Period drama uses the “tortured genius” blueprint to tell the story of Séraphine Louis, a mentally disturbed housekeeper, with a secret passion to paint. A self-taught outsider to the art world, her works were highlighted by intricately ornate floral arrangements. Sadly, she such is a quiet, withdrawn woman, her personality fails to engage as a character. It’s difficult to care for this dreary woman. Biography also fails to shed light on what made this woman tick. She loves to paint, but no insight concerning why. She is plagued by mental illness, but no explanation as to what she suffers from or if it can be cured. It’s clear the encouragement of German art collector Wilhelm Uhde lifted her spirits immeasurably and helped her to become psychologically stable for a time. This makes the subsequent actions of those around her, a thoroughly exasperating experience. Nice cinematography, but the glacial pace is sleep inducing.
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One Response
Dreary, this was! It could have been so much better. I kept waiting for some uplifting excitement, but it never came. Would have liked to known so much more about her.