At the Denver Art Museum (DAM), around forty people are seated in front of a seven-foot-tall portrait. The oil painting features two women – one seated, one standing, and they are holding hands. The portrait’s edge reveals a date of 1889 and a signature by Carolus-Duran. “Portrait of Lady Renée and Lady Juliette de Trédern” is the focus of the museum’s monthly Mindful Looking class.
Here, participants are asked to take a close and intentional look at a single art piece for 45 minutes.
“Where does your eye go? Does it go back to somewhere it has already been or somewhere new? Take a few minutes to look again,” said Lauren Thomson, senior interpretive specialist at the DAM. She invites attendees to ask questions and make observations.
“The clothing, to me, they evoke the French flag. It’s blue, lavender, white and red,” said Helene North. She notes that 1889, the year the painting was completed, is also the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and wonders aloud if the color choice was a coincidence…