Charles CORDIER

Long autograph letter signed by sculptor Charles Cordier to a painter friend regarding the sculptures of the Vaudeville Theatre, built at the corner of Boulevard des Capucines and Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, from January 1867 to April 1, 1869, commissioned by the City of Paris.
The majority of the sculptures and bas-reliefs had been entrusted to Emile Hébert, whose Italian cherubs were not to the taste of Charles Cordier, a great defender of French style: "Vaudeville should be represented by an adolescent receiving from artistic tradition the attributes of comedy, and what instead? Tiresome sculpture instead of creating French sculpture for a theatre that is so French in spirit." Cordier created two caryatids for the Vaudeville for the balcony of one of the principal boxes. In a very interesting passage, Cordier speaks of his sculptor pupils and his sculptural style: "I always encourage the children not to abandon naivety in drawing, which leads to intimate feeling in portraiture. A rare thing!"
"Mon cher ami
[...]
Je crains fort de ne pouvoir partir le Vaudeville presse. J'ai le bas relief de milieu et [illisible] et classique. Le vaudeville doit être présenté par un adolescent recevant de la tradition artistique les attributs de la comédie et à quoi ? de la sculpture assommante au lieu de faire de la sculpture française pour un théâtre qui est si français par son esprit.
Notre élève va bien. J'ai vu un portrait ébauché [...] J'engage toujours les enfants à ne pas se départir de la naïveté dans le dessin ce qui amène au sentiment intime dans le portrait. Chose rare !. Et vous cher maître, faits dans dans les esquisses de la chapelle, j'irai vous voir un soir si je ne vous dérange pas, vous m'ouvrirez vers les 4h.
Mes excuses encore une fois [...]
Charles Cordier" ["My dear friend
[...]
I very much fear I may not be able to leave, the Vaudeville is pressing. I have the central bas-relief and [illegible] and classical. Vaudeville should be represented by an adolescent receiving from artistic tradition the attributes of comedy, and what instead? Tiresome sculpture instead of creating French sculpture for a theatre that is so French in spirit.
Our pupil is doing well. I saw a sketched portrait [...] I always encourage the children not to abandon naivety in drawing, which leads to intimate feeling in portraiture. A rare thing!. And you, dear master, working on the chapel sketches, I will come to see you one evening if I don't disturb you, you will receive me around 4 o'clock.
My apologies once again [...]
Charles Cordier"]