A short post today...no long essays of loss or longing. Instead, a couple of wonderful, whimsical works of art. I don't know much about them...I inherited them from my Great Aunt and Uncle, who traveled the world in the '50s and '60s. (If you can shed any light on the artists, I would be grateful! But in any case, I hope they bring a smile to your face, too!)
I call this charcoal painting "Monkey Joy." The label on the back reads "Lanka Framing Works, No. 113. Galle Road, Bambalapitiya." I've never heard of Bambalapitiya, but a quick web search shows that it's on the coast not far from Columbo, Sri Lanka. And Google Maps shows that the shop is (was?) across the street from Holy Family Convent. (As someone who remembers the old days of laboriously doing research in dusty 25-volume encyclopedias, it is nothing short of magic that I can be sitting here in the Midwest, see a label on the back of a picture, and 30 seconds later be looking at a satellite photo of that precise location half a world away!)I love the grumpy expression this fox is sporting, and the simple lines suggesting rocks and bushes. This watercolor on parchment is signed by "Inikumo, who was a Japanese artist who seems to have worked mostly in woodblocks.
Those monkeys look like a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteThis picture is in my bedroom, so it's one of the first things I see when I wake up. Writing about it and photographing it made me really pay attention to it for the first time in years. I saw details I had never before noticed.
ReplyDeleteFrankie, I loved the Bamboo and Bhikkus post. What a wonderful spirit your Aunt Fran and Uncle had! I have a soft corner for people who live in other countries and actually adopt the local way of life. Thank you for sharing their story and I hope you will write a lot more about them.
ReplyDeleteI walked Galle Street in 2004 before the Tsunami hit. I have no idea what condition the street is in now.
P.S. I love the premise of your blog!
ReplyDeleteSujatha, I'm so glad my aunt's spirit shows through my poor effort to describe her. She and my uncle had no children of their own, but had more children than anyone I've ever met--friends of all ages, from all backgrounds. I'll definitely be writing more about them. It's wonderful to discover your blog, too! Another essayist in a blogger's body (or vice versa?).
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ReplyDeleteI loved the paintings. "Monkey Joy" is such a fun, but styalized piece of art. Frame those for sure. I like your blog and plan to keep reading. Take care,
Nick James
Onward Bound
Thanks Nick. I can't believe I waited so long to join the blogosphere -- so many interesting people I otherwise would have known nothing about. I'll follow your audition with interest....
ReplyDeleteFrankie, I'll take either description happily! Thank you for reading my blog and leaving a lovely comment.
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely drawings. I can see why you would be fond of them. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSuggesting lines and bushes is a tactic well known by people who like to draw in order to make it look more subjective to some kind of audience.
ReplyDeleteHello, I do not agree with the previous commentator - not so simple
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