It was a crisp January morning in Paris. Walking through Jardin du Ranelagh on the way to Musée Marmottan Monet, the feeling in the air was possibility. There is something about it – an early morning before groups of people are milling through the street. There is a quiet calm encasing the tranquil sounds of nature in the 16th arrondissement.
I am transported to the dining space in the renovated mansion-turned-museum that truly is Musée Marmottan Monet; a space holding a large collection of Impressionist artifacts. The intricate wall moldings, light fixtures, and art adorning what once might have held dinner parties or even a simple meal to enjoy with company.
Walking slow.
Taking it all in.
I am halted by a painting in a nonchalant wall space. Inching closer to the fireplace as to not block the way for those moving about, I stand, seemingly entranced. At first, unsure of what is bringing me to this space of stillness. Then, beginning to realize that I am transfixed by her eyes. Warmth in the heart, grounded feet, a few tears moving down from my own eyes. (this feels unexpected)
I stand and feel. (stand and feel) (stand and feel) She looks so young and wears the eyes of someone who has experienced so much.
Julie Manet
There is an audio link on the wall, and I begin to listen. As the art historian shares, there is a realization of much more. That Pierre-Auguste Renoir was painting a girl who had lost her mother and father in the recent two years. A sixteen year old girl sitting for a painting… grief and loss adorning the way her iris’s simply exist in this state of reality.
Portrait de Julie Manet, 1894, Pierre-Auguste Renoir / Musée Marmottan Monet
I’ve heard it said that art gives us a projection of our own experience. That we see that which reflects true in our own lives. I could not agree more given the thousands of paintings and sculptures I have taken in across my travels, feeling in many ways more seen than I ever have before in my life. This also makes sense for the inquisitive portion of my mind that seeks to understand: Art and music, the ethereal pathway to feeling. A portal to the layers of experience that make life feel magical and connected.
Experiencing this painting changed me.
I was able to sit with and experience layers of grief somatically in a way that simply did not feel accessible before. For that, I will always be grateful to Julie Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, for sitting to share this moment in 1894.
You can listen to “julie manet,” the piano piece behind the experience, anywhere you stream music. Some of the most commonly used platforms include : Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Music / Pandora . If you’d like to read more about some of the experiences behind the music, visit the Journal.
