“Three Women with Parasols”
Here is one from Marie Bracquemond, an artist who painted against adversity.
“Three Women with Parasols” is an oil on canvas painting by the French artist, Marie Bracquemond, from 1880. It is sometimes referred to as “The Three Graces”. Along with Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot, Bracquemond is regarded as one of the great women of Impressionism.
In this piece, Bracquemond paints three women standing together outside. They are facing forwards, gazing back at the viewer. The woman in the middle stands with her hands together holding a Japanese style fan. She is flanked by two women who hold parasols, shielding themselves from the bright sun. They are dressed in fashionable Parisian style, with high tight bodices, ruffles, and trim. The pinks and reds of their clothing and parasols stand out against the green trees and blue sky.
The central figure is a self-portrait. Louise Quivoron, Bracquemond’s younger sister, was the model for the two women holding the parasols. During this period, Louise lived with Bracquemond, her husband, Félix, and her son, Pierre, at Sèvres, just outside of Paris. Louise is featured in many of her works.
Bracquemond remained at home most of the time and painted the majority of her pieces within her garden. Although she painted en plein air, she created numerous sketches and studies in preparation, working out the composition prior to painting the final version on canvas. The cropped look to this painting was a style used by other impressionist artists, such as Degas. It is believed to have been inspired by the recent invention of photography.
Though Bracquemond was academically trained, studying under the neoclassical artist, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, she was inspired by the Impressionism movement, and shifted her art towards that style. The alternate name of “The Three Graces”, is a reference to the Greek mythological goddesses, the Charities. These three daughters of Zeus were a favorite for artists. They were usually depicted naked with interlocking arms, such as in a famous sculpture by Antonio Canova. Bracquemond put her own spin on the Graces, modernizing them and donning them in contemporary Parisian fashion.
“Three Women with Parasols” is in the collections of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France.
For more on Marie Bracquemond, please visit her short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
