Jules Breton - Washerwomen of the Breton Coast

Here is "Washerwomen of the Breton Coast" by Jules Breton.  I find it interesting that Breton placed the foreground women in the shadow (I presume of a cloud) while the sea and the landscape behind are in sunlight.  The colors in the sea are lovely!  Lots of different poses and activities among the girls and women to enjoy and remember.  I like his use of little "splashes" of red to brighten up the otherwise dark clothing.  The composition and layout including the curved beach line leads your eye nicely around the painting and back again.





Today's music by Robert Schumann is Symphonic Studies.  Schumann - Symphonic Studies Op. 13


Our new poet is Emily Dickinson.  Our family recently read a wonderful biography of her life by Aileen Fisher (some of you may recognize her as the author of All On a Mountain Day).  I like her writing so was looking for books by her and came upon this one about Emily Dickinson and her family.  We really enjoyed it and I recommend it.  It is titled   We Dickinsons: the life of Emily Dickinson as Seen Through the Eyes of Her Brother Austin.  Emily's poetry often speaks of death and could seem morbid but the above biography gave very helpful insights into who Emily was and what might have formed how Emily thought and wrote.  
Here are a couple of short biographical sketches - followed by a poem.
Emily Dickinson - Wikipedia 
Emily Dickinson - Biography Online 

THE DAISY FOLLOWS SOFT THE SUN
by: Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

HE daisy follows soft the sun,

And when his golden walk is done,

Sits shyly at his feet.

He, waking, finds the flower near.

"Wherefore, marauder, art thou here?"

"Because, sir, love is sweet!"

 

We are the flower, Thou the sun!

Forgive us, if as days decline,

We nearer steal to Thee,--

Enamoured of the parting west,

The peace, the flight, the amethyst,

Night's possibility!

Jules Breton - The Song of the Lark, Robert Schumann - Carnaval, Alfred Lord Tennyson: Summer Night

I first saw this painting by Jules Breton in an art appreciation book from Christian Liberty Press called Masterpieces in Art the pictures are in this book are black and white but the wonder in the girl's expression and her listening posture came through powerfully.  This was my first exposure to Jules Breton.

The Song of the Lark by Jules Breton

 Notice this peasant girl's bare feet and simple dress.  She has a cutting tool in her hand and is on her way to the fields early in the morning when she stops to listen to the Lark.


Since I recommended the Music Master's CD that includes music and biography about both Grieg and Schumann we'll look at Robert Schumann next.  Here are two biographical sketches:
Wikipedia - Robert Schumann or Classical Net - Robert Schumann
 The first work I would like to feature is Carnaval
Carnaval Part 1
Carnaval Part 2
Carnaval Part 3 
Carnaval Part 4 

One final poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson today.
                                         SUMMER NIGHT
                      by: Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)

OW sleeps the crimson petal, now the white;

Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk;

Nor winks the gold fin in the porphyry font:

The firefly wakens: waken thou with me.

 

Now droops the milk-white peacock like a ghost,

And like a ghost she glimmers on to me.

 

Now lies the Earth all Danaë to the stars,

And all thy heart lies open unto me.

 

Now slides the silent meteor on, and leaves

A shining furrow, as thy thoughts in me.

 

Now folds the lily all her sweetness up,

And slips into the bosom of the lake:

So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip

Into my bosom and be lost in me.