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Audio Stop 219

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Shown from about the hips up, a woman whose pale face is deep in shadow stands with her back to us, wearing a black and gray dress and hat, in front of a colorful but loosely painted, indistinct background in this nearly square painting. She stands just to our right of center with her elbows bent, perhaps to clasp her hands in front of her. Her head is turned slightly toward us so we see the line of her forehead, nose, and chin almost in profile facing our left. Her auburn hair seems to be pulled up under a black hat that sits on the back of her head. Her high-necked, charcoal-gray vest-like bodice has a line of white at the neck, suggesting lace or an undershirt. The bodice covers a black shirt with ruffles that fall at least to her elbows, and the long dress drapes close along the contours of her legs. She looks to the far wall, which is painted with sketchy, visible brushstrokes in marigold orange, lemon-lime green, brown, black, and pale yellow to create the impression of paintings in gold frames. The artist signed the painting in dark red in the lower right corner: “Degas.”

Edgar Degas

Woman Viewed from Behind (Visit to a Museum), c. 1879-1885

West Building, Main Floor — Gallery 86

安全官Jerry Foley和十九世纪法国绘画策展人Kimberly A. Jones讨论Degas的绘画,其主题为观看艺术作品并体验发现的乐趣

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讲解员:
法国艺术家埃德加·德加创作这幅画时怀着怎样的意图?策展人金伯利·琼斯:

金·琼斯:
在前景里我们可以看到一名衣着优雅的女士,她背对观者。而背景则十分模糊,由一条条色块组成。如果把所有这些要素结合起来看,我们就会觉得自己仿佛置身博物馆。

模糊的背景其实传达了很多信息。德加并不热衷于展现博物馆的具体细节。这幅画的主题其实是观看。看不清的背景隐去了观看的感受,因为当他人在观看艺术品时,我们从来都无法知晓这个人看到了什么,体验到了什么。

讲解员:
博物馆工作人员刚好有充足的机会可以观察和思考人们观赏艺术的方式。

杰里·福利:
我叫杰里·福利。我是展厅安保。我们负责保护艺术品、人员和建筑。在游客周围巡视很有意思。我待得越久,对艺术和人就了解得越深。

真的是千差万别。有人步履匆匆,有人慢慢欣赏,还有人根据所处展区决定参观的时长……我觉得这很有趣。总体来讲似乎独自到访的游客会看得更深入,产生更多自主的反应。

没有人的时候,我会更多地去看艺术品。有人的时候,我同时也会观察人群。

讲解员:
画中的女子正在观赏卢浮宫大画廊里的作品。她可能是德加的朋友,也就是艺术家玛丽·卡萨特。

金·琼斯:
当时夜店和歌厅等特定区域禁止身为女性的玛丽·卡萨特进入。而卢浮宫博物馆则不一样。这里是两位艺术家可以同游的公共空间。因此二人都很喜欢参观卢浮宫博物馆,研究前辈大师们的杰作。  
 

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