Tuesday, November 18, 2014

The Birthday party, parts 3887 - 3890

 3887. Emily allowed for only one alteration in her production of drawings of horses: the question was only, “Will it be the full figure or the head only.” Also, will if be in profile, a side view, or the dreaded three quarter view in perspective.


 3888. The drawing teacher had to accept these restrictions. Since Emily was always an obedient child, the drawing master was able to put in front of her something like a vase of flowers, and set Emily to doing a drawing of the subject, but he soon discovered that the drawing of the flowers Emily produced was so lacking in conviction or attention that the entire two hours of instruction wasted.


 3889. When Frida, the tutor, suggested that Emily draw the horse from memory after her punishment began, there already existed a firm foundation of drawing experience to build upon. From the first day of her punishment, however Emily exhibited an extremely different attitude to the project. Pencil and paper were now inadequate to her needs, watercolor, always so weak and transparent, was not a strong enough drug to satisfy her.



 3890. One would think that oil paint and canvas would be the medium of choice, but even these difficult materials were rejected out of hand.  Emily knew from the first instant how her passion was to be realized; only sculpture would do, and not sculpture carved in stone, but forms modeled in clay.

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