What Portrait of a Lady on Fire Tells Us About "the Gaze"

Summary

In 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire,' Celine Sciamma explores the power dynamics of the gaze through the forbidden romance between painter Marianne and her subject Heloise. Set in 18th-century France, the film delves into the gaze's ability to oppress, liberate, and transcend time and space. It challenges traditional views of the gaze, proposing a shared and neutral dynamic, and highlights the enduring nature of vision through memory and art.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The film 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' explores the concept of 'the gaze' in art and its power to oppress, liberate, and transcend.
• 👀 The gaze is a critical term in various academic fields, including psychoanalysis, art history, and gender studies.
• 🤔 For Jean-Paul Sartre, the gaze objectifies, making individuals painfully aware of themselves as objects through the eyes of others.
• 🖼️ The film uses the character Heloise to depict resistance to the objectifying gaze, symbolized by her refusal to pose for a painting.
• 👩‍🎨 Helene Delmaire, the artist behind the film's paintings, shares a similar vision of the gaze as Sartre, often obscuring the eyes in her portraits.
• 📚 The film and the academic theory of the gaze discuss power dynamics, such as the male gaze, medical gaze, and post-colonial gaze.
• 👁️ Michel Foucault views the gaze as an asymmetrical act of looking, but finds an exception in Velazquez's 'Las Meninas', which confuses the traditional gaze dynamics.
• 💕 In 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire', the gaze between Marianne and Heloise is neutral and shared, allowing for a deep connection and love to develop.
• 🕰️ The film's dual timeline allows for a reflection on memory and the enduring power of images and gazes that linger in our minds.
• ⏳ The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is used to illustrate the fleeting nature of visions and the importance of first and last moments in relationships.
• 💔 The enduring vision and memory of love are central to the film's message, suggesting that true love can withstand the test of time and is remembered through the gaze of memory.

Q & A

What is the main concept discussed in the script related to art and perception?

The main concept discussed in the script is 'The Gaze,' which is a critical term in art criticism that explores the dynamics of looking and being looked at in art and society.

How does the film 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' relate to the concept of 'The Gaze'?

The film 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' explores the concept of 'The Gaze' through the developing relationship between the painter Marianne and her subject Heloise, showing how their gazes evolve from objectification to mutual understanding and love.

What role does the gaze play in the character development of Heloise in the film?

In the film, Heloise's initial resistance to being painted represents her resistance to the objectifying gaze. As the story unfolds, her gaze changes from being an object to becoming a subject, reflecting her evolving sense of self and agency.

How does the script connect the gaze with the broader academic fields?

The script connects the gaze with academic fields such as psychoanalysis, art history, critical theory, gender studies, and philosophy, showing how the gaze is a concept that has been analyzed and discussed across these disciplines.

What is Jean-Paul Sartre's view on the gaze as mentioned in the script?

Jean-Paul Sartre views the gaze as an objectifying force that makes individuals aware of themselves as objects through the gaze of others, leading to a consciousness of being looked at.

How does the script describe the character of Marianne in relation to the gaze?

Marianne is portrayed as a character who truly sees Heloise beyond the objectifying gaze. She spends time observing and understanding Heloise, allowing their relationship to grow on a foundation of mutual recognition and love.

What is the significance of the painting 'Las Meninas' by Diego Velazquez in the context of the script?

In the script, 'Las Meninas' is discussed as a painting that confuses traditional ideas about the gaze by blurring the line between subject and object, which is a concept that 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' also explores.

How does the script use the story of Orpheus and Eurydice to parallel the dynamics of the gaze in the film?

The script uses the story of Orpheus and Eurydice to illustrate the endurance of vision and memory. Just as Orpheus turns to look back and loses Eurydice, Marianne's final look at Heloise in a wedding dress signifies the power of memory and the gaze that transcends physical presence.

What does the script suggest about the relationship between art and the gaze?

The script suggests that art, particularly the act of painting, is a form of labor of love that involves a deep and patient gaze. It can capture the essence of a person beyond their physical being, and be gazed upon for eternity.

How does the script interpret the power of memory in relation to the gaze?

The script interprets the power of memory as a form of enduring gaze that allows one to recall and see the subject of their desire even in their absence, suggesting that the gaze is not just about physical sight but also about the mental and emotional connection.