Scene du Jardin
Scene du Jardin, oil on canvas, 1911
Henri Manguin, (French, 1874-1949)
Gift of Phoebe Gibson, 1975 (2397.16)
Responses from Visitors, 2009
A little girl and her Mother sit in the garden together enjoying the summer afternoon, tea and a lovely talk. The Mother pauses to notice a few rocks that the daughter has placed in her apron. They sit together admiring, and discussing the beauty of the rocks, the day, their lives....all in the present moment.
—Amanda Lynn, Age: 28, Orofino, Idaho, July 31, 2009 at 12:58 PM
She is sitting in the garden with her daughter. They are talking about that it is almost her birthday and what she wants. She wants homemade decorations for her party.
—Kaylee, Age: 8, Spokane, WA, July 25, 2009 at 3:25 PM
One bright and sunny afternoon, a mother took her daughter out for a little picknick. They lived in New York and were strolling through the back till they came apon this table. So they sit down and start to enjoy their meal together. They young kid and the mother talked for hours and hours, just enjoying the wonderful day out with the birds chirpping and the butterflies gliding around. They talked and talked till the sun couldnt penetrate the thick lucious trees anymore. So they pack up their lunch and start to get up from the table. The little girl didnt want to go, she loved the peaceful, solem enviorment.. She began to pout, but the mother consulted her and told her that they will be back every sunday. That put a little smile on the girls face, and so they both walked back home happy.
—Basketball21, Age: 17, Moses Lake Wa, June 11, 2009 at 12:26 AM
In this artwork, the mother and her daughter are enjoying lunch in a yard. The girl finds a bug on the ground that catches her attention. Her mother looks down to see what interests her daughter, and sees the bug. The girl smashes the bug by accident and her mother is now trying to comfort her because she is very sad.
—PrincessOfDarkness, Age: 15, Moses Lake WA, June 4, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Mother has been enjoying tea while her child played in the garden. Mother leans over with interest to see what garden treasures her child has found today. Every time the child visits the garden she finds something new to show her mother.
—Kathryn, Age: adult, Coulee Dam, Wa., May 22, 2009 at 6:59 AM
When I was younger I walked home from school everyday. The walk was long but I didn't mind because I got to walk through the park and it was beautiful. Every day at the same time, at the same place there was a woman sitting at a table drinking tea. She always wore the same hat and beautiful, elaborate dresses. After months of walking past her and wondering why she was alone I got up the courage to say hello. She asked my name and invited me to have tea with her. So for the past 5 years I have enjoyed this wonderful outing every day.
—jessica17, Age: 17, Moses Lake/ Washington, May 7, 2009 at 12:11 PM
What I think the artist is thinking of is a mother is telling her daughter the rights of passage to becoming a women. Also the little girl is trying to listen intently but being a little girl she is daydreaming and looking around the world to see new things. They are relaxing outside drinking tea on a nice sunny day but they are in the shades of the trees speaking of what mothers say to their daughters. In my opinion this is just a mother to daughter talk with no men just a girls day out.
—mother to daughter, Age: 17, Moses Lake WA, May 1, 2009 at 1:58 PM
my mothers scolding of today was the worst i had had. we went out for tea in the garden like usual but then i did what i should have not. i bow my head in shame as i try to hide my tears. i try to be a lady but i don't know if i can. i listen to my mothers scold as if it is the last thing that i will hear. and in a way that makes her disapointment so much worse than what she ment it to be. i love my mother but not when she scolds. it hurts me inside.
—dem, Age: 18, moses lake, WA, May 1, 2009 at 1:58 PM
Nicole and her mother were sitting outside in her mothers beautiful backyard. Enjoying a nice cup of tea together on a cool spring day. Nicole's mother starts to look around and thinks to herself on how greatful she is to have a young, healthy, beautiful little girl. She tells Nicole that she is happy that she can spend this time together.
—purple girl, Age: 17, moses lake wa, May 1, 2009 at 1:56 PM
A mother call her daughter outside so she could talk to her about something she had done earlyer that day. So the little girl came outside to her mother and sat down on the stool right next to her., Then the mother asked her if she had ran through the flower garden and she said no mother then the mother looked down and asked her why her shose were all muddy and she said because she was trying to take the monsters out of the garden and the mother asked what monsters and she said the little pink ones with no legs and she said o the worms and she said yes! and she said itz ok you can leave them there.
—Princess Vela, Age: 16, moses lake, May 1, 2009 at 12:04 PM
once there was a young lady that was madly in love with a very handsom man. The man was called way to war and the young lady sat and waited for him to return. Almost 5 years had past and the man had still not returned. The young lady was loosing hope and her heart was longing for his love. after another year had past she went into a deep depression and sat alone in her garden waiting for her lover to return.
—shimmie, Age: 100, moses lake, May 1, 2009 at 11:52 AM
A mother and daughter are enjoying a lovely lunch together out in their courtyard. The skies are blue and its sunny out they are both enjoying their lunch, the little girl is looking at the ground that is below her.
—high school student, Age: 18, Moses Lake, WA, May 1, 2009 at 11:51 AM
A woman with her small daughter. Reminiscing on a time long ago when she herself was a young girl. remembering of the times she had with her friends, and with her mom. She seems happy, looking down at her daughter, who glances up, smiling, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
—Scimish, Age: 16, Moses Lake, washington, May 1, 2009 at 8:15 AM
there once was a little girl, she was sitting with her mother at her tea party. she was sad because the tea party wasnt going right. her mom comforted her so they continues with the tea party like it was planned.
—Lynn, Age: 16, moses, May 1, 2009 at 8:07 AM
A woman is scolding her child because she always runs off and the mother is fearful of her daughter one day not returning home. Her daughter has a kindergarden crush that she is so eager to see, & her mother is greatly against it because she is the princess and this boy is not good enough for her standards.
—student22, Age: 16, moses lake, washington, May 1, 2009 at 8:01 AM
A small girl and a women are seated in a garden setting having tea. The child looks like she is unhappy and the woman (her mother?) is counseling her. Perhaps the child wishes she could go play but her mother doesn't want her to get dirty since they are both dressed up. Maybe the child is pouting and refusing to eat. The gray in the forground looks like a concreate wall and behind the figures are paths leading towards walls or a building or bars in the background. The child looks trapped beneath the very formally dressed woman hovering over her. I wish she could run away and play in the garden.
—Marilyn, Age: 57, Spokane, Washington, April 28, 2009 at 11:58 AM
A little girl and who I think is her Mother are in a courtyard garden - it looks like a courtyard because you don't see any open passage in the image (you see vegetation, walls, windows from a house). The girl and the woman are sitting by a table with food (bread? pie?) and tea (teapot, teacups). They are turned away from the table. The little girl is in a shorter chair that does not allow her to reach the top of the table while sitting. To me, it looks like the little girl may be upset about something. Her face is down and her arms are folded across her lap. The Mother is looking down at the girl. She looks comfortable and relaxed; her arm is draped across her lap, legs are crossed under her skirt. She looks to be comforting the little girl. Below them on the ground it looks like there could be a piece of pie. Perhaps the little girl dropped the pie and feels bad about this, and the mother is comforting her. The way the little girl looks, it makes me want to give her a big hug.
—Karen, Age: adult, Spokane, WA, April 24, 2009 at 12:01 PM
Eileen was praying with her mom. They had been having a tea party and they were feeling so lucky to be in such a beautiful garden. They wanted to pray to Heavenly Father to tell him thank you for the beautiful garden.
When they were done praying, they talked about all the different flowers. Eileen's favorite flowers were the lilies, especially the white ones. Her mom's favorites were the tulips. She loved the pink ones.
When they were all finished, they went back home. Eileen felt good the rest of the day. She was happy to have been with her mom.
—Ginger, Age: 5, Washington, April 8, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Could the woman be looking at her daughter and thinking of a time when she too was small and just beginning her journey into life? A time when everything was brand new and full of promise like the spring which appears to be unfolding all around them.
—Dorothy, Age: 50+, Idaho Falls, ID, April 8, 2009 at 2:05 PM