Saturday, November 13, 2010

Another New Painting

Not only did I finish the Theseus paintings recently, I also finished this painting, The Mockingbird Song



The Mockingbird Song, oil on canvas, 22" x 28"


It was inspired by a painting by Phillip Otto Runge, The Nightingale's Lesson, which he painted in 1805 for his wife. I'm less interested in the form of that painting with its allegory and faux carved frame with cupids and nightingales, and more interested in the theme. My painting is an updated and personalized version of the idea of beauty awakening the senses to love.

For this painting, I looked to all kinds of sources. I looked at paintings by Watteau and Chinese landscape. I also looked to the Texas of my boyhood, and to that venerable Texas art form, the bluebonnet picture.

Here are some details.




























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11 comments:

  1. Tui SniderNovember 13, 2010 at 5:58 PM

    I forget how I found your blog, but here I am, anyway!

    I like your painting. Now that I'm in Texas, that landscape looks familiar to me.

    I've seen a few mockingbirds since coming here, but have yet to hear one do any 'mocking.'

    ~Tui

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  2. CounterlightNovember 13, 2010 at 6:01 PM

    Tui

    I don't know that they really do any "mocking" either. I always heard the story that they mimic other bird's songs, but I've never heard it.

    Thanks for visiting my blog, and I hope you stick around.

    Where are you in Texas?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tui SniderNovember 13, 2010 at 6:43 PM

    Hmmm... Now I wonder if the mocking thing is an old wive's tale?

    I'm in a podunk town a little north of Fort Worth. Where did you hail from in Texas?

    And yes, I'll be back. I added you to my Google reader today. :) Stop by my blog if you ever get homesick for Texas.

    ~Tui

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  4. CounterlightNovember 13, 2010 at 7:05 PM

    I'm originally from Dallas many thousands of years ago. In which podunk town north of Fort Worth are you?

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  5. susan s.November 13, 2010 at 7:05 PM

    I think it might be because of the variety of their song. It has so many elements.

    Love your Butterflies, BTW.

    ReplyDelete
  6. susan s.November 13, 2010 at 7:17 PM

    Ah, but then I found
    this. . .

    ReplyDelete
  7. CounterlightNovember 13, 2010 at 7:47 PM

    Mimicry or not, I think the Mockingbird's song is every bit as beautiful as that of the Nightingale.

    ReplyDelete
  8. LeonardNovember 13, 2010 at 7:50 PM

    The guitar playing musician is the mocking bird being mocked by the mocking bird...

    ReplyDelete
  9. JCFNovember 13, 2010 at 8:50 PM

    personalized version of the idea of beauty awakening the senses to love

    Aw. You and Michael, idealized? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Göran Koch-SwahneNovember 14, 2010 at 7:04 AM

    A Error occurred...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tui SniderNovember 19, 2010 at 8:26 PM

    Podunk town = Azle! I'm a newbie here, fell in love and moved in with my sweetie after a long distance courtship.

    ~Tui

    ReplyDelete

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