Who could expect after three hours driving on a mud road through the rain forest to find a large painted fresco representing many of the prestigious French Grand crus? It is however what can be seen on the walls of the restaurant at the Auberge des chutes Voltaire mentioned in an earlier post. This four panel fresco deserves a post on its own. Dominique Jado who died two years ago, completed this work in 1994. Not much is known about this artist. He lived in French Guyana where he signed few works; another of his frescos, "Cayenne reminiscence", can be seen at the Café des Palmistes. We simply learnt from the inn owner that D. Jado visited the inn several times and he enjoyed wine :-). Let's have a short visit of this epicurean and philosophical composition.
Starting from the left, the first panel represents a group of friends around a table in an inn. They are enjoying themselves, celebrating, eating and toasting in a noisy atmosphere. This subject is in contrast with the quiet remote place of the Chute Voltaire surrounded in each direction by millions of acres of rain forest. This panel is so dense that it is not possible to get into much details here. Let's just stress that there are many costly bottles of wine on the table and the labels are quiet exact and precise on the year. One mistake can however be noticed by connoisseurs: The Chateau d'Yquem, a sweet Bordeaux, is not a red but a white wine; it is also not sure that the "Chateau Voltaire" ever existed but these are all evident touches of humour which fit perfectly with the merry atmosphere around this table. For more details and close-up see the supplement below.
Panel #1
By opposition to panel#1, the second and the third panels make a dyptic representing with a certain nostalgia the "home sweet home" somewhere in Europe.
Panel#2: A woman is spinning the yarn while, in the other room, the maid is setting the table. The large stones of the wall, the heavy furniture and the headdress of the two women would suggest the interior of a rural house (in Brittany?)…A child memory of the parent's house at the native place of the artist?
Panel#2
Panel#3: A old man is meditating seated opposite to the fire place. A white cat lays on the floor. The few cooking objects around are well in place. This cosy corner gives the impression of loneliness, serenity and wisdom. As time goes by, the old man is contemplating his own life...
Panel#3
The fourth and last panel is again representing a socialising scene in a café. The card players remind the scene of an anthological piece: "La partie de carte" from Marius, one of the most famous Macel Pagnol's theater play… A caricature on how French society works :-)
Panel#4a (left)
On the other corner of the Café's room (right side of panel#4), the Pastis jug stands on the bar…A man and a woman are discussing behind the smoke of a cigarette. Are we in le Vieux-Port in Marseille? Likely not because there is no terrace next to the room. This panel could also be seen as the inner atmosphere of a Parisian café where the artist used to go when he was still living in Europe.
Panel#4b (right)
Many questions remain but each one will certainly find his/her "own way" to read these wall paintings. The talent does not sit always in musea!
