Today is the Autumn Equinox/Mid-Autumn festival. My usually tedious commute back to San Francisco was brightened by the most beautiful full moon against a soft pastel blue sky fading into pink and gray at the horizon. Twilight. It’s a scene that reminds me of a nostalgic trip to Maine two summers ago and spurs me to write about a particular favorite (yes, I seem to have many) Sargent piece, ‘In The Luxembourg Gardens’ which I viewed last year at the Boston MFA. The present-day gardens are just as much a place to socialize as it was in 1879. Oh Paris, how I miss thee.

Anyways, back to the piece. The details always struck me most. Notice the mirror-like reflection of the moon in the fountain, the orange dollop at the butt of the cigarette, and the inky black trees. The human figures, like the statues scattered throughout the garden, almost blend into an almost monochromatic landscape. Why the contrast between the human figures who have almost now blended into the background were it not for the small pink, red and orange accents of color?

Despite certain misgivings I have that this piece may touch upon themes of women=domesticated flowers and isolation of foreigners in Paris, I see a romantic scene. Gracefully positioned statues reflect the smartly dressed couple center-left. The orange glow of the gentleman's cigarette is the same orange as part of the lady's fan. The soft hazy brushstrokes give the figures a tangibly gentle, but decorative quality.

It's been a few months since I've been able to notice the beauty around me again after some hard times. I'm glad some part of my old self has been revived.