Jacques James Joseph Tissot. 1836-1902.
L'apparition médiunimique. (The apparition). 1885. Mezzotint. Tissot 80, Béraldi 67, Wentworth 76.i/ii. Proof before the letters. 19 3/8 x 13 1/2 (sheet 23 1/4 x 19 1/4. Edition about 150 of the first state and 200 of the second state. Ex-collection Henri Petiet. A rich, glowing impression printed on sturdy tan-colored Japanese vellum. Signed in the plate, upper right. $5,500.
"In Paris [Eglinton] had the pleaseure of meeting M. Tissot, the celebrated French genre painter whose attention had been drawn to Spiritualism by reading a translation in one of the French papers of Florence Marryat's account of a materalisation to which I have/ already adverted. The séances he had with Mr. Eglinton quite won him over to our ranks, and resulted in a determination on his part to visit England later in the year to go through a regular course of investingation. This he did with the most satisfactory results, obtaining clear and irrefragable evidence as to the identity of the siprits communicating with him through Mr. Eglinton's mediumship, both in connection with psychography and materialisation. At the last and culminating séance he had a touching and unique experience. The veil was lifted, and he saw one whose sweet companionship had been his joy an solace in years gone by. It is not possible or right that such sacred experiences should be revealed in their fullest expression to an unsympathetic world, but the few details of the séance I am enabled to give will no doubt be acceptable to those whose knowledge bids them lend a listening ear.
The séance (a private one) took place on the 20th May, and there were present, besides M. Tissot and the medium, three ladies and one gentleman. After the usual preliminaries of a dark séance Mr. Eglinton took his place in an easy-chair close to M. Tissot's right hand, and so remained the whole time. The doors were all locked, and the room otherwise secured. After conversing for a time two figures were seen standing side by side on M. Tissot's left hand. They were at first seen very indistinctly, but gradually they became more and more plainly visible, until those nearest could distinguish every feature. The light carried by the male figure ("Ernest") was exceptionally bright, and was so used as to light up in a most effective manner the features of his companion. M. Tissot, looking into her face, immediately recognised the latter, and, much overcome, ashed her to kiss him. This she did several times, the lips being observed to move. One of the sitters distinctly saw "Ernest" place the light in such a position that while M. Tissot was gazing at the faxe of the femal form her features were "brilliantly illuminated;" it also lighted M. Tissot's face. After staying with him for some minutes, she again kissed him, shook hands, and vanished.
This incident M. Tissot subsequently chose as the subject for a mezzotint entitled "Apparition Médiunimique," which has now become the wonder and talk of the artistic world. Two figures are disclosed, set against a dark background --one a sweetly pretty female form, with the head slightly thrown back and resting on the shoulder of the companion by her side. Her face bears an expression of wistful tenderness, which tells its own tale of happy reunion.
"Pleace, let it be. I love him still, and shall love him for ever;
The dead are not dead, but alive."
"Ernest's" face reveals the noble spirit he is -- full of solicitude and compassionate love of his kind. The ideal which those who have come in contact with him must have formed (I can speak for myself) is here fully portrayed. In both figures the hands are held half open in front, "Ernest" bearing the light with which their faces are illuminated.
As a work of art, there is no question of its merit. Powerfully conceived and happily rendered, the picture tells its own tale, and is a lasting monument of the artist's appreciation of the blessing bestowed by spirit communion.
This is not the only acknowledgement which M. TIssot has rendered of his indebtedness to Mr. Eglinton's mediumship. When made awasre of the proposed publication of this volume, he very kindly offered to present Mr. Eglinton with a portrait mezzotint to serve as a frontis-/piece, his idea being to impress his pencil and graver into the service of Spiritualism, by depicting from the life one of the many fleeting but, if accurately recorded, valuable aspects of mediumship."
John S. Farmer. 'Twixt Two Worlds: A Narrative of the Life and Work of William S. Eglinton London: The Psychological Press, 1886, pp. 186-188.