#madmerch

[lafcadiosadventures]

So, there's this scene in Cousin Bette, which has a pretty striking line:

– On a marché, dit le vieillard en se retirant, et les morts vont vite à Paris !

(Honoré de Balzac, La cousine Bette, 1846)

“The world moves on,” said the old man, as he withdrew, “and the dead move quickly in Paris!”

(tr. James Waring) (given the implications, I would translate the first half of Vautrin's reply as “We have made our move”)

and I was like, critique of capitalism, etc etc. My friend @madmerchant said she was pretty sure she'd read something very similar in Dracula. Was Stoker referencing Vautrin? Was it a coincidence? There's a persistent shroud of the Fantastic surrounding Vautrin, it would not be surprising if someone would have thought of him as a vampire, or an immortal creature of some kind... however:

“You are early to-night, my friend.” The man stammered in reply:—“The English Herr was in a hurry,” to which the stranger replied:—“That is why, I suppose, you wished him to go on to Bukovina. You cannot deceive me, my friend; I know too much, and my horses are swift.” As he spoke he smiled, and the lamplight fell on a hard-looking mouth, with very red lips and sharp-looking teeth, as white as ivory. One of my companions whispered to another the line from Burger’s “Lenore”:— “Denn die Todten reiten schnell”— (“For the dead travel fast.”)

oooh. this lead to discovering that Lenore, is one of the cornerstones of Romanticism. So it wasn't that Stoker was referencing Vautrin's last incarnation, but rather, the same originary poem Balzac hismelf was referencing. The influence of the poem was huge, and epsecially the french went crazy over it. The first translation was published in the Journal des Débats in 1811, translated from English. The newspaper published it, not without adding the poem put in display "the most odious vices of the German School".

It was not until Mme de Saël (she of the North vs South temperaments fame) wrote an article trully valuing the work as the poetic masterpiece it was, that the fever for Lenore started to root on the young minds of a Certain Group of Artists-and their readers- in 1820. Madame de Saël had thrown the gauntlet:

"No french translation, be it prose or verse, could express all the nuances and detaild of the German original."

and one Gérard de Nerval picked it up, offering FIVE translations of his own throuout the years...

The poem collects a German folk story, and as soon as you read the summery you *know* why the more edgy Romantics were crazy about it. Like other German folk tales (as Der Erlkönig) it features a frenzied ride through the forests, and a lover that is not what he seems to be (he is DEATH. The RIde is A TRAP) Embroildled in the poem are some anti nobility aspects:

"(in Lenore, we hear) The powrful and pained voice of a Titan, tormented until death by the aristocracy. (...) In German language, 'Bürger' (the poet's name) is synonimous to citoyen"

(Heinrich Heine)

and a desire to revindicate the autochthonous, popular poetry from the lower classes -the Lenore poem is recolected from a popular song Bürger heard a young peasant singing- as the true voice of a nation:

It will remain eternally true that if we have no Volk, we shall have no public, no nationality, no literature of our own which shall live and work in us. Unless our literature is founded on our Volk, we shall write eternally for closet sages and disgusting critics out of whose mouths and stomachs we shall get back what we have given.

(Johann Gottfried Herder)

So, what I'm saying is, I must read Lenore, and also, it is very likely that that Vautrin line is a direct reference to that icon of the dawn of French Romanticism, something the then elders (cousin bette was published in 1846) would have remembered and understood...

[tsglexingtonkentucky]

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[jaynielea]

Was feeling a little bit playful with this "Rocking It" design. Quite like the end result. 😏 looks great on decor items too. Check out my online store for more items with this design. 🛍 SHOP LINK IN BIO 🛍 #madmerch #fashion #shopping #redbubble #redbubbleartist #redbubbleshop #redbubblestore #buynow #lifestyle #shoponline #shopaholic #womensfashion #mensfashion #funky #design #trendy #outfit #pretty #cute #designer https://www.instagram.com/p/CGne2vnpmR-/?igshid=4k28ebul9fqt

[fulane-de-tal]

@alexir-s taught me to animate in krita so uh,,,

[ID: a digital animation. It focuses on a chest and hands. One holds an embroidery hoop, and the other pulls the thread of a stitch taut. The lines are white on a dark blue background. End ID.]

[d-dotangelettie]

🔥🔥🔥 🔥 Mad Merch 🔥🔥🔥🔥 🎼"Appreciate The Hate - Vol. #3" 🎼 We almost ready!!! Soon Come!!! #CrazyCat #DDot #MadRapper #Brooklyn #HipHop #Wolfstyle #ConnectTheDots #MadMerch @wolfstyleclothing @wolfstylelifestyle https://www.instagram.com/p/BxNF2bEFBpL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1u2tskkr4l0h7

[random-red-ramblings]

For the ask meme! <3 Okay this is a lot, PLEASE feel free to pick your favorites of these questions and leave the rest: 2, 3, 4 (this is similar to the last ask meme I know, but! not limited to this year!), 18, 20 (only if you want, that one seems like a ton of effort XD).

I’ll answer these in 2 or more parts because I want to do them all but will need to Think XD 2. Tell us about what you’re most looking forward to writing – in your current project, or a future project I’m really looking forward to Valjean and Javert starting a relationship in All Is Not Lost. It will be such a relief to get there too! It will be my reward for writing all the other parts

3.What is that one scene that you’ve always wanted to write but can’t be arsed to write all of the set-up and context it would need? (consider this permission to write it and/or share it anyway) hmm most of the time I figure out how to worm such scenes into fics I’m writing. I guess it’s easiest to say the whole concept of Javert-raised-Romani AU. There are scenes and ideas in that I really like, but the AU would require me to invent a bunch of Javert family OCs and that’s scary. (also afraid of being Problematic). The idea of this au came to me after explaining to a RL friend with Romani family that Javert’s mother is widely considered to be Romani. She thought it was dumb and that if she was Romani, her maternal family would not have left her and her child. So I thought well then what if Javert’s grandmother collected him from the prision? It was an interesting examination of his character and I had a lot of ideas. But I have a lot of ideas for lots of aus...

[random-red-ramblings]

I cannot get over how cute this is. You've perfectly captured the utter adorableness of nehaljean. I love him. (His little :3 !)

And Javert! Thinking of the tattoo :'>

The pomegranate saga: 2/4. An homage to @random-red-ramblings’ Shame Like This, unofficial sequel of Bars Like This.

[pilferingapples]

psqqa said:                                                                                                                            Do we have any notion of when Javert was born? If we have a date we could figure out what saint’s day it was, which would probably be a fair bet for Christian name also.                                                                                                              Were foundlings baptized? France feels like it would have required baptism. Or maybe not because baptism means paying the church for its services and who cares if poor people’s kids go to purgatory? I feel like it could go both ways. Anyway, my ultimate point here is that if they required baptism, Javert would have a first name. Although to be fair, it would probably just be Jean.                           

As to the first thing, we do have a pretty good idea of when he was born! His badge at the barricades says that he’s 55, so 1832-55 = Probably 1777?

An article here says (translation by @madmerchant )

“Before 1831 (that’s Javert) he received a single new name that served as his surname—a deliberate severance of ties, intended to prevent the natural parents from “abandoning” a child to be raised at the state’s expense and then simply finding him again afterwards by means of his name. (After 1831, a foundling received two first-names, one of which became his first name and the other his last name.) Each foundling was given a necklace with his registration number, to prevent trafficking in children; and when the doctor judged the child capable of travel, he was placed with a nurse or foster family.”

You can check out the whole translation here!

So the government wouldn’t have given Javert any name but “Javert” ; if his foster family/guardian decided to give him another name/ baptize him, that was up to them. But I’m not sure what “old enough to travel” would consist of, or whether the people taking him as a charge would have bothered?

(also relevant here; born in 1777, Javert would be about 12 in 1789-- the start of the Revolution. and after that the relationship between the French government and the Catholic church changed a lot, and very quickly. So I’m not sure how that would affect things like foundling baptisms, and it probably varied wildly as the revolution went on!)

If anyone knows more about this please chime in!

[magicfishhookart]

I was going to wait a couple of days to post Valjean with his lil black dress that was promised by 6 but @madmerchant asked so nicely.... He feels cute and comfortable wearing it, I’m sad Javert broke it but I’m sure they will get another one.

Based on my previous post.

[enbyartblog]

merry christmas @madmerchant!

[lafcadiosadventures]

An angry poem by Michelangelo Buonarroti about the physical pain endured when painting the Sistine Chapel, and afterwards. (thanks @madmerchant for showing it to me!!!!!!)(ps: there’s a fantastic doodle illustrating the situation)

[lafcadiosadventures]

@madmerchant

CHEVALIER | Official Trailer | Searchlight Pictures

Inspired by the incredible true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist-composer and fencer, complete with an ill-fated love affair and a falling out with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) and her court.

Exclusively in theaters April 7, 2023

[tsglexingtonkentucky]

SCOUTED SUNDAY FUNDAY | Did you know @jakescigarbar is opening @jakes_market right next door?! We can’t wait to check it out and shop @jakescigarbar #madmerch 🥃 #sundayfunday (at Jake's Cigar Bar) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEPOBE_gnyu/?igshid=1ftlbcklyvxcc

[jaynielea]

🌟 Mandala Me Collection 🌟 - Tote Bag. 🛍 SHOP LINK IN BIO 🛍 #madmerch #fashion #shopping #redbubble #redbubbleartist #redbubbleshop #redbubblestore #buynow #lifestyle #shoponline #shopaholic #womensfashion #mensfashion #funky #design #trendy #outfit #pretty #cute #totebag #bag #mandala #boho #nature #style #accessories #women #designer #digitalart #art https://www.instagram.com/p/CGjQh6HJ0ib/?igshid=tbz77zw23huf

[random-red-ramblings]

@madmerchant​ wanted me to answer #3 and #24 of the fanfic end of year asks

3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year (but expand to 3-5 favourites)

1. Valjean was on his back, with Javert looming over him, trapping him on the bed. Why did he make himself so vulnerable? He didn't look vulnerable, but he looked far too trusting. Javert wanted to be mad about it, to snap at Valjean for being so stupid, but he was sucking marks on his neck instead. Marks that would be purple in the morning for Valjean to know he was Javert's. Or Javert’s frantic plea wishing for that to be the case. - Shame Like This

2. This wasn't meant to be endearing, Valjean was meant to be disgusted and push him away or push him harder. Getting comfortable, being endeared, felt like they represented something far bigger, something Javert could not face and would not scale. - Shame Like This

3. How strange it was to move through Javert's home so casually. He felt like a ghost observing some other realm that he didn't belong to. The apartment itself had the sensation of being a museum exhibit - a perfectly maintained recreation of a space that was left devoid of life and personality. An empty husk that Jean’s wandering soul could not possess. - All is Not Lost

4. The conversation where Valjean asks if Javert would prefer it if Valjean hated him in All is Not Lost 5. The scene in the rain? or the kebabs? both are significant turning points (All is Not Lost)

4. favorite fic you read this year ok, you know my memory is terrible so I’ve sorted my bookmarks by date updated and will choose out of completed works this year that I have read! I think I have to say west with the stars because I’m a sucker for westerns and for ias :’> also The Philanthropist’s New Clothes because aaa i just love descriptions of real bodies and loving relationships ;o; and and Ballad of the Boulonnais! Javert’s voice is SO good. His deadpan communications with the horse! <333

[random-red-ramblings]

I love this so much 😍

I can't believe you've made a comic, it's amazing! Their expressions here are so perfect❤

The pomegranate saga: ¼. An homage to @random-red-ramblings’ Shame Like This, unofficial sequel of Bars Like This. Valjean tentatively, and Javert not so tentatively, exploring the dom/sub dynamic of their relationship, mediated by pomegranates. The pomegranates were accidental.

Valjean is figuring out how to dom—he has both a need to be tender, and also a genuine possessive streak, and manages to worry about both of them. He will get there.