I hope you don't mind if I put a link of your site. Yours are far more established than mine.
Till then. And yes, your post inspired me to share on Impressionism which I'd like my artworks to be.
Truly,
hyds

gosijo said...

Hello Jaime,

So sorry to read about your computer problems. Ooooh, once they’re solved, you must re-post your essay on ‘computadores’!

Okay, here goes for this batch of deciphering, translations [in brackets] and my humble comments on matching the images {in different brackets}.

1) (…) et elle déménage. Je suis même étonné de ne pas avoir eu de ses nouvelles. J’ai peur de vous fatiguer de mes lettres. Vous me le disez n’est-ce pas.

[(…) and she is moving. In fact, I am surprised I have not received any news from her. I worry you will tire from my letters. You will let me know, won’t you?]

{Joonie being very gentlemanly, here, but still a bit tongue-in-cheek smile – How comes that other woman has dared not to send news? And does he really expect his present correspondent will tire of receiving his letter? Is he fishing for a compliment??}

2) Bellevue
Jeudi
___ si vous voulez chère Madame mais jeune ___ celle-là, et qui me permet de passer très agréablement mon temps. Je me porte de mieux en mieux (…)

[Thursday
___ if you so wish, dear Lady, but that is simply a young ____, and one that allows me to spend my time very pleasantly. My health is steadily improving (…)]

{Aha! It seems this Lady is somewhat older and has mocked our Joonie for doing something only young people do. He looks rather unconcerned and seems to imply that spending his time pleasantly improves his health!}

3) Bellevue,
J’attends Chère Demoiselle une relation _____ par vous – on vous a vu vous promener ____ - avec qui ? ____ feu d’artifice _______ de ___ jardin ____ dit-on dans les journaux. Mettez-moi un peu au courant ____ _____ (…)

[I expect, my dear young Lady, a (full) account from you – you were seen strolling ____ - With whom? ____ fireworks ____ _____ garden ____, it says in the newspapers. Fill me in (on the details) ____ _____ (…)]

{Joonie is playing at being Hyeong with his words, here, but his devastating looks let us know he has ulterior motives. How dare this young lady stroll with what can only be another man??? ‘Hyeong’ wants to know!!}

4) Bellevue
14 juillet 1880
Vive l’armistice
E. Manet

Je ne vous écrirai plus vous ne me répondez jamais

[July 14th, 1880
Happy Armistice Day!
E. Manet

I will no longer write as you never answer]

{Ooooh, and I always though this picture showed Joonie feeling a delicious cooling breeze caress his serene features. But no! He is pretending to be supremely unconcerned by his correspondent’s neglect. The note gives no direct clue as to the gender of the intended recipient but Joonie’s look makes that abundantly clear, ahem!!}


And hello Hyds. I've 'seen' you on KOB. Will visit your blog soon...

Anonymous said...

Hi Jaime

I love the pictures and writing about manet and how you link it with yong joon. I don't enjoy reading much but after reading your blog and other's sister blog, I have learn a lot. Really appreciate your writing.

TQ & Rgds

Jenny

Anonymous said...

Dearest Jaime and Bae sisters:
It is incredible that the letters and drawings of Manet speak from the past century to today's modern times. it is more incredible that they apply piquantly to Bae Yong Joon. I hope that one day, they will make a Korean appropriation of Monet's life and works and make Bae Yong Joon act it on screen, like Untold Scandal, where he already played the role of painter.
Sarang Hamnida,
josephine pasricha

jaime said...

Hi Hyds,

Thank you for letting me know that you have a blog on our Yong Joon. Love to read about your journey too, you've been a longer fan than me :) I find writing out our feelings for Yong Joon is a very therapeutic way to express our love for him, do u feel the same way? Please take care!

regards ... jaime

jaime said...

My dearest gosijo,

How can I ever thank you for expressing (or should I say extending) your thoughts and give us various scenario of what our prince is contemplating?? So witty, so charming and so heartwarming. I will savour your comments and have a fresh impression everytime I re-read this series. Thank you so much!

love love ... jaime

jaime said...

Hi dear jenny,

Thank you for reading this post. You are so cute (and frank :). To tell you the truth, I didn't write much before I knew about Yong Joon. He and the Bae family (like bb, the blogger/artist sisters and all of you) really inspire other sisters to push their limits. So much love and goodness is generated from this beautiful man.
Glad you enjoy this journey with us :)

love ... Jaime

jaime said...

Hi Josephine,

Yeah, we certainly hope Yong Joon will consider playing roles other than the 'expected' Korean dramas. An innovative and original story plot is so hard to come by. I secretly wish Yong Joon will star in a classic historical war drama like Dr. Zhivago, just a wish :)

regards ... jaime

Maha said...

Dear Jaime,

Awed as I am by the splendid combination you've set up of both artists' uniqueness, I am equally impressed by your choice of music. Who is the composer of that inspired piece?

jaime said...

dear maha,

i've sent you an email regarding the music. thanks for loving it.

love .... jaime