The exhibition Astonishing Things showcases impressive drawings of Victor Hugo (1802-1885). Until this exhibition, I only knew Hugo as an author, was vaguely aware of his political career but was woefully ignorant that Hugo drew.
For a self-taught artist Hugo’s works are indeed astonishing but more amazing than his obvious skills in using pen and ink, charcoal etc is how he defies any labels. His artistic motivations were broad. He created for his own pleasure and to amuse others. He sketched on his travels. He was interested in theatre design and sometimes he seems to have been working out ideas for his writing. His work also reflected his politics and liberal values. His work is variously architecturally proficient, fluid, poetical, imaginative, fantastical. His artistic freedom defies labels, but in so many ways he anticipates later movements notably the symbolists and surrealists.
Exiled from France because of his opposition to Napoleon III, he spent time in Belgium for a while where in a delicate pencil drawing(left) he recorded a view of a building in Malines/Mechelen.
Visiting Belgium again a few years later, he captured an idiosyncratic building near Courtrai (below), a windmill apparently sprouting from a farmhouse roof.
Other works show the appeal of more exotic buildings, for example Les Orientales, a bold mixed media work showing a lace imprint.
His techniques were innovative. He loved ink and wash, and he would combine it with charcoal, gouache, and pastel. He used collage. in one work a postage stamp features. In other works, there are clear lace imprints. In a series of taches drawings, only the titles give us insight into what we may now appreciate as abstract compositions.
Simple silhouettes almost like stencils shape this Castle with three towers, a charcoal work
This pliage or folded ink blot illustrates his playfuland experimental approach
