Jean-Paul Lemieux 1904 - 1990

Private Collection, United Kingdom

Equinoxe D'Automne is an outstanding example of the arrangement for which Jean-Paul Lemieux is most well-known: that of a figure, or group of figures, placed in the foreground and cropped off as if sharing the same physical space as the viewer. In this definitive genre, the lone person serves as a conduit to difficult existential questions about the individual’s place in their immediate environment, and within the world as a whole.

Lemieux’s canvas maintains a clarity of line and austerity of colour which are harmonious in tone and beautifully balanced. The flat, grey sky could be morning or afternoon; here, suspended in time—the work evokes a silent, contemplative atmosphere.

It is not difficult to infer, based on Lemieux’s portrayal of his subject, that he had an affection, even an admiration for her. He disliked excessive ornamentation, and spoke frequently of his aversion to decadence in modern society. Though beautiful, this young woman is decidedly modest; her hair is unfussy, her face freshly-scrubbed and natural, she wears modest clothing, and is unadorned by jewellery. Her umbrella might be interpreted as a protective talisman, or even a metaphorical halo.

The landscape within which she stands is among the artist’s most exquisite and intricately-articulated. The winding river she walks alongside alludes to a long path that she has forged, a journey which we are left to imagine.

The genius of Lemieux lies in his ability to arouse profound questions, but avoid providing answers. His subject’s Mona-Lisa smile can be read in manifold interpretations; is she lonely, isolated, confident, optimistic? Her proximity to the picture’s edge renders her so close as to feel nearly tangible, her gaze unavoidable. Whatever Lemieux’s Giaconda is thinking, he has presented a woman who is impossible to ignore—calling upon the viewer to write their own version of her story.