Circe at the Paris Salon,

Photographer unknown / Artist: MACKENNAL, Bertram (1863-1931) # 723 Silver gelatin print photograph (285 x 200 mm) in original glazed frame (465 x 365 mm), c 1893. Printed captions on the mount above and below image; signed in pen in period hand lower right: "Dear Felix - love from Dodo" (Felix Meyer, the Melbourne art patron); accompanied by a handwritten copy of a letter from Bertram Mackennal ("Dodo") to Felix Meyer, a highly revealing communication regarding the exhibiting of Circe at the Paris Salon, Mackennal's struggle for recognition, private patronage and the lack of appreciation and support for his work in Australia. Mackennal was Australia's pre-eminent sculptor of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, his highly refined and elegant style drawing inspiration from the Art Nouveau and Symbolist movements. Perhaps his most celebrated - and most powerful - sculpture was his figure of "Circe", the sorceress of Greek mythology, which was first exhibited as a full-size plaster statue in Paris in 1893. This photograph of the statue, with its caption in French (and plaque with accolade of "Mention Honorable"), was taken at the Paris Salon in May 1893 (Mackennal was based in France from 1891-94). When Circe was later shown at the Royal Academy in London (1894) she caused a scandal - the lascivious, writhing figures around the base were covered by the Academy committee. The statue was to become an important work in the New Sculpture movement around this time, and several editions of Circe in the form of smaller statuettes were cast in bronze and sold on the art market. The letter from Mackennal to Felix Meyer is addressed from "Hotel St Malo, 2 rue d'Odessa, Paris Montparnasse" and is dated April 12th 1892. "I am still waiting the decision of the jury of the Salon whether they intend to pose my Circe or not. You send in your work and then have to wait over two weeks for their decision. How I wish you were here to see this work. It is certainly my biggest attempt in any way. I feel that I am all in it - the awful part to me at present is that of course I can only make an artistic success - people must be supported by their own country until they are world famous, and as my country does not seem able to do this, my position in the near future is one in which my art must be second to other ideas. This is why, my dear Felix, I put so much time and money and thought into my Circe, knowing the chance would not come to me again perhaps for some time, to do a serious large work. I took my opportunity and stinted nothing that I had to push this work through, you know me Felix. But I wanted to justify myself to you and my friends in Australia, and I know if you could see my statue, it would be with annoyance that you would contemplate my position. Still, if I get any money I will send you a photo of her and also to Stuart (Frank Stuart). You mention in your last that you understand Stuart sent on some cash to me after receiving my letter. I have only received 50 pounds by telegraph within the last five months so you can imagine my position, especially when I owed it all. Tell me Felix, what about the bronze of Miss M. Hood. You do not mention it in your last letter. Of course, I would be willing to go anywhere to do it. You can understand my anxiety to know whether I am to do it or not....Oh Felix I often think of the drives we had together there in the summer. I suppose when you drive along the Heidelberg Road you sometimes think of Dodo....I know the day must come to me when I shall be lifted above all this, and I won't owe it to Australia but to a few men there that I can count on the fingers of one hand. I shall never forget what I owe to these men but as to my country I wish to God I had been born English or American. Goodbye Felix. My love to Theodore (Fink) when you meet him and to Stuart. Yours, Dodo".