L'infante égarée (The Lost Infanta) by Marion Elizabeth Adnams (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
L'infante égarée
Source: Art UK
Often when I look at Surrealist art, I find myself trying to construct elaborate stories to complement the images I’m seeing. The Surrealist style has that effect. It sparks the imagination and leads the mind into strange and dreamlike worlds. I think that Surrealism gained popularity not because it is unusual and shocking but because (good) Surrealist art taps into the psyche in a profound way. Although Surrealist art is almost by definition mysterious and bizarre, there is usually something familiar in a Surrealist painting, something that triggers the insatiable desire to incorporate the supernatural and unearthly into something that is understandable.

This is what I experienced when I first saw Marion Elizabeth Adnams’ L'infante égarée (which translates to The Lost Infanta (infanta is traditionally the title bestowed upon a Spanish princess)). Adnams was one of the finest English artists of the Surrealist movements. Although she has been largely overlooked by art historians, she is known today for her unusual outdoor landscapes. L'infante égarée is one of her finest paintings. It depicts a living paper doll, dressed in the elaborate costume of a sixteenth century princess, lost in a dark and leafless forest.

The scene is bizarre. It’s as if a child’s plaything wandered out of the toy-box and into the scenery of a horror movie. The doll’s paper fragility seems especially stark against the ominous backdrop. However, who or what the Infanta doll represents is unclear, and the reason that she is lost in the woods is even more ambiguous. It seems to be some sort of dreamlike reenactment of a stereotypical gothic novel.

Compositionally, the painting is interesting. The shadows cast by the doll’s skirt and the twisting shapes imply motion and energy, while the bright moon captures the viewer’s eye.

There is no obvious way to interpret L'infante égarée, but it is certainly an atmospheric and moving piece. The paper doll is a familiar figure for many who grew up with these toys, but its strange surroundings make the living doll alien. It is this juxtaposition of comfort and discomfort, familiar and unfamiliar that captures the viewer’s imagination.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges by Henri Matisse (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Image
Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges Source: Pinterest French artist Henri Matisse is rather famous for his paintings of goldfish. In fact, one of his most famous paintings, entitled Goldfish , depicts several of the aforementioned fish swimming in a bowl. Matisse is one of the most famous artists of the twentieth century. His work is closely associated with the Fauvist movement and is generally characterized by great energy and rich, intense colors. Based on my research , Matisse began painting goldfish after he traveled to North Africa. In Morocco, Matisse observed locals watching goldfish swim in their bowls as they sunk into a meditative state. The fish subsequently became a symbol for this sense of tranquility, coming to represent an idyllic version of the world only accessible through joyous day-dreams. These calming fish are prominent in this painting, which is entitled Le Chat Aux Poissons Rouges (which translates to The Cat With Red Fishes ). However, the serene energy of the fish
Read more

Five Puerto Rican Artists You Should Know

-
Image
The island of Puerto Rico has a long and vibrant artistic tradition. Western, Indigenous, and African cultures have all left their mark on Puerto Rican art, creating a colorful and unique visual legacy. While Puerto Rican artists have demonstrated their excellence throughout the years— from the creators of the captivating Taino petroglyphs to the sophisticated and subtle works of the Modernist painters—Puerto Rican art has received little attention from art historians and the wider art world. Here are five underappreciated Puerto Rican artists that you should know: 1. José Campeche José Campeche is often known as the first Puerto Rican painter in the Western history of fine arts. He was primarily known for his religious paintings and his portraits of elite Puerto Ricans, and today his work is recognized as some of the finest examples of Rococo art produced in the Americas. Campeche’s personal story is also inspiring. The son of a slave who had purchased his own freedom, Campech
Read more

Mural La Plena by Rafael Tufiño (Interpretation and Analysis)

-
Image
Mural la Plena Source: Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico Today I want to chat about a monumental piece of art that I recently had the pleasure of seeing at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. As the name suggests, Mural La Plena is a massive mural, fifteen by thirty feet in size, that was created by Puerto Rican artist Rafael Tufiño to commemorate la plena, a wildly popular genre of music that was born in the city of Ponce around 1900. The mural, which might appear abstract or incomprehensible to a viewer unfamiliar with the subject matter, illustrates the lyrics of popular plena songs. For example, the blue-green figure that dominates the upper half of the mural represents the hurricane from the plena “Temporal,” which mourns the destruction caused by a storm. Plena, as a genre, tells stories. According to my research , the lyrics come from current events, re-telling the stories that affected the lives of the people of Ponce. It began as a way for people of low socio-economic sta
Read more