Exercise: Analysing and reflecting

As another introductory exercise, I was asked to analyse a piece of work from a list of artists. I chose Pierre Bonnard, who was a French painter, illustrator and printmaker who died in 1947. He was part of a post-impressionist movement and apparently a leader of transitioning from impressionism to modernism.

I chose the below painting called “The Terrace at Veronnet”.

I was instructed to consider its qualities by trying to describe it in no more than 50 words. Here goes and it hits exactly 50 words: It is an outside every-day-life scene of a shaded terrace with a blossoming garden in the background and some distant figures mulling around in anticipation of what seems to be the start of the preparation of a casual lunch with wine in the foreground at a table by two figures.

I was then asked to do another 50 words on how I relate to it: I find it cheery, bright and reflective of a fleeting moment in normal life, in impressionist style. I love how there is detail everywhere and the figures just fade into the scene. A painting void of the tricks of emphasis to help you read the image in a particular way.

I found this exercise interesting, particularly compared to how we were asked to analyse an image in the previous course on Key Steps in Illustration from a more illustration-approach of ‘reading an image’. The idea of analysing how we relate to it emotionally, aesthetically, what it might remind me of, what style it carries, what influences the artist may have. I do think both are ways to employ visual analysis but the approach seems different and the guiding questions in this case much more subjective. There seems to be a bigger focus on emotion and expression for this course that I am really looking forward to exploring more – which is very different from having to respond to a specific brief, particularly as I have not yet really developed my own style and approach, which I understand takes more time and practice.

I didn’t find this exercise hard per se, though I know I am probably missing out on a lot. What was hard was whittling it down to 50 words as I had much more to say! Though having to be so concise was also an interesting exercise as it meant really focusing on what I thought was the most important things to me.

It is also really useful to try to deconstruct images to understand and interpret them, as it then leads to questions and a better understanding of how the artist may have gotten to this end product – which is not always evident at all.

References:

Painting chosen:

Bonnard, P. (1867 – 1947). Terrace at Veronnet. [Oil on canvas] New York, The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 828

Found at: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/489687