Human consumption of oysters dates back to prehistoric times. The oyster then moves through a period of delicacy in Ancient Rome, back to being poor people’s food in Medieval Europe, a boom period during the 19th century, and back to…
writing
Two Bunches of Grapes for Wine Lovers – A Poem
For those who like a glass of wine, becoming a vigneron is a rose-tinted-glasses dream. I don’t know if that’s what Andrew John Henry Way was thinking when he painted Two Bunches of Grapes. But it’s certainly what I thought…
Gooseberries – A Poem
The gooseberries in this still life seem to leap off the canvas. It’s no wonder the artist, George Forster, was credited with making the gooseberry a popular still life subject. I was interested in Forster’s particular choice of fruit, too….
The Baker’s Cart – A Poem
This painting was unusual for its time for several reasons. The painter, Jean Michelin, was most certainly not commissioned to paint this, as he would have been were the family wealthy, nor were there any guarantees he could sell a…
Distelfink – A Poem
The translation for “distelfink” is literally thistle finch. This stylized bird of Pennysylvania folk art is a symbol of good luck and happiness. The Public Domain Review has a good article here about Fraktur folk art and the distelfink’s role…
Master of the House – A Poem
Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables” was published in 1862. The Siege of Paris occurred from 1870 – 1871. This painting is dated 1875. Les Misérables the musical premiered in 1980 in Paris. I had a little fun trying put them all…
Watermelon 1597 – A Poem
The original phrases in the poem here date back to 1597 and John Gerard’s The Herball or, Generall historie of plantes. The Herball was revised in a later publication of 1633 which is my main source document. You can see…
In Service to Chocolate – A Poem
French King Louis Philippe I (1773–1850) commissioned this ornate service for his Queen Marie-Amélie (1782–1866). It was manufactured in 1836, six years after the Second French (July) Revolution (when Charles X was ousted, and Louis Philippe was proclaimed king). And…
Sweetmeats – A Poem
In earlier centuries, “sweetmeats” was a broad term encompassing a variety of sweets including cakes, puddings, candied fruit and seeds, and preserves. Samuel Pepys, in his 17th century diary, spent a nice amount of time visiting people and eating their…
Self-Taught Artist – A Poem
For women, professional art school was out of the reach until relatively recently. Painting and drawing, however, were considered basic accomplishments for the well-bred Victorian lady. If you had the money you took lessons or engaged a teacher. For a…
Cézanne’s Model – A Poem
My inspiration for this poem came from The Met description of Dish of Apples. The Met pointed out that the napkin in this painting is shaped like Mont Sante-Victorie near Aix-en-Provence in southern France. Cézanne’s father had a house in…
Blackberries – A Poem
The internet is divided on the name of the painter here. The National Gallery of Art and Christie’s call him “Carducius”, but he is referred to as “Cadurcis” here, and by the Illinois Historical Art Project. Wikipedia uses both, as…
