Art Imitating Life

The palindrome title was born because I was so touched when I came across this exquisitely made statue in the Jardin de Luxembourg, that I felt compelled to try and bring the female figure to life – art imitating life.

Firstly, I shot the image with an open aperture so as to create a generally soft look and push the background out of focus with a strong “bokeh”. In post processing, I converted it to black and white, which was intended to disguise the lifelessness of the “stony-faced” lady and convert her into a creature of flesh and blood, caught in a moment of fascinated concentration, as she turns the corner and discovers the beautiful bust. I also sharpened rather aggressively, so as to accentuate her profile. The bust needed to be “pulled” from the shadows using Nikon NX2’s “D-Lighting” tool.

Did I succeed in imaging what I imagined? What you think?

Life Imitating Art Imitating LifeCopyrighted Digital Photograph

Life Imitating Art

The statue group is in honour of the French painter Watteau (1684-1721).) I learned that the sculptor (Henri-Désiré Gauquié 1858-1927) used his own stoneworking skill to do homage to the artist, by recreating one of the typical female subjects that characterise the art of Watteau – life imitating art.

Watteau was little appreciated in his own time, but has subsequently become treasured as the inventor of a romantic, beautiful, idyllic and fundamentally frivolous view of 18^th century bourgeois life in France.  

Settings

This was a simple exposure, taken with a somewhat high ISO to compensate for an overcast, grey day.

Camera: Nikon D800

Lens: 60mm prime f2,8

Focus Mode: AF-C

Aperture: f/ 2.8

Shutter Speed: 1/320s

Auto Focus -Area Mode: Single

Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority

Exposure Compensation : 0EV

Metering: Matrix

ISO Sensitivity: 800

I think that Gauquié definitely succeeded in his effort to imitate and honour Watteau. I have tried in my own way to do so in reverse by breathing life back into the statue of the lady. I would like to think that you see it too.

Copyright Paul Grayson 2014