Pierre Bonnard is one of the artists that are known as a Les
Nabis, “the prophets”. In his paintings Nu
á contre-jour and la Toilette the
viewer is invited into the most private parts of a person’s life for the first
time. Both of these paintings have multiple similarities such as:
Nu á contre-jour
la Toilette
1. The use similar colors and using as little
detail as possible. In each painting the detail of the window or furniture was
not important.
2.
Both paintings have a mirror to call into
question what it means to look. However, in la
Toilette we do not see a reflection of the women in the mirror.
3. Both paintings show the sunlight, and how it almost hits the body as if it is a spot light on the two women. The light is the revealing factor of these two women in my opinion. Where the light touches their body they arch their body as if trying to get away from it, trying to get away from what is revealing them. In Nu á contre-jour the woman has her back arched, a clear sign of unease, as she is trying to back away, or slide out of the light. The woman in la Toilette is similar except she is hunching her shoulders forward in order to avoid the light.
4. The 4th element, time, could be in play in both paintings. In la Toilette time could be at play in the painting because in the reflection from the viewer’s point of view we see the desk in a different color. We also do not see everything that was on the desk inside of the reflection as we do outside of the reflection. Outside of the reflection the desk is purple with a mirror and oranges; inside the reflection the desk is yellow with oranges. This difference in color could be due to a change in lighting throughout the day. In Nu á contre-jour time or perception could be at play do to the differing elements in how it appears that the desk may not exactly line up with the wall, or the chair that is shown in the reflection of the mirror but not in the picture itself. There is no recording of the 4th element being put into these two paintings; however, with this evidence I think that there might have been some passing of time and change of perception in these paintings.
3. Both paintings show the sunlight, and how it almost hits the body as if it is a spot light on the two women. The light is the revealing factor of these two women in my opinion. Where the light touches their body they arch their body as if trying to get away from it, trying to get away from what is revealing them. In Nu á contre-jour the woman has her back arched, a clear sign of unease, as she is trying to back away, or slide out of the light. The woman in la Toilette is similar except she is hunching her shoulders forward in order to avoid the light.
4. The 4th element, time, could be in play in both paintings. In la Toilette time could be at play in the painting because in the reflection from the viewer’s point of view we see the desk in a different color. We also do not see everything that was on the desk inside of the reflection as we do outside of the reflection. Outside of the reflection the desk is purple with a mirror and oranges; inside the reflection the desk is yellow with oranges. This difference in color could be due to a change in lighting throughout the day. In Nu á contre-jour time or perception could be at play do to the differing elements in how it appears that the desk may not exactly line up with the wall, or the chair that is shown in the reflection of the mirror but not in the picture itself. There is no recording of the 4th element being put into these two paintings; however, with this evidence I think that there might have been some passing of time and change of perception in these paintings.
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