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The Complete Works of Philippe Smit
by Andreas Narzt and Florence Castellani

Catalogue entry

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Photo: Christopher Burke Studios, NY; © FdDPS
Additional images
Original frame designed and painted by the artist.
Original frame designed and painted by the artist.
Photo: Christopher Burke Studios, NY; © FdDPS
Series
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Series
Series: Rollinat
Keywords
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Classification: Painting
Theme: landscape
Medium: Oil
Support: On canvas
Year: 1933
PS 421 (P 116; LNC 191)
La source (The Spring)
Alternate title: La Source
1933–34
Oil on canvas
83 1/8 x 51 3/8 in. (211 x 130.5 cm)
Neither signed, nor dated
On the back: two metal plates: Pitcairn and 116 on the frame upper right.
The Lord's New Church, Bryn Athyn, PA
Inventories
Inv. Les Pleignes, P. Damidot, 1938, LNC archives: no. P 116: p. 7, hall d'entrée, Grand tableau par Philippe Smit./ Vieil ermite se désaltérant à une source dans une forêt. 8.000 [FRF].
Inv. Pitcairn, n.d. [c.1957], n.p., LNC archives: no. P 116 F: Rev. Theodore Pitcairn, The Spring, Smit, Oil, 80 1/2 x 50 [in.].
Inv. LNC, 1984, updated Oct. 1998, LNC archives: no. P 116: p. 2, The Church Hall - Art Gallery, The Spring, Oil, 80 1/2 x 50 [in.].
Exhibitions
1948 Maurs
Galerie Pierre Maurs, Paris, Peinture et Pastels de Philippe Smit, February 04, 1948, no. 55, as La Source, 1933 (CP).
Literature & Primary Sources
No known published references.
Notes

The subject of this painting is based on the poem of the same title La Source from the volume La Nature by Maurice Rollinat:1

p. 101
[…]
La source filtre de la roche 
Comme des pleurs furtifs des yeux,
[…]
p. 103
Je vis près de l’humble fontaine 
Un vieux mendiant paysan 
Sur son bissac se reposant 
De quelque marche très lointaine.

Immobile tel qu’un objet 
Devant la source minuscule,
[…]
p. 104
Puis, au creux de sa maigre main, 
A deux genoux dans le mystère, 
Il but de ces pleurs que la Terre 
Versait là comme un être humain.
[…]

So far we do not have any explication on the open book by Emanuel Swedenborg lying next to the old man.

Record last updated May 4, 2017. Please note that the information on this and all pages is periodically reviewed and subject to change.
Citation: Narzt, Andreas and Castellani, Florence. "La source (The Spring), 1933–34 (PS 421)." In The Complete Works of Philippe Smit. www.philippesmit.com/catalogue/entry.php?id=421 (accessed on December 21, 2024).