[ P ] Pablo Picasso - Fillette aux nattes et au chapeau vert (1956)
Image by Cea.
Fillette aux nattes et au chapeau vert, an intimate portrait of Picasso's daughter,
Paloma, was painted when the little girl was about seven years old and the artist was seventy-four. For Picasso, being a father at such an advanced age had its advantages: By the time Paloma was born in 1949, Picasso was already an established celebrity in the art world and financially secure, and he had more time to devote to fatherhood than
he did during earlier phases of his life. Unlike his depictions of his son Paolo from the 1920s or daughter Maya from the 1930s, his many paintings and drawings of Paloma and her older brother, Claude, from the 1950s reveal the ease and familiarity that he shared with his two youngest children. Picasso often presents them playing in the company of their mother, Françoise Gilot, or drawing together in their nursery. For this composition, however, he has focused on little Paloma by herself, her attention devoted explicitly to her father as he draws her picture.
Paloma's portrait is one of the few that Picasso completed of his daughter in 1956, when his attention was primarily focussed on images inspired by his new romantic companion, Jacqueline Roque. From the inscription on the reverse, however, we know that Picasso must have completed at least three versions of his daughter around this
time. Paloma's presence in Picasso's life increasingly diminished as the artist grew closer and more dependent upon Jacqueline. Additionally, with the publication of her mother's memoirs in later years, Picasso's relationship with his children by Françoise Gilot became particularly strained. In 1956, however, Paloma was welcomed at the house of her father, although she had to share her time with his new companion who
would eventually become her step-mother. The fact that she was the subject of her father's artistic attention in the present work must have been reassuring to the little girl.
Still, Picasso's picture of Paloma here had larger implications for the artist and his future production. The canvas dates from 1956, the year before Picasso would commence his life-long-anticipated investigation of Diego Velazquez's Las Meninas. When comparing the present work with the renderings of the Infanta Margarita that
Picasso completed only a few months later, we can see that the legendary 17th century Spanish court was not far from his mind. Perhaps it was his focus on Paloma's image here that brought about the creative encouragement he needed to forge forward with his more ambitious undertaking the following year. Providing us with his remembrance of Paloma's visits with her father is David Douglas Duncan, whose insight gives us yet another portrait of the girl who would one day become a creative force herself: "Paloma was different. No other child who came to La Californie radiated the same independence of character, or simmering, yet remote
feeling of being already in command of her own destiny. She sat drawing beside her
father as an equal while he gouged linoleum posters for a Vallauris festival. Often she
stood quietly at his side, arm on his shoulder, while he was drawing his private visions - - and she would also be lost in her future dreams while comfortably hidden behind his masks. She had found herself: she was eight" (D. D. Duncan, Picasso and Jacqueline,
New York, 1988, p. 134).
Summertime lunch at Bryant Park, Aug 2009 - 50
Image by Ed Yourdon
Note: this photo was published in a Jun 18, 2010 blog titled "Family dining in DC. Celebrate Kids Restaurant Week, June 20-27." I'm always amazed by the mis-matched "context" in some of the publications of my photos: this picture was taken in Bryant Park, in mid-town Manhattan (that's part of New York City, in case you're from Mars); but the blog describes various outdoor restaurants where families might enjoy a pleasant lunch in Washington, DC. Oh, well...
The photo was also published in a Jun 23, 2010 blog titled "A Sandwich At Your Desk Equals a Sad Lunch." And it was published in an Aug 21, 2010 blog titled "Las mejores ofertas de restaurantes." It was also published in an Oct 6, 2010 Health Matters blog , with the same title and notes as the ones I had written on this Flickr page. And it was also published in an undated (mid-Oct 2010) Braces for Teeth blog, with the same title and notes as the ones I had written on this Flickr page. It was also published in an undated (mid-Nov 2010) Cider Vinegar Weight Loss blog, with the same title and detailed notes as what I had written on this Flickr page. It was also published in an undated (mid-Nov 2010) HypnoTherapy Institute blog titled Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review: Enjoy Weight Loss Program." And it was published in a Nov 18, 2010 blog titled "Ever Wondered Why Celebs Lose Weight So Fast? 3 Celebrity Weight Loss Secrets Revealed." It was also published in a Nov 20, 2010 Weight Loss Products blog, with the same title and detailed notes as what I had written on this Flickr page. And it was published in an undated (late Dec 2010) blog titled "wHow do you lose wrinkles after fast weight loss?"
Moving into 2011, the photo was published in a Jan 8, 2011 blog titled "RUNNING TO LOSE WEIGHT – ONE WEEK WEIGHT – HOW TO LOOSE WEIGHT IN 4 WEEKS." It was also published in an undated (early Jan 2011) blog titled "Review of Fat Loss for Idiots." And it was published in a Jan 20, 2011 blog titled "Bookmarks: Reviews of recently released books." It was also published in a Jan 27, 2011 blog titled "Child’s Playroom Requirements."
Moving into 2012, the photo was published in a Jan 6, 2012 blog titled "The Best Diet Program | How To Weight Loss." It was also published in a Jan 9, 2012 blog titled "Do you think Hypnotherapy is more effective than psychiatric help?" And it was published in a Feb 9, 2012 blog titled "Latest Lose Weight Hypnosis News," with the same caption and detailed notes that I had written here on this Flickr page. It was also published in a Feb 14, 2012 blog titled "Paul Di Filippo Reviews Ben Marcus." And it was published in a May 15, 2012 Hypnosis blog, with the same caption and detailed notes that I had written on this Flickr page. It was also published in a Nov 18, 2012 blog titled "I’m considering undergoing hypnosis to help with weight loss. Do you believe in hypnosis?"
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I had a lunchtime dentist appointment in midtown Manhattan the other day, and when it was over, I decided to walk a couple blocks over to Bryant Park, behind the New York Public Library. It was a sunny day, and I thought I might see some gorgeous babes sunbathing on the park lawn in their bikinis (even being an amateur photographer is a tough job, but someone's gotta do it). If not, I thought perhaps I'd find some photogenic tourists or oddball New Yorkers that I could photograph.
As it turns out, almost all of the central lawn was being covered over with some kind of wooden platform -- presumably for an upcoming concert performance of some kind -- so nobody was sunbathing out on the grass. But since that area was unavailable, and since it was still the lunchtime period, the periphery around the central lawn was chock-a-block with people. There's now a cafe immediately behind (i.e., to the west) of the library itself, and it was doing a land-office business. And all along the north and south sides of the park, as well as the broader western side, there were tables and chairs and benches where people could enjoy their lunch with whatever food or entertainment they had brought along.
I was already aware of the pentanque court on the western side of the park, and knew that I'd find one or two good pictures there. But I didn't realize that the Parks Department had set up two ping-pong tables, as well as several tables for chess-players. In addition, there were a few card games underway, and there was also a section set aside for people who wanted to borrow local newspapers to read.
As for the people: I had to remind myself that because Bryant Park is smack in the middle of mid-town Manhattan (a block away from Times Square, filling the square block between 41st/42nd street, and 5th/6th Avenue), most of the people enjoying their lunch were office workers. So the men typically wore slacks and dress shirts, and a surprising number of them were also wearing suits and ties. The women wore dresses and skirts, and generally looked quite fashionable and presentable. Of course, there were also tourists and students and miscellaneous others; but overall, it was a much more "upscale" bunch of people than I'm accustomed to seeing in my own residential area on the Upper West Side.
I was surprised by how many people were sitting alone -- eating alone, reading alone, listening to music alone, dozing alone, or just staring into space alone. You'll see some of them in this album, though I didn't want to over-emphasize their presence; equally important, many of the loners just weren't all that interesting from a photogenic perspective. So you'll also see lots of couples, some children, a couple of families, and occasionally larger groups of people who were eating and chatting and enjoying the warm summer day.
Three activities dominated the scene, all of which were fairly predictable, under the circumstances: eating, reading, and talking on cellphones. You would expect people to be eating at lunch-time, of course; and you wouldn't be surprised at the notion of people reading a book as they sat behind the New York Public Library on a warm, sunny day. But the pervasiveness of the cellphones was quite astonishing ... oh, yeah, there were a few laptops, too, but fewer than I might have imagined.
I've photographed Bryant Park several times over the past 40 years, going back to some photos of 1969 Vietnam War protest marches that you can see in this album. I was here in the summer of 2008 to take these photos; I came back in January 2009 to take these photos of the winter scene; and I returned again for these pictures in March 2009 and these these pictures in the late spring of 2009; all of these have been collected into a Flickr "collection" of albums that you can find here. But if you want to see what New York City's midtown office workers are doing at lunch, take a look at what's in this album.
Shhhh. Marge, he's a good digger!- June 20
Image by kittischoen
In this episode: Homer buys Bart a radio transmitter which Bart uses to imitate a child getting stuck down the well; when he goes to retreive the radio after realizing he labeled it "Property of Bart Simpson", he, himself, gets stuck down the well.
In this picture: Sting, one of the many celebrities on hand to help rescue Bart is digging him out. Sting says he has to help when his fans are in need, to which Marge replies that she's never heard him play any of Sting's records. Hence, Homer responds with "Shh, Marge, he's a good digger!"
Rupert Sanders
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer
Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth attend 'Snow White and the Huntsman' movie premiere - Bondi Junction, Sydney
Kristen Stewart, Australia's own Chris Hemsworth and a swag of other celebrities attended the Sydney premiere of 'Snow White' at Bondi Junction in Sydney earlier this evening.
Hundreds of fans and dozens of news media covered the event for the movie which is tipped to be a big money winner and a favourite with critics.
Well done to everyone involved in the success of this hot new Hollywood movie.
News Update...
Australian star Chris Hemsworth has been enjoying some time off back home with his family, ahead of the Australian premiere of Snow White And The Huntsman.
Hemsworth was photographed earlier today enjoying some free time in Sydney.
On a rare day-off the former Home And Away star took the opportunity to go for a surf, despite the cold weather.
He was also photographed with his shirt off taking a dip in the pool at the Park Hyatt.
Hemsworth's acting career has taken off in Hollywood with recent appearances in super-hero blockbusters Thor and The Avengers.
He credits much of his success to his parents, who always supported his career. "When most people said it (acting) is crazy ... they said, "The couch will always be your spare bedroom ..." Hemsworth told the Seven Network's Sunrise program on Tuesday.
The new father also said he gained a lot of experience with children from babysitting his manager's kids and his older brother's three children.
"We were around kids a lot," Hemsworth said.
Hemsworth walked the red carpet with co-star Kristen Stewart at the film premiere at Bondi Junction's Event Cinemas tonight.
In his next project, Hemsworth plays racing-car driver James Hunt in Ron Howard's Formula One film Rush.
A release date for the film hasn't been set but we understand it will be in time for the 2013 Oscars.
Websites
Snow White and the Huntsman
www.snowwhiteandthehuntsman.com
Universal Pictures (Australia)
www.universalpictures.com.au
Event Cinemas
www.eventcinemas.com.au
Eva Rinaldi Photography
www.evarinaldi.com
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography
Music News Australia
www.musicnewsaustralia.com
Amanda: an appreciation
Image by gwilmore
I am uploading this during a weekend in which, thus far, the only photography I have done has been a private shoot for a friend. None of the pictures I took then will end up on Flickr. It is possible that I might take my camera somewhere later today (Sunday), but in case I don't, Miss Amanda Lee has come to my rescue in very nice fashion. I took this picture of her one week ago. I hadn't thought I would be uploading any more images from that shoot, but I'm glad now that I went through my computer archives and gave this one a second look.
Amanda herself is a joy to me, not only because she is such a fine model, but also because she is one of the nicest people I know. I once told my dance instructor, Miss Angie, that I define success as developing one's natural gifts and talents along lines of excellence, and then using them to bless and enrich the lives of others. By that definition, Amanda, in my book, is a definite success, and I am privileged to count her in my circle of friends. Ever since childhood, I have had a well-developed sense of history, and Amanda is one of the few people I know who share that particular trait with me. Through her retro-style modeling, she is doing her part to help ensure that the rising generation will develop some sense of appreciation for the past, and for the contributions and sacrifices of the World War II generation in particular. Simply by doing what she does so well, she makes the past come alive. To Amanda, history is something real and tangible, not the dull abstraction to which, by now, a couple of entire generations have been exposed in America's public schools.
I would have found her appealing for that reason alone, but of course there is far more to her than that. I was surprised to learn from her mother that, until she took up swing dancing several years ago, Amanda was very quiet and painfully shy. She still retains a certain dignity and reserve about her, but by now she has become a celebrity of sorts; and while celebrity entails a public responsibility which not everyone can handle, she does so splendidly. At a public function a few months ago, I watched with great interest as a girl of perhaps 11 approached her with some questions, presumably about modeling. I was unable to hear a word that either of them said during their exchange, but during the few minutes they were together, Amanda treated that little girl as if she were the most important person in the world to her -- which perhaps she was at that moment. I won't be at all surprised if that brief encounter ends up having a significant impact on that child's life.
Amanda is a pleasure to look at, and an even greater one to know. She has blessed my own life by giving generously of her time and talent and posing for me on a number of occasions, thus helping me to learn the art of portraiture, which I have been trying to do from scratch. She is kind, thoughtful, gentle, soft-spoken, and patient. I myself am notoriously shy around people I don't know, but somehow Amanda was able to put me at ease the very first time I ever met her -- a fact which, in my view, speaks very well of her all by itself. I appreciate this young woman so much.
When Eleanor Roosevelt died in 1962, Adlai Stevenson, who at the time was the U. S. ambassador to the United Nations, said of her that "her glow warmed the world." The same could be said of Amanda, although her arena is obviously much smaller than Mrs. Roosevelt's. But she has most assuredly warmed my own world.
Thank you, Amanda, for being such a jewel, for being good to me, and for helping me in more ways than you probably realize. I hope your entire life is pure velvet. You are loved by so many people, including me.
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