A Glimpse of a Widow

How does one cope with the loss of their loved ones? Should we only look at those who have passed in the most forgiving light? How do we expect to give ourselves a quantum of solace after such a jolting event? All these questions come to pass for Suzanne Manet in Susan Vreeland’s historical fiction piece, Olympia’s Look. The story follows in the aftermath of the death of Suzanne’s husband, the famous artist Edouard Manet. In this most vulnerable of times, Suzanne is left wondering of the fidelity of her late husband, knowing that he had relations beyond professionalism with his models. Also, her business mind has taken hold of her, as she prepares to auction off her husband’s work, with her nephew Albert copying some pieces for posterity.

 It is in these early passages that the character of Suzanne takes, shape. She is a complex woman, and the story portrays her in an ever-changing light. Most simply observed is the apprehension she seems to feel about investigating her husband’s debauchery. But it remained to be seen that she also had a stronger streak within her. During an early flashback passage, Suzanne intercepts a letter quite forcefully from her servant Helene. During this time, and a few others, Suzanne compares her gestures, her very emotion to that of the model in the portrait Olympia. Such a fact is far more poignant when she finally meets Victorine, the actual model for the portrait, and continues to analyze life through comparisons to portraits. It is perhaps understandable that someone who was so entrenched in the art world would make such connections, but it also seems outside her more calculated character that has the good mind to ask for copies of her husband’s art.

 What is so touching in the piece is how Suzanne wholeheartedly loved Edouard, even knowing that he had not been the most faithful of companions. This was best showcased in another flashback, where Suzanne aids to the ailing Monsieur Monet after he has a nightmare. She calms him, caresses him so lovingly and so tenderly that it is obvious she would never leave him. It is this aspect of her that makes her character so multidimensional. She is a strong woman by all accounts, but she is weak to Edouard. This, in the end, made it so haunting for her when she realizes that she still cannot hate him after all he has done.

 Besides Suzanne, the story takes a brief look into some other players in Eduoard’s life. One of his models, Isabelle, is shown briefly in sorrow for his death. She serves as a foil to Suzanne, who feels empowered after not letting Iasabelle keep a letter from Edouard. More importantly, the story showed what became of the model Victorine. A self-proclaimed collaborator with Edouard, Victorine has lost her model’s appearance, struggling in the world as a flailing artist in her own right. It is Suzanne’s rejection to Victorine that paints the most vivid picture of the main character, and thus, Victorine’s inclusion was sorely needed.

 In the end, Vreeland’s glimpse into the world of a widow comes across as tragic in many ways. The writing seems more stylistically acceptable than in the Yellow Jacket. The dialogue flows more freely. Perhaps it is because Vreeland can better relate to this protagonist in some way, or maybe the influence of actual historical events was better relatable to a fictional adaptation. In the end, it is a story not to be taken lightly, much like the curious subject matter.

Second Research Declaration

How can we identify the face of criminality? Through the ever-changing artistry of mug shots, those accused of crimes are catalogued for future reference with a simple pair of photos – one from the front, and a side profile. There are many uses for these glimpses into the human psyche, and their very purposes have changed as have the times. Culture has been born from these identifiers, and so has an intricate system of finding and identifying those said to be criminals. To be explored in my research will be a brief history of mug shots, dating possibly as far back as the Roman Empire and China’s Han Dynasty, to today. Various aspects of procedure will also be looked at. However, the bulk of the information will come from the pictures themselves. What are the circumstances of the accused? How does this change their demeanor and possible reaction to the picture? Finally, the functionality of mug shots will also be touched upon, but what will be most prevalent are the human emotions conveyed in these sometimes eerie photos.

Who Fritz Really Is...

http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3391546-v

The man in portrait seven is in fact a ballet choreogrpaher named Leonide Massine.  The portrait was drawn by artist Henri Matisse.  The following sources further reveal a bit about both these extravagant and popular figures in history.

"Destiny - A Tribute to Leonide Massine." The Australian Ballet 2007 1 Feb 2009 .
 This article contained a much more expansive view of Massine as a dancer. Very interestingly, it had a number of pieces of fanfare from some of the various works he participated in. It also contained biographical information that helped to elucidate more of his life. It seems he began his career at the Bolshoi Ballet, though only briefly before moving to work in the Ballets Russes. While there, he became a great star and began to become known as a choreographer as well. Scattered within these texts, there are several photos of Massine, as well as a different portrait by another artist. Thus, the picture in question remains elusive, but the sheer avalanche of information on Massine made this a most helpful online article. Also of interest was the way it was all presented, in what the site calls a “media packet.” The very personal photos and manuscripts from letters were quite interesting.

"Henri Matisse." Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000. 1997-2000. Microsoft Corporation. 27 Jan 2009. .
 Within this text is an outline of Matisse’s, the artist of the portrait, life. This details everything from his birth in Northern France in 1869, to his death in 1954. His style is broken down and discussed, though there is still no reference to his drawn works, as the article points more to his vibrant color choices. A brief look at his intellectual side, as well as his rhythmic brush stroke procedure could reveal some of his personality, and thus, what his work of Massine might be indicative of. Also, it says he was also commissioned to design a chapel in France in his later life, and would continue to be creative and artistic with colorful decoupage while bedridden. Finally, it points to his great popularity in his time, which would help to reason why he would be commissioned for a work of Massine, another wildly popular man internationally.

 
"Léonide Massine." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 31 Jan. 2009 .
 All the biographies of Massine are quite brief, though this article also has links to both a full biography and Massine’s autobiography, and could be utilized if more information is needed. What it does include is his life in a nutshell. Massine lived from 1896 to 1979. He was a choreographer, mime, and ballet dancer.

 
"Matisse: Life and Painting." Henri Matisse. 2009. Succession H. Matisse. 31 Jan 2009 .
 This site was by far the most expansive on Matisse. It chronicles his life, his art, and everything in between in great detail. Of great interest is the fact that this source has several galleries of Matisse’s art, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Many of his drawings are reminiscent of the selection with Massine; however, that particular portrait is still missing. Though this is a setback, there is a picture of Matisse with an intriguing caption. Under the “selected photographs” section there is a photo of Matisse working on the measurements of a ballerinas outfit. It is a ballet that was choreographed by none other than Massine. This could easily point to how the pair met, and why there was a portrait commissioned of the famed dancer. Finally, the expansive gallery also has another familiar portrait from the assignment, none other than Pierre Matisse, who was featured as number six in the assignment sheet.

Neff, John Hallmark. "Matisse the Master: A Life of Henri Matisse; The Conquest of Colour, 1909-1954." Art in America 94.1 (Jan. 2006): 35-41. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Terrell Library, Pullman, WA. 26 Jan. 2009 .
 This piece is actually a book review that describes in detail a much longer novel which is a biographical account of Matisse’s life. The article contends that the book’s main focus is the relationships Matisse built with his models, as well as his personal love affairs with women such as Camille Joblaud. Also, it is the selection’s contention that many past insinuations by other sources stating an unprofessional relationship between Matisse and his female models may have been unfair or blown out of proportion. Finally, there is a glaring idea that Matisse was obsessed with so called “self-renewal.” Most definitely, this source gives a more personal look to his life, and reveals something of his character. However, it won’t have as much to do with this particular painting in question, as the person portrayed is male; more so, it will serve to fill in holes of Matisse found in a more general history of his art and life.


"Portrait of Léonide Massine." The Art Institute of Chicago. 2009. AIC. 1 Feb 2009 .
 After an exhaustive Internet and article database search, there was only one record of the given portrait. This is held by the Art Institute of Chicago. There is little information on how the portrait came into their possession, or why it was commissioned. Matisse drew Massine’s visage in 1920, using standard graphite on woven ivory. Other more easily obtained portraits of Massine are also available at the site, including one by Pablo Picasso and another by an artist named León Baskt. Overall, the site does little more than show that the drawing does in fact exist on record, as a variety of image searches failed to produce the image. But the time given for the portrait helps to indicate that the two actually met before the ballet Rouge Et Noir, which premiered in 1939. Therefore, it must be that the men met in some other manner, and their relationship after the portrait caused the teamwork on the ballet, not the other way around.