Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 10.djvu/128

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118
GAU—GAV

in Paris or in travels of considerable extent to 8pain, the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, England, Algeria, and Russia, all undertaken with a more or less definite purpose of book making. Having absolutely no political opinions, he had no difficulty in accepting the seeond empire, and received from it Considerable favours, in return for which, however, he in no way prostituted his pen, but remained a literary man pure and simple. He died in October 1872. Accounts of his travels, criticisms of the theatrical and literary works of the day, obituary notices of his contem- poraries, and above all art criticism, occupied him in turn. 1n the last department he has never had a superior, nor perhaps, except in the cases of Diderot and a great living English critic, an equal. It has sometimes been deplored that this engagement in journalism should have diverted Gautier from the performance of more capital work in literature. Perhaps, however, this regret springs from a certain misconception. Gautier’s power was literary power pure and simple, and it is as evident in his slightest sketches and criticisms as in Emma-r et Camées or La. film‘te A mowrensz’. On the other hand, his weakness, if he had a weakness, lay in his almost total indiflbrencc t0 the matters which usually supply subjects for art and therefore for literature. He was neither immoral, irreligious, nor unduly subservient to despotism, but morals, religion, and politics (to which we may add science and material progress) were matters of no interest to him. He was to all intents a humanist, as the word was understood in the 15th century. But he was a humorist as well, and this combination, joined to his singularly kindly and genial nature, saved him from some dangers and depravations as well as some absur- dities to which the humanist temper is exposed. As time goes on it may be predicted that, though Gautier may not be Widely read, yet his writings will never cease to be full of indescribable charm and of very definite instruction to men of letters. Besides those of his works which have been already cited, we may notice l'ne Ia-rme du Diable (1839), a charming mixture of humour and tenderness; Les Grotesques, a volume of early criticisms on some oddities of 17th century literature; Caprices et Zigzags, miscellanies dealing in part with English life; ('onstrmtz'nople, Voyage en Bessie, Voyage en Espagne, brilliant volumes of travel ; Menagerie I ntime (1869), and Tablemw de Siege (18"2), his two latest works, which display his incomparable style in

its quietest but not least happy form.
(g. sa.)

GAUZE, a light, transparent, silken fabric, woven in an open manner with very fine yarn. It is said to have been originally made at Gaza in Palestine, whence the name. In the weaving of gauze the warp threads, in addition to being crossed as in plain weaving, are twisted in pairs from left to right and from right to left alternately, after each shot of weft, thereby keeping the wef t threads at equal distances apart, and retainng them in their parallel position. The textures are woven either plain, striped, or figured; and the material receives many designations, according to its appear- ance and the purposes to which it is devoted. A thin cotton fabric, woven in the same Way, is known as leno, to distinguish it from muslin made by plain weaving. Silk gauze was a prominent and extensive industry in the west of Scotland during the second half of the 18th century, but on the introduction of cotton weaving it greatly declined. In addition to its use for dress purposes silk gauze is much employed for bolting or sifting flour and other finely ground substances. The term gauze is applied generally to trans- parent fabrics of whatever fibre made, and to the fine woven wire-cloth used in safety-lamps, sieves, window-blinds, &c.

GAVARNI, French caricaturist, was born at Paris in

1801, and died in 1366. His true name was Chevalier (Sulpice Guillaume), and he is said to have taken the mom (le plume under which he is known from the place where he made his first published sketch. His parents were poor, and he started in life as a workman in an engine-building factory. At the same time he attended the free school of drawing. Herc his natural talent was developed, and he acquired that training of the hand without which an artist is unable to work up his best inspirations. In his first attempts to turn his abilities to some account he met with many disappoint- ments, but was at last entrusted 'with the drawing of some illustrations for a journal of fashion. Gavarni was then thirty-four years of age. His sharp and witty pencil gave to these generally commonplace and unartistic figures a life- likcness and an expression which soon won for him a name in fashionable circles Gradually he gave greater attention to this more congenial work, and finally ceased working as an engineer to become the director of the journal Les Gens du Allende. His ambition rising in proportion to his suc- cess, Gavarni from this time followed the real bent of his inclination, and began a series of lithographed sketches, in which he pourtrayed the most striking characteristics, foibles, and vices of the various classes of French society. The letterpress explanations attached to his drawings were always short, but were forcible and highly humorous, if sometimes trivial, and were admirably adapted to the particular subjects. The different stages through which Gavarni’s talent passed, always elevating and refining itself, are well worth being noted. At first he confined himself to the study of Parisian manners, more especially those of the Parisian youth. To this vein belong les Lorettes, [es A ctrz'ces, [es Coulisses, les .Faskimmbles, [es (lentils-71072271263 bom'gem'S, les Artistes, [es Débardeurs, Clichy, les Etudianls (i'e Paris, les Baliverneries Parisiennes, les Plaisirs Clzampétres, lea Bals mosques, le Car/lava], [es Souvenirs ((-21 Camera], [es Souvenirs (In Bal Chica-rd, la Vie (Ies jennes Icommes, [es I’utois de Paris. He had now ceased to be director of Les Gens dn 41londe ; but he was engaged as ordinary caricaturist of Le Clzarizvari, and, whilst making the fortune of the paper, he made his own. His name was exceedingly popular, and his illustrations for books were eagerly sought for by publishers. Le an_'f Erranl, by Eugene. Sue (1843, 4 vols. 8vo), the French translation of Hoff- man’s tales (1843, 8vo), the first collective edition of Balzac’s works (Paris, Houssiaux, 1850, 20 vols. 8vo), Le Diable a Paris (1844—46, 2 vols. 4to), Les Frangm's peints par elm-memes (1840—43, 9 vols. 8vo), the collection of Physiologics published by Aubert in 38 vols. 18mo (1840-42),—all owed a great part of their success at the time, and are still sought for, on account of the clever and telling sketches contributed by Gavarni. A single frontispiece or vignette was sometimes enough to secure the sale of a new book. Always desiring to enlarge the field of his observations, Gavarni soon abandoned his once favourite topics. He no longer limited himself to such types as the Iorette and the Parisian student, or to the description of the noisy and popular pleasures of the capital, but turned his mirror to the grotesque sides of family life and of Immunity at large. Les Enfants z‘erribles, les Parents terribles, les Fourberies des femmes, Ia Polz'tz'gne des femmes, les Jllm'is eengés, les Nnanres (In sentiment, les Réves, les Pet-its Jew: de Société, [es Petits mallzenrs (in bonhem', les Impressions de ménage, les Interjeclions, [es Traductions en langne vnlgaire, les Propos dc Themes l'ireloqne, Ase, were composed at this time, and are lns most elevated _productions. But whilst showing the same power of irony as his former works, enhanced by a deeper insight into human nature, they generally bear the stamp of a bitter and even sometimes gloomy philosophy. This tendency was still more strengthened by a visit to England in 1849. He returned from London deeply impressed with the scenes of misery and degradation which he had

observed among the lower classes of that city. In the