Painting Back from Market, by Chardin: Key Quotes
Painting Back from Market, by Chardin: Key Quotes
Introduction and Overview of the Painting
- “The coalscuttle, the copper pot, the china dish of apples.” - The poem opens with a triad of domestic items, hinting at an ordinary home scene. The everyday essentials are given importance through meticulous observation.
The Market Scene
- “The bargain, the banter, the brightened haggle.” - The market scene is brought to life using a series of nouns, all of which involve human interaction, highlighting its liveliness contrasted with the domestic quiet.
Description of the Young Woman
- “Who carries it back – the weight of the market on her young head.” - This quote portrays the resilience of the young woman. The metaphor “weight of the market” gives the everyday task a profound gravity, symbolising the woman’s burdens.
Reflecting on the Painting
- “Her past is going to be a resource. Her future is a loaded brush.” - Here, Boland suggests that the woman’s past and future are intertwined and valuable. The metaphor of the future as a ‘loaded brush’ connotes it is full of potential, just like an artist’s tool.
Commentary on Art and Reality
- “Not just light, then, but the source of it; not just echoes but real sound.” - These lines suggest that Boland sees the painting as offering more than just a visual representation. It encapsulates the essence and reality of the ordinary world. The play on the idea of ‘light’ and ‘sound’ highlights her idea that art is not just a faint imitation but a real, intense experience.