Cannery Row

p. 140

“Henri the painter was not French and his name was not Henri. Also he was not really a painter. Henri had so steeped himself in stories of the left Bank in Paris that he lived there although he had never been there. Feverishly he followed in periodicals the Dadaist movements and schisms, the strongly feminine jealousies and religiousness, the obscurantisms of the forming and breaking schools. Regularly he revolted against out-worn techniques and materials. One season he threw out perspective. Another year he abandoned red, even as the mother of purple. Finally he gave up paint entirely. It is not known whether Henri was a good painter or not for he threw himself so violently into movements that he had very little time left for painting of any kind.”