Seraphic Secret

Robert J. Avrech: Emmy Award winning screenwriter. Movie fanatic. Helplessly and hopelessly in love with my wife since age nine.

Scenes From Movies I’d Like To Write

by 17 Comments

“Escaping Criticism” 1874, by Pere Borrel del Caso (1835 -1910). A masterful and witty example of trompe-l’oeil where the artist tries to trick our eye by creating a convincing optical illusion. Here we have a boy dressed in rags escaping the confines the frame, his world, perhaps seeking a better life by stepping into the viewer's world.
“Escaping Criticism” 1874, by Pere Borrel del Caso (1835 -1910). A masterful and witty example of trompe-l’oeil where the artist tricks our eye by creating a convincing optical illusion. Here, a barefoot boy is escaping the confines of the frame—his world—perhaps seeking a better life by stepping into the viewer’s universe. Think of this painting as a scene from a time travel movie.

When our children were little, one of our favorite Shabbat activities was leafing through art books. I’d sink into a comfortable chair. One of the children would plop into my lap. We’d look at reproductions of art, and make up stories about various paintings.

The best paintings are like scenes from movies never produced. The characters feel real. They think. They feel. We care about them. We want to know them. Most of all, we yearn to know what happens next.

Here are a few paintings that never failed to capture our imaginations.

“Judith Slaying Holofornes” by Artemesia Gentileschi, painted between 1611 and 1612. Ouch, that hurts. Genteleschi (1593 – c. 1656) was an Italian baroque painter. Genteleschi, a woman, was one of the most accomplished artists of her era. She had to fight for her rightful place in the art world. Tragically, she herself was raped. No wonder she made a specialty of paiting strong, heroic women. The hard work of beheading Holofornes is on full display aas Judith and her maid hold down the struggling king, while cinematic jets of blood spurt over flesh and white linen. Genteleschi would have made a great Hollywood cinematographer.
“Judith Slaying Holofornes” by Artemesia Gentileschi, painted between 1611 and 1612. Ouch, that hurts. Genteleschi (1593 – c. 1656) was a female Italian baroque painter. One of the most accomplished artists of her era, she had to fight for her rightful place in the art world. Tragically, she was raped by one of her teachers. No wonder she made a specialty of painting the piously vengeful Judith. The hard work of beheading Holofornes is on grim display as Judith and her maid hold down the struggling king. Gentileschi was deeply influenced by Caravaggio’s pioneering use of chiaroscuro. But she surpasses Caravaggio in the humanity of her characters. Cinematic jets of blood spurt over flesh and linen. Genteleschi would have made a great Hollywood cinematographer.

 

“Woman Reading A Letter” by Jan Vermeer c.1659. perhaps the greatest painter who ever lived. His technique is unmatched as are his simple but perfect compositions which appear simple but use complex techniques of order, light, reflections that are almost invisible, and an unmatched color palette. Great paitings usually tell a short story/ Who is the woman by the window. What is in the ltter? Has she finished reading it, or has she just begun. Does the letter convey tragic news or will she cry out in joy? What happens next? Vermeer gives us only a piece of the short story. We yearn to know the woman and understand her life for it is much like our own.
“Woman Reading A Letter” by Johannes Vermeer c.1659. This Dutch artist is perhaps the greatest painter who ever lived. His technique is unmatched, as are his compositions, which appear simple but use complex techniques of order, foreground, mysterious light, reflections that defy optical comprehension, and an unmatched color palette.  Who is the woman by the window? What is in the letter? Has she finished reading it, or has she just begun? Does the letter convey tragic news or will she cry out in joy?  Vermeer (1632-1675) only gives us a few mysterious frames. We yearn to know the woman, to understand the drama of her life. Because, we suspect, it is much like our own.

 

“The Stolen Kiss” by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, painted in the 1780s. Fragonard was French Roccoco painter noted for his exuberant style and dedication to painterly hedonism. Fragonard, (1732-1806) incredibly prolofic. Wealthy art patrons of Louis XV's hedonistic court handed him enormously profitable commissions that emphasized scenes of love and courtly licentiuousness. fragonard was dismissed for many years by art historians as a frivouus sell-out. But more careful study of his enormous body of work—close to 600 paintings—reveals incredibly exuberant but confident brushwork that owesa great deal to Rembrandt's influence. In this wonderful painting, a young rake steals a kiss from a flirtatatious noblewoman. Are they lovers not yet married? Or perhaps they are married — but not to each other. Fragonard's characters seem to be percusors of the screwball comedy; lovingly exuberant people caught up in the complex web of love. His canvases take on a deep meloncholy after-image when you realize that almost all his subjects were soon guillotined.
“The Stolen Kiss” by Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806), painted in the 1780s. Fragonard was French Rococo painter noted for his exuberant style and dedication to courtly frolics. Wealthy art patrons of Louis XV’s court handed him enormously profitable commissions that led Fragonard to emphasize scenes of love and licentiousness. Fragonard was dismissed for many years by art historians as a frivolous sell-out. But more careful study of his enormous body of work—close to 600 paintings—reveals incredibly confident brushwork that owes a great deal to Rembrandt’s influence. His colors are tender and harmonious. In this wonderful painting, a young rake sneaks a kiss from a lovely noblewoman who keeps a careful eye on the background where family or friends are gathered. Are they forbidden lovers stealing a moment? Perhaps they are married — but not to each other. Fragonard’s characters feel like precursors to the screwball comedy. We envision Cary Grant and Irene Dunne in these roles, charming and witty society people caught up in the clamorous whirls of love. Fragonard’s canvases take on a melancholy tone when you realize that almost all his subjects were eventually guillotined.

 

“New York Movie” by Edward Hopper, painted in 1939. Hopper (1882–1967) does a split screen here. The left frame shows us a movie theater, and a tuiny sliver of light on the screen. On the right, an usher who has seen the movie who knows how many times, leans against the wall, flashlight in hand, and dreams of being somewhere else. Notice how hoppoer leads our eye from foreground to background by the receding celing lights. amd the five steps framed by the red velvet curtains. Hopper understood that going to the movies is a communal experience, but as always with Hopper, a sense of soltitude and loneliness parvades his distinctly spare, introspecive compositions.
“New York Movie” by Edward Hopper, painted in 1939. Hopper (1882–1967) does a split screen here. The left frame shows us a mostly empty movie theater, and swirling waves of light on the screen. On the right, a bored usherette, who has seen the movie countless times, leans against the wall, flashlight in hand, hand to her chin. She dreams of being elsewhere. Notice how Hopper masterfully leads our eye from foreground to background by the receding seats, the ceiling lights, and the five steps framed by the red velvet curtains. Hopper understood that movies are a communal experience. But as always with Hopper, a sense of solitude pervades his spare, distinctly American compositions.

Karen and I wish all our friends and relatives a lovely and meaningful Shabbat.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BOOKSPOILERSBOOKSPOILERSBOOKSPOILERS
    Dear Robert: Would you like to write a screenplay about a French nobleman who ESCAPES the guillotine, during the Revolution? He escapes to England, with the clothes on his back, rebuilds his life, and is re-united with his long-lost daughter. Look up Elizabeth Goudges’s Gentian Hill.

  2. That poor little boy in Escaping Criticism looks very underfed. His ribs are showing.
    The Hopper painting does look like the opening of a movie, a whodunit or a horror suspense story. The girl looks as though she were about to witness a murder-or be approached by a psychopath.
    My favorite Fragonard is The Swing.
     
     

Leave a Reply