The First Morning 1881

Paul-Albert Besnard created "The First Morning" with oil paint on canvas, a common choice of material and process for painters of his era. However, Besnard's loose brushwork imbues the painting with a sense of immediacy, a departure from the highly polished academic style which was predominant at the time. You can almost see how the artist built up the image stroke by stroke, layer upon layer, paying close attention to the fall of light, and how the composition reveals a moment of great intimacy: the first bath of a newborn child. The application of paint – and this is true for all paintings – is also an act of labor, requiring physical exertion and mental concentration. With "The First Morning," Besnard not only captured a tender scene, but also implicitly celebrated the artistry of the everyday, and the beauty of work in the home, often unseen, and unsung. By focusing on the materiality and process of painting, we gain a richer understanding of its cultural significance, and the relationship between art and life.