Gilles

"Gilles" - without exaggeration, the most famous work of Antoine Watteau. When talking about something so famous, we may wonder: what is his charisma? What is the secret of attraction?

Watteau's childhood was mad about theatre (you can read about it in the biography of the artist). He has accumulated quite a collection of theatrical costumes, loved to dress up in their friends and draw them. So on the pictures there were the mysterious "hybrids" when not understand is the reality before us or the theater, all for real or pretend, play or live. But even more than the French Comedy than crazy popular among all social strata Comedie Francaise, Watteau loved the Italian vulgar theatre, Commedia Dell'arte, Comedy of masks.

The characters of Commedia Columbine windy, treacherous Mezzetinsad Pierrot, whom the French call Gilles – not once became the heroes of paintings by Watteau (see, for example, "Italian theatre"). However, Gilles with our picture special. Try to understand why.

A possible key to understanding the pattern contained in the film Ce que mes yeux vu out (the literal translation of "What my eyes saw"). Russian TV channel "Culture", to simplify the audience's life, renamed it "The Secret Of Antoine Watteau". The French made a film in the recent 2007 year, which once again confirms Watteau remains very favorite and in the same time one of the most mysterious national artists.

Student-critic Lucy Odiber in the course of trying to prove the fact of love of the artist to the actress Charlotte Desmares. But her head Professor of dyussar, who devoted his entire life to the study of Watteau, knows that document these facts nothing. He tries to teach Lucy to see what is written on the canvas. Not to dream, not to read a thousand sources of varying degrees of reliability, and to see the most. Such is the brief plot of the story. But we are now important episode where the Professor's laptop, the heroes see the picture of "Gilles".

- What do you see? – asked Dyussar.
- A "Gilles" in the Louvre.
- What do you see?
- It is assumed that it depicts Pierre La Courier, actor Comedie Francaise.
- It is easier! What do you see?
- The impression that it is disguised under Piero.
- Already better. Why there is the impression?
'I say his eyes. Hands. And eyes... eyes of a donkey.
- What do you say donkey?
- He also wears the outfit. Outfit donkey. In his eyes there is such... humanity. But why is he so sad? Because no one hears. He's lonely.
- And whose is the gaze that only looks at you, Lucy?
- View of the artist! Because the donkey sees all and sees none.

Thus, the "Gilles" – this story is not about the character of the Comedy of masks of the Pierrot itself. This is a story about the actor, "ragena under Piero" and his human loneliness off stage. The actors in the background are cheerful, they smile and Joker. Gilles – alone. His sad bewildered face as if to say: I don't know who I am beyond this costume off stage. And, apparently, because so instinctively lowered his hands. "The artist can offend everyone", as you know. Gilles and settled at his feet – they are so defenseless, and so appeals to our sympathy.

Gelmanwrote: "Over this sadness Watteau rather inclined to sneer, his sympathy is deeply hidden: painting the theatre, he always admires them, because the theater of passion – not the reason for these experiences. So, it's hard to forget a round pink face, confidently facing the viewer. Everyone fancies: he only lifted a comedian his sorrow".

We, the audience, even the most hard hearted, hard to resist such a manifestation of trust. We are forced to respond. It is possible that therein lies the secret of emotion (and popularity) of the painting "Gilles" by Antoine Watteau.

Author: Anna Yesterday