Jan 11, 2007 16:34
17 yrs ago
French term

n'est réminiscente que

French to English Other Materials (Plastics, Ceramics, etc.) Émile Gallé
Is it that it is only 'réminiscente' of fields or woods? Or could we say mainly, because the faience of Nancy from that era did depict other things as far as I can see.
La faïence de Nancy n'est réminiscente que des champs et des bois. Les bordures de ses vases sont des simplifications de plantes symboliques et d'animaux, simplifications exigées par les procédés du décor adopté, la gravure ou l'émail : ainsi, sur un fond d'émail moutonné comme un ciel matinal, se dressent des thyrses d'aconit aux teintes fausses, livides, inquiétantes, où l'azur d'une aile de papillon jette une note franche.

Proposed translations

+3
5 mins
Selected

evokes nothing but

Really, I think it would be too diluting to say "mainly", but maybe if you could trun the sentence round a bit like this, it would give you the opportunity to drop in a qualifier of some kind:

"For the most part, ..."
"... hardly evokes anything except..."

...you know, that sort of thing.

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Note added at 6 mins (2007-01-11 16:41:12 GMT)
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"...is almost exclusively evocative of..."

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Note added at 58 mins (2007-01-11 17:32:56 GMT)
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Funny, it used to be the owl and the pussycat...!

Seriously, though dave, all you CAN do is more research; there are literally HUNDREDS of illustrated auction catalogus out there on the 'Net — the likelihood is ONE of them will have a picture of the, or a similar, object. I'd like to help, but I'm afraid I'm on a slow old "pay-as-you-go" dial-up connection at the moment, so such research is VERY expensive for me to do!

All we can say with any certainty is that Gallé certainly DID also do figurines of owls, they were quite popular subjects during the Art Nouveau period (many artists did them), and that as far as I am concerned, an owl is a marginally more likely subject for an ornament than a moth!

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-01-11 17:48:16 GMT)
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Well, there was just one in the link I gave you yesterday, though unfortunately, w/o a pic.

I think you're only "safe" bet would be to stick with something vague like "dusky / dusty grey / twilight" colours (given that as you say moths and owls have similar colouring), and not lose any more sleep over it!
Note from asker:
Thanks Tony, but what the heck I am going to do about the owl and the moth problem? I am sure now that the 'noctuelle' is a moth. Dave
Thanks once again for your help Tony. I have spent weeks looking at catalogues and books. So far I haven't found any Galle owls, but am sure he produced them. However, lots and lots of his work has moths and insects on it. I sure the first 'hibou' is an earthenware owl, sure, but the second the'noctuelle' is a moth. So he's giving the owl the colour of a moth. I find this difficult because they are both basically the same bloody colour in the first place. Have you got some ideas of how to play it safe? Dave
Yeah I guess you are right. Who gives a hoot anyway.
Peer comment(s):

agree blavatsky
3 hrs
Thanks, Blavatsky!
agree Vicky Papaprodromou
4 hrs
Efharisto, Vicky!
agree Raymonde Gagnier : Bravo Tony! Soft woodsy colors...
10 hrs
Thanks, Rousselures! I rather thought so too, though in fact it seems it is more the forms, while he often uses bizarre colours. No doubt why they called it "Art Nouveau"! ;-)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Merci"
16 mins

reminds one of only

Tony's answer is better but just wanted to suggest another possibility of changing the adjective to a verb.

or even "brings to mind nothing but"
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11 hrs

is reminiscent only of. . .

It's the same word in English. . .
Example sentence:

Hitler's invading Russia during WWII is reminiscent of Napolean's similar invasion almost 150 years ago which showed that the former must not have read history. . .

Note from asker:
Yes, but the question really is: is it 'only', or 'could' we say mainly.
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