The Art of the Matter
![Portrait of a young man. Marie Ellenrieder [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://nataniabarron.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/marie_ellenrieder_portrait_eines_jungen_mannes_im_profil_von_links.jpg)
One of the pathways I’ve found myself trotting down again and again are female painters and artists of the 19th century. Art–literary, musical, and visual–holds a special place in my books, being a kind of golden thread that connects all the worlds no matter how they may differ. There is always a melody in common. But women are so often forgotten or else relegated to foot notes. I’ve found a great deal of inspiration in looking at their artwork.
And every once in a while I portrait or a picture jumps out at the page, like this portrait above. It is a face lost to history, but it is very much the face of La Roche (the Apollo of this story). So much so that looking at it rather gives me a sense of light-headedness. I’m an exceptionally visual person, so this is really not surprising, I suppose. I guess I just feel there’s a certain poetic balance to finding inspiration from these often forgotten women.
Have you found anything surprising during your research that helped you make a breakthrough or gave you unexpected joy?
2 Comments
Brigid Ashwood
YES! (we are so alike this way) My personal theories that form the premise for my stories involve the concept of collective unconscious as tool of the muse that influences people in similar ways and throughout the ages. Cosmic Serendipity. (gods I sound like such a hippie – sorry) But yes! While that was the jumping off point for my stories – my fiction; at almost every turn it’s born out as a reality. A fictitious connection made is supported by a fact I’ve dug up by accident while researching something seemingly unrelated. And I totally feel ya on being inspired by the forgotten artists of history.
Natania
I am surprised not one little bit. This book has been about 70% staring at art and reading research and about 30% making crap up. Which is quite the departure for me! But I like the Cosmic Serendipity! And yeah, I’m a hippie at heart.