Les songes creux 1933

François Barraud crafted this image of a nude woman, Les songes creux, sometime in the early 1930s. I wonder about the physical act of painting this, you know? Like, was Barraud hyper-focused, trying to capture every nuance of light and shadow on the woman’s skin? The subtle brushstrokes give the sofa a soft, lived-in feel, and the way the light catches her bracelet, it’s all so carefully observed. But then you see the scarf, a slash of red and blue, and it’s like, BAM, there’s this jolt of emotion. Did he struggle with the likeness, or did it flow out of him? It reminds me of Balthus, or maybe even a touch of Edward Hopper, but with this unique, almost surreal twist. It’s like he’s inviting us into this intimate, dreamlike space. And isn’t that what painting’s all about, anyway? Sharing these little slivers of our inner worlds.