Jules Verne - The World's First Celebrity Photobomber - can we learn more about his personality from this?

[John Lamb]

Dear All,

Verne was the world's first celebrity photobomber. Does a practical joke carried out on his family in 1861 help explain the design of his tombstone?

Hope you enjoy.

Best John

[John Lamb]

..any other theories for  Verne's tombstone design gratefully received.

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[Garmt de Vries-Uiterweerd]

Intriguing...

Andreas Fehrmann (https://www.j-verne.de/verne_bio_provins.html) sees your "Superman pose" as a typical broker's gesture. I don't know any stockbrokers, and have no idea of their typical gestures. 

You seem to imply that Verne modelled for the sculpture on his tombstone, but the sculpture was only commissioned in 1907. 

Cheers,

Garmt

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[volker.dehs]

Yes, indeed, intriguing! I also read somewhere (in French sources) that Verne showed a broker's gesture. As for the tongue, it's really very special! Great and a incredible photograph, especially for JV and also in general!!

For the tombstone sculpture, Albert Roze took for model a portrait by Stecchi realized in 1882 and for the trunk a real worker's body.

The gesture of the sculpture always stroke me (being German!) in a unpleasant manner, but you find it also on photos of Palle Huld and pathfinders at the tomb in 1928 .

Best, Volker

[John Lamb]

The tombstone figure is definitely modelled on Verne himself.  Almost identical to a photograph I have seen. Also reminiscent of the use of photographs used for Aronnax and the King of Marcarlie and Hetzel (can't recall which character) in his novels. The 'photobombing' is as unusual as the tombstone. Verne's pose in the photograph with his arm in the air must have been with the blessing of both the cameraman and his whole family.

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[Garmt de Vries-Uiterweerd]

That's what Volker meant: Roze based his sculpture on a bust by Stecchi. See https://julesverne.nantesmetropole.fr/trads-home/english/4-the-man-and-the-writer/ for details.

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[John Lamb]

These photographs are how I personally define Verne. 

[John Lamb]

Dear Garmt and Volker, thankyou for your detailed replies.  

It may well be a typical broker's gesture, if so the fact that Verne is pulling his tongue while sticking his arm in the air, may suggest that this was the time when he finally made up his mind to leave the profession and basically telling it where to go?  The fact that his father is now standing on a chair and is 'in on the act' would equally suggests he approves of his son's decision / behaviour... if this is actually the case. Others are far more qualified to judge whether the context and timeline of Verne's career change would support this as an idea. Verne was 33 when the photographs were taken, quite an old age to indulge in 'photobombing' but Lennon and Einstein were even older.  The photograph of Verne sticking his tongue out without sticking his arm in the air could well form a newspaper article in 2028, 'world's first celebrity photobomber', I agree with Volker, the pose with his arm in the air would draw unwarranted comparisons and distract from his being yet again a 'trend setter'.  

From my own point of view regarding Verne, it is another example of him acting in a certain manner that goes against what one would expect. To me it fits a pattern of basing a submarine on a warship, an island on a peninsula, a map of Mysterious Island on the shape of a lake, 30 illustrations in two books on a real place, 'in jokes' in his texts (and illustrations) and so on.I still think there may be a link with this photograph and his tomb, while happily still maintaining the broker link, they are not mutually exclusive. Certainly the visual message from his tombstone is 'I shall rise again' and my findings (even if you do not agree with them) re 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas, The Mysterious Island, The Floating Island certainly suggest he is doing that.  His early writing career, in my opinion, was, with all respect to him,  just as much one of his own practical jokes (basing certain novels on the American Civil War at sea and giving blindingly obvious clues and it not being discovered in his lifetime).  Do we know what input (if any) Verne or his family had in the design of the tombstone? I do not think an 18 month delay for such a complex and massive work of art negates the direct input of Verne, andhis wishes may have been passed on verbally. 

Incidentally Volker, Palle Huld's trip around the world was as a  Boy Scout, and his book 'A Boy Scout Around the World' is his account. The Boy Scout Movement, was of course inaugurated in Birkenhead by Baden Powell on January 28th 1908 and of course Verne basing his Around the World in 80 Days on the exploits of George Francis Train, who introduced Europe's first tram service t Birkenhead. These of course are 'random coincidences' but you get more of them if a place like Birkenhead is at the forefront of technological, maritime and social advancement, so in some ways it is a 'meaningful' coincidence and illustrative of how we should not disparage this small town opposite Liverpool as having influenced Verne's early novels far more than his 'beloved' Scotland.

I will deal with this in a few future submissions notably

Paris in the 20th Century and how the 'Liverpool' passages give more examples of Verne's prescience. 

Combined 50:50 Confederate and Unionist contribution to Verne's moon novels and how they mimic the Confederate Unionist makeup of the Soul of Captain Nemo. 

The shape of Mysterious Island.

Axel Island in Journey to the Centre of the Earth, is it based on a real life reef of rocks? I use a drone to find out. 

Jules Verne and the use of illustrations as clues to literary inspiration - Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1864), The Mysterious Island (1874) and The Floating Island (1895).

Comparisons of Atlantis in 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas to Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, a valid comparison? 

Best John