Does Your Mother Whistle?
I find the subject here fascinating. Mostly I try to imagine her in a spandex warm-up suit on a stairmaster at the gym, which is where she'd be if she were alive today. All those old time women looked ancient but weren't.
Can't you see this woman waiting on you at WalMart?
God, the repression in that era. To me, just the fact that she is facing sideways says the artist preferred not looking at her face.
TURN TO THE SIDE, MOM.
WELL, WHY CAN'T I LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD LIKE ONE OF SARGENT'S PORTRAITS?
BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THE CHEEKBONES FOR IT. KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, MOM?
WELL NO, NOT REALLY, JAMES.
JUST TRUST ME. ARE WE HAVING KIDNEYS FOR DINNER AGAIN?
They probably wouldn't have eaten that since they were Americans, but old James fancied himself a Brit so maybe they did.
Anyway, I'm looking at her hands gripping that hankie. Oh sonny boy, I'll do anything for you.
She also looks rather tall to me, a rangy thin woman who did without, scrimped and saved, made sacrifices. Her lips are pursed, another indication of tension, either that or dental problems.
DO I LOOK LIKE QUEEN VICTORIA YET?
When I read a Jane Austen book, or see one of the movies such as EMMA, I often wish I could live in that time period, but when I see a painting like this, I know the truth. Give me the present. I'll suffer through.
I sent off Groundhog Day never-ending relentless revisions of book formerly known as Victory to agent today. It's now called YOU CAN'T STAY FOR CHRISTMAS, which was not thought of by me but by a friend. If the book sells, I have to wash his car for the rest of his life, which seems harsh to me. But I love the title.
Be here now.
A bientot
love,becky
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