October 17, 2019
Gwenn Riou, « Ideological struggle on artistic forehead in France : writings on art in Commune and Les Lettres françaises (1933-1954) », Theses.fr, ID : 10670/1.602m89
In 1933, the Association of revolutionary Writers and Artists launches the publication of its journal, Commune. Close to the Parti Communiste Français (PCF), the journal mainly publishes texts on literature, but even though, gives to plastic arts a substantial place.Following the german-soviet pact and the break out of WWII, the PCF as well as the organisations and publications connected with it are prohibited. Commune therefore cease publication and the group forming the journal stands appart.The PCF joins the Resistance, Decour with Paulhan create Les Lettres Françaises, a journal embodying the intellectual Resistance.The first issue of Les Lettres Françaises is released in septembre 1942, however, the weekly paper doesn’t publish texts on art during its clandestine existence. It was not until the Liberation and its legal publication that texts of this genre were printed. As Commune, Les Lettres Françaises are not originally affiliated with the PCF but, with a few exceptions, they follow its guidelines.The analyse of the texts on art that came out in theses issues gives the opportunity to study the evolution of the artistic discourse in the environments close to the PCF from 1933 to 1954. Which covers from the birth of a journal that must take part of the PCF’s struggle on the cultural field to the 13° national congress of the PCF during which Aragon questions the artistic policy of the Party.Commune and Les Lettres française, take a crucial role in the structuration of the PCF’s artistic discourse. This study gives then the opportunity to perceive the will of the PCF regarding artistic creation but also to examine the means deployed to achieve it.