It has often been said that positioning paintings at our eye-line helps us make beguiling associations throughout the day. This painted image provided us with a much needed psychological component to our environment. In the heart of Philadelphia, and particularly during Winter months, we found ourselves wishing to inhabit a different biosphere. In addition to the nostalgia of the dream vacation, connecting with the figure through the gaze indulged us into heightened appreciation of male youth and physical strength.
And so my narrative is as follows =
A youth tests his strength against the ropes of a home-made swing, getting ready for a spin. The swing is a metaphor for the passing of time, like the pendulum of a clock. The carefully wound rope unravels towards the bottom suggesting entropy, the transitory nature of all living organisms. Purple orchids, blown by the wind, lead our eye around the figure, every bit as athletic as a Greek nude from the Hellenistic period. Stark morning light creates a sunny optimistic atmosphere in the Garden of Earthly Delights.
Private collection, Washington, D.C.