The Met descibes Spring as Cephas Giovanni Thompson’s finest work. He also has a companion piece, entitled Autumn. Thompson’s Spring portrait is a misty romantic and sentimental piece, which got me thinking romantically, and sentimentally. It seems to me the…
ekphrastic
Nightcap – A Poem
There’s something cheeky about this trompe l’oeil painting, that seems to suggest someone’s raided the pantry for a little nightcap. From the Art Institute Chicago description: “In Just Dessert, the exotic clashes with the quotidian—Maraschino liqueur, half a coconut, and Smyrna figs…
Madame Tallien as a Compote Bowl – A Poem
The 19th Century loved a good compote. These serving dishes on pedestals were used for fruit, sweets, candy, or other foods, and were often the centrepiece on a table. I was struck by the design of Roesen’s compote, particularly the…
Masquerade Ball at the Ritz – A Poem
If you click on the source link in the caption below, you’ll get a chance to see this incredibly detailed painting up close. Madrazo painted many scenes of Parisian nightlife in the late 19th and early 20th century, always with…
Still Life with Silver Cake Basket – A Poem
The artist here, John F. Francis, was a portrait painter until his 40s, when he turned to still lifes. He soon began painting still lifes exclusively, usually lunch or dessert scenes. He was also known for his attention to detail….
Struggling To Be Seen – A Poem
According to Art Institute Chicago, Cézanne painted over “at least three other pieces of fruit (presumably oranges) at lower left and near the vase attest to the artist’s changing opinion as he struggled to make the arrangement work“. You can…
Migrant Mother – A Poem
It’s funny what we remember, and how memory is triggered. In this case, by a soup bowl. More of my ekphrastic poems can be found here. More on the huitain form here. Migrant Mother My mother made me drink pea…
Still Life with Mustard Pot – A Poem
Mustard goes back thousands of years, with references in ancient Indian, Sumerian, Greek and Roman texts, and in the Bible. If you’re a mustard fan, here’s a brief history and a summary of different mustard types. I was struck by…
Break The Cycle – A Poem
The Art Institute Chicago tells us that this painting is from a much larger portrait of a family that Manet decided to cut into sections. La Régalade means “to pour liquid from a bottle down the throat without touching the…
Woman and Child at the Well – A Poem
Part of what appealed to me about this painting was the Art Institute Chicago description: Woman and Child at the Well is one of a series of works depicting peasant girls taking a break from their chores, their poses and…
An Easter Haiku
I don’t know what it was about this boy’s face that caught my eye. Or maybe it was the apple on the floor? The half-eaten cake? That gesture which seems to declare, “Mine!”. I just tried to have fun with…
Once, a Challenge – A Poem
(UPDATE: Speaking of Magritte, was fascinated to see one of his paintings “L’empire des lumières” sold for a record $US121 million in November, 2024. Was also fascinated to see that it was part of a PRIVATE collection.) It seems to…
