The Dog Rita Asleep

The Dog Rita Asleep is a painting by Jean Frederic Bazille done in 1864. It is among the first paintings that Bazille did. It was done after he moved to Paris in 1862 to further his studies. At that time, Bazille was learning art at Charles Gleyre’s studio where Geyre was teaching impression art.

That same year was when he decided to focus on art after failing his medical exam fully. The painting is of a pet dog. The dog appears to be peacefully sleeping on a colored floor or rug. The whole painting depicts a calm and serene atmosphere such that the dog can fall asleep. The background is black. Through light strokes, Bazille has portrayed the presence of light. It is among the famous connoisseurs of art today. It was at the age of twenty-three when he painted the slumbering pet. As much as it is a painting, it is still fresh and with soft light.

Bazille applied the tremendous and dramatic appeal to both traditional and modern themes. His brush was free but powerful, having received influence from Manet. With both vigor and boldness, he modeled the painting to ensure an excellent picture that clearly showed his talent. He remained faithful to the traditional with his style and subjects of the art. This is seen from his choice of painting, which was portraits and painting of figures over a landscape. Bazille and his friends Monet and Manet used the impressionism style of art, just like their teacher Gleyre.

Artists that Influenced Frederic Bazille's Work

Charles Gleyre - He was the teacher at the studio that Bazille was learning from in Paris. His work was based on the impressionism style contributing to the knowledge of impressionism style by Bazille. Gleyre was generous enough to teach the young artists for free. However, they had to add to the rent and the paying of the models.

Claude Monet - Monet and Bazille were close friends. Monet even made Bazille his son's godfather. At one point, they shared an apartment studio where they experimented on different painting techniques which were central to the Impressionist style movement. Bazille observed and printed his image as seen in reverse from a mirror.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir - Renoir was at one point Bazille's roommate in 1868. According to the letter written by Bazille to his parents, he claimed to have extended his hospitality to one of his friends, a former student at Gleyer's studio by the name Renoir. He also stated that he shared his models with him and hey helped each other pay for the models. He also described Renoir as a hard worker.

Alfred Sisley - Just like Bazille, Sisley was a landscape painter. Impressionism fulfilled his needs. He was Bazille’s friend at Gleyer’s studio. Over time his power of expression and color increased. His work and that of Monet closely resemble making Monet overshadow him. Bazille, Monet and Sisley were close with their love for landscape bringing them more close.