It is almost possible to suggest that none of Paul Klee's paintings were ever 'the finished article'. All the way through his painting life his works demonstrate a continuing search on his part for just the right balance between line and shape and colour and composition. Here is a mysterious beauty which I have hanging on my wall - but alas, not the original! (The blue markings in the bottom corner are, I think, a security device by the poster company to stop reproductions)
And next we have another of those Anglo-American society beauties who John Singer Sargent painted not only so well but so shrewdly because he must have earned a fortune from it! This is Mrs. Waldorf Astor (Nancy Langhorne) - ain't she gorgeous? And look at the way Sargent has painted that dress. I could look at her for ever.
.jpg "Mrs. Waldorf Astor (Nancy Langhorne) - John Singer Sargent - www.johnsingersargent.org")
Finally, here are some from Ben Shahn who was a terrible old Leftie but a very fine illustrator. The first seems to be a record cover using one of his famous paintings called 'Handball' and the origianl work is below it:
And the last one has been a favourite of mine for years. It's called 'Liberation' and neatly and joyously shows the paradox of Europe after the war with the irrepressible playfulness of children amongst the wreckage that was reality.
Right, that's enough culture for today - now get on with your work!
Aha, good old Nancy Astor. What a spirited woman she was, and the first woman to take her seat as an MP; the first being Countess Markiewicz, who was Sinn Fein and thus refused to take the oath of allegiance.
My early career was in publishing, ad we published the memoirs of Nancy Astor's maid: 'Rose. My Life in Service'. She was alovely old dear, and full of anecdotes about gilded society life.
Posted by: Webwrights | Friday, 09 March 2012 at 17:57
Mrs. Astor's is indeed a remarkable portrait. At first glance it looks to be a record of social position and wealth. Then we see the pose and the expression and the body beneath the yards of fabric (well, men do, anyway!) and we realise that she knows things that women in those days presumably didn't talk about. I wonder if such portraits made the husbands proud, or a little bit jealous?
Posted by: Whyaxye | Friday, 09 March 2012 at 20:54
'Webrights', that old maid could have earned a fortune these days as an advisor to all these TV shows attempting to show us how it was in 'those days'.
'W', you're becoming over-excited again, calm down ,dear, or Mrs. 'W' will have to be informed!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 11 March 2012 at 10:24