Interieur d'un bar 1917

Jean Hugo’s watercolor, "Interieur d'un bar," captures a scene of Parisian leisure, yet it is the rigid column at the right that beckons our attention. Columns, these stalwart symbols, transcend mere architectural function. From the pillars of ancient temples to the modern skyscraper, they represent support, strength, and civilization's enduring presence. Yet, the artist renders this column with a stark verticality, almost as a visual barrier, hinting at a sense of division within the social space. Think of the columns in Renaissance paintings, often framing sacred or significant scenes, anchoring them in a world of order and permanence. Hugo's column, though, seems to stand guard, perhaps reflecting the anxieties and fragmentations of interwar Europe. It embodies a psychological tension – a reminder of the ever-present forces that shape our spaces and, by extension, our lives. The viewer is left contemplating the enduring power of symbols and the subtle ways they engage our subconscious.