Saturday 27 September 2014

Not so much an acquisition...


We gad a great time in Oxford, thank you, and it was nice to go back to Eynsham Hall, which - although very popular with the most ghastly type of office-speak, team-building trainers and their hapless crews - is still really good value for a weekend break.

The first thing we did was to visit our old friend who has just moved from Burford to about 3 miles from Eynsham, where she grew up. She grew up in style, and is one of the last, classic English eccentrics from a family which was granted their title by Henry the Eighth. Very entertaining.

As soon as we walked into her little cottage - crammed full of knick-knacks - she presented us with this Craigie Aitchison portrait of a young woman, which her brother had given her as a birthday present a few years ago. It is on long-term loan, and we have just hung it today.

It is certainly not the best of Craigie's paintings, but it goes so well in the room, especially in juxtaposition to H.I.'s bluer paintings. The pink-red catches your eye from any part of the room, and you cannot help but mix it mentally with the rest of the colours. He knew what he was doing.

The little card with the deer-painted flower vase has been there for some time, and now it has a real Craigie hanging above it for company.

I'm going to have to sort out better insurance for all these artworks - our present contents will not even cover the cost of H.I.'s wardrobe, let alone them.


18 comments:

  1. It's what I always refer to as a 'telephone picture'. i.e. one that one places near the phone to enjoy whilst talking to Mumbai (or anywhere else for that matter).

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    1. Is that one step up from the cartoon in the toilet?

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  2. You are very lucky to have this one even if there isn't a dog in it. I love Craigie Aitchison.

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    1. Yes, we agree, very lucky.

      H.I.'s sister lives in a tiny terraced house in Sheffield, and her next-door neighbour breeds Bedlingtons for Crufts.

      One day, a man arrived with a Bedlington (Wayney, as it turned out) and asked for a groom. She didn't know who it was for months.

      I know (of, or by sight) the gay couple who now look after the remaining dogs after Craigie's death, because they live in Bath.

      It's a bloody small world.

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    2. Yes, it is a small world.

      What is that diagonal thing hanging in the curtain thing in the corner of the room?

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    3. Yes ….. what is that diagonal thing ? ….. it looks like a light switch, zooming into the room…. very odd. XXXX

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    4. And it's square, but distorted.

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    5. It seems a rather odd place to have a lamp shade and at such a peculiar angle and height. Is it of any use there?

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    6. It's a lamp stand, but the stand bit is exactly in line with the curtain, so you obviously cannot see it. Look closer if you don't believe me.

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    7. Yes, I see it now. One last word on it, I doubt the shade does its job as a shade.

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    8. Ok, 'shade' was the wrong word to use. 'Reflector' would have been better, but you would only have accused me of using unnecessarily long words in a pedantic manner, I just know it.

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  3. The Craigie Aitchison picture does compliment the blue painting. I know almost nothing about art, but I think H.I.'s painting is beautiful. (I clicked on the picture to enlarge it). I would think that you certainly need to review the insurance if you're not adequately covered.

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    1. I'm sure you know more than you are prepared to admit to, Moll.

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  4. I don't lie the painting but the two vases to its right are delightful

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    1. Phew, I was waiting for someone to go first. Here I come (Ignoramus Maximus), but I don't like the painting, either. It's pink. That's about all I have to say about it.

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    2. Fair enough. That's all I can be bothered to say as well.

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  5. One last word - Craigie Aitchison is all about colour, and almost nothing to do with virtuosity.

    This still doesn't explain how he became so extremely successful when compared to other talented painters though. I suppose the galleries saw him as a good investment.

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