Alphonse Etienne Dinet

(French, 1861-1929)

Rabiâ el Kouloub ou Le Printemps des coeurs, Légendes sahariennes recueillies par Sliman-Ben-Ibrahim, traduites et illustrées par E. Dinet, [Piazza] L'Edition d'art, 1902

Footnotes

Provenance
Félix Leseur Collection.

Exhibited
Paris, Salon, 1902, no. 168: Illustration de Rabia ek Kouloub ou le Printemps des coeurs. Dessins, cartons, etc. - Légendes arabes par Sliman ben Ibrahim, Cinq cadres (Enluminures à l'oeuf exécutées pour l'Édition d'art).

A founder of the Society for French Orientalist Painters, Etienne Dinet's love of North Africa and its people was so strong that he eventually converted to Islam in 1905, taking the name Nasrédine. His knowledge of the Arabic language allowed him access to remote locations and enabled him to capture a more intimate portrayal of the life of North Africa. Dinet first visited Southern Algeria in 1884; in addition to his paintings, he was the author of four sumptuously illustrated volumes, which were published by Piazza art editions: Antar (1898), Rabiâ el Kouloub, (1902, the present lot), Mirages (1906) and La Vie de Mohammed Prophète d'Allah (1918).

Rabiâ el Kouloub ou Le Printemps des coeurs is comprised of three Eastern tales, which were collected by Sliman ben-Ibrahim (1870-1953) and faithfully reproduced by Dinet, who translated and illustrated the story, inspired by his own travels in the Sahara Desert. They include 'Afrit el Nisouane', 'Zèïneb L'Enchanteresse' -'who turns hearts as easily as the rings on her fingers'- and 'Ba-Mendil et Krima'. Fundamentally love tales (similar to Arabian Nights) they are set in Southern Algeria. Sliman ben-Ibrahim was originally hired by Dinet as a travel guide. A strong friendship grew between the two men, leading to them collaborate on eight books, including La Vie de Mohammed which they co-wrote.

The present lot is a pinnacle of Orientalist illustration, in which the artist develops several of his favourite themes. The resulting watercolours offer a wonderful portrait of a timeless Algeria and its inhabitants. Given the subject matter of the book, a large part of it is dedicated to sensuality. Yet there are also representations of the elderly, children, marketplace scenes, palaces and souqs, starry nights and desert storms, the insides of mosques and panoramic views of villages, richly adorned women, beggars, Bedouins, musicians and palm groves.

These watercolours, which vary greatly in tone, have the perfection of Eastern miniatures, with a jewel-like finish. While some are characterised by an extreme precision, others are more impressionistic. In addition to the figurative watercolours, the original volume contains several ornate, gilded framings and calligraphed texts in Arabic. The signed original oil which has been placed at the beginning of the text volume features a djellaba-clad man raising his hands up to the sky and letting out a scream. Its style is markedly different from that of the illustrations inside the book, the background is abstract, made up of swathes of colour.

In one of the letters included in the present lot, Dinet provides an insight into his technique, stating that 'My paintings are made using egg, a process which provides them with a lengthier life than ordinary watercolours. Furthermore, I have tested every tone myself and insured that it withstood even the brightest light'. Other correspondence includes letters between between publisher Piazza, bookseller Floury, and Floury's client, Félix Leseur, relating to every step of the project, providing a valuable understanding into the creation and history of this unique copy.

The second volume, of printed text, has a P. Brunet bookplate and both volumes were in the collection of Félix Leseur (1861-1950). He was a friend of Louis Barthou and the art publisher Camille Pelletan. Among his collection was Anatole France's L'Affaire Crainquebille with every original drawing by Steinlen.