Strange word Imagery. It conjures up so many different thoughts in my head. It started this morning with my son sending me a link to Natalie d'Arbeloff's facebook page on which she showed a recent portrait she had painted. (you may remember I recently bought 'Diego', my latest acquisition, from her some weeks ago). I don't know the sitter but I can say with certainty that she has managed to capture 'the man'. Do we know more about him than we would from a photograph? I think so but I can't put into words exactly why it is so.
I have books and books full of holiday photographs and looking at them brings back memories - may be 'as it was', maybe not. Our minds play tricks on us with photographs.
Sitting here with a group of friends yesterday afternoon, chatting about 'this' and 'that' I spoke of one image that has stuck in my mind - recent enough to conjure up easily but in the years to come - like all such images - it will pop into my mind at odd moments when I am probably least expecting it - triggered off by some little comment or - in this particular instance probably seeing a Red Admiral butterfly.
Sitting in a friends garden on a Summer's day - in the middle of the lawn stands a Victoria plum tree laden with ripe plums which now and then are ripe enought to fall off onto the lawn. Dozens lie on the lawn, dozens remain on the tree. The warm sun is shining and we are relaxing together. Almost every plum has a Red Admiral butterly on it - a butterfly probably 'heady' with an overfill of what seems to be a magnet for it. The tree is full of plums - and Red Admirals too. I would guess hundreds of them. It was a sight for sore eyes - something so marvellous that the image has stayed fresh in my mind. Better than a photograph? I don't know - who is to judge? But I do know that here and now, only perhaps a couple of months after seeing it, the image it conjures up in my mind is more vivid than any photograph and more exciting for want of a better word.
Sitting over breakfast I tried to think of other images that have made a similar impression. I could only think of one or two - The embalmed Chairman Mao on his plinth (no photograph allowed but none necessary - in my youth he was a hero to me -); the sight of a glacier viewed from the air over probably Iceland I would guess - as it made contact with the sea. Seen as we flew to Canada some years ago; the sight of a man carrying wood on his back as he crossed a frozen river in mid winter on a very slow train journey towards Mongolia from Beijing.
My husband photographed him as we crept slowly up a mountain. He painted a picture and as I sit eating my breakfast I am looking at the picture. But the feeling I get from it is somehow not the same as the picture I conjure up when the image suddenly pops into my mind, triggered by something I see on TV, or hear, or am reading about.
So there you have it - today's Thought for the Day. The portrait of the man.
The holiday photograph.
A moment in time captured in the memory without a photograph to back it up.
All have their place.
The portrait delves deep into what the man is really like, tries to give us more about him than a photograph can do.
The photograph - my son has recently sent me a couple of photographs - one where I am sitting with a group of other people - I know them all but have no recollection of this particular group ever being together - and no idea at all of the venue.
The captured moment with the butterflies - to date this memory has much more meaning - but maybe it will fade with time.
They will all tell us something but the butterflies will fade with me, the photograph will fade and the next generation will have no idea at all of who these women sitting on a grassy bank are, the portrait which will survive long after the subject has gone - folk will know who he is if his name appears on the back, but looking at him, because he is so well-painted, we will know at least something about who he really is, what sort of man he is, and we can speculate on his thoughts and feelings. We might be completely wrong but looking at his image makes us want to speculate.
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29 comments:
It does make us want to speculate..and we could be so wrong, as it depends upon what we bring to the portrait..or even the photographs.
We need to annotate old photos where we can.
But what do do about the hundreds of negatives...and thousands of digital images...that we have not noted name or place?
Nice to read your writings again xx
I like the quote, a picture is worth a thousand words. So true; regardless as to whether it is a picture held in the depths of our minds or a photo sitting in front of us. Photojournalism done well is also a wonderful skill. My British sister-in-law has plum trees behind her home and I've never seen butterflies enjoying the plums. The image of beautiful butterflies enjoying the plums must have been outstanding.
Yes, we were always told to write names, dates and places on the backs of old photos - but we often forgot. Now we have a bit of a struggle at times remembering just who those happy people were, and was it here or there etc. etc.
Love your thoughts on your memorable photos - today's phones have of course changed the way we see the world in many ways, some good, others bad.
Hugs, Mary
It is so wonderful to have you back, sharing your thoughts with us. For personal reasons, I have recently asked a nephew to share photos of our family that he inherited from his Mother, my eldest sister. I do hope someday he will have time to get them out of storage and allow me to view them. Jackie
You have just triggered my flash moment in time. We were flying very low on a small charter plane over the ice flows in theArctic on our way to Pond Inlet watching a polar bear, startled by the noise of the plane, dive into the sea. It was a sight that I have never forgotten, just beautiful! Gigi
You have just given me an idea for a post. If only I had the time to write it right now! But things being as they are, I am still in the middle of work, just taking a quick break for an apple as my mid-afternoon snack, and tonight I'll be meeting my volunteer group. Hopefully, I will remember the idea when I have more time.
The topic will be about a mental image for which I have no supporting photograph but which is triggered every time I pass that particular place, which is at least twice a week.
As a great fan of the "Portrait Artist of the Year" I thoroughly enjoyed last night's final between three artists and seeing the woman winner receive her prize, a commission to paint a portrait for the National Portrait Gallery. The portrait was of Jane Goodall of gorilla fame and what a remarkable and interesting lady the 90 year old Jane was at the several sittings. The final portrait was remarkable.
Sitting quietly, the pictures of your life show up so clearly and often they are not momentous occasions but the simple events.
Mind pictures: here is one that sticks with me. I was a small child in the back seat of our car. I seem to remember we were a long way from home. It was warm. My parents were mad. I don't remember the words, but I remember the tension. And I was looking out the car window. We were going past a ranch style house and there was a woman in one of those 50s house dresses with the full skirt, shaking a rug off the side of that front porch. She looked up at our car as we drove past. I will never know why that memory is so vivid in my mind, but 60÷ years later it is. There are other memories like that. Our mind is a curious thing. Thank you for this lovely post.
I think that paintings bring people to life more than photos if the portrait artist is adept. When my aunt died, I inherited the portrait of my great grandmother and her slightly older sister painted when they were small children in 1853. I would so like to talk with them!
It is wonderful to have you back, Weave!
Hugs!
I try to label all my old photographs, including those I have scanned in.
It is interesting to speculate about photos and painted portraits. They say the camera never lies, but an artist may paint a more flattering portrait, or a lesser one. Similarly, the photographer may take a shot that flatters or does not do justice to his sitter.
I have labelled as many old family photos as I can, but should have asked more questions as to who was who many years ago. Sadly it is far too late now as I am the oldest member of my family.
Perhaps your image of the plum tree is a more vivid memory because you actually saw it in person,?...
So A three dimensional object will always have an impact stronger than a photo!?,photos are two
dimensional because they are a flat image so without depth to make them appear real they can't make us feel like we are near those people or objects ?-Mary
Yes, you're right - it's the fleeting moments in time. Yesterday husband and I were driving along a very busy 3-lane main road. As the passenger, I was able to see in a brief moment, a young girl kneeling on the pavement. She was about ten years old, wrapping a dead cat tenderly in a blanket, and then we had whooshed by. I wondered if it was her cat, was she heartbroken, was it simply an act of kindness on her part for an unknown cat rescued from indignity.
I'll never know - the moment happened so quickly, but I'll not forget that young stranger or wonder about the circumstances.- Pam.
I didn't get many photos from my mother's collection but I have always said that it doesn't matter because memories are all that matter to me. I have a head full of vivid memories and images that are alive and are better than photographs.
The good thing with old photos is that they are at least genuine in as much as they were a simple click of a button and that was it. Modern day photos can be altered afterwards to be far better and different to what was originally taken.
I have always preferred memory to photographs. Photos seem so frozen and unreal, while the memory of the image feels alive. My youngest son, soon to be 40, recently said, after experiencing an event of great beauty, "I think I understand why you don't take pictures."
I think the pictures in one's head becomes more pronounced the older you get. Photos jog the memory and the scene unfolds.
I have a photograph of one of my great grandmothers, smiling into the camera with her arm around my father who is very young. She died in 1927, survived by most of her ten children.
A detail of her life haunts me; she lost three grandsons in the Great War.
Natalie d'Arbeloff what a fascinating woman she is. Thank you for the mention of her I have enjoyed reading about her and viewing her work. Cannot find the Diego painting though. Will look again. Lovely to have you back. Jan Bx.
Jan Bx - Diego is not a painting he is a small mixed media piece. I am enjoying owning him. Natalie has just done a wonderful portrait which is on her facebook.
Pam - a distressing image I think.
Thank you for such a good crop of most interesting views.
I have been "off grid" and I'm just catching up with all your news now. First, I was so sorry to read about your medical situation. I am relieved to hear you're receiving wonderfully attentive care. You are handling it all so stoically. I was thinking about your delightful plum tree memory and it had me conjuring up some similar type moments from the past. Warm memories from the past are my daily fuel. I love nothing better than rehashing old times with friends and family.
I have a few family photos which I sometimes take out to look at. I am always amazed at my Victorian grandparents (mother's side) posing in front of an aspidistra in starched black crepe.
I am overjoyed to have you back, and we are grateful that you have shared your thoughts with us.
So good to see you back but you dud have an awful lot on your plate.. hope all the hospital stuff works out ok. Every Blessing for your recovery.
Thanks to you all - it is good to be back even if not quite so regularly.
So happens that I was ill around the same time as you... along with your Birthday card that I bought and was ready to send you.... I come back to try and read my friends blogs and catch up. You indeed have so much to deal with.
I am so happy to read you blog whenever you want to post.
The gud dugs send woofs ! me too !
cheers, parsnip
Good morning. I just check in and hope you are having a pleasant day, I am sure you are busy taking care of yourself. Miss your posts.
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