Lesson 1

What do I see?
2 white girls sitting on a wall, very well dressed, with a cloud of smoke in the background.

What surprises me?
When looking at the painting for the first time, I noticed that the child was particularly interested in looking at the background (where the big cloud of smoke is), and was painted from the back.

Who are these people?
A woman of approximately 20 to 30 years old, apparently from the local elite or bourgeoisie. A child of approximately 10 years appearing to be her daughter.

What are they doing?
They are sitting on a wall doing nothing, apparently resting or just hanging out in a park.

Where are they?
A public place in the city, with some buildings around. It's a big, open space, maybe a park.

What is most noticeable?
The smoke in the background draws attention, as its origin is unknown.

What story is being told?
It is noticeable that there is something unknown in the painting, the cloud of smoke that permeates the entire background, holds my attention to the unknown and unidentifiable. Even if smoke is a sign of fire, it doesn't seem to be dangerous, as the child and the woman don't appear to be scared. They seem to be comfortable with the place, and even know it well.

Lesson 2 Assignment

What/who are they looking at?
The older girl on the left is looking at the painter (us, the observers in this case), while the child looks with interest at the smoke in the background.

Define their facial expressions/ body language
The oldest girl is the only one who shows her face. She has a serious face, with a slight feeling of discomfort.

How do they inform the story/situation?
The way women are portrayed, apparently calm and secure about the place. The way the cloud is painted suggests a kind of movement, which causes the child's curiosity about what is happening, so much so that the child is the only one standing and watching.

How do they relate to each other?
The two girls appear to be mother and daughter, or perhaps sisters. I believe there is a certain visual similarity between the two. Anyway, they are close to each other, which could be an indication of some family relationship.

How do they relate to me (the viewer)?
Since the older girl was looking directly at me, I felt more connected to the painting. Her visual expression is unique, like she's telling a story.

props
Identify the props/objects
Some interesting objects, close to both characters, I couldn't help noticing a bunch of unripe grapes on the right, a wind fan on the older girl's lap, a partially read book and a sleeping dog. (I know that animals are not objects, but I can't help but mention it)

How do they relate to models?
In my impression, all objects are indications that both girls intended to spend some time in the place, perhaps waiting for something. The fan to cool off, the book to distract himself, the grapes to hide his hunger, and the dog, being a puppy, couldn't stay home alone for long... and was probably taken along because of that.

Space
What kind of space?
Open public space, but with fences that protect the place. The girls are outside.

Models relation to space
How does the space inform the story/situation?
It seems like a space with a lot of noise and constant movement, if there are fences around it, it could be a space that brings some danger, or at least the entrance fee should be charged. There are no roofs, indicative of being open-air.

Lesson 3 Assignment

Pyramid
It is possible to draw a triangle for each character in the painting. Since for the older woman, a more pyramid format is suggested, where the base is precisely on the wall where she is sitting and where the objects are concentrated.

Rule of Thirds
I applied the rule of three through an editing software (I did it in a simple way) I identified that the lines cross interesting points in the painting, which divide the work very well. One of the vertical lines is aligned with the child's spine, as well as a horizontal line is exactly on the older woman's chin.

Other significant lines
Out of curiosity I applied the fibonaci pattern (the spiral) and found a very interesting correlation. I may have done it the wrong way, I'm not experienced in the matter, but it impressed me. (see image)

An analysis of the work Le Chemin de fer, by Édouard Manet. - image 1 - student project
What does it reveal about the characters?
The guide lines help to mark the presence of the characters in the painting, as well as offering visual harmony to the elements present. Paintings that are done randomly, without consideration of perspective or guidelines, can offer a certain visual distortion or a disturbing appearance of things. In this work in question, our eyes are guided by the elements of the work, an order of hierarchy and perception.

How does it impact the story/Situation?
Precisely because of the way the characters and elements are placed in the painting, it is what will define the hierarchy and relevance. The woman, in the way she is seated and her positioning, is in my opinion one of the great weights of the work, suggesting a kind of portrait. Soon after, my eyes are directed to the girl and the smoke in the background.

Light
The element that shines the most in the whole painting is the light gray smoke in the background, as well as the white skin of both women.

The lowest
One of the darker elements that makes it difficult to perceive when in the absence of light is the older woman's blue dress.

mid tones
I dare say that the entire background (houses and trees), as well as the ground, appear to be half tones.

What does it reveal about the characters?
Again, I believe that the use of lighter, darker and midtone elements are to create weight and hierarchy in the work. The background is not as important as the two women in the front. Her skin glows brightly when increased in brightness, which can represent youth, innocence, or purity.

How does it impact the story/Situation?
It impacts the order of perception of the elements and the way we feel emotionally about the work as a whole.

Light
For me it's a little difficult to define the entrance of light, but I believe that because it is a free area, and the angle of the shadows, the sun is probably slightly to the left. I used the shadow in the book as a reference.

lines
the only lines I was able to identify were those of the fence itself, on which the child has his hands. Perhaps the lines of both women's dresses, as well as the scratches of the houses and buildings in the background...

Colors
One of the main colors of this work is blue and its variations. Then we have a brown or beige color, which works both for the scenery and for the girls' skin color. The presence of white is marked by the smoke in the background, as well as the child's dress. Finally, some small splashes of green and red throughout the work.

Textures
Analyzing the work closely, it is possible to notice that the paint has dried and formed some cracks, which contributed to a dry and shallow texture. I believe it is an oil painting, and depending on the mixture used to obtain the paint, it may have favored the greater appearance of cracks.
In addition, the work was painted on canvas, which naturally has a unique texture similar to that of a fabric.

Shapes
For the elements closest to the viewer in the painting, it is difficult to diagnose more primitive shapes. For the background, they exist in a very simple way, they can be identified for the leaves of the trees, some construction objects and so on.

How does it impact the story/Situation?
The use of colors, formats, textures and lights allow us to try to identify the artistic style in which the work corresponds. This style will be the main anchor in the way the work will be perceived.

How did the knowledge of the artist's means (tools, tactics) impact your understanding?
One of the most perceptive things about the work is its lack of complex color variation, as well as its more grotesque composition. When you zoom in, you can see the artist's strong brushstrokes in the work. Which, in a way, does not have many details.

How does the info you gathered on your painting fit with your own narrative? (and other questions)

When making the query about the information related to painting, I felt satisfied. One of the great mysteries has been solved, it is a train station, whose cause of smoke is a steam locomotive. I also understood that the train station is in the background below the girls, and that the girl is looking slightly downwards. The only problem with my narrative was that I assumed that both girls had some family connection, but unfortunately, are completely unknown.
I also diagnosed that the work is impressionist, which I had suspected right at the beginning. Overall, I loved the experience it offered.

András Hartmann Pataki

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