Set in 18th-century Brittany, the film follows Marianne, a painter commissioned to secretly paint a wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young aristocrat who has refused to pose for previous artists. The Concept of the Gaze:
The film moves beyond traditional romance by establishing an equality of looking. As Marianne observes Héloïse to paint her, Héloïse observes Marianne in return, subverting the historically one-directional "male gaze". Pacing and Atmosphere: Portrait Of A Lady On Fire
The most explicit visual metaphor for this subversion occurs when the two women sit at a table, and Marianne explains the difference between a "vulnerable" gesture (hands clasped) and a "permitting" one (hands open). The act of being seen becomes an act of volition. Set in 18th-century Brittany, the film follows Marianne,