Emile Bernard, "Boy Sitting in the Grass"

 

   For my last painting of 2020, I have selected Emile Bernard's work of 1886 titled, Boy Sitting in the Grass.   Although it is the queerest of pictures, I do like the thought of putting our backs to the past and looking forward into the sunshine, which I believe this young man is doing.

   Bernard (1868-1941) was considered a post-impressionist in his younger, prime painting years, between 1886 - 1897.  He was associated with Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, sharing their paintings and their multiple views on art.  Near the end of the nineteenth century Bernard began a series of travels eventually resulting in a change of direction for his art, which history has recorded as not as successful as the early years.  From 1904 till his death in 1941 he taught at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris.

    The first reproduction of this painting that I saw, the picture was cropped just above the head, making the image a square.  Now looking at the whole we see those two feet in our upper left corner.  Looking closely I also see three faint lines, and my guess is that they are legs of an easel.  What could be happening here?  Is the boy really a model for someone else's painting?  Do we have at least two painters outdoors painting on a sunny day and Bernard selects the view of the backside of the model?  

   The title refers to sitting in the grass, but what interesting grass.  The shadow cast by the boy tells us the sun is to our upper right and it must be quite strong to bleach out the grass to this shade of blue/green.  The color harmony is complementary:  blue/green to red/orange.  Notice how the modeling or shading on the boy's body is done in almost that same blue/green and a deep blue outlines the contour of much of the body.  

   Boy Sitting in the Grass was painted in 1886.  It is an oil on canvas and is part of the permanent collection of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.  

   Just as this boy has his face to the sun, I hope all of us can do the same, put 2020 behind us for a bright and wonderful 2021.  Happy New Year.

   Make Art a part of your life, it's a beautiful thing to do. 

Comments

  1. Char HarguthJanuary 12, 2021 at 8:06 AM

    Since I am late responding to this, we certainly do want to turn our backs to 2020!! This is such an interesting painting. He could be posing for even more artists that we don't see. I am fascinated by the grass. I always find it difficult to make it interesting or give it texture. The feet of the artist gives the painting more of a story and tells us what the boy is looking at. The red hair and the boys outline are quite striking. I like this painting a lot. The soft colors are relaxing and pleasant.

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