The Lunatic of Etretat

The Lunatic of Etretat by Hugues Merle (1871)

Merle is a French writer who is known best for portraying sentimental subjects in paintings. But this art piece- The Lunatic of Etretat- strays from this technique and is known for the intensity and the dynamic of the emotions it represents. The exact meaning of this art piece is still a topic of debate amongst its admirers. As a direct interpretation, this painting is viewed as the anguish of a mother who has lost her child. The empty yet rage-filled look in her eyes and the log wrapped in a blanket and tied with a bonnet can be taken as symbols of the grief the woman holds over her loss. Even the name of the painting hints at this meaning. But considering the fact that this painting was made after the Franco-Prussian war, people say that the woman may symbolize France and the log would be the lost territory.

My initial interpretation of this painting is the former notion. Yes, the symbolism of the war makes sense but I'd like to view this painting in its direct sense. Her 'sanpaku eyes', aggressive body language, the protrusion of her veins, and her unkept manner- they all hint at a grieving mother who has lost her mind to the point where she is deluded to take a piece of log and wrap it in cloth to cradle it in her arms as she would her baby. You can literally feel the rage and the grief pouring out through her gaze. The pain- the affliction- it is raw and visceral. The fact that this painting speaks such intense emotions is what captured my attention in the first place. And even after knowing about its geo-political history, the reason for me to stick to my initial interpretation was because I had already correlated it with a picture I saw some time ago.

No, this is not a painting. It is a very realistic picture taken of a mother who lost her child in the war that is happening in Gaza. Empty and vengeful- the initial painting. Heartbreaking and filled with torment- the above picture. In both of these, we can see two mothers, completely shattered. And it disturbs me. It disturbs me to my very core. It disturbs me that the lady in the painting had faced such a loss that she has lost her own mind over it. It disturbs me to my very core that hundreds and thousands of children were murdered in Gaza just because they live there- and that their fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters can do nothing but live with that grief.

"I'll tell you one thing, it's a cruel cruel world."

- Danny DeVito

And man has made it crueller still.

Comments

The Root Cause of my Obsession with Greek Mythology- 'The Song of Achilles'

When most people my age are asked about how they first came into contact with Greek mythology, their answers usually end up being Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson book series. But in my case, it's not that. And I don't necessarily mean this as a flex but what made me fall head over heels for the complex tapestry of Greek mythology is Madeline Miller's (absolutely brilliant writer, she is) 'The Song of Achilles.' And oh man oh man, the way that book is one of the most soul-crushing yet beautiful literary pieces to ever exist on this planet! It's the way you know that the story of Achilles, the famous Greek demi-god, is an absolute tragedy, yet Miller's story-writing skills make you pray to every form of divinity to not let it end so. And I think that's an elevated level of tragic experience to the readers in itself- to know how it ends, to know it's not actually rainbows and unicorns, yet (YET!!) to be forced to wish upon every dying star to save the

Stop Silencing and Start Addressing!

Today's blog is once again inspired by a spectacular performance put up by the Malayalam Crew of Theatre No.59 at MCC on Day 2 of the Theatre night. This play, titled 'Rithu', was such an emotional masterpiece that it brought almost the entirety of Anderson Hall (where this event was taking place) to its feet. And God, did even a standing ovation seem far too less of a credit that could be given to the act that was put up on stage. Here, we could see 'Malik', a fifth-grade student from an ordinary working-class family in Kerala, filled with a sense of curiosity about the differences between the male and the female anatomy. When he raises this doubt to his parents, he is shunned and silenced. So he decides to take a peek into the girls' washroom at his school so that he can understand why girls sit down when they pass urine, unlike boys who stand. But he is caught by a teacher of his and is brought to the principal who beats him and shames him, demanding his par

Master Your Mind: 5 Techniques To Improve Your Memory

In the vast landscape of our cognitive abilities, memory is a cornerstone, having immense influence over our academic, professional and personal endeavours. The key to having a sharper memory is not merely memorising everything, but rather enhancing our overall cognitive capability by training our minds using various memory techniques. Some of these techniques I practise (or try to practise) include: Mastering Visualization: Imagine a bright pink strawberry, glistening with water droplets. The vividness of this mental image is precisely the potency of our visualization power. This technique involves creating mental pictures that are not only clear but also strikingly memorable. When given the task of remembering items, try to create a sequence of mental images that are easy to recall which will be imprinted in your head. Mnemonic Devices: These devices turn seemingly complex information into easily digestible nuggets. Acronyms, rhymes and associations are included in these devices. For

Allow Ann to Babble, Please!

Search This Blog