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Then there is the group of dancers and actors and singers in each of which we find the adroit mingling of the artificial with the real, and the appreciation of the fact that with the people of the stage much that is artificial to others becomes their reality. The most vivid of them all is Mlle. Lucienne Bréval as "Carmen."
The strong silhouettes melt into a harmonious arabesque; the tonal gamut is nervous, strong, fiery; the dull gold background is a foil for the scale of colour notes. It is a striking picture. Very striking, too, is the portrait of Breval as Carmen, though it is the least Spanish picture in the collection; Breval is pictured on the stage, the lights from below playing over her features.
With a nice appreciation of poetic effect, and of rising to strong climax from an opening note struck in a low key, the performance began by the appearance in that heroic setting of a single figure: Mademoiselle Bréval, in flowing white draperies, who sang the "Hymn to Pallas Athene," by Croze, set to music by Saint-Saëns the composer himself, hidden away with his musicians beneath the branches of the fig-tree, directing the orchestra.
"And on the right, this gentleman all encased in iron, on the prancing horse, is his grandson, Louis de Breze, lord of Breval and of Montchauvet, Count de Maulevrier, Baron de Mauny, chamberlain to the king, Knight of the Order, and also governor of Normandy; died on the 23rd of July, 1531 a Sunday, as the inscription specifies; and below, this figure, about to descend into the tomb, portrays the same person.
Next to it, is the monument of Louis de Brézé, grand-son of the latter, who died in july 1531. The celebrated Diana of Poitiers caused this mausoleum to be raised to his memory. The body of the monument is supported by four columns of black marble, with capitals and bases of white alabaster. Between these columns is a coffin, on which the white marble statue of the grand senechal, is laid. The deceased is stretched on his back, his features are convulsed: one may see that he has just expired. The body is quite naked, the left hand is laid on his breast. The cenotaph is of black marble. The perfection of this sculpture causes it to be attributed to the celebrated Jean Goujon. Behind this statue, there was formerly another of the same personage, he was represented in the dress of a count, with the collar of Saint-Michael, and a crown on his head. We now only find the marks of the fixtures which fastened it to the monument. At each end of the recumbent figure, are two statues of women in alabaster. Diana of Poitiers in the dress of a widow, with her arms crossed, is kneeling at the head. At the feet, is that of the virgin holding the infant Jesus: it was according to general opinion, of the time of Pommeraye, who speaks of paintings, figures, tapers and chaplets suspended round the latter statue. There were two inscriptions, one in prose, the other in verse. Both were erased at the revolution, but they have been replaced since; the following is a copy of the prose one: Loys de Breszé, en son vivant cheualier de l'ordre, premier Chambellan du Roy, grand Seneschal, Lieutenant-général et gouverneur pour le dict Sieur, en ses pays et duché de Normendie, Capitaine de cent gentile hommes de la maison du dict sieur et de cent hommes d'armes de ses ordonnances, Capitaine de Rouen et de Caen, Comte de Mauléurier, Baron de Mauny et du Bec-Crespin, Seigneur Chastellain de Nugent-le-Roy, Ennet, Bréval et Monchauvet. Après avoir vescu par le cours de nature en ce monde en vertu, jusques
The effect was precisely the contrary. Mademoiselle Bréval, standing solitary in that great open space, with the play of golden light upon her, became also heroic.
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