Emotional Differences Between Penelope And Girl By A Window

The Emotional Contrast of Two Female Images
While searching through online galleries for images that pleased my eye, I happened upon two images that I could not ignore. As luck, or fate, would have it, both paintings depicted the simple image of a woman, yet became my favorites for opposite reasons. The image of Penelope, a painstakingly well-crafted likeness, contained a haunting emotion that I found myself returning to day after day, simply because it pleased my eye. The other image of a Girl By a Window seemed to be painted by an amateur. Its crudely painted background images that were nearly unrecognizable combined with a whimsical representation of a woman that drew my attention in disbelief that anyone could think this painting
was display worthy. Yet, the longer I looked upon the two paintings, the more I came to realize that Penelope by Charles-Francois Marchal is a complex and moving portrait of a woman’s inner pain, while Girl by a window by Henri Matisse is a lovingly, self-indulgent painting, that merely depicts the artists love and longing.
There are few physical differences between Penelope and Girl By a Window.
Both paintings were made with oil paints on canvas, are of relatively similar size, and contain focused, representations of women. As Penelope is visually centered, the focus of this painting remains on the woman and what she is doing, her likeness fills almost the entire painting. le Girl By a Window however, is located at left, and the viewers focus is torn between her and the scene beyond the window. Although at first glance the painting seems to be unbalanced, the viewers focus is torn between her and the background, lending an almost active experience to it. The painting of Penelope is significantly older, and painted in a more naturalistic style, while girl by a window was painted some 53 years later. While Girl By a Window was painted well into the age of photography, it was painted in a very simple representational, almost bordering on abstract. It was this simple fact that began to attract my attention. Penelope is painted in cool colors, mostly light blues, and grays, almost monochromatic, while Girl By a Window was created using earth tones, setting yellow and green to complement each other, almost in an analogous fashion. At first glance, the two paintings seem to be polar opposites of one another in nearly every
way.
Upon further viewing, there are a significant number of things that can be inferred by the examination of images contained in both paintings. Penelope almost possesses a depth uncaptured by the human eye, that may be missed without active observation. Her female form appears to be larger in the middle, possibly to signify that she either is or was pregnant. Her garments appear to be exceedingly well made. Highly detailed and well fitted, her dress conjures images of wealth and prosperity, possibly even royalty. The neckline secured tightly by lace at her throat, long sleeves ending in an intricately crafted bodice, and a long gown that flows to the floor, signifies a social stature even beyond wealth. The walls behind her, clad in cool colored wall paper, are adorned with intricate moldings and details that would also suggest financial wellbeing.
She sews on a garment that mimics the rug beneath her feet, while standing in front of a small table that contains rolls of yarn in vibrant reds and yellows. These same reds and yellows appear on the rug beneath her feet, which displays intricate images of rabbits, vines, and flowers. One of the rabbits appears to be captured and eaten by a lion, while another is outstretched in a fearful running posture. The red and black background as well as the rabbit’s scene suggests the mortality of living creatures, either as part of the circle of life or the struggle of all living creatures. The small table, which also rests on the intricately detailed rug, appears to be made of fine wood, and is designed in detail that suggests prosperity. The table is decorated with a framed picture, and a single flower in a vase. This flower is wilting, of a dark maroon with bright yellow center, immediately adjacent to the picture, possibly her husband. The somber look upon her face, as she stands before the single wilting flower suggests the loss of a loved one, either her husband, or child.
In direct contrast to this, the images appearing in Girl By a Window do not seem to carry as much hidden meaning.
The girl wears a green dress, decorated at the sleeve and neckline with what appears to be a thick, white fray, possibly in the fashion of flowers. The neckline sweeps low to meet a white dress line and is not accented by any jewelry. Her short, red hair, and playfully simple attire suggests that she may be a less formal type of person, possibly an entertainer or actress. The girl stands by a window, with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised, looking out toward the street from an elevated floor. The simplistic yet complex application of brush strokes adds a depth of texture that lends a playful shape to her features, while the rest of the scenery remains incredibly simple, almost childlike. Across the street immediately outside the window is another elevated structure, colored a simple golden yellow. This building is not at all detailed, only exhibiting simple blocks of brown that appear to be windows and doors and is obviously not the focus of her attention. Behind this building there are figures in walking and seated postures beside two outstretched palm trees, in front of a spray of sea foam. The sea is the only other feature with as much texture as the girl. It appears as if layer after layer of similar hues were applied to give the sea a measure of depth. The artist wanted us to only see the depth of his two loves, the girl, and the sea, while the
rest of the scene appears to have been applied in a single stroke, without much time to develop a fully detailed rendering.
While viewing these two paintings, it would appear that they are complete opposites in every way. Penelope is naturalistic and detailed while girl by a window is simply representational and playfully created. Yet upon further examination, both paintings are alive with emotional meaning. Penelope is an obvious rendering of longing and loss, at the absence of her husband or child. The strikingly simple image of Penelope, occupying her hands with simple task, appears to help her contain feelings of sorrow. From the somber tilt of her head, past the caring touch of needle on thread, to her gaze upon a lost love, the emotion of Penelope as a subject is unmistakable. From the first moment I saw this painting, I could not look away.
Girl by a window appears on the surface to be a playful and simple rendering of a woman by a window. The great depth of texture in both her hair and the sea suggest great care in development, and the artists love for the two become obvious after longer viewing. The dreamlike quality of the people and buildings seem to melt into the background, leaving only her and the sea. This painting represents the emotion of the artist, not the subject. Although Matisse did not create a naturalistic likeness of the girl, this does not take away from the emotional impact. His shared love of both her and the sea becomes more intoxicating with time. At first glance, I did not like this painting, and almost despised its simplicity, yet simplicity became the very thing that now draws me to it.
While reading about the mechanics of painting, and the history of different techniques, I have learned a great deal of appreciation for the artform. Each artist, before painting the first brush-stroke, would have to carefully select several different methods and materials that can accurately convey the image and emotion without spoken word. Upon careful examination of each artists choices, often important details are revealed that add great value to understanding the meaning of each piece of art. Those details, in combination with a careful examination of the piece itself, can add a great deal of meaning and appreciation to a painting, often creating a far richer experience. Although Penelope by Charles-Francois Marchal and Girl by a window by Henri Matisse appear to be opposites, a far richer experience awaits any viewer below the surface. Works Cited:
Marchal, Charles-François, “Penelope”, metmuseum.org, French, Paris 1825–187, Web, accessed 17 February 2018, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436970
Matisse, Henri, “Girl by a Window”, metmuseum.org, French, Le Cateau-Cambrésis 1869–1954 Nice, Web, accessed 17 February 2018, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/486428