The Power of Art to Ignite Our Lives: Portrait of a Lady on Fire

I live in a world of complacent mediocrity, but most of the time I am oblivious until I encounter a piece of art such as Portrait of a Lady on Fire. A gorgeous film told through the eyes of an artist as she creates and observes art—every sort of art, paintings - yes - but also music, poetry, and womanhood.

This film does not rush along. It waits. It savors. It creates space for the layers to form, intertwine, and separate. While the four women featured live in a patriarchal 1770s France and the reality of women’s slavery and oppression looms about the edges, the women are central to the story. They create lives that are so much more than men and social status. 

The particular points that caused me to grip my chest and gasp or drop my arms and weep include how the film uses the imagery of fire to underscore the women’s anger. The scope of the picture often represented the painter, Marianne’s, perspective, and we see the world through her artist’s eyes as she tries to capture her subject, Heloise, and paint her without Heloise knowing. I don’t know that I’ve ever experienced the artist’s view captured so beautifully. 

I felt fully aligned with myself while watching—is this evidence of the power of art? It’s ability to help you align with your true self? I think yes. 

A mesmerizing tribute to artists and women—art created by women. 

French film with subtitles, currently available on Hulu. Contains difficult subject matter such as arranged marriages, suicide, and abortion.


Katherine Spearing MA, CTRC is the founder of Tears of Eden, a nonprofit supporting survivors of spiritual abuse and is a Certified Trauma Recovery Practitioner working primarily with clients who have survived cults, high-control environments, spiritual abuse, and sexual abuse. She also provides specialized trauma informed career coaching, as folks with trauma often need extra support for interviewing and networking. 

Katherine is the author of a historical romantic comedy, Hartfords, a novel that challenges gender roles in a patriarchal society that will appeal to fans of Jane Austen. Her next book on Spiritual Abuse addresses the survivor’s recovery journey, coming in 2025.

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