An American In France: Diary from an American Art Student In France With Sketches

Book Description

Beals was an art student who traveled from New York to France in the summer of 1926; he graduated from MIT in 1927. ADS. 4"x6". 100pg. June 13 to October 7, 1926. France. A leather bound travel journal detailing one young man's trip to and in France during the summer of 1926. The journal begins aboard the SS Paris sailing from New York from June 13th to the 19th when it docked at La Havre. "The trip is one joyous holiday with nothing to do but read, rest, play, and eat. The food is most excellent and abundant (the wine is bitter)." Much like today "at New York the water was as expected a dirty gray-green." Upon reaching France, Beals embarks for Fontainebleau, where he is to spend the majority of his trip studying the art and architecture of the old palace. He also took a side trip to Paris, where he personally met "Albert Besnard, it is the first time I have seen his work but I am very enthusiastic about all he does." He also attended the Opera, seeing Rigoletto, and describes its intermission music as follows, "the French music, or really American music played by Frenchmen is very mild-not at all jazzy." Beals goes on to describe the various lectures he attended on such topics as the gardens of Versailles. While he was in France, the Sultan of Morocco visited "the main street was lined with soldiers when the fat monarch rode by... many of the French men and women laughed at him." The diary concludes with a terrific quote: "It seems only a dream and a half forgotten one this trip in France and Fontainbleu. A few unusual and also very customary events are well remembered but soon become fused into a general haze of an enjoyable summer well spent. Another person has also commented on the fact that one can not imagine oneself out of the present existence into some past or future even and place. In spite of the 10 day voyage, Europe is much nearer in one's thoughts than hitherto, and less a mysterious, venerable group of nations. It ever incites one's curiosity and desire to know it better, yet not lessening his liking for the states and all its obvious advantages." Throughout his journeys, Beals also sketched a variety of pictures of scenery and various buildings and chateaus along the way. The journal also possesses maps of the world, Paris, Fontainebleau, and ship information. The journal is a remarkable look at interwar France, with many of its great treasures described first hand by a specialist

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