Filmed in black-and-white, Fernando Trueba’s The Artist and the Model was co-written with Jean-Claude Carrière whose many writing credits include Luis Bunuel’s Belle du Jour (1967), The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), Milos Forman’s Taking Off (1971) and Philip Kaufman’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) The film stars 83-year-old Jean Rochefort. You may not know the name, but to french filmgoers/watchers he’s instantly recognizable. Tall, with a regal air, and a mane of thick gray hair, Rochefort has appeared in over 100 films in a career that has spanned nearly six decades.

Though 1943 France is under German occupation, noted sculptor Marc Cros (Rochefort)  and his wife Lea (Claudia Cardinale) seem strangely unaffected by it all, even as soldiers traipse through the town square. Largely retired, Marc is proud of his talent, and not shy about name-dropping old acquaintances such as Matisse and Cézanne. Lea spots a beautiful young woman (Aida Folch) bathing herself in the fountain in the town square, and she invites the girl back to her home, with the express intent of presenting the girl to her husband as a potential model.

It’s fascinating to watch Marc relate to Mercè, a spirited woman in her 20s. She is fleeing a refugee camp; he is an artist who lost his inspiration—until now. He doesn’t see her as a sex object but as a young woman who epitomizes feminine beauty. He explores her every curve over several months, drawing countless sketches and exploring different lighting. Later, he explores her body in three-dimensional space by sculpting small clay models. Finally, he’s ready to chisel her into stone.

This slow paced tale of an aged artist whose vitality is briefly revitalized by a pretty young girl is convincing as an articulation of the unique relationship between artist and model. “Learn to look at things with attention,” Marc says to Mercè as he admires a drawing of Rembrandt’s, trying to teach her to look at things with a purpose; as art. The languid pacing may not suit everyone, but those who enjoy art will likely find something here to enjoy. Admittedly though, two underdeveloped subplots distract a bit from an otherwise delightful film.

Presented in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Cohen Media’s Blu-ray transfer is very nice. We get finely modulated gray scale and some brilliantly realized framings which capture a nice array of shadows and light. Black levels and contrast are excellent, which is very important for a film of this type. Depth is solid throughout, and there are no digital anomalies to be concerned about.

Though The Artist and the Model is “officially” a Spanish film, the spoken language here is actually French, delivered on this Blu-ray via a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Surround activity is essentially limited to ambient effects. Nonetheless, dialogue is clean and clear throughout.

English subtitles are available.

The following extras are included:

  • Interview with Director Fernando Trueba (HD, 4:30). Trueba is interviewed by critic Graham Fuller and gives some brief thoughts about the cast and the film.
  • Photo Gallery (HD)
  • Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:02)