Studies of Proust and the paintings

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We studied Marcel Proust's involvement with paintings through his own writings, Correspondance de Marcel Proust and Index general de la Correspondance de Proust from 1998 to 1999.1. We collocted all-inclusive information about the "paintings" which appear in his writings and correspondence.2. We also studied the situation of the paintings around the era from the end of 19th century to the early years of 20th century. This research was conducted through investigation of the specialized books and magazines on paintings, personal collections and catalogues of exhibitions in his days.3. We specified when and how Proust came across each painting (either original or reproduction) by the researches above. As the result, we found that the specialized books and the reproductions that appeared in the books played a very important role for him to get involved with the paintings such as Botticelli, Giotto, Carpaccio, Vermeer, Monet, Moreau and El Greco who appear in A la recherche du temps perdu.4. Research of the manuscripts which belong to the National Library at Paris revealed how the writer incorporates those paintings in his novel: he uses the artist's technique of montage found in the paintings above through one of the characters of the novel, the painter. Elstir.5. This research led us to conclude that those paintings play an important role of irradiating the two major themes of the novel, love and art.6. The results of the research have been reported in Musee Proust and the articles listed in the reference below in "References," and at Proust Symposiums in France.