094

  • Child on Second Empire Balcony

  • 1872
  • John Dabour (b. Turkey, American 1837-1905)
  • Pastel
  • 76.4 x 63.5 cm., 30-1/8 x 24-15/16"
  • Catherine Carter Goebel, Paul A. Anderson Chair in the Arts Purchase, Paul A. Anderson Art History Collection, Augustana College 2004.14

Essay by Michael Skelton, Class of 2005

Child on a Second Empire Balcony is a beautiful pastel created by John Dabour in 1872. The date indicates that this work was completed at the dawn of the Impressionist movement in Paris (the first Impressionist exhibition occurred two years later in 1874). The image depicts a charming young child posing along the edge of a balcony while she stands directly in front of a room framed by curtains. Although the date, in French terms, indicates the early beginnings of Impressionism, it was created when Dabour was working in the United States, developmentally far behind contemporary European movements. American Impressionism began long after the Civil War.

Dabour's image reflects the Impressionist immediacy of capturing a specific moment in time as well as the sweet innocence of childhood that Mary Cassatt would establish as her hallmark (web gallery 95, 101 and 102). Like Cassatt, an American working in Paris, Dabour presented this child in a believable and sympathetic manner at eye level. One cannot help but be intrigued by her expression, and wonder, exactly what is the focus of her gaze? She seemingly looks out toward the audience, yet beyond us as well.

This image reflects elements of both modernism and tradition. We are presented with seemingly contradictory characteristics, such as an industrial wrought iron railing behind which a beautiful child in classical-revival dress stands. The metal factory-made floral patterns contrast with the natural delicate flower she holds. We are confronted with the immediacy of a sort of photographic zoom-lens view of a balcony in a modern apartment building yet softened by the traditional beauty of the pastel medium.

Most likely, this child spies an inviting distant garden (web gallery 89 and 90) and longs to go there. The pink flower she holds is a trumpet petunia, a native flower of France. This bloom seems to have been plucked from the vine or ivy entangled around the wrought iron railing of the balcony. A repeated pattern of this vegetation is seen throughout the image. Floral patterns are apparent in the lace sheers, the flowers on the vines and on the bottom section of the railing as well. This repeated three petal design might represent the insignia of France, the fleur-de-lis, or lily flower, symbol for the king. By the time Dabour created this image, the emblem was adopted and incorporated into most French architecture as was the use of wrought iron (Goebel).