Né(e)s de l’écume et des rêves, les artistes et la mer

The sea, an endless beginning: this is a beautiful subject for those artists who studied it throughout the ages. During a “Summer in the Havre”, a nice selection has been brought together at the MuMA, until 9 September, and this book is the corresponding catalogue. The cover, with a pretty, nude muse in the waves by Adolf Hirémy-Hirschl, sets the tone: we will discover here a number of forgotten artists, for having been too academic or too original. The choice is very large and encompasses conformist artists, illustrations by Jules Verne, photographs by Painlevé (of which Ouverture de la poche incubatrice du mâle hippocampe which has a very definite sexual shape) and the Surrealist cadavres exquis full of seashells. It is truly a pleasure to see Bras sur le Guadalquivir by photographer Pierre Boucher, the diving suit of the Carmagnolle brothers from 1882, the sea blooms by Wols and Zurn, or a lovely set of watercolors by Hans Reichel. We regret the absence of an index, as we cannot check the presence of Bouguereau’s Océanide. It is not included, and it merits a pilgrimage to La Rochelle to see it.

• Né(e)s de l’écume et des rêves, les artistes et la mer, MuMA/Octopus éditions, 2018, 256 p., 29€.