hi, LT! for some reason, I did not see this until Sat. morning......
the icon: that is "Girl in Blue" by the artist Edwin Harleston. Several months ago, I was reading a fascinating book called "Slaves in the Family" wherein a contemporary white man traces the history of the slaves that his family held as far back as the 1700's. Far from being what you might think, this is a loving attempt at a reparation of sorts. It's all very complicated, of course. I have stated it simplistically.
In any case, one of the groups of people he traced produced this wonderful painter, Edwin Harleston. I am not positive who the subject of the portrait was (probably a relative), but I remarked to Mechtild that this person reminds me of Frodo, somehow. There is a fierce intelligence here, also a sorrow of sorts, as though a young life had already been touched by sorrow. But I imagine that is not something unknown in those times, when people (and especially people of colour) had what we would certainly call 'difficult' lives. Read for yourself the bio of Elise, Edwin's wife (the bio devolves into mostly being about Edwin.....but what more typical *thing* could have happend?), and you will see true love and sheer tenacity at work.
http://www.usca.edu/aasc/EliseForrestHarleston.htm I have not been able to find "Blue Girl" in a collection at a museum, so I'm assuming it is likely held privately. Since I should love to have a copy of it, I may commission it done (when i have more money...heaven knows when that will be) by the lady who has done the three ME pictures I have, if she feels up to the job (portraits are not her strong suit).
take care! Since i am new at this icon stuff, i'll now just pick one from the group (there's just numbers there, i don't really know much about using this stuff...obviously), so this will be 'the mystery icon')
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Date: 2011-03-12 02:26 pm (UTC)the icon: that is "Girl in Blue" by the artist Edwin Harleston. Several months ago, I was reading a fascinating book called "Slaves in the Family" wherein a contemporary white man traces the history of the slaves that his family held as far back as the 1700's. Far from being what you might think, this is a loving attempt at a reparation of sorts. It's all very complicated, of course. I have stated it simplistically.
In any case, one of the groups of people he traced produced this wonderful painter, Edwin Harleston. I am not positive who the subject of the portrait was (probably a relative), but I remarked to Mechtild that this person reminds me of Frodo, somehow. There is a fierce intelligence here, also a sorrow of sorts, as though a young life had already been touched by sorrow. But I imagine that is not something unknown in those times, when people (and especially people of colour) had what we would certainly call 'difficult' lives. Read for yourself the bio of Elise, Edwin's wife (the bio devolves into mostly being about Edwin.....but what more typical *thing* could have happend?), and you will see true love and sheer tenacity at work.
http://www.usca.edu/aasc/EliseForrestHarleston.htm
I have not been able to find "Blue Girl" in a collection at a museum, so I'm assuming it is likely held privately. Since I should love to have a copy of it, I may commission it done (when i have more money...heaven knows when that will be) by the lady who has done the three ME pictures I have, if she feels up to the job (portraits are not her strong suit).
take care! Since i am new at this icon stuff, i'll now just pick one from the group (there's just numbers there, i don't really know much about using this stuff...obviously), so this will be 'the mystery icon')