The story of a masterpiece; Charles Le Brun: Portrait of Chance

Problem ORTF we present the story of a masterpiece. Another in a series of programmes recounting the historical background of world famous artistic masterpieces. Today Shel Avant thinks the picture of Chancellor Siggy in the winter was an icy one in Paris in the year 16 40. A bitter cold wind whistled wrong street corners fine powdery snow chilled to the bone the few people who ventured outside nothing better to warm up than a game of cards accompanied by a glass of hot wine with cinnamon. One October afternoon at 4:00 p.m. It was pitch

dark and master Louise gambling den was packed full of young aristocrats and Russians were elbowing each other quarrelling somewhat. And all Louis had his hands full stopping them from fighting. He wanted to keep the king's soldiers out of his den. Maybe he was having trouble with his conscience. But what of it. Times were hard and you've got to live don't you. In a corner of the smoky room is a young good for nothing and well-bred sexy gay were playing cards together. Jack was hardly sixteen and his father would not have been pleased to see him in that sort of company. But that's another story. The game was intense. Honestly an unsavory character if there ever was one was following the game from behind Jack CDs back. He was holding up a mirror so the general could read Jack's car. Why suddenly general banged his fist down on the table.

Your king of clubs and no good. I'm taking you with my eggs. You should have got rid of it John. You're a crazy boy. What about my queen she's with him. Mike knows my name from SI OK that's not the first time a page gets the better of a princess. My three of diamonds is a window to not a single trick but you. Oh my God it's all over. But you didn't double your stakes. I couldn't. I've lost all my money. You have have you. You think you're going to get away with that just tomorrow ask my uncle to give me the money. Yeah I do Izzy chances to give the First Lord of the kingdom chance in this city. You're not kidding. If your chancellor siggie is nephew and I'm the man in the moon why didn't you let me show you've been fooling me you know I cheat I'm not a cheat. I played an honest game so see my foot. May I tell you sir that you are upping the stakes without a penny in your pocket you are nothing but i think i swear my uncle will give me the money. I don't call it true and I was never able to squeeze a penny out of it. You give me the money right now see

right now or else. He won't give me my money. Well lay off the John Doe is a week long enough to get the money off your uncle. Certainly but you mustn't cry and he did. Why forbade you to gamble. Yes but what if you're telling me I don't know what I don't have that I was robbed all my clothes were taken with that kind of a lie your conscience will be a problem nothing you better get going out your uncle won't believe you I'll see myself I'll tell him. I arrive too late. But all I could do was to pick you up off the ground. Mind if your clothes and your body. Let's hope people leave. So that means you have no more clothes. Leave us your coat and your hat. That's my lovely father oh it's an ostrich feather that is just strike an animal which swallows everything and anything kind of gullible I have. Come on let's have it. You take my rights by the sorriest state of course but your uncle will be grateful for me to have sacrificed them.

Oh I hadn't thought of that. But hey your my. Coat. My head. And his jacket. And Mahoney. So. Here you are in my clothes. Charles LaBella is close. It's something to be proud of such little time. Is that your name. Yes that's my whole house property right now. Got pretty good. I missed some of the time and thank you for your kindness. The pleasure was mine indeed to our big well-done Scholl. All right Julie. Henry you handle your mirror like an ape you show it too much you are lucky the kid didn't survive. It's because your nose but I left Idaho to the right as long as I can see the civets that's OK with me. Now this new suit stumbling points. Red or black black or red Don't give me all this about suits and colors I see colors better than any painter in the world where does it get me.

But I must say this young kid's coat fits me dead right. It's just my side that's true because I find figure in a child. Catherine will be so proud to see that my never dreams in that goat just to leave Catherine out of this will you. I didn't send the wrong and you're still crazy about her more than ever. She'll be my wife do you hear my wife say all right I don't get mad. I want to temper them. A few days later a shot of the boy wearing his fine coat his stylish

hat with an ostrich feather honest knocked at chance of a say gase door his heart was beating fast. How was this famous and so their man going to receive him. I am. Nearing the livery of the sea views one of France's most illustrious families took him into the chancellor's study where the great man was sitting behind a desk cluttered with parchments rare statuettes and representing the world. The first Lord of the kingdom and the smile on his Nopes America parents. According to their say his young visitor to be seated. My dear Mr Sit down sit down.

Your generosity towards my nephew deserves all of my solicitude. You are a very kind and a very brave man. They say that St. Martin gave away only half of his coat and you gave the whole thing hope your Lordship that rag. I can well imagine how best you must have felt on seeing your nephew so poorly plaid. And if it is now that I feel embarrassed let us talk about my debt to you. What day did your nephew say he had made a debt. But he owes his life to you. That is why you should consider me as indebted to you. At my age one realizes the importance of gratitude. The first you must get some new clothes. Here is what you will need for that. But to your lordship. Have you not noticed how well dressed I am. Borrowed clothes. No doubt out of consideration for me.

Well there is some truth in that. You're large so as to avoid impressing upon me the degree of destitution to which your generous gesture had reduced you to minimize its importance as I am deeply touched by your tact for this now. How can I be really helpful to you Miss you in a manner which will satisfy you for me to tell you the truth. When I was following your foot when he brought me here I was not thinking of any sort of thanks or reward and even less of what kind of reward. But you know I would speak up speak up. A portrait of your large ship. That's what I had in mind. The portrait you want a portrait of me. But my dear fellow I haven't got a portrait to give you. Oh that is just what I was hoping I could pick one. Oh so you are a pain. That's all I know how to do it. A coincidence as I've just now being pressured from all sides to get a

painting up in the Lord's gallery. I was reluctant yes but. I see now the true fuse once of mine the satisfactions of vanity may be a form of balance. I guess I needed this lesson in modesty and you may have been chosen by the Almighty is the ideal messenger. You shall paint my portrait. Your lordship has fulfilled my dearest wish. This wonderful model for me had shadows lived. Still to find his style it would have been by painting your logic portrait. You flatter me. But I must warn you. Protocol requires that you show me on horseback wearing the ceremonial mantle of the Lord to prance my fondest dream this beautiful mantle embroidered in gold for all the sun's rays will settle. Yes and with two pages holding your horse's bridle and two others behind to hold up the heavy flamboyant matter yes.

We also need an angel faced child to hold up your canopy. Oh if I only dared. I have a wonderful idea. Yes we will. What is it my friend tell me. Your enthusiasm is contagious for the lovely page holding your cat to be your large ship. I would so much like to use as a model a young girl I know my young girl. She has the face of an angel your large ship all the grace of adolescence said. And and I love her. I was beginning to think so long granted this young angel will lead my horse when we get to work Messina but immediately your large ship immediately immediately. Two months later the portrait was completed.

The Chancellor had given orders for it to be exposed in his reception room before being hung up in the Lord's gallery. That morning the deep sea and the Marcus of characters who are known by name only were scowling at the magnificent portrait painted by the now exposed in the Louvre Museum and this idea is the famous portrayed his lordship quite a fiasco.

You're right. There's absolutely no style or elegance my dear to a common merchant you know and there were a show that is mounted on any old nag in the hope of impressing his disabused wife would have looked no different. And you say is low to be satisfied. Yes I'm surprised. But after all what is it to us. I'll tell you my dear duke what it is to us. This portrait was painted by Charlotte the very same young rascal who took Catherine under his protection. What. CATHERINE That's right. The little flower girl from the pale Claire who rejected your faves and granted hers to that got for nothing. Take a close look at the young page that the one holding the horse. Why that's too much. He had the computer and yes in this rampage they'll pay for this. I should inform the chancellor that he put on his ceremonial dress for our vagabond

a jailbird and a little slut The man is dangerous. You don't seem to like him much yourself. As a matter of fact I was planning to ask the chancellor to get his portrait done by one of my todays a very talented young man and that Rafi and pull the carpet from under my flesh. Someone's coming. Oh yes it must be about you. Good morning admiring my portrait. I did you a favor and I were just discussing it here. Masterpiece is not powerful however and so impressive and lifelike the way the mantra praises seems to have come straight from Vulcan's forges. He was so I courageously deceived. I beg your pardon. If even my mom does not reflect a more faithful image it has reached a stage where as I enter this room I feel as if I were my own ghost and that

must be very comforting. There is a great painter gentleman a very great painter and I have decided to grant him an eye toward what I mean. And I thought OK what's the matter with you my dear duke. Nothing nothing at all just a slight cough. But I must confess such a distinction for a painter who in this portrayed deprives you of your own. Because despite its qualities this painter qualities of such a painting should suffice for a simple layman like ourselves. If this portrait deserves criticism let the professionals pour out their their pompous and vain mumblings as far as I'm concerned. I am very satisfied. This is a matter between my portrait and myself so to speak. Yes. Now what can I do for you my dear duke. Well your lordship. It's a matter between myself

and the City of ma say about my merchant ships. Well have your little boats been outlawed. Well. Not quite that but the pirates keep attacking them. This you know perfectly well my good fellow how I feel about you your particular brand of Commerce. I have always thought that a joke has no place behind the traders counter. I have accepted to look the other way. Don't ask me to do more and please wash your dirty linen behind closed doors. My linen is clean your lordship distinctly soiled. My dear fellow distinctly soiled. You must admit that I have never investigated your little boats. I have never investigated your little boats at all. If others go rummaging in their holes it's up to you to do something about it. I am I correct. They're well like what you like. You certainly chose a bad moment didn't it. Yes. I wonder whether LeBron

has already been at work on the charts or about me and that I don't know but we must take steps. You are right and I need to get the better of this dog. This hooligan happy is all the more pressing. Yes he is barring my rude and baffling my heart's desire. Do you have any idea. We can't very well get his throat slit now going right more's the pity. But there is something which kills just as surely as a sword. And that is ridiculed. And yet the chancellor wants his portrait to be seen by professional critics. Let's call him Doc gaunt. The sharpest tongue in the kingdom he has some reliable friends who hawk his criticisms around the best sentinels in Paris. Yeah let's get this fine bunch of people around here next Monday along with the plot. I'm willing to bet that the intruder will soon be driven out of town by the sarcasm. And then my dear friend. Lovely Katherine will be yours for the asking.

No wonderful idea. Agreed. Just drop off the doc comments I shall do the rest right. Thanks. Because I. Think. The next. Selector that is kissing up to losers like you. Let's see from among the most spiteful tongue in the whole of France were crowding around the famous portrait anxious and nervous with chatting with his

faithful friend. You have no idea how awful I feel with all these people who have come here just come come you always exaggerate everything. Nobody wants to hurt you. Yes what about this fellow coming in now. You think he's come here to praise me. There's a value to you know him. Yes it's a pretentious idiot who imagines himself to be a great painter. He wanted to give me lessons when I was young. I went three times to a studio then slammed the door on him and never came back. He obviously don't worry that won't stop him from admiring your painting. It's a masterpiece. Chances are you was talking to the king about it yesterday. He was saying that you are the best painter in the kingdom and probably the greatest of contemporary masters. He's right. Modesty was never your strong point. But it is true I must say. Only a madman would they criticize your painting. You see your will shower you with

compliments. Even if he doesn't mean a word of it just for the sake of not being taken for an idiot compliment from him would drive me to despair. But look here's that pesky critic. Yes he rules the roost. But just look at him just to kill a thing in front of my painting. Don't get so worked up Charles that this is what he lacks distinction. It's heavy clumsily done and it will lead to testable. What do you think about the truth of your plan. You are skinny. The author of this painting was one of my most mediocre pupils. Indeed I had to kick him out. His work was bad. Well kill him. Composition rather lacks balance doesn't it. Neither more nor less than its author. And why does the composition lack balance gentleman. Because it doesn't have a center not only

perspective. The eyes have no means of escape whereas there's so much need one. And what's that big in the foreground holding the horse's bridle. It has a funny look about them doesn't mean it's LeBron's girlfriend perfect. This character introduces his mistress into an official portrait next to the First Lord of the kingdom. And under the disguise of that that's a fine performance. I must admit that I should have guessed that this page was written by his girlfriend. She has fishmongers hands. Mate your fishmongers hands face to rest my eyes. As for the feet. Must be those things at the bottom of the legs. Shut up won't you. What's hostile stay here to keep quiet. Yes here is the man who is responsible for all this. You have before you Schar Saudi man as he's gassed. Well if you've been through the tip of his soul that is hardly surprising that you know this is

subject and this is no laughing matter gentleman he would kill you if you could. He wants to be the only one. So he eliminates the other that's he will remain alone to admire his own work. Enough sir. Who do you think you are you insolent wretch. I only fight with men of my own level. I say I will wait until you get your knighthood. But who would ever think of giving it to you Chancellor Sygate thought of it. I am a knight and here is my crop. One fears my pen but my sword is no less sharp and cuts just as deep. So you watch out. I'm going. But. You were wrong doctor and see that I do not know exactly reality. Certainly I have a sense of that and

this and you don't. And here is the first thing to say that you were not there. A quick priest. I'm back. You lie yeah. It would take more than that to finish off the like of you. But my aim was good straight in the right are. It will be some time before you can use your pen with your doco. Justice prevailed. The boy am I am beyond. And justice to the. Perfectly unjust kind of justice but one which leaves us wholly

satisfied. With a od. The unfortunate dart waited for his arm in a cell in the best steel prison. Where he spent four months for having dared draw his sword. In the first Lord of the kingdom's own. As he was condemned to be more patient and to accept more calmly the criticism on his talent. The. Chancellor told him. There if you or they lose you a hundred times.

In that particular respect turned out to be a great prophet. In war. The end. Or. The end. You've been listening to the story of a masterpiece. Today's shallow little blonde thinks the portrait of Chancellor is seeking. With Lyle Joyce and Mike's Good luck in the title role. With Philip gone. Carol Johnson dear Alexander a climbing goal and to be your narrator was Ben

Smith. This program was written by Patsy scalable without going into English by junkies and directed by P.S. Keystone. It came to you transcribed from our Ikea at. The French broadcasting system in Paris. This program was distributed by the national educational radio network.