When you are given the opportunity to look at “A Clinical Lesson at the Salpetriere” painting by Andre Brouillet, what do you feel: Nothing, Despair, Anguish, Sadness, or Happiness when looking at this piece of art, but why? Sigmund Freud, known as the father of psychoanalysis, had this painting hung up in his office, but why? What feelings did they induce to be hung in such an office? The emotions I felt were guilt and awkwardness, from which the painting is both out of date and distasteful.

When I first laid eyes on the painting, I felt a sense of guilt. You gaze upon the work; what do you see? People receiving a live demonstration of a clinical procedure, but as you delve deeper into the painting, you see the only people who are “learning” are white men. This painting was made in 1887, meaning that the way humans saw one another was entirely linear. From one sexuality to only two genders, the way people thought back then is none like today’s standard. We uphold these beliefs in today’s time, but when looking at the painting, you see just how women were treated back then. This way of thinking gives off a sense of guilt as I am also a man; though not of the time, I still feel responsible even when I am not to blame. A sense of secondhand embarrassment, if you will.

Though I feel guilt, it isn’t the only thing I feel while looking at the painting; the painting emits an awkward yet gloomy aura. The overall hue of the picture is a light green, which most people can correlate to “sickness” or being “unwell.” However, that green shift gives off the negative and sophisticated feeling I feel every time I stare at the image. It also doesn’t help that the woman in the photo looks like she’s going through a stage of hysteria, further bringing down the mood. But the woman isn’t only bringing down the perspective; she also makes gazing at the painting quite awkward. With her dress slightly parted from her shoulder, in a stage of total vulnerability, I can’t help but feel a little queasy.

Will these emotions change my view of this painting? No, not at all. What I feel is only for an image; that’s all it is, that’s all it will be. I have no reason to harbor any good or ill intentions toward this piece of art because, to be candid, it’s just an image on the wall. I will not let the painting dictate my feelings but rather allow it to define them. Instead of allowing my emotions to dictate how I view it, I’ll just consider it for what it is.

Of course, others may differ in their view of the painting. I am just one man; there will always be another person who feels completely different from what I felt. But I think my feelings are more than justifiable and provide adequate insight into how deep the painting truly is. And it also shows the colors of whoever looks at the painting, as you probably learned alot about me from just my feelings on this painting. So if I were to ask you one more time, when you are given the opportunity to look at “A Clinical Lesson at the Salpetriere” painting by Andre Brouillet, what do you feel?” You know how I feel, how do you feel?