Three sisters 1965

Balthus painted "Three Sisters," of unknown date, in oil on canvas. The girls are caught in a domestic scene charged with unsettling tension. Consider the motif of the sleeping or melancholic figure. We see it echoed through history, from classical depictions of languid nymphs to Renaissance portrayals of contemplative saints. The girl asleep at the table embodies this tradition. She is lost in introspection. This pose, recurring across centuries, speaks to a collective consciousness. Its presence suggests an emotional or psychological state engaging viewers on a subconscious level. This motif speaks to our shared human experience of introspection. The cyclical nature of symbols reminds us that art is not a linear progression but a continuous dialogue.