Hommage à Tolstoï 1901

Curator: The overwhelming sense I get from this drawing is one of… mystery, veiled sorrow. There’s something so ethereal about the forms emerging from the darkness. Editor: That's precisely the effect Carrière often aimed for. What you're observing is "Hommage à Tolstoï," an ink print dating from 1901. It’s a portrait, or rather, portraits, embedded in an almost dreamlike state. Carrière was deeply admired for his hazy, monochrome style, wasn't he? Curator: Hazy is putting it mildly! He reminds me of memories—the way they’re not sharply defined but are imbued with such strong emotion. Who knew ink could be so emotionally resonant? It feels like the artist is painting the idea of Tolstoy, rather than a literal likeness. Editor: That aligns perfectly with the Symbolist movement's ethos, which really prized capturing inner states and subjective experience over accurate depictions. Tolstoï, as a moral authority, would be a compelling subject for a symbolist like Carrière, active in Parisian intellectual circles. Curator: Absolutely, you get the feeling that Tolstoï’s thoughts and inner life, with all its complexities, are swirling around him. Notice how his hands appear so frail and expressive—it’s the soul made visible. It also subtly alludes to social portraiture where we use signs to encode more specific social and historical backgrounds. Editor: The use of monochrome and soft lines does create a leveling effect. It abstracts Tolstoï's very public role as writer and thinker into something far more elemental, something universally human. And it speaks to Carrière’s reputation as an "intimist," interested in portraying private, internal worlds. It's fascinating to see him apply that approach to someone so well-known. Curator: It does offer a vulnerable quality, and one I find arresting. Editor: I agree, despite the haziness, it’s impactful. I’m leaving this feeling like I’ve peered into the depths of Tolstoï’s being, thanks to Carrière's distinctive vision. Curator: Beautiful. Almost as if a ghostly imprint of wisdom remained for us to consider.