– Dolores del Rio
Cleopatra Flesh
1962
Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
8′ 8″ x 7′ 6″ (264.2 x 228.3 cm)
MOMA
John Ford, film director, Bel Air, California
April 11, 1972
Pieter de Hooch (1629–after 1684)
Title Interior with Women beside a Linen Chest
1663
oil on canvas
Height: 70 cm (27.6 in). Width: 75.5 cm (29.7 in).
Cable Car, San Francisco, 1956
The Four Sons,’ 1934, from The Passover Haggadah.
Robbins Family Collection, Palo Alto, California
“I’m a rather unreliable human being. As a traveling companion I don’t recommend myself —I’m too much of a menace. I’m not much company because when the evening descends I usually disappear. I wouldn’t have breakfast with you, either. Lunch and the whole day, but no morning and no evening. If you think you’re going to have company all day I may as well tell you now, you’re not. You’d be saying, “Hell, what do I do all day by myself?” So I don’t recommend myself. It’s not too good to go with maniacs.”
—Greta Garbo
Untitled
2004
Oil on paper
59 1/2 x 45″ (151.1 x 114.3 cm)
MOMA
Brigitte Bardot
January 1959
The Bedroom
1658-1660
51 cm × 60 cm (20 in × 24 in)
Location National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Sunny Harnett in Paris, 1954.
“I have always thought I will go on acting and acting and acting because I belong to these people of the theatre and the movies and the make-believe world we create… After all, they always need an old witch in some production or other, especially around Christmas time. So at the end of my life, I’ll be ready and there.”
—Ingrid Bergman
Sea Grasses and Blue Sea
1958
Oil on canvas
60 1/8″ x 6′ 3/8″ (152.7 x 183.7 cm)
MOMA
Montreal, Sept. 2017
A Woman with a Child in a Pantry
1658
65 cm × 60.5 cm (26 in × 23.8 in)
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
“Slanting Rain”
From the Miniature Calendar series
Arsenal of Democracy,’ also known as ‘Democracy at Work,’ 1942.
Property of a Private Collector, New York.
Arthur Szyk’s work is fascinating. There’s a whole world of social commentary in “The Four Sons.” It’s a style that seems to have absolutely no equivalent in contemporary art, commercial or fine.
My former shul in NJ had a full Arthur Szyk calendar made for 5778. I have selected a couple of the pieces to frame for my walls. Very distinctive style.
I noticed in the de Hooch paintings that the Dutch at that time seemed to love geometric patterns in their decor. they’re everywhere.
“Too many divorces for so small a town. But then you mustn’t forget that Hollywood is a hard place to be happy unless you’re so absorbed in your work that you haven’t time to get into mischief. I do believe what I say when I tell you that no married person should leave husband or wife alone in Hollywood. There’s too much temptation. Think of all the charming, intelligent people out there.”
– Dolores del Rio
Not to mention lecherous studio heads.
BTW Robert – I like to watch old Johnny Carson shows (is there any other kind?) and a fascinating one was with Elizabeth Taylor, just a few weeks before his show ended in 1992. She learned at an early age with Louis B Mayer that she was a commodity and not a person.
Starts at 13:15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHgaRSegbK0&t=84s
Bill, of course she was a commodity as were her colleagues. An actor who is not works in Indianapolis. The big bucks are her compensation, and a pretty fair trade off.
The “Bette Davis doll” looks like Kathryn Hepburn.
Robert, I found myself looking at that photograph of a stunning Ingrid Bergman, and it occurred to me to ask: What’s your favorite Hollywood film that deliberately picked very ordinary-looking actors for its lead roles?
That look-through-the-eyebrows Bacall perfected for “To Have and Have Not” became classic. The only male I can recall who did something like it for totally different reasons was David Janssen.
Couple of minor examples:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0418148/mediaviewer/rm644056064
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0418148/mediaviewer/rm560169984
Aaaah, I feel much better now. Yes, I did check if it was Friday.
I feel better to… getting back to my normal schedule.
Excellent, again! I’m not familiar with Peter de Hooch. Now I’m going to have to do some research!
Have a wonderful Sabbath and welcome home.
Peter de Hooch was a popular painter of domestic scenes. He has often been compared to Vermeer, but he does not come close to Vermeer’s genius with color and he lacks the transcendent mystery that elevates Vermeer to the pantheon of one of the greatest artists who ever lived. Have a great weekend. It’s good to be home.