But first, you
What did the great Impressionists know about cultivating well-being? It turns out, a whole lot.
A new exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) gives visitors the chance to experience moving reflections from the likes of Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, and Georges Seurat as they experienced the height of modernization in France in the late 1800’s.
Impressionism in the Age of Industry gives a glimpse at what life was like towards the end of the 19th century – new jobs, better food cultivation methods, expanded railways, enhanced architectural standards (as just a few examples) brought people a new way of living.
“Industry mixed with nature has its poetic side: the point is to see it and be inspired.”
While the promise of tomorrow played out, the Impressionists observed quietly from behind their canvasses to share their thoughts as best they could on what this all meant for one’s health. What they left us with are brilliant strokes of colour that show us production plants, bustling markets, assembly lines, construction sites, or gardeners in the fields. However old each piece is, together they represent scenes that are familiar to modern times.
La Masseuse, Seurat, Public Domain
As I took in each piece, I couldn’t help but think about the juxtaposition between societal advancement, innovation, and well-being. Firmly planted in the centre of the exhibit is a sculpture by Degas that perhaps suggests he picked up on this idea too.
Titled La Masseuse, Degas depicts a care provider massaging the thigh of her patient, who is holding her leg in relief. Popular research suggests the work portrays the relationship between human endeavour and the importance of preserving and taking care of our physical health. No matter our profession, allotting time for self-care is of the utmost importance.
In another striking piece, called “The Rainbow”, Seurat paints a vivid rainbow in the horizon of a portrait that portrays workers enjoying a day off by a riverbank, their factory present in the distance. The rainbow itself is deliberate for it serves, as the AGO depicts, as a “metaphor for the harmony Seurat perceived in the social ecosystem of the working class.”
The Rainbow: Study for 'Bathers at Asnières', 1883, Georges Seurat, Public Domain
In other words, creating a balanced life where time in a day is sketched out for self-reflection, rest, and personal pursuits – essential for stronger mental health.
With looming deadlines to think about, family commitments to uphold, or community contributions to make, we can achieve it all if we first focus on supporting our whole selves. Deliberate acts of self-care – be it good rest, wholesome meal choices, or a great conversation with a friend – are the conduits to better versions of ourselves. The Impressionists understood this.
I overheard a few exhibit goers commenting on the idea that perhaps the Impressionists were resisting change when putting nature in the forefront of their works, subjecting technology as a secondary focal point as we explicitly see in Argenteuil by Monet.
Public Domain
The opposite in fact. What the Impressionists show us is that purposeful self-care and opportunity exist on a continuum. There are new things to build, better procedural ways to be had, ripe deals to close, but first, let’s take time to elevate how we feel.
When it comes to our well-being, and preserving it, find what works for you. Stick with your course of action and don’t hesitate to find a better way to support yourself. And the power of peer groups? Oh yes – stay open to sharing your well-being practices because it might just inspire a better way for someone else too. After all, creating a more enlightened tomorrow is something we achieve when we work together.
