That de la Tour show at the Kimbell was what first turned me on to both
gurdies and the painter himself. My wife & I, living in Oklahioma at the
time, had come to see another show entirely and the de la Tour was an extra
that I remember much better than the other one. Unfortunately the big book
only includes 2-3 pictures with gurdies...Daniel
From: Roy Trotter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [HG] A new project, Bruegel
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 22:54:04 -0800 (PST)
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.
> >>
>
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> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>
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