Chloé Zhao's Film 'Hamnet' Draws Parallels to Flemish Art Traditions

The film 'Hamnet,' directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao, explores visual connections to Flemish painting traditions. The article analyzes how Zhao's cinematic approach mirrors techniques and themes from Northern European art. The film's earthy, textured landscapes reflect the detailed natural observation praised by 16th-century art critic Vincenzo Giustiniani regarding Flemish painters. Characters William (Paul Mescal) and Agnes (Jessie Buckley) inhabit these environments in ways reminiscent of figures in Northern landscape paintings, appearing small against vast natural settings. The film shifts to domestic interior scenes employing chiaroscuro lighting techniques comparable to Rembrandt's 'Saint Matthew and the Angel' (1661). A pivotal moment involves the death of young Hamnet, with Agnes's grief evoking iconography of deposition scenes from Northern art, particularly works by Rogier van der Weyden. Jessie Buckley's performance as Agnes earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film's final section takes place at London's Globe Theatre, where Agnes discovers her husband has named his new tragedy 'Hamlet' after their deceased son. This theatrical setting creates visual parallels to Flemish depictions of village fairs with theatrical performances, such as those by Pieter Brueghel the Younger. The analysis positions Zhao's film as a contemporary exploration of visual traditions established by Flemish masters.