Fionnuala’s review of Confessions of a Young Man > Likes and Comments
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He may not be so well known today - and most writers will be forgotten after all, still here he has given an example of a vwry popukar theme - the arists life and education in paris!
That's right, Jann. There were a lot of writers in his day but only a few are mentioned frequently in our day.
I could have gone on and on about his life in Paris, but he mentioned some of that in 'Hail and Farewell' too, and I'd included a bit of the Paris stuff already in that review.
Plus I think everyone must be tired of George Moore by now—including me!
I’ve been following your Moore-fest closely enough to conclude that I want to sample him at least, Fionnuala! You’ve probably been asked this a million times: what would be a good starting point?
Maybe this one, Peter. It makes for a good slice of life in Paris in the 1870s. And you might find echoes of Gerald Murnane in Moore's experiences. The obsession with a female character met in a book, for instance, or a figure in a painting he remembers seeing as a child.
On it, Fionnuala, especially with echoes of Gerald Murnane! Thank you very much.
You’re becoming quite the specialist in Moore’s life&writing, Fionnuala... I loved how you wove together his artistic journey, personal contradictions, and vivid portraits. I think Moore would be quietly pleased to see your review among those keeping his legacy alive.
Hi Fionnuala, this book sounds very appealing to me regarding his life with artists of the time as well as the fact that he knew Zola. Thanks for sharing all this interest in Moore.
Dolors wrote: "You’re becoming quite the specialist in Moore’s life&writing, Fionnuala... I loved how you wove together his artistic journey, personal contradictions, and vivid portraits..."
I think it will be those vivid word portraits I'll remember him for, Dolors—he really knew how to pin people to the page.
Thanks for reading the various reviews. Hope they weren't too much of a chore. This one felt like a chore to write. I'm so done with George Moore!
David wrote: "Hi Fionnuala, this book sounds very appealing to me regarding his life with artists of the time as well as the fact that he knew Zola. Thanks for sharing all this interest in Moore."
You might like it indeed, David. He's not always complimentary towards Zola, but always so about Balzac:-)
A beautiful review, Fionnuala. George Moore had a fascinating life and it's wonderful he shared the story of his life in his books and now you're sharing it with your Goodreads friends, including me. Thank you!
It surprises me how modern Moore sounds!
I was deeply touched by how Moore's looked back, at his younger self, when he was 52. It made me think about my own life. I think the younger-me would have been happy with who I am now, or at least I hope so... ;-)
If he would pop up here, Fionnuala he would certainly would not be able to 'discard your friendship like old coats':-) He would simply not dare to:-) In general I suspect that this self-characterisation seems to be more indulgent and performative than real. Because it is quite often works both ways. I suspect many from that type of artistic community reciprocated:-) Thank you again for introducing me to this man and his musings. And I loved that illustration with Marie - makes this time and their artist processes very real somehow.
I have to say that it is seeing excursions like this, as rare as deep dives seem to be, that make GR an interesting place. Between these and the spontaneous cascades of interest that certain authors get on this platform, I have become acquainted with many authors I would likely have never known about.
Well......What was Lady Aubrey's secret? Was she the model for 'Chloe,' perhaps? Another great review -- you should be Mr. Moore's official biographer.
Noam wrote: "It surprises me how modern Moore sounds!
I was deeply touched by how Moore looked back, at his younger self, when he was 52. It made me think about my own life. I think the younger-me would have been happy with who I am now, or at least I hope so... ;-)"
Regarding him sounding 'modern', Noam, it struck me that his descriptions of real people, unlike his actual fiction-writing, propelled him into the Modernist era. Take that passage about the betting shop, it could almost be a section out of Joyce's Ulysses or Eliot's the Wasteland.
But then his description of Ernest Cabaner is deliberately written in an antique style, and I loved that too.
As I said earlier, it is for his quick sketches of people that I kept on reading so much of his work.
I'm glad that Old and Young Self tableau left you pondering positively on your own life.
Fionnuala, George Moore might have found the ideal reader in you and we, the ideal reviewer of his works. I might never have cast a glance in Moore’s direction prior to reading of your Mooresque adventures. Now if ever I come across one of his books while loafing about Paris I will take possession of it with the stealth of a master thief. Thank you!
Katia wrote: "If he would pop up here, Fionnuala he certainly would not be able to 'discard your friendship like old coats':-) He would simply not dare to:-) In general I suspect that this self-characterisation seems to be more indulgent and performative than real..."
I hope he would at least appreciate that I've invested time in reading his oeuvre, Katia. What more can a writer want from readers of the future.
But here's an odd thing: I'd barely written that thought when I remembered a short story I read last year in Alberto Manguel's Anthology of Fantastic Literature. The reason I'm reminded of it now is that the story was by Max Beerbohm, the caricaturist mentioned in the review, and it was about the desire on the part of an unsuccessful writer called Enoch Soames to be remembered one hundred years in the future. I glanced through the story just now and had a shock: I think Beerbohm may have based Soames on George Moore. He describes him with sloping shoulders, sandy hair and a sparse beard, says that he's newly arrived in London after several years spent in Paris, that he has the habit of throwing French phrases into his conversation frequently, that he has written poems derivative of Baudelaire, that he talks a lot about Shelley, and that he has renounced Catholicism.
But then the story takes a fantastic turn: Soames sells his soul to the devil in return for an afternoon in the British Library a hundred years from then, 1997, so that he can examine all the books about literature in the 1890s and find all the references to his own name. Alas when he returns to 1897, all he can report finding is a reference to the story in which he is named as having sold his soul to the devil!
If Beerbohm based the story even partly on Moore, it's a cruel satire. And Moore turned out to be much more successful than the character Enoch Soames.
By the way, I'm glad you appreciated the references to Marie. When we look at paintings we rarely think about the lives of the people who were the models for the figures in them.
I so loved learning about this gent through your eyes Fio......not sure he would have liked GR though lol !
Fionnuala wrote: "Katia wrote: "If he would pop up here, Fionnuala he certainly would not be able to 'discard your friendship like old coats':-) He would simply not dare to:-) In general I suspect that this self-cha..."
I've entirely missed your George Moore reviews up till this one, Fionnuala, but, today, for the first time ever, your name came up in my GR email feed, so here I am.
I was very moved by the fate of the model, Marie - I've recently seen La Bohème on television. You may be fed up of writing reviews on Moore but they will hold plenty of interest for other people (maybe even for a hundred years!). It does seem that you could write a biography of him!
path wrote: "I have to say that it is seeing excursions like this, as rare as deep dives seem to be, that make GR an interesting place. Between these and the spontaneous cascades of interest that certain authors get on this platform, I have become acquainted with many authors I would likely have never known about..."
Thanks for your appreciation of my deep dive into George Moore, path. And I identify with your pleasure at seeing the way older writers sometimes get a new lease of life here as a bunch of readers around the world suddenly start reading their work. Anita Brookner, Elizabeth Taylor, Muriel Spark, Barbara Pym, have all been recently resurrected very successfully in our corner of goodreads. This site is not nearly so much about new releases as the Goodreads Choice Awards might imply.
Left Coast Justin wrote: "Well......What was Lady Aubrey's secret? Was she the model for 'Chloe,' perhaps? Another great review -- you should be Mr. Moore's official biographer."
Aha, Lady A might well have been Chloe, Justin, but in the book, it seems she simply went through a lot of husbands, and maybe helped some of them to an early death?
And can I whisper my own secret: after this comment thread is done, I'm finished with George Moore for ever:-)
Ulysse wrote: "...Now if ever I come across one of his books while loafing about Paris I will take possession of it with the stealth of a master thief..."
I can see it already, Ulysse. You'll be browsing the bouquinistes along the Seine some Saturday afternoon when you come across a slim book of poetry from the 1880s called 'Les fleurs du passion', and you'll think for a moment it's by Baudelaire but then you'll see that it's by George Moore! And you might not have to steal it because the bookseller might give it to you for free!
If I can see all that so clearly, it's because that's where I found my own slim copy of Baudelaire's 'Les fleurs du mal';-)
Jaidee wrote: "I so loved learning about this gent through your eyes Fio......not sure he would have liked GR though lol !"
I think he was a supreme adapter, Jaidee. He might well have taken to the virtual life we lead here just as he switched activities so often in his life. So long as people Liked what he posted, he'd have been happy!
J.C. wrote: "...I was very moved by the fate of the model, Marie - I've recently seen La Bohème on television. You may be fed up of writing reviews on Moore but they will hold plenty of interest for other people (maybe even for a hundred years!). It does seem that you could write a biography of him..."
Nice that you recently watched La Bohème, Jeanne. I know Mimi didn't die of sulphur poisoning but she and Marie would have had extreme poverty in common. Life was so hard. But it's still hard for many people:-(
If anyone looks up George Moore on Goodreads in a hundred years from now, they'll definitely find my name so he may have lent me a tiny bit of immortality. Hail and farewell, dear George!
Fionnuala wrote: "Katia wrote: "If he would pop up here, Fionnuala he certainly would not be able to 'discard your friendship like old coats':-) He would simply not dare to:-) In general I suspect that this self-cha..."
How interesting, Fionnuala! And when I was reading your comment I've remembered where I've heard the name of Max Beerbohm and this story. We might have talked with you about it while we were discussing Manguel's collection of fantastic stories you've read. (My biggest impression was the story you've recommended about the coming of back of a knight, but we might have talked about Soames as well). But the different memory ive had was that Robert Bolano considered this story as almost a masterpiece. In his collection of essays ive read he was praising it very highly. I guess it anticipated Borges who was of course a big anglophil. But such a praise coming from Bolano was still surprising. I cannot at the moment locate the book - still live in a chaos:-) But I've now read on-line that the room was still jus about opened in 1997 and someone even has seen Soames there:-) The fact that the character might be modelled on Moore seems quite credible:-) Based upon what I know from you about the man he might actually appreciate Beerbohm's joke:-) Max Beerbohm by himself seems quite a character - he had not learned Italian while living there for around 5o years apparently.
The models, especially the models of that lot of the artists are on my mind, Fionnuala. I've just visited d'Orsay yet again and was thinking about this. How little we know about these women. I was enchanted this time around by Renoir. Especially his "Torso a study of light'. And I was disappointed to find out that the model is unknown. The wife of Vilhelm Hammershøi, for example, fared much better. But equally we would never know her thoughts about this. And now when I am typing it, I am not sure what is better: anonymity or knowledge for posterity in such questions.. Confusing:-)
So Bolaño admired Max Beerbohm's story? And yes, I remember that in the 1997 sceanario, people at the library could see Soames, and they noticed how bizarrely he was dressed. He thought they were bizarrely dressed too. And they all had tattooed numbers on their arms. I don't know what inspired that bit of dystopia in Beerbohm's mind. When Soames read through the books about his own times, they were all written in a simplified version of English and the spelling was completely phonetic. That was actually one of Moore's pet peeves: the degradation of the English language as he perceived it, so perhaps Beerbohm was skewering him for that too.
When I first read Beerbohm's story, I thought the most interesting aspect of it was that it mixed fact and fiction. The narrator talks about meeting a real artist of the time, William Rothenstein, who was doing a series of portraits of leading literary figures in England. Then he tells us that the fictional Enoch Soames asked Rothenstein to include him in the series but Rothenstein refused. However, Beerbohm and Rothenstein must have colluded on the Soames story because when it was published in the late 1890s, it had an illustration of the fictional Soames by the real Rothenstein:
Rothenstein drew a portrait of George Moore in the 1890s too, but whether Moore asked him to or he offered to do it is not clear:
National Gallery of Ireland
Katia wrote: "The models, especially the models of that lot of the artists are on my mind, Fionnuala. I've just visited d'Orsay yet again and was thinking about this. How little we know about these women. I was enchanted this time around by Renoir. Especially his "Torso a study of light'. And I was disappointed to find out that the model is unknown. The wife of Vilhelm Hammershøi, for example, fared much better. But equally we would never know her thoughts about this. And now when I am typing it, I am not sure what is better: anonymity or knowledge for posterity in such questions.. Confusing.."
I've just looked at that Renoir and I can see why it appeals to you, Katia. The model's mind seems far away, as if only her body is present.
Wouldn't Rachel Cusk make an interesting piece of writing out of this theme!
Fee, Julian's painting reminded me of a scene from one of my novels:
Established in Montmartre near the foot of the hill, the Atelier Cormon was located in a spacious workroom with large exposed wooden beams, unpainted walls, and immense glass windows, lamps, and reflectors suspended from rafters to provide the desired lighting. High shelves stacked with white plaster casts of nymphs, Caesars, gods, and goddesses lined the unpainted walls, and there was a centrally situated dais for models. A sharply distinctive, but not unpleasant odor of linseed oil and turpentine permeated the atmosphere; several students seated themselves at easels surrounding the dais, concentrating their attention on a dark, young woman posing nude, in a semi-reclining position. Marcia immediately recognized her as Virginie’s friend, Delphine Lacroix.
Inbinder, Gary. The Devil in Montmartre: A Mystery in Fin de Siècle Paris (Achille Lefebvre Mysteries) (pp. 100-101). Pegasus Books. Kindle Edition.
Thanks for posting that excerpt, Gary. It does sound very like Rodolfe Julian's studio. Did you come across his name while researching your book at all? And you've reminded me that there were some great scenes set in just such a studio in Somerset Maugham's 'Of Human Bondage' when his main character goes to Paris to study painting in the 1880s. But like George Moore, he gives up on his ambitions to be an artist fairly soon.
Fionnuala wrote: "So Bolaño admired Max Beerbohm's story? And yes, I remember that in the 1997 sceanario, people at the library could see Soames, and they noticed how bizarrely he was dressed. He thought they were b..."
Thank you for adding more details about this story, Fionnuala and sharing the portraits. Yes, I was surprised that Bolano read it. I guess again it might be quite popular in Spanish translation at some period of time. But it does sound quite modern, almost post-modern by mixing real people and fictional personas:-) Have you read Zuleika Dobson. It has picked up my interest, especially I've read recently a very modern satire on Oxford uni.
Fionnuala wrote: "Katia wrote: "The models, especially the models of that lot of the artists are on my mind, Fionnuala. I've just visited d'Orsay yet again and was thinking about this. How little we know about these..."
yes, an she projects so many subdued emotions. But also the real painting so luminous indeed it melts time. You are right: the topic of the models deserves Cusk's ink. I miss het actually. It has been a year. And surprisingly with her I would be happy with a bit of the same. But I am sure she would do something new:-)
...after this comment thread is done, I'm finished with George Moore for ever:-)
Oh? Does poor old doddering George know this? Or is Lady Fi planning perhaps to slip something 'special' into his drink?
Fionnuala wrote: "Thanks for posting that excerpt, Gary. It does sound very like Rodolfe Julian's studio. Did you come across his name while researching your book at all? And you've reminded me that there were some ..."
You're welcome, Fee. I might have come across a reference to Julian when I was researching the novel, but that was more than a decade ago and I lost all my notes when my old PC crashed. ☹️And yes, Maugham was certainly familiar with the Parisian art world of that period and used that knowledge for reference in "Of Human Bondage."
@Katia, that Max Beerbohm novel set in Oxford looks interesting. I might take a closer look.
Now I'm wondering if Beerbohm held it against Moore that he hadn't been to Oxford...
And like you, I'm looking forward to the next Cusk novel:-)
@Justin, actually I have another Moore-related book to review:-(
@Gary, that's a shame you lost your research notes but at least you got your novel published before the pc crashed.
This is an excellent review, Fionnuala! I've read the first quote you included quite a few times because what elegant writing. Thanks for this great introduction to George Moore.
Well, I'm sure the review will be good, even if the book wasn't!
Cheryl wrote: "This is an excellent review, Fionnuala! I've read the first quote you included quite a few times because what elegant writing. Thanks for this great introduction to George Moore."
You're welcome, Cheryl, and I'm glad you appreciate that quote.
Left Coast Justin wrote: "Well, I'm sure the review will be good, even if the book wasn't!"
The book was good but I'm still gathering up my thoughts about it. Too many thoughts is my problem:-(
Fionnuala wrote: "@Gary, that's a shame you lost your research notes but at least you got your novel published before the pc crashed."
Thankfully, Fee. I'm also thankful that my agent and the publisher had copies of the manuscript, since I lost that along with the research notes. 😉
What a wonderful way to conclude your dalliance with Moore. Does he know you're abandoning him? 😄
I have enjoyed your "biography" of Moore through all of your reviews and appreciate the samples of his writing and the sketches.
I think he was good at moving on in his life, Lisa, so he won't mind me doing it now!
Thanks again for taking an interest in this series of reviews. I'm glad you got something from it all.
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Oct 28, 2025 07:39AM
He may not be so well known today - and most writers will be forgotten after all, still here he has given an example of a vwry popukar theme - the arists life and education in paris!
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That's right, Jann. There were a lot of writers in his day but only a few are mentioned frequently in our day. I could have gone on and on about his life in Paris, but he mentioned some of that in 'Hail and Farewell' too, and I'd included a bit of the Paris stuff already in that review.
Plus I think everyone must be tired of George Moore by now—including me!
I’ve been following your Moore-fest closely enough to conclude that I want to sample him at least, Fionnuala! You’ve probably been asked this a million times: what would be a good starting point?
Maybe this one, Peter. It makes for a good slice of life in Paris in the 1870s. And you might find echoes of Gerald Murnane in Moore's experiences. The obsession with a female character met in a book, for instance, or a figure in a painting he remembers seeing as a child.
On it, Fionnuala, especially with echoes of Gerald Murnane! Thank you very much.
You’re becoming quite the specialist in Moore’s life&writing, Fionnuala... I loved how you wove together his artistic journey, personal contradictions, and vivid portraits. I think Moore would be quietly pleased to see your review among those keeping his legacy alive.
Hi Fionnuala, this book sounds very appealing to me regarding his life with artists of the time as well as the fact that he knew Zola. Thanks for sharing all this interest in Moore.
Dolors wrote: "You’re becoming quite the specialist in Moore’s life&writing, Fionnuala... I loved how you wove together his artistic journey, personal contradictions, and vivid portraits..."I think it will be those vivid word portraits I'll remember him for, Dolors—he really knew how to pin people to the page.
Thanks for reading the various reviews. Hope they weren't too much of a chore. This one felt like a chore to write. I'm so done with George Moore!
David wrote: "Hi Fionnuala, this book sounds very appealing to me regarding his life with artists of the time as well as the fact that he knew Zola. Thanks for sharing all this interest in Moore."You might like it indeed, David. He's not always complimentary towards Zola, but always so about Balzac:-)
A beautiful review, Fionnuala. George Moore had a fascinating life and it's wonderful he shared the story of his life in his books and now you're sharing it with your Goodreads friends, including me. Thank you! It surprises me how modern Moore sounds!
I was deeply touched by how Moore's looked back, at his younger self, when he was 52. It made me think about my own life. I think the younger-me would have been happy with who I am now, or at least I hope so... ;-)
If he would pop up here, Fionnuala he would certainly would not be able to 'discard your friendship like old coats':-) He would simply not dare to:-) In general I suspect that this self-characterisation seems to be more indulgent and performative than real. Because it is quite often works both ways. I suspect many from that type of artistic community reciprocated:-) Thank you again for introducing me to this man and his musings. And I loved that illustration with Marie - makes this time and their artist processes very real somehow.
I have to say that it is seeing excursions like this, as rare as deep dives seem to be, that make GR an interesting place. Between these and the spontaneous cascades of interest that certain authors get on this platform, I have become acquainted with many authors I would likely have never known about.
Well......What was Lady Aubrey's secret? Was she the model for 'Chloe,' perhaps? Another great review -- you should be Mr. Moore's official biographer.
Noam wrote: "It surprises me how modern Moore sounds!I was deeply touched by how Moore looked back, at his younger self, when he was 52. It made me think about my own life. I think the younger-me would have been happy with who I am now, or at least I hope so... ;-)"
Regarding him sounding 'modern', Noam, it struck me that his descriptions of real people, unlike his actual fiction-writing, propelled him into the Modernist era. Take that passage about the betting shop, it could almost be a section out of Joyce's Ulysses or Eliot's the Wasteland.
But then his description of Ernest Cabaner is deliberately written in an antique style, and I loved that too.
As I said earlier, it is for his quick sketches of people that I kept on reading so much of his work.
I'm glad that Old and Young Self tableau left you pondering positively on your own life.
Fionnuala, George Moore might have found the ideal reader in you and we, the ideal reviewer of his works. I might never have cast a glance in Moore’s direction prior to reading of your Mooresque adventures. Now if ever I come across one of his books while loafing about Paris I will take possession of it with the stealth of a master thief. Thank you!
Katia wrote: "If he would pop up here, Fionnuala he certainly would not be able to 'discard your friendship like old coats':-) He would simply not dare to:-) In general I suspect that this self-characterisation seems to be more indulgent and performative than real..."I hope he would at least appreciate that I've invested time in reading his oeuvre, Katia. What more can a writer want from readers of the future.
But here's an odd thing: I'd barely written that thought when I remembered a short story I read last year in Alberto Manguel's Anthology of Fantastic Literature. The reason I'm reminded of it now is that the story was by Max Beerbohm, the caricaturist mentioned in the review, and it was about the desire on the part of an unsuccessful writer called Enoch Soames to be remembered one hundred years in the future. I glanced through the story just now and had a shock: I think Beerbohm may have based Soames on George Moore. He describes him with sloping shoulders, sandy hair and a sparse beard, says that he's newly arrived in London after several years spent in Paris, that he has the habit of throwing French phrases into his conversation frequently, that he has written poems derivative of Baudelaire, that he talks a lot about Shelley, and that he has renounced Catholicism.
But then the story takes a fantastic turn: Soames sells his soul to the devil in return for an afternoon in the British Library a hundred years from then, 1997, so that he can examine all the books about literature in the 1890s and find all the references to his own name. Alas when he returns to 1897, all he can report finding is a reference to the story in which he is named as having sold his soul to the devil!
If Beerbohm based the story even partly on Moore, it's a cruel satire. And Moore turned out to be much more successful than the character Enoch Soames.
By the way, I'm glad you appreciated the references to Marie. When we look at paintings we rarely think about the lives of the people who were the models for the figures in them.
I so loved learning about this gent through your eyes Fio......not sure he would have liked GR though lol !
Fionnuala wrote: "Katia wrote: "If he would pop up here, Fionnuala he certainly would not be able to 'discard your friendship like old coats':-) He would simply not dare to:-) In general I suspect that this self-cha..."I've entirely missed your George Moore reviews up till this one, Fionnuala, but, today, for the first time ever, your name came up in my GR email feed, so here I am.
I was very moved by the fate of the model, Marie - I've recently seen La Bohème on television. You may be fed up of writing reviews on Moore but they will hold plenty of interest for other people (maybe even for a hundred years!). It does seem that you could write a biography of him!
path wrote: "I have to say that it is seeing excursions like this, as rare as deep dives seem to be, that make GR an interesting place. Between these and the spontaneous cascades of interest that certain authors get on this platform, I have become acquainted with many authors I would likely have never known about..."Thanks for your appreciation of my deep dive into George Moore, path. And I identify with your pleasure at seeing the way older writers sometimes get a new lease of life here as a bunch of readers around the world suddenly start reading their work. Anita Brookner, Elizabeth Taylor, Muriel Spark, Barbara Pym, have all been recently resurrected very successfully in our corner of goodreads. This site is not nearly so much about new releases as the Goodreads Choice Awards might imply.
Left Coast Justin wrote: "Well......What was Lady Aubrey's secret? Was she the model for 'Chloe,' perhaps? Another great review -- you should be Mr. Moore's official biographer."Aha, Lady A might well have been Chloe, Justin, but in the book, it seems she simply went through a lot of husbands, and maybe helped some of them to an early death?
And can I whisper my own secret: after this comment thread is done, I'm finished with George Moore for ever:-)
Ulysse wrote: "...Now if ever I come across one of his books while loafing about Paris I will take possession of it with the stealth of a master thief..."I can see it already, Ulysse. You'll be browsing the bouquinistes along the Seine some Saturday afternoon when you come across a slim book of poetry from the 1880s called 'Les fleurs du passion', and you'll think for a moment it's by Baudelaire but then you'll see that it's by George Moore! And you might not have to steal it because the bookseller might give it to you for free!
If I can see all that so clearly, it's because that's where I found my own slim copy of Baudelaire's 'Les fleurs du mal';-)
Jaidee wrote: "I so loved learning about this gent through your eyes Fio......not sure he would have liked GR though lol !"I think he was a supreme adapter, Jaidee. He might well have taken to the virtual life we lead here just as he switched activities so often in his life. So long as people Liked what he posted, he'd have been happy!
J.C. wrote: "...I was very moved by the fate of the model, Marie - I've recently seen La Bohème on television. You may be fed up of writing reviews on Moore but they will hold plenty of interest for other people (maybe even for a hundred years!). It does seem that you could write a biography of him..."Nice that you recently watched La Bohème, Jeanne. I know Mimi didn't die of sulphur poisoning but she and Marie would have had extreme poverty in common. Life was so hard. But it's still hard for many people:-(
If anyone looks up George Moore on Goodreads in a hundred years from now, they'll definitely find my name so he may have lent me a tiny bit of immortality. Hail and farewell, dear George!
Fionnuala wrote: "Katia wrote: "If he would pop up here, Fionnuala he certainly would not be able to 'discard your friendship like old coats':-) He would simply not dare to:-) In general I suspect that this self-cha..."How interesting, Fionnuala! And when I was reading your comment I've remembered where I've heard the name of Max Beerbohm and this story. We might have talked with you about it while we were discussing Manguel's collection of fantastic stories you've read. (My biggest impression was the story you've recommended about the coming of back of a knight, but we might have talked about Soames as well). But the different memory ive had was that Robert Bolano considered this story as almost a masterpiece. In his collection of essays ive read he was praising it very highly. I guess it anticipated Borges who was of course a big anglophil. But such a praise coming from Bolano was still surprising. I cannot at the moment locate the book - still live in a chaos:-) But I've now read on-line that the room was still jus about opened in 1997 and someone even has seen Soames there:-) The fact that the character might be modelled on Moore seems quite credible:-) Based upon what I know from you about the man he might actually appreciate Beerbohm's joke:-) Max Beerbohm by himself seems quite a character - he had not learned Italian while living there for around 5o years apparently.
The models, especially the models of that lot of the artists are on my mind, Fionnuala. I've just visited d'Orsay yet again and was thinking about this. How little we know about these women. I was enchanted this time around by Renoir. Especially his "Torso a study of light'. And I was disappointed to find out that the model is unknown. The wife of Vilhelm Hammershøi, for example, fared much better. But equally we would never know her thoughts about this. And now when I am typing it, I am not sure what is better: anonymity or knowledge for posterity in such questions.. Confusing:-)
So Bolaño admired Max Beerbohm's story? And yes, I remember that in the 1997 sceanario, people at the library could see Soames, and they noticed how bizarrely he was dressed. He thought they were bizarrely dressed too. And they all had tattooed numbers on their arms. I don't know what inspired that bit of dystopia in Beerbohm's mind. When Soames read through the books about his own times, they were all written in a simplified version of English and the spelling was completely phonetic. That was actually one of Moore's pet peeves: the degradation of the English language as he perceived it, so perhaps Beerbohm was skewering him for that too. When I first read Beerbohm's story, I thought the most interesting aspect of it was that it mixed fact and fiction. The narrator talks about meeting a real artist of the time, William Rothenstein, who was doing a series of portraits of leading literary figures in England. Then he tells us that the fictional Enoch Soames asked Rothenstein to include him in the series but Rothenstein refused. However, Beerbohm and Rothenstein must have colluded on the Soames story because when it was published in the late 1890s, it had an illustration of the fictional Soames by the real Rothenstein:
Rothenstein drew a portrait of George Moore in the 1890s too, but whether Moore asked him to or he offered to do it is not clear:
National Gallery of Ireland
Katia wrote: "The models, especially the models of that lot of the artists are on my mind, Fionnuala. I've just visited d'Orsay yet again and was thinking about this. How little we know about these women. I was enchanted this time around by Renoir. Especially his "Torso a study of light'. And I was disappointed to find out that the model is unknown. The wife of Vilhelm Hammershøi, for example, fared much better. But equally we would never know her thoughts about this. And now when I am typing it, I am not sure what is better: anonymity or knowledge for posterity in such questions.. Confusing.."I've just looked at that Renoir and I can see why it appeals to you, Katia. The model's mind seems far away, as if only her body is present.
Wouldn't Rachel Cusk make an interesting piece of writing out of this theme!
Fee, Julian's painting reminded me of a scene from one of my novels:Established in Montmartre near the foot of the hill, the Atelier Cormon was located in a spacious workroom with large exposed wooden beams, unpainted walls, and immense glass windows, lamps, and reflectors suspended from rafters to provide the desired lighting. High shelves stacked with white plaster casts of nymphs, Caesars, gods, and goddesses lined the unpainted walls, and there was a centrally situated dais for models. A sharply distinctive, but not unpleasant odor of linseed oil and turpentine permeated the atmosphere; several students seated themselves at easels surrounding the dais, concentrating their attention on a dark, young woman posing nude, in a semi-reclining position. Marcia immediately recognized her as Virginie’s friend, Delphine Lacroix.
Inbinder, Gary. The Devil in Montmartre: A Mystery in Fin de Siècle Paris (Achille Lefebvre Mysteries) (pp. 100-101). Pegasus Books. Kindle Edition.
Thanks for posting that excerpt, Gary. It does sound very like Rodolfe Julian's studio. Did you come across his name while researching your book at all? And you've reminded me that there were some great scenes set in just such a studio in Somerset Maugham's 'Of Human Bondage' when his main character goes to Paris to study painting in the 1880s. But like George Moore, he gives up on his ambitions to be an artist fairly soon.
Fionnuala wrote: "So Bolaño admired Max Beerbohm's story? And yes, I remember that in the 1997 sceanario, people at the library could see Soames, and they noticed how bizarrely he was dressed. He thought they were b..."Thank you for adding more details about this story, Fionnuala and sharing the portraits. Yes, I was surprised that Bolano read it. I guess again it might be quite popular in Spanish translation at some period of time. But it does sound quite modern, almost post-modern by mixing real people and fictional personas:-) Have you read Zuleika Dobson. It has picked up my interest, especially I've read recently a very modern satire on Oxford uni.
Fionnuala wrote: "Katia wrote: "The models, especially the models of that lot of the artists are on my mind, Fionnuala. I've just visited d'Orsay yet again and was thinking about this. How little we know about these..."yes, an she projects so many subdued emotions. But also the real painting so luminous indeed it melts time. You are right: the topic of the models deserves Cusk's ink. I miss het actually. It has been a year. And surprisingly with her I would be happy with a bit of the same. But I am sure she would do something new:-)
...after this comment thread is done, I'm finished with George Moore for ever:-)Oh? Does poor old doddering George know this? Or is Lady Fi planning perhaps to slip something 'special' into his drink?
Fionnuala wrote: "Thanks for posting that excerpt, Gary. It does sound very like Rodolfe Julian's studio. Did you come across his name while researching your book at all? And you've reminded me that there were some ..."You're welcome, Fee. I might have come across a reference to Julian when I was researching the novel, but that was more than a decade ago and I lost all my notes when my old PC crashed. ☹️And yes, Maugham was certainly familiar with the Parisian art world of that period and used that knowledge for reference in "Of Human Bondage."
@Katia, that Max Beerbohm novel set in Oxford looks interesting. I might take a closer look. Now I'm wondering if Beerbohm held it against Moore that he hadn't been to Oxford...
And like you, I'm looking forward to the next Cusk novel:-)
@Justin, actually I have another Moore-related book to review:-(
@Gary, that's a shame you lost your research notes but at least you got your novel published before the pc crashed.
This is an excellent review, Fionnuala! I've read the first quote you included quite a few times because what elegant writing. Thanks for this great introduction to George Moore.
Well, I'm sure the review will be good, even if the book wasn't!
Cheryl wrote: "This is an excellent review, Fionnuala! I've read the first quote you included quite a few times because what elegant writing. Thanks for this great introduction to George Moore."You're welcome, Cheryl, and I'm glad you appreciate that quote.
Left Coast Justin wrote: "Well, I'm sure the review will be good, even if the book wasn't!"The book was good but I'm still gathering up my thoughts about it. Too many thoughts is my problem:-(
Fionnuala wrote: "@Gary, that's a shame you lost your research notes but at least you got your novel published before the pc crashed."Thankfully, Fee. I'm also thankful that my agent and the publisher had copies of the manuscript, since I lost that along with the research notes. 😉
What a wonderful way to conclude your dalliance with Moore. Does he know you're abandoning him? 😄I have enjoyed your "biography" of Moore through all of your reviews and appreciate the samples of his writing and the sketches.
I think he was good at moving on in his life, Lisa, so he won't mind me doing it now! Thanks again for taking an interest in this series of reviews. I'm glad you got something from it all.
