Fantaisie Espagnole

Charles Edward Conder (1868-1909) was an English-born painter, lithographer and designer. He emigrated to Australia and was a key figure in the Heidelberg School, arguably the beginning of a distinctively Australian tradition in Western art. After living in Australia for six years, he returned to Europe, living and working first in Paris and then in London.  He fully embraced the bohemian lifestyle and enjoyed costume parties. His artistic powers were at their height in the later 1890s, in spirt of 'drunken spells and disreputable company'.

Although Clausen's late works are commonly regarded as representing a decline, this is hardly applicable to the lovely Art Nouveau imbued lithograph, printed in sanguine ink, <em>Fantaisie Espagnole</em> (Spanish fantasy). It depicts a man wearing a cap, cloak and knee-breeches, together with four women, two in Spanish costume, one dancing. In the background is a festooned archway, with a landscape beyond. As well as admiring Conder's delicate touch, it is obvious to us that he enjoyed having a good time. Frank Gibson, in the posthumous <em>Charles Conder: his life and work </em>(1913), stated that the <em>Fantaisie Epsagnole</em> 'contains some of the most virile and vigorous of Conder's figure-drawing'. Three years later Conder was dead (of syphilis) at the age of 40.

See:

Wikipedia, 'Charles Conder' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Conder

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator Historical International Art    April 2018