The Accidental Masterpiece On the art of Life and Vice Versa by Michael Kimmelman

Chapter 1: The Art of Making a World

In this chapter Michael Kimmelman introduces the idea that perspective is necessary in the understanding of beauty. In order to explain this point Kimmelman remembers seeing a self portrait of Bonnard and photographs taken by Cartier-Bresson of Bonnard. The two images were emotionally and physically different in appearance. Bonnard’s self portrait was that of an old man while the photograph is of a charming man. This idea emphasizes that we see and understand things differently from everyone else. Kimmelman continues to explore and enlighten the reader on the life of Bonnard and how his perspective on his own life came to be. Kimmelman points out up front that Bonnard “was not… a victim” of his relationship with his wife Marthe, but Kimmelman goes on to explain that his life is rather depressing from the outside looking in. Marthe, a loner and sickly woman, kept Bonnard from being too sociable but encouraged his artwork. Marthe is one of Bonnard’s most used subject matter and she is typically in a bath tub. Although her face is usually blurred out, her physical features remain the same throughout his paintings. He also typically adds his own features in the pictures to show that he was in the room. Kimmelman explains that in order to understand his paintings and truly understand the subject matter and his life you would have to be in the actual relationship.