A commentary on the extract from Diderot(TM)s review of Vernet in the Salon of 1765
A commentary on the extract from Diderot’s review of Vernet in the Salon of _ 1765
The extract from Diderot's 'Salon de 1765' is about Vernet and his works, and is certainly full of praise from author. The use of poetic techniques by Diderot, his style of narrative, approach to the reader, and his choice of language makes this particular extract a very vivid and concise commentary.
Diderot's use of poetic techniques are similar to that of great Classical poets such as Virgil and Horace. A spring ode by Horace is quoted by Diderot, in a previous commentary, which can help us assume that he is well versed in classical poetry. This may help in analysing this commentary as there are certain areas where Diderot's review is reminiscent of the devices used in classical poetry. For example, at the beginning of this commentary he writes, “Vingt-cinq tableaux, mon ami! Vingt-cinq tableaux? Et quels tableaux!”, the use of “tableaux” is a triple anaphora used to express his disbelief that Vernet has been able to produce twenty-five paintings of excellent quality. The very next line “C'est comme le créateur, pour la célérité; c'est comme la nature, pour la vérité”, there is clearly a steady rhyming structure of A, B, A, B, which is creating a sense of a poem within a prose text, thus contributing to the idea of praise by Diderot. The idea of a poem within a prose text is a good technique used by Diderot to help him express his opinion and generate interest within the reader. The repetitive use of the word “quel” further on in the text supports the idea of incredulity at the amazing work Vernet has produced. In the description of the ship wreck he uses alliteration to describe the escape of a boy, “un enfant échappe”, perhaps to give a sense of danger and urgency to escape the wreckage, along with, “la mer mugit” to emphasise the ferociousness of the unforgiving sea. Likewise “les vents sifflent” gives a sense of sibilence possibly done by Diderot to emphasise the whistling of the wind, and the onomatopoeic nature of “le tonnerre gronde”, adds to the growling tone of the thunder, thus setting up the scene of a chaotic storm. By using such techniques Diderot is able to convey to the reader, in a more dramatic way, of how the painted was depicting a ship wreck in a storm. He then places himself in the text “J'en vois”, using this particular phrase three times which is known as a tricolon crescendo, again a device commonly used by classical poets to add to the idea of urgency, and danger in this case.
