Transformation in Art (The Bather)

Transformation

In Art

                 The Valpinçon Bather

                  

                  The Turkish Bath

                A Neoclassical artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres painted this famous painting called The Valpincon Bather in 1808. At first was called the seated woman but then they changes the name to be more suitable. He painted this while he was studying at the French academy in Rome. At first it did not quite did a success because it’s first exhibition was 50years after its making. He was inspired by the human figures and he did some other nude woman earlier this painting. In this painting we see a peaceful seen with a lot of drapery flowing around and not moving, with a quiet image, even the pose and the look of the woman it makes the look more calming. In his life he continued to paint even in his eighties. When he was 82 years old he painting a seen of a Turkish Bath in 1862 showing nude women in a harem. His work was intented to be rectangular but some how it was pronounced as tondo in a circular frame. When he was painting this he did not look from real life models or poses he just copied other women from different paintings the best known that had been copied is The Valpincon Bather. One of his early works, she has almost the same pose but with her legs crossed and her arms raised.  Her clothing on her head is exactly the same shape and colour. The woman next to her with her arms raised above her head is the artist’s wife Madeleine. Here we see a transformation of the same figure but in different artworks and more than 50 years of making from one to another. There is also a transformation where in his Valpincon Bather is a calm seen whether the Turkish bath looks confusing. 

Bibliography:

E.H. Gombrich- The Story of Art, Pocket Edition 2006, website www.phaidon.com.