Wednesday 2 May 2007

A Man with a Pink -- Andrea Solario

See the picture.

‘What? All off? Broken up? Well really! What about this blessed portrait I’ve paid for… paid for half of. Really, the boy is too bad. Keeps changing his mind like a… like a... How could he? Didn’t even consult his old godfather that’s what I’m here for, but he didn’t say a word. Do you know, I had to find out about the engagement third hand? If it hadn’t been for that gossiping priest I might not have known until I got a wedding invitation.

‘Why’s he broken it off anyway? He always was a changeable creature even when he was tiny. Capricious. His mother fed him goat’s milk you know against my advice. I might add. That’s what goat’s milk does to children. Capriciousness. I should get them to put some goats in the background to remind him of how changeable and stubborn he is.

‘Why did he break it off? His father? His father broke it off? Whatever for? Speak up! Don’t mutter. Really? An innkeeper’s daughter? Why didn’t you say so? Someone should have told me right at the start. Well I suppose we should be thankful.

‘He should have come to his old godfather for advice. I could have told him right from the start.

‘Well, yes, I suppose I am. As paintings go, it's not a bad one. Have you been to see it?

‘I suppose I can ask Master Solario to paint out the pink and… Dash it all, I’m going to leave it and present it to the boy when he really does get engaged.’

4 comments:

Christine Borne said...

I'm curious...are you going to go to the National Gallery every week?

I've never been very good at looking at paintings and being able to make up stories behind them, but this looks like fun. Maybe I should look at something else, though...buildings, perhaps? Or articles of clothing in vintage stores....

Clare said...

Hi Christine

I did them all in advance -- it took about six trips.

That's probably against the freshness rule of blog writing, but I was aiming to produce entries of consistent quality each week, and doing it all in advance was the only way I could achieve this.

Unknown said...

This is a good idea. I have often thought that we (and I include myself as a major sinner) don't look at pictures properly, or long enough. I have recently tried to do better. This will be an added incentive. Another incentive is Tom Lubbock's weekly analysis of a great picture (though not always a well known one) in the Independent on saturdays.

Anonymous said...

Clare: Nice blog! What a unique idea. I enjoyed reading this.