Ending my Gustave Caillebotte series with Young Man at His Window. There's something
powerfully masculine about this fully clothed male with his back to us that I can't
quite describe. I can't see his face, but I want to know him, and I envy
Mr. Caillebotte for being close enough to paint him.
Usually we rely heavily on someone's facial expression to convey a feeling or sense of who they are. How the heck did he do this with the model with his back to us. It's quite remarkable. I am surprised at how strongly this affects me.
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling.
DeleteAnd me. That stance does it all. I want to know him...A fab series. Although the Paris I know is only from the late 1960s, these have a similar vibe.
DeleteYes, it all starts with the stance.
DeleteSon frère René :)
ReplyDeleteFrom the balcony of their Paris house on the rue de Miromesnil.
Symbolique of social station and power, men of good fortune looking down on city from the balcony.
I knew he had a brother, but did not know he posed for this.
DeleteVery strong and very confident. The view of Paris in that period would have been extraordinary. The perfect setting for a clandestine encounter.
ReplyDeleteThe architecture is still there, and it manages to be consistent without being bland. I'm sure there were lots of clandestine encounters.
DeleteI found all of your postings today very interesting. It surprises me to say this In a great way. I hope that you will post more very soon..
ReplyDeleteIn a few weeks.
DeleteGreat series! To my mind, most of these men share a vitality, accentuated by their poses (in the very middle of performing the most banal actions—mid-stride, mid-row, mid-taking a deep breath—that I would call a "readiness" for living. They are all moving forward into life, and your selection here really highlights the artist's amazing talent for heightening the "now-ness" of the impressionist vision with this unique sense of vitality.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment and your thoughtful comment. I agree completely.
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