More pears in progress

I took this photo this afternoon after I got back after my break and painted some more. The first thing that I saw with my “fresh eyes” was I thought the shadows were too dark. So I lightened them, mainly I’m talking about the cast shadows on the tablecloth. At this point I’ve just about got the tablecloth finished.

I’ve been reading a book about Pierre Bonnard. He talks about holding on to the initial idea of his painting. He says that if an artist spends too much time with his subject, and the artist is not strong enough in his convictions, then the subject will overtake the initial idea. Bonnard refers to this initial idea as “seduction”. “It is seduction which determines the choice of motive and which corresponds exactly to the painting.” Bonnard says “With certain painters – Titian – this seduction is so powerful, that it never leaves them, even if they remain for a very long time in direct contact with the object. I personally am very weak, I find it difficult to keep control of myslef in front of the object.”

This leads me to believe that Bonnard did not stand looking at his object as he painted it. In one passage in the book a model came over and Bonnard told the model to “move around, talk, not to sit still”. I’ve been thinking about starting a painting and then before I’m finished, move away from the subject. That would mean letting the painting really take over and painting for the paintings’ sake, not for the sake of the subject. I’m not sure I’m brave enough to do this but it’s an exercise that would be good for me.