17 June 2010

Well Said: Edmond de Goncourt

Edmond de Goncourt portrayed in an 1882 etching by French artist Félix Braquemond. National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Mrs. Lessing J. Rosenwald, 1987.

"I have often said to myself that if I were not a man of letters, if I had not got money, my chosen profession would have been to invent interiors for rich people. I should have loved being allowed to have given me carte blanche to work out the decor and furniture of a palace with just four walls, using what I could find from dealers, artists, modern industry, and in my own head."

So said Edmond de Goncourt (1822—1896), French man of letters and diarist extraordinaire.

10 comments:

Kare said...

Are you back? We missed you so!

Kare

P.Gaye Tapp at Little Augury said...

I love this quote and would say to Edmond- I should have loved being a man of letters. Gaye

SilenStoryteller said...

You're back, you're back!!!!!!!!!!!! What a wonderful surprise

Barima said...

As a man of letters, one would assume that he might have decent concepts for a private library, studies and easy chairs. I didn't know of him before, but I can imagine that he had a decent foundation of knowledge and experience to back up such a notion

It's a good entry. I have similar advice offered to me now and again, but then, I'm hardly a literary fellow; merely a blogcolumnist

It might be too pushy to ask that you reconsider your stance on your archives, but I hope that continuing down the Well Said path is on the cards

B

Anonymous said...

I love the literary aspect of this blog. Based on your recommendations I recently read "The Volcano Lover" as well as the biography of Stephen Tennant. Both excellent. To read about people who devoted their lives to beauty, whether or not successful in the traditional sense, is always fascinating.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back! Please stay-- your fans miss you so much!

Rose C'est La Vie said...

I'm afraid I 'm the sort of girl who just wants to choose other people's curtains,pictures, furniture but not have to worry about organising it all.

Anonymous said...

What a delight to find you back, pointing out wonders and feeding us choice tidbits designed to inspire!
Merci mille fois,
Jennifer

Anonymous said...

PS, I am starting the Lees-Milne bio next. It looks really good. Welcome back. Please stay!!
Derek

Penelope Bianchi said...

WELCOME BACK!! HOORAY!

He describes my job! And I do love it!!

Penelope

ps sometimes I have a budget. boo.