English translation of "comme matériaux destinés à son œuvre" - "...like so many materials that would ultimately constitute his masterwork."

How does Conges work?

Actions

Who has most Conges points?

Click here ...

Conges terminology question

<<Previous question

All questions

Next question>>

44 months ago

Barbara R Cochran (a guest user) asked this question:

Language pair:	French > English
Subject:	General
Level of diffculty:	Easy / medium
Word or term in question:	comme matériaux destinés à son œuvre
Context:	Le centre de Linz, avec son musée et ses collections, était sa réalisation. C’était personnellement qu’il voulait s’en occuper. Les œuvres d’art ne pouvaient donc être que provisoirement sous un contrôle autre que le sien, avant de lui revenir déﬁnitivement, comme matériaux destinés à son œuvre. Talking about how control over all of the artwork that was stolen from the Jews by the Nazis was ultimately supposed to be under Hitler's personal control.

Important This question has already been answered and rated. Therefore, no new answers can be given.

Complete list of answers and comments

44 months ago

wrote:

How materials are useful for his work

44 months ago

Bennz wrote:

as materials meant for his artwork

44 months ago

CMD wrote:

as the elements for his oeuvre

My comment:

oeuvre: a substantial, comprehensive body of work constituting the lifework

44 months ago

Ffion Marianne Moyle wrote:

such as materials to be used to achieve its ultimate work

My comment:

or words to that effect - the other translation was good

44 months ago

martynback wrote:

...like so many materials that would ultimately constitute his masterwork.

My comment:

or
"like so many building blocks that he was to use to create his masterwork"

or components

Comments by other colleagues on this answer:

44 months ago

wrote:

Wouldn't "master plan" be more appropriate in this case? All things considered, I think that "masterwork" might have a register that makes it sound as if what he was doing was something positive, even if he was convinced of that in his crazed mind.

44 months ago

martynback wrote:

If you like, but (like the word "oeuvre") the word "masterwork" can be construed as ironic, and a plan isn't really the same thing as a work--but that doesn't really matter. Technically speaking the artworks were the building blocks of his masterwork, which was to be the result of his masterplan.

44 months ago

martynback wrote:

Thanks for your comments. I actually decided, a few minutes ago, that "masterwork" should be used, as long as I qualify it by adding something like "of what he considered to be his masterwork". I think, even in that case, it can still be thought of as an ironic statement.

The asker rated this answer best