Today, figurative painting does not necessarily seem to offer itself up for renewal: references to past and present may be combined to create heterochronic compositions that, in a logic of continuity, elicit an affective rather than intellectual reception. Following this perspective, does the interest in figurative painting indicate a genuine revival or a simple aesthetic choice that has always existed, capable of conveying the emotional essence of a work? By examining the work of three contemporary classical painters, I will analyze the elements that create this emotional encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the works of French painter Guillaume Bresson, what is striking is the obscurity and realism of his compositions. There is something Caravaggesque about his touch: the lines are modulated through a play of light and shadow that confers a dramatic note on the realistic contexts. This approach lends an almost ceremonious dimension to his compositions, from which a latent softness emanates \u2014 due, notably, to the use of a uniform ashen palette\u2014creating a paradox with the violent media images that they reference. There is no undue sordidness or aggressivity in these paintings; instead, naturalism and sacrality intermingle at the heart of urban landscapes: an underground parking lot, a highway rest area, or a dilapidated room form the backdrops. The brushwork supports the choreographic expressivity of the ghostly figures \u2014 without focusing specifically on their faces \u2014 as they react to one another. This subdued intensity is held up by a meticulous pictorial technique, which lends the classic scenography something of The Last Supper. This is particularly evident in paintings from 2012, which portray animated groups of men who seem to have met up for a nocturnal confab. Strictly speaking, in Bresson\u2019s work there is no question of revising the rules of the genre to distort a traditional style. Rather, it\u2019s the use of these rules with the aim of conjuring a collective imaginary and of playing with the mental images that Western education and the media forge that is of importance here. Tumultuous street scenes, intimate documentary, and Christian iconography are some elements inspired by everyday life that populate Bresson\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n