Um Poço Entre Duas Propriedades (A Well Between Two Properties) - Marie François Firmin-Girard

 

Um Poço Entre Duas Propriedades (A Well Between Two Properties) - Marie François Firmin-Girard

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Born in the village of Poncin, a French hamlet near the Swiss border, Marie-François Firmin-Girard (29 May 1838 – 8 January 1921) grew up surrounded by a rich and diverse enclave of landscapes. These surroundings inspired the young painter as he transitioned out of this rural village and into the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Mentored by artists such as Charles Gleyre and Jean-Léon Gérôme, Firmin-Girard was educated within a rare moment of political stability during the Second Empire -- allowing the arts to expand beyond political expectations. A new wave of Realists was generated and Firmin-Girard's acquaintance with the natural world deeply inspired his works.
Firmin-Girard began displaying at the Salon in 1859, gaining him commissions for works ranging from portraits to landscapes to genre scenes. A well between two properties explores a tranquil moment between two women at different periods in their lives. The picked and growing flowers enhance the vibrance of the scene, enclosing the women and the well into a world untouched by time and the reality of their lives. Firmin-Girard's style here teeters between Realism and Impressionism. The roses, hollyhocks, and geraniums surrounding the women are both distinct and abstract, emulating the artist's fluid sense of style and genre. The architecture of the well highlights this quality as well – the illusion of stone and brickwork give the viewer just enough detail to set the scene, while inviting the eye towards the two women. The coil of the young woman's dress mimics the growing hollyhocks behind her, creating unity and serenity in this 19th century composition.