When examining Monet’s Boulevard de Capucines and Bouguereau’s Satyre and Nymphs,
we must acknowledge each artist’s respective artistic backgrounds. While Monet is rooted in impressionism, Bouguereau is rooted in classicism. This avidly explains the stark contrast found between the two paintings.
Impressionism is characterized by five main qualities: realist subject matter, abstraction, scientific study of color effects, flat composition, and non-traditional cropping of subject matter. In Monet’s painting, we see all of these qualities exhibited. For example, this piece is relatively contemporary and focuses on a leisurely scene. We see figures in this scene, however, the painting isn’t necessarily about them but rather their lifestyle. Monet’s abstract application of paint also contributes to this. By intentionally portraying the figures in an undefined manner, the audience is drawn away from the human subjects and instead is coerced into interpreting the context by which the human figures are in. Monet also utilizes a scientific approach to color, particularly seen through the use of blues and yellows placed next to each other. We see a lightness in the sky and a vibrancy in the figures that is achieved by starting with a colored wash, as opposed to a monochromatic wash found in the classical glazing technique. Due to this, we also get a sense of flatness in the composition as there is no three-dimensional effect created by chiaroscuro. Additionally, we the figures in the background are almost as large as the figures in the foreground which eliminates the illusion of depth. Lastly, we see Monet utilize non-traditional image cropping. This is apparent in the way the building on the left-hand side of the piece is cut off mid render. This, paired with the vertical nature of the canvas leaves viewers wanting to see more.
Classicism, on the other hand, is characterized by eight main qualities: humanism, canon of proportions, contrapposto, historicism, chiaroscuro, linear perspective, aerial perspective, and balance of figures in the composition. In Bouguereau’s painting, we see mostly all of these qualities. The most apparent characteristics we see is Bouguereau’s emphasis on humanism or the human nude, and his usage of the canon of proportions, and contrapposto. This is drastic from Monet’s painting which intends to draw us away from the human form. The next thing that we notice in this piece is the drastic contrast in color. This is due to his use of chiaroscuro which deepens, intensifies, and ultimately darkens the piece. Classical paintings are also typically historical, mythical, or biblical in subject matter. This is also different from Monet’s contemporary piece
Before viewing and analyzing Magritte’s paintings, one should be acquainted with his philosophies in regards to his art in relation to poetry and mystery. Magritte was once quoted as saying, "My painting is visible images which conceal nothing; they evoke mystery and, indeed, when one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question, 'What does that mean?' It does not mean anything, because mystery means nothing, it is unknowable." Magritte also urged his audience to avoid looking for symbolism in his works, as instead, his paintings are poetry. “The central running idea running through the works of Magritte was that painting must have poetry and that poetry must evoke mystery.”
In this essay, I will focus on Rene Magritte’s La Lunetee d’Approche (1963), where the title is a pun which translates as The Looking Glass. This title is evidence of Magritte’s poetic nature as it alludes to Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. Many have translated the title literally as “The Telescope” or “The Field Glass,” however these interpretations are incorrect.
The painting shows a cream colored dual framed window fitted onto a wainscoted wall. The wainscoting of the wall suggests that this is a view from an interior room, perhaps even a dining room or parlor where wainscoting is typically used. However, the frames or shutters appear to open inward which is unusual for a typical window. While the window panel on the left remains closed, the window panel on the right is left ajar. Through the windows, we see a large expanse of blue sky adorned with clouds that seemingly vanish on the horizon of a large body of equally blue water. This expanse of nature is disrupted by an almost monolithic slab of a pitch black darkness that separates both the two frames and divides the exterior scene into two. Here, Magritte has chosen to trick our eyes into thinking that the sky and water feature are seen through the window, but this suggests that the scene may actually be on the window. We are then called upon to reevaluate the painting again. On second glance, we can assume or infer that this may actually be a sort of built-in cabinet, where when opened, only reveals the dark and empty corners of shelving. However, we look again and our eyes rest upon the frame of the right window (or cabinet) panel and we realize our eyes are tricked once more. We see that the sky and water scene are not plastered on the seemingly cabinet door, but is a component apart from it. As the window frame lifts up and away from the rest of the form, the scene seems to be suspended between the window and what we can imagine is the ‘outside.’
What is hard about interpreting this piece by Magritte is that we must remember to analyze with poetry and mystery in mind, rather than finding symbolism or even meaning. The audience is called to take in the piece as a whole, title included. As previously mentioned, La Lunette d’Approche translates to the Through the Looking Glass. We know from Magritte’s other earlier works such as Alice au pays des merveilles (Alice in Wonderland 1945) and La Clef des champs (The Key of the Field 1936) that many of his works were influenced by Lewis Carroll. During this period of influence, we see many “window” paintings or “picture within a picture” paintings from Magritte, including the previously mentioned La Clef des champs, as well as La condition humaine, and Le Soir qui tombe.