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!