Gustave Max Stevens Art

The greatest triumph of the artist’s career, this extraordinary and monumental oil on canvas by Gustave-Max Stevens perfectly represents the highly detailed compositions and richly hued palettes championed by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The composition’s larger-than-life-size, brilliant coloring and myriad details enhance the drama of its subject, the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale, The Twelve Princesses. The artist exhibited this work extensively, including at the 1901 Paris Salon, testifying to both the artist’s regard for the work and its exceptional quality. Monumental in subject, style and size, it is clear that the artist himself knew that The Twelve Princesses was his masterpiece, and he took every opportunity to show it publicly. It was first shown shortly after its creation at an exhibition of the artist’s work at the Cercle Artistique et Littéraire in Brussels in 1899 and then at the Salon d’Art Idéaliste in Brussels. It was then accepted into the prestigious Paris Salon of 1901, the annual exhibition where artists showcased only the very best examples of their work. The artist also exhibited it with Sächsischer Kunstverein (Saxon Art Association) in Dresden in 1900, the Antwerp Triennial Salon of 1901 and the Salon des Beaux-Arts d’Ostende of 1907. Additionally, Stevens kept The Twelve Princesses in his own personal collection for the entirety of his life, and it descended within his family — a testimony to the artist’s particular attachment to this work. The fairy tale The Twelve Princesses, or The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces, tells the story of twelve sisters who are kept locked up in their bedroom every night by their father, the king. Despite this, the king finds his daughters’ shoes “danced to pieces” every morning when he releases them. He presents a challenge to his kingdom: “Whoever could discover where they went dancing each night could choose one of them for his wife and become king after his death.” After many before him fail, a man accepts the challenge and, with the help of an invisibility cloak, discovers the sisters travel to a magical underground realm where they attend a lavish ball every evening. Stevens chooses to depict the moment of the sisters' escape. They adorn themselves in their finest gowns and jewels, with each princess dressed more extravagantly than the last. His approach to the painting is meticulous yet romantic, and the entire composition is a feast for the senses. The long, graceful silhouettes of the princesses occupy the entirety of the colossal canvas, and the artist revels in a painstaking depiction of detail for each and every figure. Strongly-patterned, iridescent fabrics combine with lush jewel tones to create a highly expressive aesthetic that brings a sense of realism to the mythical narrative. Stevens captures the princesses with the precise detail and symbolism that were tenets of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. They are shown standing before a window barred with iron, emphasizing the wonder of their nightly escape. The central figure gazes into a mirror, serving not as a symbol of vanity, but rather representing the ephemeral, alternate world they are about to enter. The mirror holds their secret and points beyond exterior appearances. Only two of the sisters look out at the viewer, the oldest and the youngest, who have the most significant roles in the story. The eldest, dressed the most austerely and almost hidden behind her sisters, wears a knowing look of secrecy and mystery, while the youngest looks at us apprehensively, foreshadowing their eventual exposure. Combining thoughtful detail, symbolism and aestheticism, this work showcases the enigmatic, dreamlike style of painting for which the Pre-Raphelites were renowned. Apart from the fact that it is an exceptional example of a Pre-Raphaelite painting, it is also exemplary of the 19th-century interest in legends and fairy tales; the story of the dancing princesses would have been a well-known tale in affluent households of the age. These tales were popularized by Andrew Lang’s Fairy Book...