「Look at the Picture and Talk about the Painting」Another way to view theexhibition“Paths to Modernity: Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris”at the Museum of Art Pudong in Shanghai

The brushstrokes of Van Gogh, the play of light and shadow by Monet, the structural order of Cézanne, and the subject matter breakthroughs of Manet. When the Shanghai Orsay exhibition overlaps with the summer crowds, most people rush into the hall to see Van Gogh. Why not temporarily leave the “human smell” of the crowd and turn your gaze to Pierre Bonnard, this “color magician” who opened a new window with “subject-object inversion”?

His paintings contain wonderful subversions. In “White Cat”, he uses distorted brushstrokes to capture the cat’s expression, breaking away from the realistic style. In “Intimacy”, the dark foreground should recede, but the warm background color instead jumps forward, defying the conventional visual logic. Matisse praised him as “great”, while Picasso thought his colors were “too sweet”. Amidst the controversies lies the diverse aesthetic of art, pushing us to break free from our habitual perspectives.

In another corner of the exhibition hall, Miller’s “The Gleaners” exudes a quiet power. Every time I look at this painting, I am reminded of my visits to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris in the early 1990s. Each subsequent visit has brought new insights. Bonnard’s works contain deep thoughts on “seeing and being seen”, while Miller uses a minimalist narrative to touch the heart directly. Just like visiting an exhibition, in China, people rush to exhibitions as if they were tourist attractions, while in foreign countries, it is a leisurely appreciation integrated into daily life. The collision of different perspectives broadens our perception of art.

The charm of art lies in such inheritance and connection. From Bonnard’s inspiration from Manet and Eastern painters to paint cats, to Miller’s infusion of humanistic warmth into Impressionism, they belong to the same lineage yet each has opened up new chapters. Collecting Miller’s small sketch drafts has transformed my understanding of Impressionism from the emotional stirrings at museum exhibitions to a personal touch of the warmth of art history, grounding my passion.

After all, art is not just about admiration. Continuation and resonance through collection and action are what truly integrate the awe-inspiring experiences in museums into the fabric of life, making it a genuine artistic experience.

The tea for today is all gone. Next time, I’ll brew a fresh pot and enjoy art with you again.