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Monday 19 December 2011

Leonardo's Virgin and Child with St Anne


Leonardo at his peak
pulls out all the stops,
commanding
light and dark
to modulate
length, breadth and height
while background melts
to haze of greeny-blues.

Mary melancholic,
Anne benevolent,
are given slight
indefinitions -
Mona Lisa smiles.

The distance to the hills
is measured here
in muted tones
and subtle hues.

The Christ Child
holds a lamb -
symbol of
His suffering.

Rocks and mountains
earth and vegetation
have sworn themselves
to silence
hold the trio
in a firm embrace.

Mysterious, the light
seems charged:
low tension current
suspended here
like slight
precipitation
will soon engulf
and power
the world.



The image is from Wikipedia

16 comments:

Eileen T O'Neill ..... said...

Dave,

Your words have repainted this painting with an exquisite and sympathetic brush. You have given it new life.........

Seasons Greetings and thank you for your support at my Blog throughout the past year.
Eileen.

kaykuala said...

Dave,
The guy was awesome. Inventor, mathematician,engineer,painter, Mona Lisa,Last Supper and all. He was everything others were not. What a fine tribute!

Hank

Brian Miller said...

nice...i enjoy leonardo's work...and you bring all the elements of the painting to life..a few nice refs along the way as well...the charged air at the end is a great touch...

Carl said...

Fully enjoyed this poem of a master painting. Thank you Dave. Even though I have not had much to say of late. Rest assured I read your blog daily.

haricot said...

Three generations ,elder mountains
and the power still works on modern people. Perspectiveness.

April Plummer said...

Beautiful. I love your blog because I love poetry, though I don't read it often because I don't write it. I love art, but I know nothing about it. You're opening a side of my brain that hasn't been opened in years, and doing it lovingly and beautifully . Thank you.

rch said...

Hi Dave, I love art and especially poems about it, and you have artfully written one here that uses the whole canvas for a spectacular effect.

Windsmoke. said...

Very enjoyable tribute to Leonardo's work, he was a real all rounder :-).

Ciara said...

I have a deep love for the master painters. This poem truly described his painted image. Fantastic.

Mary said...

What a beautiful painting. I loved your poetic interpretation. Definitely 'tis the season to reflect on these things.

Cloudia said...

you have the heft to dialogue with great art!


Aloha from Honolulu
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Jingle Poetry At Olive Garden said...

a great tale to chew on today.
keep it up.

Dave King said...

Eileen
Thank you so much on both counts. And may I return your greeting with best wishes to you and yours this season.

kaykuala
He was truly awesome - a word I rarely use. Thanks.

Brian
Thanks Brian. Good to get comments like this!

Carl
Thanks a lot, Carl. Good to hear from you. Have a Great Christmas, you and yours.

haricot
I think this particular power will always work.

April
Hi April, good to hear from you. Your comments are most welcome. Thanks for leaving them.

rch
This is some compliment! Thank you so much for it, I shall try to live up to it!

Windsmoke
Indeed he was, and a big thank you for your comment.

Ciara
Hi, Really good to have your company and to read your thoughts. Thank you so much for the feedback.

Mary
Yes, I posted the two of them with the season in mind. Wanted to do something Christmassy.

Cloudia
That's a great comment, though I doubt that the recipient is wholly worthy of it. Thanks anyway!

Jingle Poetry
Thanks. Shall do my best.

Ygraine said...

What a talent you have!
A normally two-dimensional painting has been brought to life in twenty dimensions here.
Unforgettable :)

ds said...

As beautiful as the painting itself. Thank you.

Intelliblog said...

Wonderful tribute tot he essence of this painting! I remember visiting the Gallery in London and sitting for 30 minutes in front of the cartoon for this work. I was absolutely gob-smacked! The guards actually came and told me to move on in the end!