![]() ![]() The mother in the painting looks at herself in a mirror to prepare herself before going out into society. The two mirrors show the difference between innocence or naiveté versus maturity and vanity. The use of this mirror shows how the child sees herself as well as asking the viewer to stare back at the child. The handheld mirror allows the viewer to see a frontal view of her face, rather than a side profile. In the small handheld mirror, both mother and child contemplate the child’s image with the child looking back at us. In this painting, we see a mother with her child in her lap playing with a mirror. She creates an intimate portrait of the relationship between a mother and child. Woman with a Sunflower by Mary Cassatt depicts not one, but two mirrors. Mary Cassatt’s Woman with a Sunflower, 1905 Woman with a Sunflower by Mary Cassatt, 1905, National Gallery of Art Rather than drawing the viewer into the space, the barmaid stands guard and restricts our enjoyment of the scene. Manet creates mystery as we the viewer can only see this transaction taking place because of the mirror. The barmaid adds more mystery as she leans forward not towards us, but towards the man in the mirror. For example, the barmaid’s reflection in the mirror is leaning towards a man on the right of the painting. ![]() Our place as the viewer is unknown because of inconsistencies in the reflection in the mirror. Within the swift and blurry brushstrokes, there are hidden details that portray the activities of the Folies-Bergere. The notorious nightlife of Paris is in the background behind the barmaid. Their fuzzy appearance represents movement and life just as he paints the other figures in this scene of the royal court.Įdouard Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, 1882 A Bar at the Folies-Bergere by Édouard Manet, 1882, The Courtauld Institute of Artĭo you see the tiny acrobatic feet hanging from the ceiling? How about the woman with a spyglass sitting at the counter? Unlike the previous paintings, the mirror at the Folies-Bergere by Édouard Manet takes up the majority of the painting. Velázquez was instead focusing on the actions of the scene he was depicting. The acknowledgement of our presence allows the viewer to feel invited into the scene.Ĭompared to the Arnolfini Portrait, the reflection in this mirror is blurred and does not have as much detail. This is confirmed as Velazquez stares back at the viewer along with other members of the court. The mirror reveals the presence of the king and queen in the room and establishes our place and perspective as the viewer. Another interpretation is that it is a reflection of the artist’s canvas. The couple is possibly standing in a doorway looking in on the scene before them. The mirror uncovers the figures of King Philip IV and Queen Mariana of Spain. The luminosity and white highlights are clues that it is indeed a mirror. The mirror in this painting is located over the left shoulder of the painter who is Velazquez himself. Yet another painting that has mystified art historians is Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez. This gives us the impression that we see the events as Van Eyck himself saw them.ĭiego Velazquez’s Las Meninas, 1656 Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez, 1656, Museo Del Prado ![]() The words above the mirror read “Johannes Van Eyck was here 1434” as a record that this event took place. The mirror acts as an eye, seeing everything that is taking place and relaying it back to us. This also enables the viewer to see what else is happening within the room that would otherwise be hidden. This allows the viewer to see different parts of the room otherwise unseen in a two-dimensional space. These figures within the mirror allow Van Eyck to create a closed-in space while simultaneously expanding it. Within the mirror, the viewer can see the backs of the couple, as well as two unidentifiable figures, one possibly Van Eyck himself. It is in the center of the room and is encircled with the images of the Passion of Christ. The mirror is placed between the couple of Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife. It is known for having multiple layers of symbolism hidden within objects in the room. Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Wedding Portrait, 1434 Arnolfini Wedding Portrait by Jan Van Eyck, 1434, The National GalleryĬan you spot the mirror? One of history’s most enigmatic paintings is the Arnolfini Wedding Portrait by Jan Van Eyck. ![]()
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