Endormies 1904

Rupert Bunny, who was an Australian painter, made this artwork, Endormies, in oil on canvas. I can imagine him standing in front of his easel, applying brushstroke after brushstroke to the canvas. The painting depicts two women asleep by a lake with three swans floating serenely on the water. I wonder what Bunny was thinking as he painted this scene? Was he thinking about the contrast between the stillness of the sleeping women and the graceful movement of the swans? Look at the colors and the light; the way Bunny uses soft pastel shades to create a dreamlike atmosphere. The texture of the paint is smooth and creamy, adding to the sense of peace and tranquility. The way the figures are cropped and arranged reminds me of the work of other painters like Manet. Artists are always in conversation. Bunny captures a moment of quiet beauty and invites us to contemplate the simple pleasures of life, the beauty of the natural world, and the peace that can be found in sleep.