MovieChat Forums > Un coeur en hiver (1993) Discussion > Art and craft

Art and craft

posted 17 years ago by colbec
7 replies | jump to latest

One element in this movie that has not received a lot of attention is the exploration of the difference between art and craft. And for those who know the movie you will be aware that by art I mean Camille and craft is Stéphane. And I use the words art and craft in their positive senses.

The movie explains that S. started out wanting to be a performer but did not like the sounds he made. C. knows when her violin is not sounding right, but it takes the equally unique craftsman to resolve the problem.

Camille is able to launch herself into space without regard for consequences. This is what gives her the 'tempérament' noted by Lachaume, which enables her to excel as a top performer. On the other hand Stephane is more solidly rooted, unable to convey to others his emotion which disqualifies him as a performer and artist. However his ability to remain grounded enables him to dispassionately, but caringly, help his friend end his life.

We tend to regard art as more admirable than craft, perhaps because it requires a rare personality. But clearly they are just different branches of the same extension of the human condition. Anyone else think the difference between art and craft is relevant here?

[–] Frank_Z 17 years ago

Camille is able to launch herself into space without regard for consequences. This is what gives her the 'tempérament' noted by Lachaume, which enables her to excel as a top performer. On the other hand Stephane is more solidly rooted, unable to convey to others his emotion which disqualifies him as a performer and artist. However his ability to remain grounded enables him to dispassionately, but caringly, help his friend end his life.

Thank you for this insight. You have hit upon something that now seems so apparent. So to ramble on, Camille wants something from Stephane that he cannot give. That is: the passion of the artist. Whatever relationship he is in, he can give the craftsman's touch, making sure the mechanical things work well; and in social situations dealing with protocol and manners.

The parts were worked out with Stephane and Maxim, until Camille came in and upset the balance.

This is really making me think about this film again!

[–] circus14 16 years ago

I like your analysis but i would disagree with your observation that the artist's personality is rare -implying that the craftsman's isn't?

Stephane's intensity in what he does is rare what he lacks is the ability to place feeling beyond thought, which is why he is so confused with his feelings for Camille and for Maxime, he has to reflect on how losing them affects him to realize what he feels for them .

I think the reason that Stephane isn't able to become an artist or to participate in the argument they have during the dinner in the country is that he does not commit to things that might be inaccurate, relative. He enjoys his work because he can do it just right and there is need for accuracy instead of relativity but in art everything is relative, it is not possible to find the one definite and indisputable interpretation and that must have been very frustrating for such a perfectionist as him.

---I don't know enough to be incompetent.---

[–] zurichpoet 15 years ago

Both of them are the same.
Both serve art, but are not artists.
Both are performers.

She performs other people’s music; what was handed down to her, art’s tradition.
He performs the tradition of his craft.

People mistake her performances as being full of emotion.
But she herself does not feel a thing.
While he looks like he is full of restraint, craft, a passion in his work.
He’s simply as unimaginative as she is passionless.
He’s not restraining anything. Nothing is there.
The love shared is that both see themselves in the other and what they are missing in life. It has nothing to do with the "person".
But neither is willing out of fear to admit their falseness.

[–] circus14 15 years ago

zurichpoet, I liked your interpretation a lot. I think you might have something there saying that she is passionless but why do you call Stephan unimaginative?

I am not sure I agree here, I would agree that he was wary of unpredictability, but does that make him unimaginative?

---I don't know enough to be incompetent.---

[–] zurichpoet 15 years ago

Antoine de Saint-Exupery said: Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.

What outward direction are they gazing at together?
You can ONLY do that when both people admit who they are.

The woman is hot for the tuner and biz man as she has to decide if her gaze is $ or art.

But she’s the real victim as both men claim to be gazing towards art when both of them are gazing towards $ (hence why both men go at each other). Why they really "love" her.

All of these "hearts" are in winter, as the don’t know their own gaze.
Saddest of all.

Notice how the real attraction is built on the distanced gaze, not knowing…

[–] zurichpoet 15 years ago

If he was really in love with her, he would be in love with her sound or it would foster a new comprehension as to his imagination. That’s now I’ve known it in life. One taught me how to hear sunshine, one taught me how to hear past middle C, and now one is teaching me, I don’t know, I’ve never heard this sound before, it’s like the most intense bass line ever, but delicate.

The oddest thing, is the respectively these sounds I hear are the total opposite as to what they appear to be and what everyone says they are, the one that taught how to hear sunshine was really dark, cynical and mean from what everyone said; the one who taught me how to hear past middle C in a really delicate way was from what it looked, brash and bold; and now the only teaching me how to hear a bass line is the from the surface the most “proper” person around.

[–] gregcarman 9 years ago

Another great post, inspired by this truly great film. The craft of English prose elucidating the art of filmmaking.