Girl with a Pearl Earring is a quiet movie about things not said, opportunities not taken, potentials not realized, lips unkissed. All of these elements are guessed at by the filmmakers as they regard a painting made in about 1665 by Johannes Vermeer. The painting shows a young woman looking at us over her left shoulder. She wears a simple blue headband, a modest smock and a pearl earring. Her red lips are slightly parted. Is she smiling?

Not much is known about Vermeer, who left about 35 paintings. Nothing is known about his model. You can hear that it was his daughter, a neighbor, a tradeswoman, but not his lover, because Vermeer’s household was under the iron rule of his mother-in-law, who was vigilant as a hawk. The painting has become as intriguing in its modest way as the Mona Lisa. The girl’s face turned toward us from centuries ago demands that we ask, “Who was she? What was she thinking? What was the artist thinking about her?”

Tracy Chevalier’s novel speculating about the painting has now been filmed by Peter Webber, who cast Scarlett Johansson as the girl and Colin Firth as Vermeer. The girl’s name is Griet, according to this story. She lives nearby and is sent by her blind father to work in Vermeer’s house.

Roger Ebert. Review of girl with a pearl earring. Internet: <www.rogerebert.suntimes.com> (adapted).

I
En mi sueño me veo plácida y despreocupadamente durmiendo en mi cama, a pesar de que tan sólo faltan pocos minutos para que suene otra vez el maldito despertador.

II
¡Caramba, qué susto! Me quedé dormido en el butacón y empecé a soñar que se me habían pegado las sábanas y que perdía la hora de levantarme. ¡Qué suerte que me he despertado a tiempo!

III
Tan rápido me desperté que no dio tiempo de acabar mi sueño. Así, sueño y desde mi sueño me observo pero ya no me veo más.

IV
¡Soñé que la cama estaba vacía y yo estaba adormilándome en el sillón! ¡Si por lo menos fuese una mecedora! Bueno, me voy a la cama que ya es hora.

Girl with a Pearl Earring is a quiet movie about things not said, opportunities not taken, potentials not realized, lips unkissed. All of these elements are guessed at by the filmmakers as they regard a painting made in about 1665 by Johannes Vermeer. The painting shows a young woman looking at us over her left shoulder. She wears a simple blue headband, a modest smock and a pearl earring. Her red lips are slightly parted. Is she smiling?

Not much is known about Vermeer, who left about 35 paintings. Nothing is known about his model. You can hear that it was his daughter, a neighbor, a tradeswoman, but not his lover, because Vermeer’s household was under the iron rule of his mother-in-law, who was vigilant as a hawk. The painting has become as intriguing in its modest way as the Mona Lisa. The girl’s face turned toward us from centuries ago demands that we ask, “Who was she? What was she thinking? What was the artist thinking about her?”

Tracy Chevalier’s novel speculating about the painting has now been filmed by Peter Webber, who cast Scarlett Johansson as the girl and Colin Firth as Vermeer. The girl’s name is Griet, according to this story. She lives nearby and is sent by her blind father to work in Vermeer’s house.

Roger Ebert. Review of girl with a pearl earring. Internet: <www.rogerebert.suntimes.com> (adapted).

I
En mi sueño me veo plácida y despreocupadamente durmiendo en mi cama, a pesar de que tan sólo faltan pocos minutos para que suene otra vez el maldito despertador.

II
¡Caramba, qué susto! Me quedé dormido en el butacón y empecé a soñar que se me habían pegado las sábanas y que perdía la hora de levantarme. ¡Qué suerte que me he despertado a tiempo!

III
Tan rápido me desperté que no dio tiempo de acabar mi sueño. Así, sueño y desde mi sueño me observo pero ya no me veo más.

IV
¡Soñé que la cama estaba vacía y yo estaba adormilándome en el sillón! ¡Si por lo menos fuese una mecedora! Bueno, me voy a la cama que ya es hora.

Matisse : son art et ses textiles

Un aspect de l’oeuvre du peintre Henri Matisse qui n’est pas très connu : l’inspiration qu’il tirait des tissus décoratifs et vestimentaires. Sa collection de tissus se compose de nombreux tissus décoratifs mais aussi de nombreux vêtements et costumes. Les goûts du peintre sont très éclectiques tant par leur provenance que par leur design. C’est surtout la dynamique et la couleur de ces matières qui l’interpelle et stimule sa créativité.

En 1906, il va en Algérie d’où il revient bouleversé par l’intensité des couleurs et le raffinement des textiles qu’il y découvre. Son enthousiasme marque le départ de toute une série de toiles qui présentent des femmes ou des odalisques habillées avec de magnifiques vêtements provenant principalement du Maroc et de Turquie.

Si Matisse est sensible aux vêtements d’origine ethnique, il reste également fidèle à la Haute Couture. Il achète ainsi des pièces de collection des grands créateurs parisiens en 1938.

L’artiste sera enfin créateur de sa propre collection de vêtements sacerdotaux commandée et portée par les prêtres qui célèbrent les messes dans la Chapelle de Vence.

Internet: <www.expatclic.com> (texte adapté).

I
En mi sueño me veo plácida y despreocupadamente durmiendo en mi cama, a pesar de que tan sólo faltan pocos minutos para que suene otra vez el maldito despertador.

II
¡Caramba, qué susto! Me quedé dormido en el butacón y empecé a soñar que se me habían pegado las sábanas y que perdía la hora de levantarme. ¡Qué suerte que me he despertado a tiempo!

III
Tan rápido me desperté que no dio tiempo de acabar mi sueño. Así, sueño y desde mi sueño me observo pero ya no me veo más.

IV
¡Soñé que la cama estaba vacía y yo estaba adormilándome en el sillón! ¡Si por lo menos fuese una mecedora! Bueno, me voy a la cama que ya es hora.

Girl with a Pearl Earring is a quiet movie about things not said, opportunities not taken, potentials not realized, lips unkissed. All of these elements are guessed at by the filmmakers as they regard a painting made in about 1665 by Johannes Vermeer. The painting shows a young woman looking at us over her left shoulder. She wears a simple blue headband, a modest smock and a pearl earring. Her red lips are slightly parted. Is she smiling?

Not much is known about Vermeer, who left about 35 paintings. Nothing is known about his model. You can hear that it was his daughter, a neighbor, a tradeswoman, but not his lover, because Vermeer’s household was under the iron rule of his mother-in-law, who was vigilant as a hawk. The painting has become as intriguing in its modest way as the Mona Lisa. The girl’s face turned toward us from centuries ago demands that we ask, “Who was she? What was she thinking? What was the artist thinking about her?”

Tracy Chevalier’s novel speculating about the painting has now been filmed by Peter Webber, who cast Scarlett Johansson as the girl and Colin Firth as Vermeer. The girl’s name is Griet, according to this story. She lives nearby and is sent by her blind father to work in Vermeer’s house.

Roger Ebert. Review of girl with a pearl earring. Internet: <www.rogerebert.suntimes.com> (adapted).