Angély's Eyes
Excerpts from the book, A Blind Man Crazy for Color
by Rob Couteau,
with illustrations by Sylvette David
by Rob Couteau,
with illustrations by Sylvette David
A Brief Introduction
Sylvette David. Léon Angély et Joséphine debout à la tour
Eiffel. Devon, England. December 2021. Watercolor and India
ink on Langton watercolor paper. 7 ¼ x 8 ¼ inches.
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In the lanes and alleys of Paris, at the turn of the 19th century, a nearly sightless art collector wandered on the arm of a young girl. The collector, aided by his guide, amassed a treasure trove of work by the greatest artists of the day: Modigliani, Picasso, Utrillo, and more. Yet he died poor, forced to sell the work for a fraction of its value during the dark days of World War I. Little is known about the life—or the fate—of the girl who led the blind collector through the City of Light.
This is the story of Léon Angély, the myopic lover of art, and Joséphine, the "eyes" of Angély, the girl who enabled him to visit artists and "see" their art. The story is told with a rare grace by author Rob Couteau in his new book, A Blind Man Crazy for Color (Dominantstar, 2022); excerpts from this charming book are presented in the pages that follow. |
Couteau has mined the literature for gems, and displays them with abandon, through the generous quotations and anecdotes set within his own own lustrous prose. The fine text is accompanied by enchanting illustrations by Sylvette David. In David, the book finds both painter and participant in the milieu Angély so loved: in 1954, David began modeling for Picasso, becoming the "girl with the ponytail" in hundreds of works, including the artist's monumental sculpture, Sylvette, in Rotterdam.
We are grateful to Couteau, David, and their publisher for allowing us to excerpt both prose and images from A Blind Man Crazy for Color. We found the friendship of Léon and Joséphine a balm for our souls, so bruised in these difficult days of violence and disease. We hope the story is healing for you, too.
We are grateful to Couteau, David, and their publisher for allowing us to excerpt both prose and images from A Blind Man Crazy for Color. We found the friendship of Léon and Joséphine a balm for our souls, so bruised in these difficult days of violence and disease. We hope the story is healing for you, too.
—The Editors
Editors' Note: A Blind Man Crazy for Color by Rob Couteau, with llustrations by Sylvette David, is published by Dominantstar Publishing.