Simon of Stuck-in-a-Book posed an interesting query recently. I found the idea intriguing yet overwhelming. I spent two years in art school, worked in an art gallery and a museum, and was a semi-starving artist for a little while. I have so many pictures and artists in my head; but which image was the image of myself as a reader? I kept thinking about this, and it just simmered on the back burner for a week or more. Then I was
here, at the glittering burn, and saw the Hodgkin painting, and said "maybe that's it?" But not quite, or not entirely. The Bonnard painting of his wife in the bathtub (imagine posing for
that) had popped into my mind; it was starting to come together, because Hodgkin's work derives from Bonnard. A little more poking around, and I came up with this combination. The joyous urgency of the Hodgkin, the sheer sensuality and vibrancy of the painting--that is attentive reading. And the Bonnard, with interior and exterior captured in one scene, flowing one into the other, the woman half in the world of nature, half in the world of home--lovely. That is reading, too: flowing loosely from one world to another, an interior world and an exterior world, the world of the book, the world of the mind.
11 comments:
ooo, that is a clever one. Interesting that are an artist-- how did you happen to end up teaching lit and not art?
Lesa, I have gone back and forth between literature and art my whole life. I studied art, and then found I missed books. I studied literature, and missed my paints! I have considered getting certified to teach art (even found out what I would have to do). The thought of not grading papers! But in this economy, the arts are the first discipline to be cut, so I stay right where I am! Future career: art critic?
I love this idea! I'm going to search for some artworks that I think represent me as a reader.
This is lovely. I love the idea of reading of moving from one world to the next.
as* moving
I think that this is my favourite response to Stuck In A Book's challenge so far! I like Bonnard too and love the way that you have used the two paintings to describe your feelings about reading.
The visceral feeling that I get from the Hogkin is very similar to the way I feel when in the grip of a great book.
...and thank you for mentioning my blog!
I really love the second painting. Thanks for sharing it...
Lovely post! I think Bonnard was the first painter whose work I went to see at a museum. Wonderful. I'm going to see if I can come up with something to post too.
That domestic scene is such a beautiful, interesting picture - great choice!
For all who were interested in this post idea, Simon of Stuck-in-a-Book has a new post with links to the numerous responses to the picture idea, along with reproductions of the many pictures posted. Great idea that really took off!
Post a Comment