painting of the month

Cat Lying in Front of a Bouquet of Flowers -- Suzanne Valadon, 1919

Click here to read more about Suzanne, who apparently had such concern for her own cats that she gave them caviar on Fridays instead of meat, so that they could still be good and "Catholic."

man(et)'s best friend

I've always liked artist Edouard Manet (1832-1883) and so do many other people, of course -- and so did the French Impressionists, whom he had a great influence on and associated with during their mutual careers. Manet is well-known for painting Luncheon on the Grass, which really is quite a fascinating composition, along with the scandalous Olympia and many other works, but his simpler views of life are my favorites. Like his flowers or peaches or asparagus, and like the pictured fluff of a dog here (specifically Head of a Dog, 'Bob') -- Manet was so wonderfully talented with thick, sure brushstrokes and the smaller-focus pieces really show that genius off.

"There are no lines in nature, only areas of colour, one against another." (Edouard Manet)

old el dreams

"...where the flickering warning lamps burned, along the El's long boundaries, like vigil lamps guarding the constant boundaries of night...Till darkness brought her sleep again...switching her onto a nowhere train that curved and descended, softly and endlessly, out upon the vast roundhouse of old El dreams."

(Words) Nelson Algren -- The Man with The Golden Arm

(Art) John Sloan -- Six O'Clock, Winter