Andare, Partire, Tornare
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Gainsborough
I had a nice entry typed out about the Medici and Gainsborough, but since I idiotically lost it, you guys don't get the Medici stuff. So sorry. Because I know my readers crave long stories and boring lecturing about people only geeky historians care about. I'm making the big loser "L" on my forehead even as I type. (Well, no - not really. I need both hands to type. But preserve the mental image, if you would.
So you guys get Gainsborough. Here's one of my favorites: The Linley Sisters.
The image quality isn't the best, but I just saw this in person and it is gorgeous. Gainsborough worked on large canvases, so picture yourself staring up at these two incredibly self-posessed young ladies, one of whom is regarding you with a face full of mischief.
Sadly, one of these two ladies married and was required by her husband to forgo singing in public despite her popularity. Apparently the marriage was very unhappy, and Gainsborough captured that when he painted her portrait later in life.
2:15 p.m. - 2003-04-25
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