—Ida Lupino
Oil on oak, 1143 × 902 mm
This is a fine example of a pregnancy portrait, a distinct sub-genre of British portraiture. More here.
From the Book “Paradise Street”, Balham, London, ca. 1961
Photo by David Fokos
—Jean Harlow
Bob and Betty’s Dream Home, California, 1927
The Princess Badroulbadour, 1908
Oil on canvas
1410 × 1194 mm
“This is a portrait of the artist’s three children in fancy dress. The subject is taken from the story ‘The History of Aladdin, or the Wonderful Lamp’ in The Arabian Nights.” More here.
—Clark Gable
“Rusty Strokes”
Acrylic on canvas
20 in. x 20 in., 2019
Rose, 2019
On the ’66 GTO – my cousin had one – that thing was amazing…in a straight line. Stomp on the accelerator in 1st gear (it was a 4 speed, of course!) and you’d see 2 black lines in the rear view mirror for 100 yards or so. You could watch the needle on the gas gauge go down. The one to have was the 389 with the 3 2 barrel carburetors.
Anything Wright made that doesn’t look as good today as 60-100 years ago?
Poor Jean. And to die so young.
I like the Gable photo. Rich Lang was a roommate in college for a year. Gable gave him his Oscar for “It Happened One Night.” It sat on his desk in his ham radio “shack” behind his parents’ house.
I grew up in Chicago and several neighbors had houses designed by Wright. They were not big or particularly unusual. Probably early work. The gas station is interesting.
Myrna Loy is one of those women who got better looking as they aged.
We watched “Merrily We Live” last night. Brian Ahern got better looking as he got older. I love Constance Bennett. Too bad she died at only 60.
I read Leslie Caron’s book, “Thank Heaven” this week. She is 88 and still going. I would love to visit her auberge in Burgundy but my trips to France are over. She sold it in 2009 but ran it for 15 years.
I intended to comment about the Wright gas station. I have had the pleasure of touring 2 Wright houses. I loved his Usonian designs and his eye for detail. This filling station is… different. It feels cobbled together for me. I’m not sure I would say I dislike it, but I can’t say that I like it either.
Lastly, Happy St. Valentine’s Day!
Ida Lupino was right and yet it feels “uncommon” to hear such sensible talk from a celebrity.
I love the juxtaposition between Harlow and Gable. She reminds us that “Stardom” is largely a mirage of makeup and marketing, while he reminds us that not all successful actors are accomplished thespians.
With all due respect to your Brooklyn compadres, the 1970 Cherolette Chevelle SS with a 396 V8 is “the muscle car”. 🙂
Myrna, Myrna, Myrna… ah.
I am wondering if your recent canvases are going to fit together into a larger composition. I really like the way you created The Tribe, but I’m not able to visualize it yet.
I love Rick’s photo and the watch is beautiful, but unattainable (for me).
Lastly, I want to comment on the photo of Clark Gable. The framing of that photo is extraordinary. He is situated in an unusual position. The leaded window is a slightly imperfect background. It contrasts the stairway, with its remarkable wrought iron railing, which offers a a consistent pattern. Finally, there is the portrait in the lower left which contrasts the main subject. Very well framed.
Stay warm (as I type this, it is -5 degrees outside with a high of 15 predicted today) and have a wonderful weekend and a meaningful Shabbat everyone.
My paintings can be viewed individually, but are best when they are hung as a series. I think of them as individual film frames.