Contrivance.
I wish thee to see her
in dignified shades.
Portraits sans beauty
frighten a Lady.
Paint her ambitious
and thou judge her wrong.
Pencil her jealous,
thy neck might get strung.
Crayon her wistful
and that will not not fit.
Pastel her ugly
and thou wilt regret it.
Draw her romantic
and thou getteth near.
Colour her love
and thou need not fear.
Patrons commisioned
by sly contrivance.
Artists found favour
if they painted wisely.
-
Author:
Fay Slimm. (
Offline) - Published: August 10th, 2020 02:19
- Comment from author about the poem: An imagined archaic exchange in this fun-verse on the fact that an accepted portrait commission in those days meant a patron controlled the picture and painting was a dangerous business.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 40
Offline)
Comments7
Yes, and sometimes the Patron appeared was painted small in a corner of the picture, and maybe even his/her little dog appeared too!
So true Orchi - - and sometimes the artist would not do as he was bid - so no purchase money came his way............. strange days eh ?
Ahh, the cheque was not in the post for the artist then!
Perfectly penned & complete a little masterpiece of poetic ink well applied and truer than truth I might add.... there aint nothing rough sketched about this un......... N x
Ooooh thank yu for the kind compliment mine Sire -- So the message got through that they archaic patrons who, drenched in wealth had a passion for beautiful portraits of ladies whether pretty or not - - and by controlling the artist made sure they got em - - not so today though with snap-happy cameras to record the lie eh ?........................x
you have such a wide range in styles and tone,
another insightful and engaging write
My grateful thanks L.B. - pleased you enjoyed my take on Contrivance.
Oh my, it's as if you had sourced the truth of why mother-in-law hated cameras. (But she would have loved photoshop).
I can't help but draw a comparison within my anti sectarian opinions of similarly exhibited behaviour.
A devilish poke at the falseness of paid for reality from you today. I'm sure somewhere i have seen a portrait of samuel pepys complete with pox complexion, warts and all but one wonders if this was indeed 'prettied up' for reward.
Yes there appears much in the "paid-for reality" portraiture in days gone by - many of the so-called beauties were often touched with magic by painters' brushes. Many thanks for your interesting comment my friend.
I really enjoyed this Faye. Thanks for sharing 😊
Thank you Sylvia - - glad you enjoyed my little verse.
Good Evening FAY ! Its very hard for BRIAN & I - having been born in the Digital Age (1980s) to imagine a *Time before the Camera & Selfies etc etc* ! One had to rich to commission a Portrait for Oneself or ones Lady - consequently to get value for money one would want a *PHOTOSHOP* Portrait and not *WARTS & ALL* Thanks for an interesting ODE on an almost lost Art ! Richard Stone is an Essex Man & has been commissioned to paint some excellent Royal Poertraits and has captured the essence of both the Queen Mother & Elizabeth II ! In post-camera art I douby if any Lady would want to be painted by Picasso or Dali ! The piantings of the American First Ladies in the Long Gallery in the White House are very famous and have captured their ESSENCE !
Blessings & Joy & Peace & Love
Angela & Brian & Smokey Cat ! ! !
Please check Todays Poem & Our
latest FUSION to which it refers ~ Thanks !
Those commissions can tell both truths and untruths but if the artist is true to their art they will paint what they see.
Good write Fay and showing that untruths can be seen in art if money is involved.
Andy
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