Formal Art Analysis: Manet's

It should also be noted that the woman's figure is a major element stressing some of the asymmetric nature of the painting. Her body is nearly split into two distinct portions - and upper and lower - that lay on either side of the vertical axis. The light and value of the work seems important and integral. The light source seems focused and emphasized most brightly on the woman, illuminating the contrast between the bright white of her dress and the dark surrounding hues. The rest of the painting delineates from this frontal lighting and fades into darkness and shadows with a weaker light illuminating it. The shadows created play an important part with linking her figure with the vertical axis. The shadow her head creates on the painting above her closer links her figure to the axis of the small painting. One can also see in the shadows the indent her body leaves on the sofa, as well as the shadow from the bottom of her figure, extending her shadow out into our space. The colors used are mostly warm somber hues of burgundies, browns and dark teals and blues. There is a stark contrast between these background colors and the whiteness of the young woman's dress, further emphasizing her as the subject of the work. Various textures and patterns can be observed as well. There generally seems to be a pattern of soft, plush textures shown, from the tufted couch, to the ruffles created in her dress in the position she takes on the couch.
             The space shown leading back from our space to the back wall behind the woman's head is confining in the way that so much of it is dominated by the sofa. Her foot leads us on a slight angle back through space, up her figure to her head with is then linked by its shadow to the painting with finishes the vertical line. Horizontally we are led from left to right by her arms and hands and the items in them. Motion seems to be implied in the offset position of the figure and in the way it is leaning to the right side, as seen by the weight applied on the woman's left arm.