There was a Georges de la Tour tour that came to the Kimball. I think I hav3e already recounted the tale of how I was nearly evicted from the premises and my girlfriend became an "ex". (No, relax, I just got too enthusiastic.) According to the write-up lemon juice was a common test for blindness and somebody - or - other believes that out hero may have been light sensitive, etc,etc. (As I plumb forgot about the knife, I'm wondering what else I forgot.) The fiddler and bagpipers are supposedly making a bet. That frank sharing-the-fun with-the viewer look on his face is another characteristic of de la Tour's work.
It looks to me like a like a non-S-curved crank on the gurdy, and it seems to be tied down with some leather, or something. That square thing is a buckle on his clothes. I'm facing a "weekend" over Tues/Wed. And I think I'm going to desport myself with a study of this and some other paintings. It seems there was a massive book that got published for the exhibit. I need to step by there anyway, to and pay my respects to Mme Le Brun. I'll bring along a mag glass and see If I can get a guided tour of the book. Hopefully security has done a complete turnover. As mentioned there are several de la Tour paintings of this guy and his instrument. I also have a page bookmarked (somewhere) of a modern rendition of this instrument. I may not get back to you right away, since San Antonio is hurtling up at an alarming rate, but it seems to me like a worthwhile study. Roy --- Matthew Szostak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > It's fun to speculate... A lemon, Henry? Really?!? > > Roy, I can't say what our man is holding in his left hand, but it > looks to > me as if there is no crank on the instrument - certainly no knob > anyway. > What I see is some kind of strapping, perhaps to hold the end of the > instrument together (I've seen repairs of this fashion before!). It > looks > like the leather belt holding up the instrument is clipped to this > hardware. And dare I say it looks like a square socket in the end of > the > axle? Has anyone seen this painting in person? > > What interests me is: what is the fiddle player up to? *His* right > hand > is busy... > > ~ Matt > > > > > But what is that our hero holds in his left hand? I had read that > it > > was the crank handle: which is completely visible still on the > > instrument... that would puzzle me. Is it perhaps the key to tune > the > > sympathy strings? Mine is brass... which would have consideralbe > more > > impact than a wooden tourne-a-gauche. ( Even if it IS mispelled.) > > > > --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > >> > >> On the painting by de La Tour , the shalm player squeeze > >> a lemon in the eyes on the HG player to check if he is really > >> blind , the HG player holds a knife in his hand > >> > >> > >> > >> http://www.bildindex.de/bilder/fmlac12105_30b.jpg > >> > >> Notice the angle from wich the HG is shown , this tri-lobal > >> shape often puzzles makers . > >> > >> > >> >From: "Daniel Musick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >> >Reply-To: [email protected] > >> >To: [email protected] > >> >Subject: Re: [HG] A new project, Bruegel > >> >Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 10:33:33 -0500 > >> > > >> >Georges de la Tour painted the street musicians fighting. He did > >> several > >> >pictures of a hurdy-gurdy player by himself; seems to be probably > >> the same > >> >guy for several pictures. You've probably seen some of them...I > >> think he > >> >was a bit later than Bruegel.----------Daniel > >> > > >> > > >> >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> >>Reply-To: [email protected] > >> >>To: [email protected] > >> >>Subject: Re: [HG] A new project, Bruegel > >> >>Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 02:57:20 EST > >> >> > >> >>Oh, there are so many HGs from Bruegel. I found them in the > >> fantasy > >> >>painting, in the festival painting and in the dance/wedding > >> paintings. I > >> >>think he did > >> >>the blind leading the blind painting where the lead blind man, > the > >> one > >> >>already on the ground, has an HG. > >> >> Also, how many people are making the HG with the removable > >> handles > >> >>and > >> >>cranks. I forget the painter but there is the painting with the > >> musicians > >> >>fighting (that never really happens right) and the HG player is > >> using the > >> >>pull off > >> >>crank handle as a weapon. Thanks Curtis for pointing that out to > >> me. > >> >> > >> >> The problem being that most early paintings were > commissioned > >> or > >> >>religious or commissioned religious. There are very few painting > >> based on > >> >>the > >> >>pastoral life or the common man. I have not look to closely at > >> illuminated > >> >>manuscripts but that may be a good source, who knows. I have > looked > >> > >> >>through the > >> >>pictures I have and have not come across any HGs in early art > (at > >> least > >> >>the art I > >> >>have). > >> >> > >> >> Scott > >> > > >> >_________________________________________________________________ > >> >Search for grocery stores. Find gratitude. Turn a simple search > into > >> > >> >something more. > >> > >>http://click4thecause.live.com/search/charity/default.aspx?source=hmemtagline_gratitude&FORM=WLMTAG > >> > >> > >> > > > >
