Entr'acte No. 27: .... to Bléré (Indre-et-Loire) 
Until very recently, the mysterious tomb of Nelly Chaumier was known only by six drawings of funds Guimard, the Musée d'Orsay. Et encore se résument-ils à quelques croquis en perspective, suffisamment différents les uns des autres pour ne nous donner aucune certitude quant à l’aspect de l’œuvre définitive. Si elle avait été effectivement réalisée ! Le seul dessin assez précis de cet ensemble mentionne le destinataire du tombeau, suggère une date de construction autour de l’année 1897, mais malheureusement rien au sujet de la localité pour laquelle il avait été projeté : “Ici repose Nelly Chaumier (1839-1897)”. Dans la plupart de ses curriculum vitæ connus, Guimard n’a jamais mentionné ses réalisations dans le domaine - mineur - de l’art funéraire And this source was therefore at the outset unusable.
fans of Hector Guimard - pioneers of the 1960s, art historians or even simple newest fans - have long sought this very hypothetical monument, random walks in various cemeteries, mostly in the Paris region or on the Normandy coast, where he developed his main activity. But all hopes were in vain, until its existence was finally reported by an individual to the association "Le Cercle Guimard" in 2007. The mystery was finally lifted : Tomb of Nelly Chaumier has been built, but in a charming little town where there was little chance of finding ... without it serendipity. The drawings
Orsay all offer variations on the motif of the mortuary cross, but with significant differences from one sheet to another. On two of them, the cross is a good reason rather simple and classical, Art Nouveau appears only in the general direction of burial. A third reason for introducing the "ribs" to the slab, in a shorter stele, and the fourth insists on the front facade, giving it a curious look of fireplace. Finally, the fifth sketch - the most extravagant and inventive - is largely project branches of the cross on the sides, and emphasizes some interesting curves.
But ultimately, none of these sketches only served directly to the final realization: the slab has become very simple, only characterized by its peculiar set of ribs, obviously imitating the irregular folds of a shroud, and the cross of the stele is reduced almost to the support of an abstract kind of helmet complicated, the pretty and interesting profile.
Only registration is faithfully preserved in the drawing funds Guimard. This is probably in his characterization of a cute graphic, very guimardien, the most beautiful and most interesting of this curious monument. Who was Chaumier
Nelly? This is still, essentially, a great mystery (1). Nevertheless, thanks to the internet, I was able to find details of the two other occupants of the building, Gabrielle and Rene Lemesle. Indeed, some sought Patricia, through a forum, information on the writer Dominique Dunois Lemesle born Marguerite (1888-1969), who won thanks to his novel "Georgette Garou", the Prix Femina 1928. She gave information Biographical very interesting about this woman of letters, saying she had lived with his mother Bléré, and where his brother was a doctor. Giving the dates of the latter (Paris, May 30, 1874 - Bléré, September 21, 1951), it obviously meant so Lemesle Rene, she did not give the precise identity, but the saying still married .. . Gabrielle Chaumier. Gabrielle Lemesle was so obviously the girl Nelly Chaumier, and his son Rene Lemesle. From all this we must certainly conclude that "Chaumier" was not the maiden name of the beneficiary of the tomb, but the woman's name married (1).
About Bléré a beautiful house, "The Belvedere", one can learn that the building, built in 1832 for a Henry Marcel (died circa 1874), passed by inheritance to Dr. Chaumier without probably the same one who owned the chateau at Plessis-les-Tours, he transformed into vaccine institute, as evidenced by a postcard from 1903. This man seems to have been an interesting local personality, as the city of Tours gave its name to one of its streets. However, physicians have often found their wives in their own workplace. Rene Lemesle may have married the daughter of a colleague ... The possible relationship with Nelly Chaumier recognized scholar and a doctor (perhaps, given her age, she was his wife or mother) could possibly explain the fact that we have asked a "Parisian" to build this tomb (1).
surprisingly, as often, the cemetery itself can provide valuable information on possible links, neighborhood, friendship or family, different people buried. A few rows of burial Chaumier, we may indeed find that the family Hannequin. However Guimard was built in 1891, two small pavilions housing for some Hannequin Alphonse-Marie, at 145 Avenue de Versailles. This name is not necessarily very common, it could be a possible track, albeit fragile, to understand how Guimard got in touch with the family of Mrs. Chaumier. This seems to have been Hannequin most probably related to Louis Jassedé, the two men working the same way in the grocery store and lives on the Avenue de Versailles, as Hector Guimard himself in the early 1890s. But the Jassedé were, before the adventure of Castel Beranger, the most important clients of the architect, who created for them two houses - in Paris and Vanves - and a tomb in Issy-les-Moulineaux in 1895. Nevertheless, it probably can not overlook another track, that of Augustus Coutollau which Guimard redevelop the armory of the Boulevard de Saumur, Angers, between 1896 and 1898. Angers and Bléré are obviously not very remote communities from each other. All these clues, perhaps equally valid, may allow better linking different projects, both in the Paris region and in the vicinity of the Loire.
Contrary to imply the site of the "Cercle Guimard" Chaumier the grave is not the first work of Guimard Art Nouveau. The house of Vesinet, 1896, can claim more surely as such, and with more authority. This tomb has a style certainly very embryonic, but that impression is probably due to high speed design, as evidenced by the sinuosities a little soft, although disappointing for the Guimard, and perhaps also a certain lack of conviction .. . But perhaps the architect he has not fully monitored the actual construction of the monument, made by the mason Parga - whose signature appears with his own, on the front of the tomb. Would he simply to send some drawings, together with all the technical information to save themselves a trip to Bléré at a time when the Castel Beranger already claimed most of its energy?
If Nelly Chaumier died in 1897, his tomb may date the following year, because we do not find any trace in the resume written by Guimard in November 1897. Yet this is a fairly accurate and the only location mentioned all previously built tombs. It probably would not have forgotten that work very recently, despite its rapid development.
The tomb, located along the main avenue and turning his back to the entrance to the cemetery to receive the rays of the setting sun, remained in fair condition. In a century, we can only deplore the decision by the color gray fine white stone home. By raising the cross, probably put on the death of one spouse Lemesle, we can recover the original color, much more fair. Moreover, the appearance of lichens significantly attenuated the effect of certain grounds of the monument, including the curious coasts of the slab.
Apart House of Versailles, which was destroyed but finally located with the reissue of a German architectural magazine, these are just the monuments that have been rediscovered in recent years. Their main interest is to belong to each of them, one of the great periods of creative activity of Guimard: Tomb Grunwaldt (1907), in the new cemetery in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Puteaux, the War Memorial High School Michelet (1920), Vanves, and finally the tomb of Nelly Chaumier at Bléré (circa 1898). These findings can they offer hope to others? Probably in this field of funerary art: the Cooper-Hewitt Museum preserves, in particular, a handsome design for a monument to the great classical period, very elegant and characterized by the enchanting "shells" so typical of the 1910s. But in the field of architecture itself, these hopes remain obviously weaker Guimard who took care to repeatedly make a list of its buildings. Certainly, his memory was not always very accurate and several of its sites do not appear in its various "inventories". It is not impossible to think he may have worked abroad, particularly in Germanic countries which he visited several times. In these cases, he was able to provide drawings, then forgotten, because they could not go there specifically to monitor the site.
(1) All items indicated in this footnote are fixed in the add below.
PS: The virtues of the Internet are endless, since the article has attracted the attention of Patricia G. - I mentioned earlier - and has given me very interesting additional information, including a very complete family tree of family Chaumier. We learn as well as Nelly, daughter Armand Chaumier-Modeste, had married a distant cousin, Pierre-Auguste Chaumier (1834-1903), whose own parents had also been both Chaumier. This marriage may have taken place in 1859. Nell had three children: Stephen (born in 1861, later Clerk of Court Chinon), Gabrielle (b. 1863) and Henry (born in 1868, a doctor at Issy).
This tree also tells us that Nelly was not, nor wife nor the mother of the famous Dr. Chaumier, called Louis-Edmond-Jean (1853-1931) - as I have assumed in the article - but just his sister: he was the younger brother of her husband. Another oddity: the other brother, Armand Jean-Baptiste, notary at Chinon, was married in 1857 with Nelly's younger sister, Louise, born in 1842.
This tree provides no known name in the universe guimardien. Thus, it draws almost certain assurance that the architect did not get this control in favor of a marriage bond between a parent and a Chaumier one of his previous guests. Nevertheless, we can look to the personality of Henry Chaumier, the youngest son of Nelly. It was indeed a year earlier, the same age as Guimard, and a practicing physician in Issy (Most likely: Issy-les-Moulineaux). This could establish a connection, tenuous but very possible with the Paris region, and specifically with family Jassedé, which was the largest sponsor of Guimard during his first creative period: for Louis, he built the house in the rue Chardon-Lagache, Paris, then a family grave in the cemetery ... Issy-les-Moulineaux, for his cousin Charles, he built a villa in Vanves, cadastral is a chance today on the town of Issy-les-Moulineaux. So think nothing prevents Chaumier Henry has had to treat the family of Charles Jassedé, who would lodge Guimard at the death of his mother. All this is still speculative, but with the confidence to know already a little more.
I left my paper in its original state, ie with all the assumptions that, for some, are already totally flawed. But I thought it was interesting to show the path analysis, with all its stages, to feel that history is not written with a line and pass, sometimes, interesting paths more or less tortuous, with serendipity and frustrating limitations. So there will perhaps result in the sequel. Must be at least hoped.
course: a very big thank you to Patricia for their generous cooperation. His contribution is essential to understanding the history of this tomb, finally quite complex.
Thanks also to M. de Bercy which I accept with pleasure the comments. I would just answer them here, briefly, on several points. First, to apologize for having downplayed Bléré I just stupidly called "village" (that word and I regret that I have voluntarily replaced). For so long a march through the streets of the city, yet I had good overview of its geographical extent. I hope Blérois all forgive me a word a little too quickly written.
On the "discovery" of the grave, I have a little more reserved. Certainly, we know locally there, obviously. Yet it took until the year 2007 and the disclosure Circle Guimard - who was the first, with the newspaper "L'Express", to speak formally - for the fans of the architect finally learn the location. In two publications on real Guimard - and one of them devoted exclusively to its monuments - I have personally discussed the grave of Nelly Chaumier, regretting every time not knowing where she was. But no Blérois had bothered to each of these occasions, contact me to fill my guilty (but necessary) ignorance. In this debate, everyone can claim to be right. But a work of art is really practical when it comes out of oblivion. There is, I think, an interesting difference between a curious tomb in a nice quiet cemetery and an unpublished work of an important architect of the late nineteenth century. It's the same "object", but enjoyed two very different ways. The biographical details
, generously provided by Patricia G., allow Finally, clear family ties Nelly Chaumier. But I have retained the assumptions (actually false) of my original article, explaining this will not rewrite it (at least initially). The history of this tomb and its "beneficiary" are written, little by little, and since a few months. I find it useful to preserve and communicate the steps ... The story has obviously been lived in one go, but it can be told only in fragments, contradictions, checks ... This "history of history" is no less interesting. On removal of
Bléré and in Angers I n'ergoterai not continue to think they are somewhat close to each other than to Paris. I just wanted to emphasize here that by those two cities were certainly places the southernmost of the activity of Guimard, and both located on a fairly straight line on a geographical map.
He probably still has many dark areas exist in my article, and even supplements. That's the risk we must accept in advance when engaging in a study of this type, without a lot of elements to achieve it. But I think, on the identity of Nelly Chaumier, the key is now known and amateur have little need to learn more. But it remains - and is, in my view, the most important - to complete our documentation of the conditions that led Guimard to be offered this command, then accept it. But I think that many important information reaching me quickly past few days, we know perhaps even more soon. If this were the case, I will certainly add a new paragraph.
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