Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Painted Wives" by John Updike is a vivid and richly textured poem that explores the intersection of art, the perception of women, and the enduring influence of the artist's gaze. Through the depictions of the wives of famous painters—Madame Bonnard, Madame Cezanne, and Madame Renoir—Updike reflects on how these women have been immortalized in paint, their real-life complexities and personalities transformed and perhaps overshadowed by their artistic representations.

The poem begins with Madame Bonnard, wife of the French painter Pierre Bonnard, known for his intense use of color and intimate domestic scenes. Updike describes how "Soot, house-dust, and tar didn’t go far / With implacably bathing Madame Bonnard," suggesting her persistence in cleanliness and perhaps purity, which contrasts with the mundane and grimy aspects of everyday life. Her skin, "yellowish" in reality, becomes "Turned mauve by the tints she was seen floating in," indicating the transformation of her actual appearance into something stylized and otherworldly through her husband's artistic lens. This line captures the essence of how Bonnard's use of color and light transcends ordinary perception, casting his wife in hues that echo his emotional and aesthetic sensibilities rather than literal representation.

Madame Cezanne, wife of Paul Cezanne, is portrayed as "Prim, pensive, and wan," reflecting her frequent depiction in Cezanne's work, where she often appears austere and distant. Updike plays with the physicality of her portrayal by noting her "purple-ish clothes oddly on," which may suggest the unconventional and experimental nature of Cezanne's approach to form and perspective. The humorous, imagined admonition, “Stop moving, damn you!” evokes the frustration and intensity of the artist-subject relationship, highlighting the tension between the artist's need for control and the subject's inherent autonomy.

Finally, Young Madame Renoir, wife of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, is depicted in a more sensual and vibrant manner. Renoir's paintings are known for their lush, radiant depictions of beauty and pleasure, and Updike captures this with "All lilac and cream and pink self-esteem." The description of her "In boas of air, without underwear," exudes a sense of freedom and intimate allure, typical of Renoir’s soft and flattering portrayal of femininity. She "smiles through the brushstrokes at someone still there," suggesting a lingering presence and interaction that transcends the canvas, inviting the viewer into the warmth and immediacy of the moment captured by Renoir.

"Painted Wives" thus serves as both an homage to and a critique of the way these artists have immortalized their wives, transforming them from mere subjects into icons of their art. Updike uses rich imagery and playful language to delve into the complex dynamics of viewing and being viewed, capturing and being captured. The poem reflects on the power of art to both preserve and alter, to freeze a moment in time while also reshaping it according to the artist's vision and the viewer's perception. Through these brief yet evocative portraits, Updike invites the reader to consider the deeper stories behind these painted images, the lives of the women who sit forever stilled by the brush, and the profound beauty and distortion wrought by their artistic rendering.

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