Blog assignment #1

 

One of my very favorite paintings is Georges de La Tour's The Magdalen with the Smoking Flame. I first saw this painting in my Art History class during my sophomore year of high school, and I was in awe of the subtle, realistic-looking candlelight and the dark, rich colors. It's just so beautiful and intriguing! I want to know what she is thinking about. The pensive look on the woman's face and the symbolism that de La Tour uses (the skull, the smoke, etc.) add so much interest and complexity into the seemingly simple scene. This painting was one of the first that I actually delved into and analyzed, and I absolutely loved doing research on the symbols in order to figure out what they meant. This painting has stuck with me throughout the past few years, and I would love to see it in person someday.

In this painting, de La Tour's use of light is notable. The realistic-looking candlelight draws one's eye to the Magdalen's face (the focal point) and also highlights the shadowy skull in her lap. The colors are mostly dark and rich (reds, creams, and browns), and the smoke from the flame adds a slightly hazy look to the painting. There are no visible brushstrokes, and the figure of the penitent Magdalen is clearly defined; the lightness of her skin and blouse contrasts with the dark background and again establishes her as the focal point. De La Tour also uses several lines to bring the viewer's eye to the face of Magdalen: the arm on which she is resting her chin, as well as the line of the table top and the way that the wall is shaded.