Then and Now Randolph Caldecott’s Places and Faces in Brittany

Randolph Caldecott’s Places and Faces in Brittany

ERIC HOULDER LRPS

This feature is based on an old photograph, in that it is based on drawings resulting from three tours of Brittany made by the then well-known artist Randolph Caldecott RA as Two Victorian Travellers in 1870s Brittany.

The date is significant in that it is just before efficient photo-mechanical reproduction was developed. It also preceded the introduction of rapid plates and hand-held cameras, so that to capture and eventually reproduce action, photography was ‘out,’ and a ‘rapid artist,’ as Caldecott was described, was ‘in.’ Crucially, it was also before all but main line railways in France, so that country districts were quite isolated, and retained local costume and customs long after the cities. Caldecott was quite famous in his time as an equestrian artist, as well as contributing material to illustrated magazines. His hunting scenes are still sought after by collectors, as are his coaching images, which even in the 1860s were reminders of a vanished world. Sadly he died of a chronic heart condition in 1886; he was just forty. Today his work is particularly valued by collectors of sporting prints. On the Breton tours, Caldecott was accompanied by his friend and employer Henry Blackburn, who was editor of London Society magazine. Blackburn had previously published illustrated books on his summer tours, using other artists as well as Caldecott. This time the book was to be titled Breton Folk, and Caldecott was to be given joint authorship. Blackburn advised ‘modern tourists’ to avoid the railways and travel by diligence ( like

our earlier stage coaches, but bigger, slower, and more ‘downmarket’) between towns, and hire traps from inns to visit the local villages. I came into possession of Breton Folk as a gift from a friend. Many years ago Michael, who has since died, gave me his copy of the book, inherited

Caldecott’s (flipped) portrait of a girl who served him at a Breton inn. Note her likeness to one of the dancers in #1. Blackburn & Caldecott in a hired trap.

A folk dancing group relax in the shade after performing. Panasonic Lumix G1. 14-45mm lens.

Caldecott’s image of onlookers surrounding himself at work. Note the man behind the iron fence. He is very similar to the man in the photograph on the nrext page

from a relative. At the time my sister-in-law, Elaine, and her husband, Wilson, owned a cottage between Pontivy and Baud in Morbihan. Each summer for twenty years Elaine and Wilson invited Joan and I, and sometimes our adult children too, to spend time with them at Llan Dravel, as it was called. We took our copy of Breton Folk and I tried to locate, visit and reproduce photographs to tally with many of the scenes. To begin with, I was using my Minolta MD outfit, carried in a CCS photo rucksack together with the book on my mountain bike. After 2008 I used various digital instruments until settling upon the Panasonic Lumix micro four thirds (MFT) system in 2010. Each summer we attended the local Pardons, and the Fête de Vieux Mètieres, or ancient crafts at nearby Baud. It was whilst reviewing my images from the latter that I was prompted to refer to Breton Folk, for a couple of faces seemed familiar. Perhaps it was because the modern Bretons were wearing traditional costume, but one of the folk

More performers relax. Lumix G1. 14-45mm lens.

dancers had apparently been drawn by Caldecott a hundred and thirty years before! Another face too seemed familiar. Sadly, the two most obvious individuals were in groups of traditional dancers; Travelling the country roads of Brittany by cycle is relatively safe, though far from easy as many of the gradients are relatively steep, shough rarely long. Many of the places had changed beyond recognition, particularly those, like Hennebont, which had suffered badly in the last war. Others were remarkably similar like the scene illustrated on the road out of Bieuzy les Eaux. It is almost unbelievable that the leaning tree is still there, though the picturesque woodcutter is sadly long gone. The final result of these expeditions is an illustrated talk entitled In Dead Men’s Footsteps, which has been moderately successful on the speaker circuit. All colour images by Eric Houlder LRPS. All pen sketches by Randolph Caldecott RI, scanned and ‘cleaned up’ in Affinity Photo. With thanks to my friend Michael who first aroused my interest in Breton Folk.

ERIC HOULDER LRPS

The road out of Bieuzy les Eaux today, scanned from a Fujichrome transparency. Minolta X700, 28-80mm lens.