It would be safe to assume that Colville's wife is looking forward, gazing at the red cliffs of Anne's Land. Or is it?
Perhaps Rhoda Colville was looking back at New Brunswick. Maybe she was examining what was, and not what will be. We may never know because both of the Colvilles have 'left the gallery', so to speak. I'm 51% certain that Rhoda was looking towards PEI, but Mr.Colville always left the door open to interpretation. There is a mystic quality to his work that I didn't appreciate until my recent trip to the AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario). Do you know why there are so many trains in Colville's work, for example? If you don't, then you might be shocked to learn the truth (it involves five dead people).
The AGO currently has an extensive exhibit of Colville's work, spanning the war years (1940s) right up to 2010 (his last painting). Visiting the exhibition, for me, was enlightening. I walked into the gallery in the dark, and I left in the light. I gained an understanding of Colville's work which was sorely lacking when I entered the gallery. Context can be very helpful in understanding art, and this exhibit was very generous in that regard. It's a story well told. Congratulations, AGO.
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| Photo credit: Robert Kortgaard |
1) Price.
2) They're still not my cup of tea.
I find his paintings cold and often unsettling. Interestingly enough, this is also part of their beauty because he captured a lot of psychology on the canvas, both his and mine. And yours, if you care to look closely.
Today's second blog image is less mysterious. There's no question that I'm looking forward.....to New Brunswick. I'll be there today, but wait! If I'm looking at New Brunswick, then so is Rhoda!
Had no idea that's what this Colville depicted! Tried to solve the mystery of which end of the boat Rhoda was on (shouldn't I be able to figure that out by now??)... but couldn't. BON VOYAGE back East. We are a little jealous.
ReplyDeleteThe SS PEI: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mKMjgOaIL0E/TJ0-PAr-wfI/AAAAAAAAIpw/S0aTkAXvKKQ/s1600/Ships+19.jpg
Ooooh....thanks for that (ancient) PEI ferry image. We've come a long way in marine transportation since the days of that old tug, eh?
DeleteWell the direction of view debate has raged unabated at the L&S abode on the sunny west coast. Here is my theory (not peer reviewed of course), setting the scene, it is summer (clothing), and early afternoon (shadows), the summer the prevailing wind is south southwest. I submit Rhoda is indeed looking at PEI, and she is sitting on the starboard side of the boat, how is that possible you ask?, my theory suggests that Colville reversed the film study he used to produce this painting, the ropes on the right side of the lifeboat are affected by the wind, the left are not, so either the picture is reversed or Rhoda is on the port side heading to NB
ReplyDeleteCSI:False Creek strikes again! Your theory is interesting. In fact, seven or eight others have suggested the very same thing. To me this suggests that the ferry was indeed heading to PEI, wot wot?
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