Not much I guess. Unless it’s yours! And I remember well… the day I stumbled upon the existence of a man who once, long ago shared my name… (as well as my love for the watercolour medium!)
Intrigued? Well… so was I!
When I was younger I used to daydream about my heritage…. and as a fourth generation Aussie descended (on my father’s side) from Scottish immigrants to this wide brown land… have even (okay maybe only once or twice *wink*) romanticised the notion that I may have been related… somewhere way back… to someone important! Okay… who hasn’t? (chuckles)
Back then I used to wonder about which branch of the family we might have been descended from.
My father was a silent man who never spoke of family… it was only recently we discovered the existence of not one but five great aunts (all of them… now long since gone and silent as the grave!) Okay – way off track now…
So was it Herman’s (Moby Dick) branch of the family… or was it the Lord with the ancestral seat near Edinburgh? Hahaha… truth is… probably neither! But surely we had to be related to someone!
And so it was into this mood of wishing to belong to “someone somewhere” that the unwitting Arthur Melville inadvertently stepped… poor man *wink* No-one could have been more surprised and delighted to learn… just a few years ago… about a man I’d never even heard of before… an artist no less… and not just any old artist… but one who had been one of the greatest and least known watermedia artists of his time!
Surely I could be related to him…oh please!? ~laughs~
Incidentally… Elinor shares his name too (that probably make us sisters)… hers being a middle name… and mine being my maiden surname!
Okay… here’s the skinny.
Arthur Melville lived at the turn of the 19th century (1855 – 1904) at the height of the Impressionist movement…
But he was not one of them!
He was labelled an Orientalist as many of the Impressionists of the day (who painted in the near and middle east) were…
but he wasn’t entirely one of them either!
Stephen Quiller in his 2004 article for The Artist’s Magazine described Melville as one of the greatest yet “least known” watermedia masters of all time”. His loose style could easily have been mistaken for Impressionism… but in truth Arthur Melville leaned more toward the Glasgow Boys (although he was never one of them) than either French or American Impressionism! No… it appears that Arthur Melville was a leader not a follower… and very different to them all.
Born in Scotland… during his early years he travelled to Paris where he was introduced to Impressionism.
TECHNIQUE: Around this time he developed what later became known as the “blotchesse” technique which entailed soaking his watercolour paper and then saturating it with Chinese White. The paper was then stretched and dried… giving a surface which could easily be scrubbed back and reworked back to the paper beneath. This process… innovative at the time… gave great atmosphere to his paintings. Quiller remarked “looking at Bravo Toro you can smell the dust and hear the crowd!”
He travelled extensively around the Middle East and the Mediterranean Sea… drawing inspiration there for now famous works which hang in galleries such as The Tate in London and the Victoria and Albert Museum in England… where Bravo Toro (watercolour 22 x 30) now hangs.
His watercolours were not small and intimate but rather bold and expressive and considered quite radical for the times.
Quiller points out how for this reason “Melville’s works were often “skyed” or placed out of eyeline at national exhibitions” (Some things never change! LOL)
He befriended John Singer Sargent and James McNeill Whistler somewhere along the way and served together with Whistler on the hanging Committee of the Walker Art Gallery. In a letter to his beloved Beatrix (Chinkey)… Whistler remarked:
“I get on well with Melville… well indeed I could not have got on without him!”
And so it was that Arthur Melville was a man ahead of his time… but although he enjoyed moderate success during his lifetime… he was never fully appreciated… much less understood. Why does this not surprise me? (slap… ooo ouch… that hurt!)
And the reasons for his lack of acknowledgment were simple. He was at the heart of it a modest man… and nowhere near flamboyant enough in his persona to ensure his own immortality. He took no mistresses… he hadn’t escaped to the South Seas… and hadn’t gotten around to cutting off an ear by the time he died suddenly from typhoid… on the verge of his artistic prime!
Sadly… while his work embodied the spirit of the coming age… it “apparently” lacked the blatancy that would attract the criticism to support it. In short… critics of the day either missed the point… or couldn’t figure it out!
The thought occurs to me… that perhaps this may have been different had he the chance to live a little longer!
Sadly for me… I will never get to meet him. And the truth is… I more than likely share no blood connection to this man who shared my name once long ago.
But it was fun getting to know him… and making the discovery that we have at least two things in common… a love of the watercolour medium… and a healthy disrespect for the conventional way!
That’s more than good enough for me… *wink*
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Than you so very much for that Jean I will continue to seek whoever (whomsoever)
Hey wouldn’t it be a right gass if we were off the same Melvilles ? .
My Gran was a Melville .She of the “ladihelen” origin and a right old duchess………I understood it was Andrew the religeous Melville I was named for (always high ideas me ) I should mention that the trail goes cold on my mothers side as she was adopted and this we didn’t find out until after her death so no questions answered there . Born in Aberdeen and so close to Balmoral hehe even Ballater screams with laughter aye right ! POW paints(he of the three feathers ) doesn’t he ?
YES… that’s right… HE DOES! Prince of Wale’s signed lithographs sell for a cool 5,000 pounds – (eek what is the world coming to there is no pound key on my keyboard!!!)
Do you think you might be related E? What ramifications for me then? *wink* (((hilarious laughing)))
Och Jean!!!! There may be a connection between Elinor and I as welll!!! How strange, how very, very strange! And if it is so, how strange that we should all meet as well – the way we have…..do,do , do ,do (that was supposed to be eerie music!)
Oh Jean…we’re ALL related to one another. I had to laugh at my cousin who’s now driven on unearthing our heritage, (they acquired one of those computer geneology programs and are hooked). She enthusiastically wrote to me that we are related to Queen Elizabeth II !! She’s our ninth cousin twice removed! Can you imagine that?!! (Laughing my head off by now). I told her that must be the reason I tender the habit of lifting my pinky whilst sipping my tea!
I think you are creating quite a history of your own and your progeny will be proud to announce, “Do you KNOW that I am related to the famous artist/writer Jean Burman?! That’s right! You’d better treat me with respect…”
Lovely essay Jean!
Jools… you know what they say… there are six degrees of separation between each and every one of us on the planet. So we’d better darn well be nice to each other because someone’s gonna know someone (or maybe even be related to them) there’s nothing surer!!! (((LOL))) (I wonder if this is why every religion on the planet has a version of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – maybe the Gods knew something way back when that we’re only just discovering!) *wink*
Dearest cousin Mary… if you are ninth cousin to the Queen… what ramifications for me? ~grin~ Oh… and where does this place Elinor? And Jools too? Personally I think we all deserve a title… but we can’t leave this up to our families… we might not like what we get called. “Hey you” springs to mind?! Here’s to us anyway… cheers… pinkies up… clink! (((chuckles)))
Aim refainingk Mai accaint Immediately and my mother looked liked the queen mum on a clear day with the right hat ..only much taller . Me ? I’ve got my auntie Mary’s feet . sigh
hahaha… so funny E!
I remember complaining about my long skinny feet circa age 10… my Dad used to say “just be grateful you’ve GOT feet… some people aren’t so lucky”… (getting my head round that concept scarred me for life!) (((LOL)))
I have an unusal Swedish maiden name, Sahlin. I have never met anyone else with the same last name. No one ever knows how to pronounce it correctly either. Must not be very many of them around.
Aha! Does that make you a rare and precious gem Katherine???
Apparently with my surname, there is two spellings of it. The Irish spell it “Gilmour”, the Scots spell it “Gilmore”. There is an Irish and a French way of spelling Claire (French) and Clare (Irish) and…Claire goes to a school known as Calare, very confusing when you are only 6 and you cannot spell! I have a new “friend” whose family roots stem from Rome. He is so interesting to listen to when he talks about the variances of the provences of Italy and what is truely Italian and what has come from outside influences. He has cooked some “real pasta sauce” (and it was delightful!!) for me, as he chops and sautees he talks of the food and where it comes from (all fresh ingredients). I have always had a healthy respect for the Italians and what they have “brought” to the world. I am mesmerised with the history of ancient cultures and pay attention to what has stayed the same and what has “evolved”, especially with food and how it is grown. My friend has returned to Italy several times to link up with family members and get a close up of his heritage…its fascinating stuff!!
I’d imagine it would be relatively easy then to trace your heritage Katherine! I seem to remember you saying you had traced your family back… how very interesting to have roots in Sweden… such a beautiful country.
I have a passing interest in genealogy… tho certainly not one that is keen enough to go delving too deeply into… but my younger brother has done some delving and I am always interested to hear what he has uncovered. There are many many branches of the Melville family… there’s even a website… clanmelville.org which is based in Utah of all places! They have an annual reunion for anyone with that surname (even if it’s a derivative of… such as Melvin even Maluile!) They look to be a friendly bunch… descendants of Herman’s mob no doubt?
I think Herman would have more than approved of the happy “intercontintental” repartee here on the blog… he would have LOVED the internet!
From Moby Dick…
“If two strangers crossing the Pine Barrens in New York State, or the equally desolate Salisbury Plain in England; if casually encountering each other in such inhospitable wilds, these twain, for the life of them, cannot well avoid a mutual salutation; and stopping for a moment to interchange the news; and, perhaps, sitting down for a while and resting in concert: then, how much more natural that upon the illimitable Pine Barrens and Salisbury Plains of the sea, two whaling vessels descrying each other at the ends of the earth — off lone Fanning’s Island, or the far away King’s Mills; how much more natural, I say, that under such circumstances these ships should not only interchange hails, but come into still closer, more friendly and sociable contact…. For not only would they meet with all the sympathies of sailors, but likewise with all the peculiar congenialities arising from a common pursuit and mutually shared privations and perils.” –Moby-Dick, Chapter 53 (The Gam)
Jean, I suppose if I were in Sweden and spoke the language I could trace the family roots. Jools, my name is rare, but I certainly am not a precious gem!!!!!!!!! I wish…… LOL But you two have sparked a little interest in this so when I have some extra time may look into it. I have friends that spend a lot of time on doing this type of searching for roots. I am just happy to know the little that I do about my grandparents.
I had a long lost cousin look me up a couple of years ago. Her father was a younger brother of my mother and had been killed in a fighter plane crash in Africa during WWII 20 days before she was born. Her mother remarried and did not keep in touch with our family. Her mother is now in a nursing home so she decided to try to find her father’s family. She visited me for a week 2 years ago (she lives in Texas) and I pulled out all of the family photos and records that I have. We are now in touch frequently and she even came here to help take care of me when I had my back surgery this fall as she is a nurse. She looks just like my grandmother…….the only member of the family that does. It was like seeing my grandmother alive again.
How wonderful for you Katherine… (and no doubt for her as well!) Your story reminds me of this poem
Some People come into our lives and quickly go
some move our souls to dance
they awaken us to new understanding
with the passing whisper of their wisdom
Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon
they stay in our hearts for awhile
leave footprints on our hearts
and we are never, ever the same.
[Anonymous]
Amen to that .
What a lovely poem. Do you mind if I copy it and send it to my cousin? The phrase about dancing fits her. She no longer has any living relatives on her mother’s side of the family, but has 4 children. While she was here I made copies of all of the photos we had of her father as a child. We have become more like sisters. She loves to travel and contra dance. As a retired nurse she takes 3 to 6 month contracts to work in Alaska and New Zealand, often in remote areas that need medical help. Alaska, in their summer months and New Zealand in theirs. Her son found our family by searching on the internet.
So she went searching for roots and found me! LOL
Katherine… it’s anonymously penned so it isn’t mine to give… but it’s out there in the public domain with many differing versions… so I’m sure it would be more than okay for you to send it to your cousin. I’m really pleased you like it… the words are very beautiful aren’t they?
Wow…Katherine, that IS a beautiful story!
Jean……that poem strikes a very deep chord with me as well.
Internet finds …my son Carson M. found another Carson McCartney on a members list of Adelaide cricket club .How wierd is that ?
And yes Katherine that is a very romantic ? story and the poem does seem to have been written for it
Thanks for the use of the poem, Jean.
Jean, Jools and Elinor, My mother’s family is amazed that my cousin is “found”. When they got together they always wondered about her.
She left Sunday to head for Alaska again, but to visit this time instead of work. She loves it there.