Bond and Free - Frost & Francois Boucher

'Fountain of Venus', 1756, Francois Boucher, French Oil on Canvas
CopyRight at bottom of page from Cleveland Museum of Art

Bond and Free


Love has earth to which she clings 
With hills and circling arms about-- 
Wall within wall to shut fear out. 
But Though has need of no such things, 
For Thought has a pair of dauntless wings. 


On snow and sand and turn, I see 
Where Love has left a printed trace 
With straining in the world's embrace. 
And such is Love and glad to be 
But Though has shaken his ankles free. 


Though cleaves the interstellar gloom 
And sits in Sirius' disc all night, 
Till day makes him retrace his flight 
With smell of burning on every plume, 
Back past the sun to an earthly room. 


His gains in heaven are what they are. 
Yet some say Love by being thrall 
And simply staying possesses all 
In several beauty that Thought fares far 
To find fused in another star.


~Robert Frost, 1916

The Toilet of Venus, 1751, Francois Boucher, French, Oil on Canvas
Copy Rights at the end of this post from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Boucher utilized earth tones for the background and drapery around Venus so that when he used his delicate tones on Venus the viewer is immediately drawn to her.  The diagonal lines and implied lines draw the viewers' eyes around the canvas noting every detail of her toilet.  Boucher is famous for his use of color to portray a mythical event which invites the viewer into a world which is only achievable through art.  


Boucher's portrayal of Venus, the goddess of love, is in her toilet and as a fountain (in the painting above) grounding in earth and in earthly things.  This is quite common in portraying Venus after her 'birth'.  In relation to Frost's poetry the two artists are actually portraying a similar theme.... love exists here, on earth.... grounded by nature and our human needs and desires...


Frost initially compares love as being bound and confined while thought is free.... Love leaves marks as in the sand and snow... Thought has shaken it's ankle free.... By the 4th stanza Frost begins to show that thoughts must travel to the stars "And sit in Sirius' disc all night, Till day makes him retrace his flight..." while love in stanza 5 does not have to leave to effect anyone, it possesses all without ever going anywhere... Frost is emphasizing the importance of love and gentleness as thought is shackled without love...




Fountain of Venus, Boucher - This image was provided by The Cleveland Museum of Art. Contact information: Kathleen Kornell, Rights and Reproductions Coordinator, The Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd., Cleveland OH 44106, (216) 707-2498 (ph), (216) 421-8815 (fax), Kkornell@clevelandart.org. 

The Toilet of Venus, Boucher -This image was provided by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Contact information: Image Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028, (212) 396-5050 (fax), Scholars.License@MetMuseum.org Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Judith Beheading Holofernes by Caravaggio

Judith Beheading Holofernes, Caravaggio, Oil on Canvas, 1598/99, National Gallery of Ancient Art of Barberini Palace, Rome, Italy

In honor of women in America having Congress finally pass our rights to vote on this day in 1920 thereby 'validating' what we already knew - we are powerful, smart, ingenious, fiercely loyal, fight for our cause, and protect our own I am putting up Judith.  Judith has an entire book in the bible devoted to her as she empowered the whole of Israel to defeat their enemy who even with superior numbers had their commander beheaded by the cunning and determination of one determined woman.  In his desire to have Judith, Holofernes underestimates her abilities and literally and figuratively loses his head.

Caravaggio paints Holofernes with a red drapery tauntingly over his head much like would be over royalty in an Academic painting echoing the red which soon escapes the neck of Holofernes.  Caravaggio never disappoints in his use of realism and naturalism. The dead eyes of Holofernes while his hands are still at their last grasping moment on the sheets, his agape mouth as if in mid-scream,  his taunt muscles about to succumb to death juxtaposed to the white purity of Judith's sheer blouse revealing her femininity (it actually used to reveal a breast but was covered up some time later by others) eluding to her use of sexual wiles to seduce the commander in a necessary evil for her family and her people.  Judith's facial expressions clearly echo the sentiment of distain, anger, and determination in her act while her maid's natural depiction of age and resolve bring yet another realistic element to this painting.

Caravaggio's interplay of angles and triangles created connections between individuals in the frame, further drama beyond the story and discord to the viewer's eye.  Chiaroscuro may not have been the invention of Caravaggio, but he certainly was in my opinion the master and this painting in print and in person confirms that fact.  If you have not seen Caravaggio's work in person it is a must because the subtleties, the nuances, the intricacies will astound even the mildest of art connoisseur....

How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!  ~Maya Angelou