Stories Collected While Living in France
Years ago I bought this painting. I have no idea, nor will I know who she is. So give me your best shot, a few words, a name, a history, whatever you want in the comment section.
I will pick one or two or three winners and of course send you a little Royal Christmas Cheer.
xxx
Oh, I absolutely know her, she is the Mistress of Willows! Girls lucky enough to be born in Willows are all granted beautiful hair and hers is the most beautiful of all. No matter where life takes the girls, no matter where they are in the world, they come back to see the Mistress once a year, always during harvest season. They gather together at dusk. When the moon is full to bursting and is at it’s highest point in the sky. Together they walk into the rice fields, moonbeams lighting their way and gathering spent rice stalks as they go. Carefully the girls intertwine the stalks and, as when they get to the center of the field, start walking in a wide circle. They build a build a huge nest by piling the gathered stalks on top of each other as they walk round and round. The nest keeps growing, getting larger and larger as they circle around and around. One side of the nest is always higher than the other. Called the ellipse, it captures the moonlight and holds it in the nest. Then, by the light of the moon, the girls tend one another’s hair, brushing it until it shines as brightly as the moonlight surrounding it. The girl with the longest hair plucks a strand out, giving one strand to each of the other girls. That one, tiny strand, tucked into a pocket, gives each girl bravery throughout the coming year. Bravery to try new things, bravery to venture far from home and bravery to stand up for what is right and true.
OH MY GOSH IT IS ME….in a previous life –one in the French Court-and that is all I will say… a lady never reveals the secrets of court life-I always looked good in blue and gold, no matter the shade…..it brought out my eyes-oh so I was told on one or two occasions -ah when time and life was simple and there was staff to take care of every need and desire-oh you may be wondering how I am so sure of this well I had regression therapy….The portrait hung in my children’s bedroom as it does look I was giving a lesson….
She is the sister of the queen of Poland. She was disowned because she stole the queens jewels and had to leave Poland so she wouldnt be beheaded. Therefore she excaped to France where she was painted. And never again seen in Poland.
Little known fact – Wilma Flintstone’s grand-mere.
Was she a model for an early manufacturer of blusher, tweezers and eyebrow pencils? Yikes!
http://www.footnotinghistory.com/home/empress-eugenie-in-exile-part-i-flight-from-paris would be my uneducated guess.
I bow to Jacklynn Lantry’s entry. So poetic. No one can top it!
I agree with you Sue Young! No one could possibly top Jacklynn’n entry!! Love it.
Mamie Eisenhower before she changed the style of her bangs.
Oh man, not against, not another mistress!
This is the Pillsbury Dough Boy of 14th Century France. I am sure of it.
The village knew her as La Blushing Spinster. Unaware that beneath her chic gardrobe she always wore her sailor lover’s striped shirt close to her heart, warming her from toes to cheeks with an eternal blush.
No idea, but I ADORE the shawl draped over the arm of the chair 😉 xx
and I adore the chair, especially the carved top!
Maybe by Henri Francois Riesener
Whomever it is, you have very good taste in statues, chairs, and paintings. The difference in value would be the painter.
Dan Brown got it wrong in the Da Vinci Code. Jesus did not marry Mary Magdalene with their descendants becoming royalty in France. No. Mary Magdalene married Simon of Cyrene (carried Jesus’ cross). Simon was widowed having already had two sons: Rufus and Alexander (mentioned in Mark 15:21). Simon and Mary met at the cross. They moved north because of the persecution and this woman (her name lost to history) is one of their descendants.
Clearly I have too much time on my hands to be thinking about these things.
I do believe it is Madame de Croque. She is the woman sitting on t swing in a painting by Jean-Honore’ Fragonard. It is part of the Wallace collection in London. She was so beloved by t French people, they named a sandwich after her.
Twilenia Aureil is her name and espionage is her game. She is ageless and therefore has played a part in virtually every well-known escapade throughout history. Time is running out for our girl however, and she is ready to retire, gasping with excitement, into the background of life….see that glint in her eye? She’s gonna write a best-seller about it all!
Queen Victoria……..
I swear! Honestly!
With her fair hair and light eyes, she hails from Normandy, and her ancient Norse heritage can still be traced in her regal brow and bearing. The Normans are as known for their fierce martial spirit as they are for their Christian piety, and our maiden exudes both in equal parts. She stands boldly with arms akimbo adorned in garb that harkens regimental regalia yet bespeaks femininity. Her wise yet kind expression confirm her virtue and that she was a woman ahead of her time. We haven’t her name but know from a glance that we would be proud to call her a friend and mentor should she live among us in our time. (Corey, you were clever to snatch up this gem of a painting years ago. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to imagine and spin a yarn today!) – Amy Bauer
OK, so from the redness to her cheeks, you can obviously tell that she has a fever. And with her hands on her hip, and her, “Are you kidding me?” expression, she is clearly conveying to her husband that he should not be going to the theater this evening! She doesn’t need a name: she is universal!
WHat an absolutely stunning painting!
Don’t look at me to closely, my head has shrunk a little. I am Madame le Pepperpot!
Actually, all these other descriptions are entertaining but fanciful. Because in reality, this is my great-great-great-great-great-uncle Georges, who really adored dresses.
It’s Meryl Streep!
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