Le portrait en bref Maximes et portraits de Daumal

By analyzing a corpus of René Daumal’s maxims and portraits, this article uncovers a whole vein, even a tradition, of the quick sketch. Daumal’s portraits naturally evolve into a little bestiary that borders on caricature. While the quick sketch dates back a long way, its use persists in the speed of the photographer’s flash and as a reaction to the long portraits of Sainte-Beuve. For Daumal, it was above all a way of freeing himself from the shadow of the brilliant professor of philosophy, Alain, considered a champion of the short form.