Tableau vivant

Tableau vivant (plural: tableaux vivants) means "living picture". The term, borrowed from the French language, describes a group of suitably costumed actors or artist's models, carefully posed and often theatrically lit. Throughout the duration of the display, the people shown do not speak or move. The approach thus marries the art forms of the stage with those of painting or photography, and as such it has been of interest to modern photographers. The most recent heyday of the tableau vivant was the 19th century, with virtually nude tableaux vivants or poses plastiques providing a form of erotic entertainment.

Occasionally, a Mass was punctuated with short dramatic scenes and tableaux. They were a major feature of festivities for royal weddings, coronations and royal entries into cities. Often the actors imitated statues, much in the manner of modern street entertainers, but in larger groups, and mounted on elaborate temporary stands along the path of the main procession.

Tableau Vivant (Modern Family)

"Tableau Vivant" is the 23rd episode of the third season of the American sitcom Modern Family, and the series' 71st episode overall. It aired on May 16, 2012. The episode was written by Elaine Ko, Jeffrey Richman and Bill Wrubel, and directed by Gail Mancuso.

Plot

At the Dunphy's house no one seems to be able to sleep, each for their own reasons. Luke (Nolan Gould) cannot wait for the hero medal he is going to receive the next day at school because he put out a fire that he started, but no one knows that part except for Manny (Rico Rodriguez). Alex (Ariel Winter) is nervous about her art project in school because she wants to impress the art teacher who after a year he does not even know her name, which is something Alex does not face often with her teachers. Meanwhile, Phil (Ty Burrell) is trying to find a way to tell his brother-in-law, Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), that he is fired from his part-time job at the real estate agency.

The next morning Phil is going to Mitch's house to tell him about his dismissal while Mitch also tries to tell him that he does not want to continue working at the estate agency. Mitch bails out and does not say anything, and Phil believes that Mitch understood what he was trying to tell him, i.e. that Mitch was fired. When Mitch appears at the agency later, Phil, having no other choice, finally tells him. When Mitch tries to leave the office, the elevator breaks down with the doors partially open, though not enough for him to fit through. He is stuck in the elevator for two hours knowing he has been fired. The idea of losing his job does not sit well with him since, as he later explains to Cam (Eric Stonestreet), he has never been fired before in his life.