The desert is silent except for the quiet digging of a man resolved in his actions. His face holds a solemnly resigned expression, firm in his actions but eyes pooling with hurt upon gazing on the still body that lay next to him. Yes, you guys already know what time it is. Dead lovers time. Again. 

“Angie, really? Another painting about death and love and sadness >:((?? I’d rather stare at Saturn eating his kid >:(((” 

Yeah, I’m starting to see a bit of a pattern to my passion posts, but what can I say? My kryptonite is tragic paintings, especially when romance is involved! And oh boy does this painting really take the cake. In simple terms it’s the Romeo and Juliet of paintings, a story of two lovers that were destined to be apart. Buckle in. This story is French and French names are a lot. (Literally take the name of the artist of this painting Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret. Say that five times fast). 

The Burial of Manon Lescaut by Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret

The story is based on an 18th century novel by Abbé Prévost called, The Story of the Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut. Hence, our identity of the two subjects in the painting– the man, Chevalier des Grieux, and the woman, Manon Lescaut. The story goes as follows: Chevalier des Grieux was a young seminary student of noble birth (basically he was a rich guy studying to become a priest or something religious). He fell deeply in love with Manon Lescaut, a mysterious courtesan (prostitute). Clearly not the same class here, it seems like their relationship is off to a rough start. Manon Lescaut is then deported to New Orleans because she’s a prostitute, and Chevalier ds Grieux being the dedicated lover he is, follows her there. 

In New Orleans, they pretend to be married and it seems like all is well and happy. Unfortunately, happiness is not fated for them because their ruse is eventually revealed. When it does, the nephew of the state governor finds a fancy to Manon Lescaut. Obviously Chevalier des Grieux is like no way am I letting some other guy get with my girl so like any sane man back then, he challenges the new guy to a duel and knocks him out. Believing he killed the guy, the couple flees into Louisiana wilderness. 

Even more unfortunate, they are definitely no Lewis and Clark, and Manon Lescaut ends up dying of either exhaustion or exposure. This moment is captured in the painting, where a devastated Chevalier des Grieux is seen digging her grave in the sand next to her. Afterwards, he buries her and lays down beside her to die too. 

There’s just so much contrast to this painting that makes it so beautiful. The darkening clouds atop the calm desert, his dark expression versus her peaceful one, even the pastel colors of her dress in comparison to the dark coat laid beneath her. Side note, I didn’t even notice this until I started typing but he placed down his coat beneath her so that she wouldn’t get too messy???? Are you kidding me? I love them so much. 

There is always a certain satisfaction I get from finding paintings in which humans are so… human. Love, and looking for love I think are one of the purest parts of human beings. Not just romantically, but looking for little pieces of care in everything around us placed by someone along the way on their own journey. When I look at this painting, I immediately think: Is it better to live a loveless life, or die with a full heart? If I knew, for certain, I would never find love in the world again, would I live it? Would that even be living? 

Source:

• https://rauantiques.com/blogs/canvases-carats-and-curiosities/genre-paintings