Would 2,000 be a record for a daily painter? Anyhow, each painting from you has its own unique flavor, and that's amazing in itself! In addition, you have kept track of your work and documented it - wish I could say the same for myself.
Julian, it's one of your most intricate composition. Very dense. A touch of melancholy comes from the eggplant which looks like a dead bird even if the other colors around are joyous, a little like a Chardin in full light. The juxtaposition of vivid red and deep black is admirable. And I listen to the handle of the pot suddenly turned into a flute playing a poignant melody.
Hi Julian,
I wish I could write like Alain. I must say between your art and her comments I spend equal time with you both! :) Each one gets a high grade in your ways with art and words.
What a glorious painting When you paint your subjects they are set down with weight that you provide which gives them strength. The small area of light allowed between the eggplant and pepper is so sweet. Being a lover of cooking paintings like yours get my attention right away. Always happy to start or end my day with your wonderful surprises. Take care have a wonderful weekend.
Oh my! Here is what it says to me - Yum! Yum, yum, yum! Nobody else can paint a still life that spring off the page like you can, Julian. A crock of, perhaps,french onion soup, some grilled eggplant and peppers - what joy!
Alain does tend to wax very poetic - quite insightfully so. But I do disagree with the reference to that glorious aubergine as a melancholy dead bird look alike. I find eggplants sensuous and sinfully delicious in all their incarnations!
Karen, the analogy with a dead bird refers to the seventieth century still-life in which we can see dead birds (Chardin, Oudry etc.). It was genre painting, I am sure you know. Otherwise I am fond of oven-baked eggplants, so do you know the "Babaganoush" Mediterranean recipe? It's so delicious and so easy to prepare.
Dear Julian,
a still life redolent of the cooking of the south of France.
The composition is beautiful, the colours are rich and feel exotic to a northern eye.
The highlights on the aubergine are superb.
The painting still keeps a slightly spare edge because the classic earthenware cooking pot has peasant connotations. The painter never succumbs to the pleasing, such as placing a large head of garlic in the foreground for example. That would have been one too many elements and also somewhat trite. Perfection!
Anna.
Yes, I did understand the reference to Chardin; and I have several variations on the basic baba ganoush. Lemon, tahini, olive oil, maybe garlic, maybe chopped cilantro, maybe a little cumin. The best is simple - I have a middle eastern friend who prefers to "roast" her eggplant, using tongs to hold it over the flame of a gas burner stove. That seems a bit much for me (I use the grill, or an oven in a pinch) but it does impart a wonderful smoky flavor.
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