Bazille and Camille (Study for Déjeuner sur l’Herbe)

For Monet, the biggest model and inspiration was Madame Monet an: Camille. It was often that Camille would pose for Monet, but there was more to his inner circle of friends who regularly posed for him. The work: Lucheion on the Grass, originally known as: Déjeuner sur l’Herbe, he had included many friends for posing. The painting is now divided as Monet had to cut it down and give it as mortgage for rent, which in other’s care was ruined. The left painting is in Musée de Orsay. The work I am talking about is not a painting or a series in particular, but rather than study for figures. Camille Doncieux and his painter friend: Frédréric Bazille posed for this painting that is now displayed at the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Monet used spontaneity and short, quick strokes of energy for background but paid particular attention to the figures: Bazille and Camille, making each expression and pose meaningful. The imperfect background and the greenery of the painting enhances the richness of the simple whites and black adorned by the figures. According to Bazille, he was “enchanted” by the main painting. Monet explains how it must have felt when tearing the painting and loaning it, in his letter to Bazille, “I can think of nothing but my painting and if I had to leave it, I think I would go mad.” Speaking specifically of the painting, and it’s symbolism, this paper by Macober (2017), their MA thesis explains it spectacularly. In 19th century France, there were two main identities: the Bourgeois identity, ones who were associated with respect, wealth, fashion and social stability and Bohemian identity, who were associated with unconventional lifestyles, financial instability, rejection of traditional norms, closely tied to artists. Monet had a tendency to be in both, being in tandem with the unconventionality and security. The picnic hence translates well to what Monet’s social identity looked like. The figures appear to be wealthy due to their clothing, social ability, and relaxed outdoor leisure that was common for the Bourgeois to follow. Yet, the figure appears to be smirking, relaxed, and mainly, also as seen in this study : informal interaction between men and women without chaperones. This created the ambiguity: where upperclass looks were associated with bohemian traits. As we can see even here, the fashion of Doncieux is immaculate, and definitely in opposition to the societal norm when interacting with Bazille. Monet hence uses fashion to construct the image of the new modern Parisian identity: not just traditionally rich, not just bohemian, but a curated mix of worth showing wealth and power and having the most expensive gift of all: freedom to choose your habits, identity and life.