After
In my humble opinion, one of the daftest sayings in the English language is "Don't judge a book by its cover". Essentially, it is very similar to "All that glitters is not gold". Many great books have excellent covers that fit perfectly with the words within. Talented book cover designers strive to make their artistry speak truly for the writer.
I mean, it's not all about marketing and sales. There has to be a degree of integrity too. If you were panning for gold at some remote stream in northern California and you finally saw something glittering in your sieve, it probably would be gold! Same with books. Okay, there may be occasional instances where the book cover and what is within just don't go together but on the whole there's much correlation.
Now why did I start detouring with thoughts about book covers when this blogpost is meant to be about a painting? I shall call the painting, "Somewhere" or "Somewhere in The Netherlands". It is the first painting I ever bought. I paid a handful of guilders for it at a Sunday morning flea market in Amsterdam in 1964 when I was eleven years old.
To my eyes, it seemed so un-English, so peaceful and timeless - just a place by the waterside, somewhere in The Netherlands. I re-discovered my watercolour picture when sorting through the detritus at the tideline following Simon's death. I decided to rescue it even though we were trying to be ruthless.
It was still in its original frame and old cardboard mount. I have no idea when the picture was painted but it was quite old in 1964. It probably arrived at the market after a house clearance. It's very likely that it was created between the world wars. There's a woman on the embankment in traditional dress and of course the boats are propelled by the wind - not engines.
Oh, now I remember the connection with the saying about book covers. I have had the picture professionally reframed with a new light grey card mount as you can see at the top. And it seems to me that this process has given the picture a new life - made it more pleasing to look at. The new framing is far more sympathetic. Nonetheless, I would like to donate this new saying to the English language free of charge - "Never judge a picture by its frame". Previous sayings I have donated include, "Never judge a rabbit by its burrow" and "Never judge a banana by the angle of its bend".
"Somewhere in The Netherlands" will now hang in our upstairs art gallery (i.e. the bathroom).
Before
I've always picked books by their covers! Well, not entirely of course. But titles and covers can convey a lot and these days it seems that book publishers have a limited number of templates to change up a bit for their individual books, each one denoting a certain genre. For example- many thrillers will have a great deal of black on the cover.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you've had your painting reframed. It does indeed give it new life.
And I am glad that the painting came back to me.
DeleteMuch improved! I've heard that saying used for many things, including people. But how can we judge (if we should) on anything other than what is presented to us?
ReplyDeletePrecisely Margaret!
DeleteA nice little watercolour, YP. At first, and an interesting story behind it. I thought perhaps it was one of yours, but I see the initials P.K. in the bottom right-hand corner. I wonder who he/she was?
ReplyDeleteIt's usual here that the bathrooms are tiled from floor (also tiled) to ceiling, and the only thing hanging on the walls is a bathroom cabinet, a toilet roll holder, or a mirror. A picture makes a nice change!
Our bathroom is a good size and not too steamy - unless of course the au pair chooses to shower at the same time as me.
Delete"glisters" ?
ReplyDeleteOnly on my heels.
DeleteThe new mount and frame have really made the colours in the painting 'pop'. It's got a lovely tranquil feel to it, and suggests that even as a child you had a good sense of aesthetics and beauty; I'm so pleased that you've been re-united with your watercolour, know it's going to give you a renewed sense of pleasure whenever you look at it, and what better place to hang such a serene, watery scene than in the bathroom.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Previously we had a farm scene hanging there by the renown Victorian photographer - Frank Meadow Sutcliffe (No relation to Peter Sutcliffe).
DeleteI have several paintings that make great talking pieces. You obviously had an eye for collecting really good paintings.
ReplyDeleteTrouble is I didn't have the money.
DeleteNow that picture is absolutely beautiful. I love it!😂
ReplyDeleteWe went to the Netherlands in April. We visited Amsterdam, Arnhem, Hoorn, Brugge and Ghent. We also visited Keukenhoff to see the tulips.
It was a trip that was cancelled twice because of covid but we got there eventually.
I'm glad you rescued it. It would have been a tragedy, were it lost.
Did you "tiptoe through the tulips" as sung by Tiny Tim? Find it on YouTube my friend.
DeleteI like the painting.
ReplyDeleteTasker didn't say 'blisters' (your reference to your heels?), he said 'glisters', a nod to the fact that in The Merchant Of Venice Shakespeare wrote 'All that glisters is not gold' -- surprised you didsn't pick up on that.
Your statement about bananas is best left untouched, methinks.
But we may have had this conversation before. 'All that glitters (or glisters, take your choice) is not gold' is untrue because some things that glitter (or glister, ibid) ARE gold. Better wording would have been 'Not all that glitters (or glisters, ibid) is gold'.
Here endeth today's lesson.
My dearest Shylock,
DeleteTasker Dunham and I like to gently rib each other. I knew full well that he was referring to "The Merchant of Venice". Honest. Thanks for calling round.
Yours,
Iago
ReplyDeleteBut we may have had this conversation before. 'All that glitters (or glisters, take your choice) is not gold' is untrue because some things that glitter (or glister, ibid) ARE gold. Better wording would have been 'Not all that glitters (or glisters, ibid) is gold'.
Here endeth today's lesson.
Today's lesson did not "endeth". It was repeatedeth!
DeleteI much prefer the new frame. It's much more in keeping with the picture.
ReplyDeleteI am glad it meets with your approval sir.
DeleteThe tranquil little picture deserves a place in your Guest Room, and reminds me of the Frisian Islands & their coast in the 1979 film *The Riddle of the Sands*.
ReplyDeleteThe German Bight also reminds me of the Shipping Forecast.
*Classic BBC Radio Theme - Shipping Forecast (Sailing By). YouTube.
Haggerty
South Utsira sounds like a magical place or the title of a poem.
DeleteI bought one print many many years ago and after a few months, regretted it. Since then, I have only put up my own art or pictures on the wall and haven't regretted that decision since. I guess I was seeking a connection and couldn't find it in the works of others.
ReplyDeleteI only have one of my paintings up in our house - the head of a peacock for which I used oil paints.
DeleteI've found quite a number of books that are excellent regardless of their cover. I rely more on the title, the blurb on the back, and a sample of the interior chosen at random.
ReplyDeleteArtwork is different - it's completely visual! Your reframing of that one does it justice. I imagine you will enjoy it daily, or even oftener :)
I will see it every day - unless I am staying away or on holiday. In a book what matters is the pages - not the cover. In a frame what matters is the picture.
DeleteYour eleven years old self will be pleased and grateful for his older self's decision not to be ruthless.
ReplyDeleteI hope my eleven year old self will be happy about how some other things turned out.
DeleteIt's an excellent framing job by the look of it and the grey mount gives some kind of depth to the work. Very wise of you to take a before photo.
ReplyDeleteI lost a little picture area behind the mount.
DeleteOkay , you made your point. I also think it was kind of neat that you found this piece after so many years and still liked it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you approve Red.
DeleteI love the idea of an 11-year-old boy being so attracted to a painting that he buys it, and even nicer to know that it is now back on a wall in your home, in a new frame that suits it much better than before.
ReplyDeleteIt is rather nice isn't it?
DeleteIt does look much better with the new frame.
ReplyDeleteThank you River.
DeleteIts funny how a painting travels through life with you jogging a memory. Calm and restful, the choice of frame and grey mount does it justice.
ReplyDeleteThank you Thelma.
DeleteThat IS a much better frame, I agree! Glad you saved your painting. I have to disaree with you about book covers, though -- I've seen plenty of dreadful books with great covers. (And vice versa.) As for prospecting, haven't you ever heard of "fool's gold"? :)
ReplyDeleteFool's Gold? Nope never heard of it. Is it a chocolate bar?
Delete