In October, while I was enjoying an artist's works, I happened to come across a new term - Contemporary Intimism. I was very interested in it and started to do some research.
First, what is Intimism? It was an artistic movement that started in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century and typically involved the depiction of seemingly banal yet personal domestic scenes. In general the paintings would capture personal moments with emotional richness, and often within the confines of warm, inhabited spaces (Liu Peng and contemporary intimism: Drawing emotion from the everyday 2024). Intimism was most notably practiced by French painters Édouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard.
Madame Vuillard Cousant. Edouard Vuillard, 1895
And the "Contemporary Intimism” trend, which first emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, differs from grand narratives or overt drama. It focuses more on warm, emotional, and personal expressions, emphasizing the intimate atmosphere and delicate presentation of emotions in paintings. “The allure of and fascination with the intimate vignettes that make up everyday life have been an ongoing source of inspiration for generations of artists—the way a coffee table or nightstand is arranged, the view from a studio window, the books, plants, and other miscellany that accumulate (or are curated) on a bookshelf (Olsen, Artnet).”
Unlike Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism, which sought to record fleeting visual sensations, modern intimists combine observation with emotion, allowing personal narratives and subjective experiences to shape their compositions. Katherine Kuenzli’s article, “Intimacy and the Arts of the Nabis,” highlights how the Nabis movement sought to depict private moments while reconciling sensation with artistic structure. Similarly, Tamar Garb’s “Everyday Intimacies in French Modernism” explores how French modernists positioned the domestic sphere as a central artistic theme, paving the way for today’s artists who continue to explore intimate subjects through contemporary lenses.
In this reflection, I will analyze theme, color, composition, and the border of modern intimism painting, using case studies of artists Nathanaëlle Herbelin and Lexia Hachtmann (theme), Henri Matisse (color), Antonia Showering (composition), and Beatriz Santos & Junyi Lu (border). Each of these artists has shaped my understanding of how painting can evoke intimacy, memory, and emotional resonance, guiding my own artistic practice.
Intimate, More Intimate
Lunch at Le Grand Lamps, Pierre Bonnard, 1899
Theme: Nathanaëlle Herbelin and Lexia Hachtmann
Nathanaëlle Herbelin and Lexia Hachtmann capture personal, quiet moments, focusing on the emotional weight of the mundane. Their paintings suggest that intimacy is not found in dramatic narratives but in the small, unguarded details of life.
Herbelin’s work often portrays people engaged in simple, everyday activities—bathing, resting, or sitting alone in quiet contemplation. The figures appear absorbed in their own world, unaware of the viewer’s presence, which reinforces the sense of privacy and introspection. Her subdued palette and loose brushwork create a dreamlike quality, where forms are softened and blurred, much like memories that are both vivid and elusive. Her work does not merely document a scene but instead captures a sensation—the stillness of a moment that holds deep personal meaning.
Hachtmann takes a more gestural approach, where the boundaries between abstraction and figuration remain fluid. Her compositions feel fragmented, as if recalling memories that exist in pieces rather than in a single, coherent image. Through expressive mark-making and shifting perspectives, she challenges the idea that intimacy is something tangible and fixed. Instead, her work suggests that it is constantly evolving, shaped by time and perception.
These themes align with Steven Z. Levine’s discussion in “The Domestic Sublime: Vuillard and Bonnard,” where he argues that intimate domestic moments can be elevated into something profound and timeless. Both Herbelin and Hachtmann embody this philosophy, making me reconsider how I approach intimacy in my own paintings. Rather than constructing clear narratives, I am beginning to focus on presence—the way an environment, a pose, or a simple gesture can convey a deep and personal emotional state.
Nathanaelle Herbelin, Emmanuelle et Efi, 2024, oils on Canvas, 90×90 cm
Lexia Hachtmann, Garden, 190 x 80 cm, Oil on Canvas, 2024
Color : Henri Matisse
Color in modern intimism serves as more than a descriptive tool; it becomes a means of conveying emotion and psychological depth. Henri Matisse, although not an intimist in the traditional sense, provides a crucial foundation for understanding how color can alter perception and mood.
Matisse approached color as a force that shaped the viewer’s emotional response. His compositions often rejected naturalistic shading, instead relying on bold, flat planes of color that created a heightened sensory experience. He famously stated, “There are always flowers for those who want to see them,” which speaks to his belief that artistic interpretation is shaped by the viewer’s emotional and imaginative engagement with the work.
Sarah Parsons’ “Intimacy in Contemporary Art” discusses how modern artists continue to use color in ways that extend beyond mere representation. Many contemporary painters use expressive palettes to evoke states of mind rather than to depict literal reality. Studying Matisse has influenced how I think about color in my own paintings. His approach encourages me to move beyond replication, using color to express mood rather than strictly depict reality. In modern intimist painting, color often functions in a similar way, where palettes are carefully chosen to evoke a particular feeling rather than adhere to naturalistic representation. This has prompted me to experiment with more intuitive color choices, allowing emotion to dictate shifts in hue and saturation.
Henri Matisse, The Red Studio, 1911, oil on canvas, 181 x 219.1 cm (Museum of Modern Art, New York)
Composition : Antonia Showering
Composition in modern intimism often disrupts traditional spatial structures, reflecting how memory and emotion alter our perception of space. Antonia Showering exemplifies this through her layered compositions, where figures and environments merge in a way that mimics the way we recall the past.
Showering’s paintings often feature overlapping figures and indistinct settings, where multiple recollections coexist within a single image. This technique reflects the way memories are not always linear or neatly contained; they blur and fold into one another, creating a sense of movement between past and present.
One of the most compelling aspects of her work is her use of Pentimento, a painting technique where earlier layers remain visible beneath the surface. This allows different emotional states to exist simultaneously within the same composition, reinforcing the idea that memory is never static. Her color palette—rich with velvety reds, deep oranges, and muted greens—further amplifies the emotional weight of her work, creating an atmosphere that feels both intimate and immersive.
Showering’s unconventional use of perspective also challenges traditional spatial logic. In some of her paintings, distant objects are rendered with striking clarity, while foregrounded elements appear softer and more abstract. This reversal of depth creates an effect that mimics how memories are recalled—some details remain sharp and vivid, while others dissolve with time.
These ideas connect with “Revisiting Intimism: Private Life in the Public Eye,” which explores how intimist painters navigate the boundary between private experiences and public engagement. Showering’s work reflects this tension, as her compositions invite viewers into deeply personal spaces while maintaining an element of ambiguity. Her approach has influenced how I think about space and layering in my own work. Rather than adhering to strict compositional rules, I am beginning to explore how overlapping forms and shifting focus can create a sense of psychological depth, allowing multiple narratives to exist within a single frame.
Antonia Showering, Summoning, 2023, Oil on Canvas, 130 x 160
Antonia Showering, Sacrifice, 2021, oil on linen, 130 x130 cm
The boarder : Beatriz Santos & Junyi Lu
A critical element of modern intimism painting is the relationship between the painting’s image and its physical boundaries. Beatriz Santos has introduced a new perspective on this by extending her imagery onto the edges of her paintings, transforming the artwork into a three-dimensional object. By extending vibrant colors and patterns beyond the traditional confines of the canvas, she blurs the line between the painted image and the physical space around it. This approach invites the viewer to engage with the painting from multiple perspectives, not just from the front.
Santos’ innovative approach has inspired me to rethink the traditional boundaries of my own work. By incorporating the sides and edges of the painting into the composition, I can create a more immersive experience that engages the viewer with the painting in a more dynamic way. Junyi Lu, another artist whose work explores the relationship between image and boundary, also influences this thinking. Lu’s pieces often stretch the canvas beyond the traditional frame, adding depth and complexity to the artwork.
From their practices, I’ve learned that the borders of a painting are not mere limitations but integral components of the work itself. The way a painting is presented can alter its emotional and spatial impact, making it more interactive and engaging. In my future practice, I plan to experiment with this approach by extending my paintings onto the edges of the canvas, exploring how this can change the way the viewer interacts with the work and how it alters the narrative presence within the piece.
Beatriz Santos, Bow or Bone?, 2024, oil on canvas, acrylic on cardboard and found bow, dimensions variable (canvas 71 x 81 cm)
Beatriz Santos, The Catch-up, 2024, oil on canvas, acrylic and photocollage on papier mâché, 190 x 200 cm.
Junyi Lu, Grime, 2024, oil and watercolor on paper mounted on wood, wool, 21 x 29.3 x 4.6 cm
Intimism in my own practice
The exploration of modern intimism has greatly influenced my practice, particularly in how I think about the themes, color, composition, and presentation of my paintings. Learning from artists like Herbelin, Hachtmann, Matisse, Showering, Santos, and Lu has helped me see the potential of painting as a vehicle for exploring personal experience, memory, and emotional depth.
In particular, the work of Beatriz Santos has encouraged me to think beyond the flat surface of the canvas, to consider how the sides and edges of the painting can contribute to the overall emotional impact. Her use of color and the extension of the image beyond the boundaries of the frame have inspired me to experiment with a more immersive, dimensional approach. Similarly, Junyi Lu’s playful approach to borders has motivated me to challenge traditional notions of where a painting begins and ends. His use of the canvas itself as an integral part of the artwork, treating the frame as part of the narrative, encourages me to explore how the physicality of a painting can shape the emotional experience of the viewer. This blending of object and painting creates a dynamic interaction, urging me to think about how the borders of my own work could function in this way.
I’ve also been inspired by the materiality of Emma Rose Schwartz's work, where the layering of materials—such as pencils, color pastels, and charcoals on canvas—adds a tactile dimension that conveys both lightness and depth. This emphasis on the materials used to build the surface of the painting is something I would like to explore further in my practice. I see how the choice of material can enhance the emotional undertones of a piece, helping to build a connection between the viewer and the artwork.
Moving forward, I aim to incorporate these lessons into my practice, using color, composition, and the physical form of the painting to convey emotional states, memories, and moments of intimacy. Modern intimism is not only about depicting quiet moments; it’s about capturing the emotional essence of those moments, creating works that invite the viewer into an intimate space of personal reflection. By pushing the boundaries of the canvas and experimenting with materiality, I hope to create paintings that are not just seen, but felt.
Bibliography:
Garb, T. (1993). Everyday intimacies in French modernism. Representations, 12, 81-104.
Kuenzli, K. (2008). Intimacy and the arts of the Nabis. The Art Bulletin, 90(3), 415-431. https://doi.org/10.1080/00043140802273788
Levine, S. Z. (1997). The domestic sublime: Vuillard and Bonnard. The Art Bulletin, 79(1), 121-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/00043079.1997.10786610
Pigeat, A. (2021). Nathanaëlle Herbelin: A portrait of intimacy and melancholy. Contemporary Art Review, 32(4), 27-33.
Parsons, S. (2020). Intimacy in contemporary art. Afterall Journal, 55, 35-48.
Rose Schwartz, E. (2024). Emma Rose Schwartz: Materiality and emotion in contemporary art. Exhibition catalogue. Brunette Coleman Gallery.
Santos, B. (2022). Bordering the canvas: Color, form, and immersion in contemporary painting. Interview with Art Forum.https://artforum.com/interviews/beatriz-santos
Lu, J. (2021). Expanding the canvas: Playing with borders and framing. Painting Today, 28, 76-89.
Matisse, H. (1995). Matisse on art (J. Flam, Ed.). University of California Press.
Showering, A. (2020). Pentimento and memory: Recollections in painting. New
Liu Peng and contemporary intimism: Drawing emotion from the everyday. Asian Art Platform. (2024, October 14). https://asianartplatform.com/liu-peng-and-contemporary-intimism-drawing-emotion-from-the-everyday/
Olsen, A. (2024, August 12). Intimism Revival: A new generation of artists inspired by intimate interiors. Artnet News. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/contemporary-intimism-painting-2521069