Charles-Albert de Saint-Genois

CHARLES-ALBERT DE SAINT-GENOIS (1861–1918)
“Self-Portrait with Three Puppets.”
Oil on canvas.
Signed in the lower right corner.
Measurements: 62.3 x 51.2 cm; 90.1 x 79.1 cm (frame).
A unique self-portrait by the Belgian painter Charles-Albert de Saint-Genois, created under the stage name John Hewelt, which offers a rare glimpse into the artist’s dual roles as a painter and puppeteer. The composition features Saint-Genois himself alongside three of his characteristic “gringalets”—small articulated figures that formed the core of his puppet shows.More than a simple self-portrait, the work can be understood as a statement of artistic identity. Saint-Genois is depicted alongside the characters he had conceived, sculpted, painted, and manipulated on stage, establishing a dialogue between the visual arts and popular entertainment. The painting thus documents a particularly original aspect of late-19th-century Parisian culture, in which painting, caricature, theater, cabaret, and popular entertainment shared spaces and audiences.
The three figures depicted have traditionally been identified as Leopold II of Belgium (1835–1909), Francesco Crispi (1818–1901), and the famous cabaret singer Yvette Guilbert (1865–1944). This identification should be understood as an iconographic interpretation, but it is consistent with the satirical nature of Hewelt’s works, which featured recognizable figures from contemporary political and cultural life.
Charles-Albert de Saint-Genois belonged to a family of Belgian aristocratic origin. Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he began exhibiting his works at the Paris Salon in 1885. His career is of particular interest due to his parallel activity as a puppeteer under the name John Hewelt. The pseudonym, with its English-sounding ring, alluded to the success that the British puppeteer John Holden had achieved in Paris. Hewelt developed shows of considerable complexity, eventually presenting his productions at the Théâtre du Musée Grévin and other venues dedicated to popular entertainment.
The artist did not merely manipulate the marionettes: he personally designed, sculpted, painted, and articulated them. His figures, known as gringalets, were designed to produce particularly expressive movements through systems of strings and aerial manipulation mechanisms. In this context, this self-portrait takes on added documentary value. The painting depicts not only the artist but also the creative universe he himself had built for the stage.