Dumas fils and bagpipes

Subject: RE: Dumas fils and bagpipes
From: pavane
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 02:23 AM

Yes, it was from my phone, and NOT in Liege as I said (memory fault), it was actually in Longwy in France.

I must start carrying a proper camera...

Maybe if I get a chance, I will go back and get a better picture which might show the words.

Subject: RE: Dumas fils and bagpipes
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 02:34 PM

Ayant de l'esprit comme quatre,
Dumas le fils a dit: "Voilà!
Ta femme il ne faut pas la battre,
Tue-la!"

...which I'd loosely translate:

Having the heart* of four
Dumas fils has said
You mustn't beat your wife
Kill her instead!

*or 'spirit', 'courage' etc. The phrase occurs in other 19th century writings, with a specific meaning that I can't be quite sure of without recourse to one of the big dictionaries.

The 'balloon' emerging from the chanter contains many words, but these are illegible even at high magnification. That's a pity, as I'd expect them to be lines quoted from Dumas and potentially informative.

Subject: RE: Dumas fils and bagpipes
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 01:27 PM

What's that inscription at the bottom? I can't see it clearly enough on this screen (and my French isn't up to much anyway). Think I see the word "esprit" (spirit / mind / ???) but it's small and faint so I'm not sure -

(Is that another Pavane's-phone picture? You're going to have to open an exhibition!)

Subject: RE: Dumas fils and bagpipes
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 01:19 PM

Wonder if there's any significance in the fact that the air-bag of the pipes bears some resemblance to a heart (the Valentine-shaped variety, not the realistic kind) - ?

Subject: RE: Dumas fils and bagpipes
From: pavane
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 12:39 PM

Sounds a possibility, as he has the actors as puppets on a string tied to his leg!

Subject: RE: Dumas fils and bagpipes
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 09:16 AM

It may be alluding to a scene from a drama (though it was written by Dumas the father, not the son) in which a bagpiper is invoked. The play is called Le Vampire and seems to be a rather fantastical tale. Perhaps the plate is making a reference to this, and symbolically showing Dumas as the master piper whose characters must all dance to his tune? But that's only a guess.

Anyway, one of the characters (Gilbert) is speaking to some travellers, and says:

I have the fairy tapestry... It's one of those youthful dreams which I was telling you about just now -- The chatelaines of Tiffauges have the custom of placing their first born for a day in what we call in the chateau -- the Tapestry Room. On this Tapestry is represented the fairy, Melusina and all her court. Well, is it a dream as I said just now, or is it a reality? When I was a child, sleeping my cradle and the rays of the moon came through the immense window, at midnight, I woke up, and then to my great pleasure, I saw all the personages of the tapestry descend.

The player of the bagpipes made everyone dance -- to silent quadrilles with his silent instrument -- whose feet couldn't be heard to resound on the floor -- a huntsman chased a stag with his pack all around the room -- the birds flew about and came to refresh me with the sight of the beating of their wings -- then the fairy herself came to me, all white, all pale, all smiling and she rocked me softly in my cradle, murmuring a song I certainly knew in my childhood -- but whose air and words are lost long since in the noise and agitation of this world -- all materialist and realistic.

Links here:

http://www.cadytech.com/dumas/work.php?key=343

http://www.cadytech.com/dumas/stories/vampire.php

Subject: Dumas fils and bagpipes
From: pavane
Date: 30 Jun 08 - 08:13 AM

I recently came across this plate in a shop in Liege. It depicts Alexandre Dumas Fils, son of the famous author, and himself a famous author and playwright.

He is shown playing bagpipes, but I haven't seen him described as a piper anywhere.

Alexandre Dumas Jnr