Kyle Tinnes
Art History 106
Prof. Yuen
7/16/14
Portrait of a Man and a Woman at a Casement
Fra Filippi Lippi, c. 1440
In Portrait of a Man and a Woman at a Casement(c. 1440), Fra Filippi Lippi presents us with an unusual encounter between a woman standing near her window and a man looking in from the outside. The close cropping of the scene and restricted interior space gives an initial sense of intimacy until one realizes that the man is not actually meeting the gaze of the woman. She stands nearly expressionless, dominating the foreground of the work, her headdress so high that it is partially cropped out of painting. While she is flooded by a light source, his partial profile is largely cast in shadow, giving the impression of a first voyeuristic glimpse into her bower.The intrusion of the man in this tightly controlled interior space generates a sense of curiosity and drama between the two figures that is heightened by Lippi’s decision to not have them make direct eye contact. Whether these figures are engaged to be married or not, this composition and arrangement of figures suggests a violation, whether innocent or amorous, of the woman’s domestic sphere.
Much of the impact of this encounter is achieved through Lippi’s somewhat muddled use of perspective. The orthogonal lines established by the casement window’s architecture do not establish a clearly defined vanishing point. This is further compounded by the window in the background of the painting that gives the viewer a glimpse of the surrounding landscape. The strong, upward thrust of lines generated by trees or bushes do not conform to those lines established by the interior architecture. While Lippi does employ the use of atmospheric perspective as denoted by the faint blue of the distant mountains, it is clear that his use of recessional is less than scientific. The space is further restricted by the sharp, nearly vertical line of her headdress that defines nearly the entire right portion of the canvas. The resulting lack of interior space and the warm brown of the walls gives the impression of a small intimate room that is dominated by the very large figure of the woman.
Standing in profile and facing to her right, the woman is statuesque in her posture and expression. A light source, located to the left foreground of the painting, floods the front of her face and casts delicate shadows on her neck and cheeks. This results in the light porcelain color of her forehead and nose, while the shadow on her cheeks make them appear to blush. The forward gaze of her eyes suggest that she is either looking out of another window, which would explain the light source, or that her attention is fixed on another object in the room. Since we do not see the object of attention, her gaze appears to be almost introspective as she stares out into nothing. The tight lips, drawn ever so slightly up at the corners, and the gentle line of her check are reminiscent of the “Archaic smile” of ancient Greek art, and serve to enhance the enigmatic expression. Her linear posture, the long flowing lines of her dress, and the high headdress create a striking vertical orientation to the center of the painting.
The dominant position of the woman only makes the man’s peeping presence all the more curious. We know that the window is quite small since the man’s head occupies nearly half it. He is largely unknown; we see only the front third of his head and hat, the slightest hint of his red tunic, and his hands rest on the window ledge. The sharp nose and strong line of his stubbly chin make his appearance arguably handsome. His expression is filled in inquiry. There are no visible lines of tension denoted by a furrowed brow or tightness in the muscles of his mouth and lips. Only his slightly raised eyebrows indicate the object of his looking which remains hidden behind the woman’s figure. The slightly drooping qualityof his eyelids suggests that he regards the room as somewhat banal. Perhaps this is because he has not yet caught sight of this beautiful woman.
These mutually exclusive gazes create a heightened sense of anticipation. We know that she is not standing directly in front of the man; otherwise their hands would meet along the line of the windowsill. Is this just the moment before she senses his presence or that he sees her? What will happen when their eyes do meet? This captured moment only suggests what will happen and thus lends the painting and air of movement toward something more. However, this precise moment can only be evaluated for what it is. His head pokes through the open window of her secluded space. He is curious while she remains unaware of his presence. Has he violated her space? There is little question that this her domestic sphere because she stands to prominently in the room. Regardless, by thrusting his head into the window he shows that he power of control is limited by his ability to gain access. Perhaps they are intended to be married, which would make it his right to interfere in her private realm, but at this moment he is not being welcomed, or even noticed. Thus the viewer is left to wonder whether this intrusion is against her will. Maybe the best way to describe her enigmatic expression is that she is being modest, even coy. She knows that men may look but not touch, and that she must always appear to deflect her gaze. Thus Portrait of a Man and a Woman at a Casement is not so easy to interpret, even based on the visual clues. Lippi has left us with a portrait that may suggest aggressively erotic male intentions or simply the playful game of decorous love.
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