Young Women Drawing

MARIE-DENISE VILLERS' OIL PAINTING, YOUNG WOMEN DRAWING (1801)

Highlights a women at a drawing board with a beautiful face looking solemnly towards the viewer. The intent is unclear, however, there are quite a few details that should be mentioned.

The window behind the women seems cracked and almost looks barely there. She is sitting in the room in a white silk dress with a colored ribbon and curled hair. There is a couple out on the balcony, in the distance behind the window, where the women is in open air with her 'man'. Her stare goes to the audience and pulls the viewer into the image. There is a scarlet cloth she is sitting on. Red is a symbol of power, death, and fear. In this sense the women is sitting on a stool of power as she draws. You can see the intimate details in the silk dress and the simple but pointed coloring and crevices in the wall behind. The lighting in this piece is one of the most exciting parts of this piece as the sun seems to be gleaming directly on the women and her drawing. The women takes up the center of the piece but clearly the far left portion of the painting has value as well.

It is truly a beautiful piece.

Upon more researching, it’s apparent that this painting has gone through a unknown authorship phase. At first being thought to be painted by man, and being described as amazing, to being found out to be Villers where the value and quality became much less. This can be seen as an appropriate way to mark women’s value in art in society, even today. We see individuals, like the Guerrilla Girls, fighting against the norm of Galleries - as they are majorly dominated by male artists.

This scene, with all it's detail and beauty, could go in any direction the viewer feels it should I'm sure. That is, we can't really know Villers' intent, we can only guess. There is one constant. This is a beautiful, intricate oil painting that deserves a pedestal.