A Roux Painting

Spirit, Painted by George Roux

Community Art for Mental Health

September 26, 2024

Creative Expression Anxiety Relief

August 9, 2024

The painting Spirit painted in 1885, by George Roux, is one of my favourite paintings. It’s an oil on canvas, with dimensions of 108 cm by 79 cm.

It’s in the genre of genre art also called genre views/scenes. This genre art describes a piece of art that depicts the everyday events. these scenes can be realistic to made up or romanticised by the artist.

This is my interpretation of the painting.

The painting shows a man in his study working late at night, when he looks up at a piano playing keys. A song, possibly something of meaning to him, when he sees a woman, late wife or lover, playing the piano. Or perhaps it is his figment of imagination, tiredness overtaking him. The man’s face looks of bewilderment and amazement, whilst looking at the ghostly figure.

In general, the artist uses very little negative space as the canvas is covered in detail of the scene. The artist has used a dark colour pallet of browns, black and beige with some white. I think this use of dark ‘negative’ colour may reflect the man, who may be isolating himself from the world in a dark studio, which leads him to loneliness. The background of the painting loses some of the detail, (Unclear) and is left with simple canvas painting on one wall and fairly blank. this might have been done on purpose so as to not foreshadow the subjects of the painting, the man and the ghost by the piano.

In conclusion, I think it is hauntingly beautiful.