A Day in the Park with Roger Pasquier

William Glackens May Day, Central Park

ca. 1905

There are few public parks more beautiful and lush than New York's Central Park. A new book PAINTING CENTRAL PARK captures all the inspiration of the park in the many American paintings of the scenic landscape. This is the first book that explores the work-by Roger Pasquier with a foreword by Amanda Burden. 

Painting Central Park

by Roger F. Pasquier

Forward by Amanda Burden

Published by The Vendome Press 2015

Several Autumns ago, I had luncheon at one of the most talked about apartments in the design world. The table (for two) was perfection-linen that belonged to the Duchess of Windsor, all the finest one can imagine. While I was taking in my surroundings-my eye kept drifting out to the landscape. It was a stunning view of Central Park-with all its autumnal color at peak. Easy to see how artists find infinite inspiration amongst the acres-and of course the less gifted who can just wander about, drawing in the scene-if only in one's mind.

The book reveals the park and the changes of its inhabitants over 150 years. I am attracted to so many of the works- but of course the "people" pictures are my personal favorites. The book is somewhat like that-there is something for everyone to love-just like the park. About the park, Amanda Burden quotes Henry James, who wrote that there was "something for everybody... and everything at once."
"The perception comes quickly, in New York, of the singular and  beautiful mission, but almost crushing, that has been laid as an effect of time, upon this limited territory, which has risen to the occasion, from the first, so consistently and bravely." Henry James

George Bellows, A Day in June,1913

Maurice Prendergast, Central Park, 1900

"We may even say, putting it simply and strongly, that if he doesn't here, in his thought, keep patting the Park on the back, he is guilty not alone of a failure of natural tendency, but of real deviation from social morality." Henry James

William Glackens, Central Park Winter

ca 1905

The Park has had to "produce on the spot the particular romantic object demanded, lake or river or cataract, wild woodland or teeming garden, boundless vista or bosky nook, noble eminence or smiling valley." Henry James

The book rises to James prose, as Central Park still does today.



Quotes on the Park are all by Henry James.
Thank you to Vendome Press for this beautiful book!

Summer with Edith and Henry

"Summer afternoon — summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."- Henry James as quoted by Edith Wharton, A Backward Glance (1934)



(photograph by Erwin Blumenfeld)

Today I'd have to agree with Henry, it's quite beautiful here in the typically humid South.

Henry James Portrait VI

"Everything about Florence seems to be coloured with a mild violet, like diluted wine."

Letter to Henry James Sr. (26 October 1869)

 Jean Shrimpton by Avedon

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Henry James Portraits V

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"In art economy is always beauty."

The Altar of the Dead- Henry James

all portraits by the ever brilliant Richard AVEDON

Henrietta, Duchess of Bedford
Dolores Guinness
Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia
 Antonella Agnelli
Marella Agnelli
Vicomtesse Jacqueline de Ribes






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Henry James Portraits IV

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The ever importunate murmur, "Dramatize it, dramatize it!"  
Henry James, The Altar of the Dead

Alidad photographed by Simon Upton



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Summer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henryjames389273.html#O0ott8milaIgXfkC.99

Henry James Portraits III

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To take what there is, and use it, without waiting forever in vain for the preconceived — to dig deep into the actual and get something out of that — this doubtless is the right way to live. Henry James, Notebook entry, London, 1889-05-12

Rudolf Nureyev photographed by Irving Penn

Henry James Portraits II

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"She was a woman who, between courses, could be graceful with her elbows on the table."

Henry James,The Ambassadors, book VII, ch. I

Deeda Blair photographed by HORST

wearing Givenchy

Henry James Portraits, I

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Portrait on the Grand Canal

photographed by David Bailey

"It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance, for our consideration
and application of these things, and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of its process."
Henry James to to H.G. Wells (10 July 1915)

 

  The Conte and Contessa Brandolini on their flower strewn terrace,
the flowers are for a dinner preceding a Venetian Ball.


(from VOGUE, November 1967)

the gospel according to Miles

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 Miles Redd portrait Courtesy of Cameron Krone 

it's a Big book- THE BIG BOOK OF CHIC-but more likely it will be henceforth known as the Book of Miles, the gospel according to Miles.

it has captured the design world and led many to recommit themselves...to beautiful rooms,
heavy on the traditional,
light in mood
& steeped in CHIC.

holy smokes-
it's BIG!
 & BEAUTIFUL.
 & CHIC.

to my regret, I did not get my Big Book til this month.
the first batch went like Manna- from heaven.
parties & book signings had devotees flocking to meet MILES and get THE BIG BOOK OF CHIC so I had to wait.
Miles said he was waiting for more copies too-I felt better.

I told you it was BIG.
TALL: 13+ inches.
HEAVY: 6+ pounds.
& every page full of inspiration.

VENERATE

"Honor your Father and your Mother."

Miles had me at the dedication. "For my mother and father. Who gave me this wonderful life."

Accompanying this dedication is a beautiful photograph of Miles' parents exiting the church after their wedding. All of the fabulous photographs in this story are from Assouline-and since this photograph was not included-Here are my parents just after they were married.

"The joys of parents are secret, and so are their grieves and fears." Francis Bacon

 You see-Miles and I agree about family. I couldn't have said that better myself. When Miles and I met last year we immediately hit if off. Not just our Southern roots-but something about how those roots go deep and connect us to our families. Today, Miles shares a gorgeous townhouse in New York with his sister-her husband and their son.

A tradition past in the South-families maintaining a house where they live together-happily-harmoniously- and yes, for many necessity-but not even this can dampening spirits nor limiting a capacity for living with CHIC! It's also a longstanding tradition in Europe. Miles is a family guy-& that's a lot of what we chattered about for most of the evening.

SAINTHOOD

Along with Family, Miles venerates the Masters of our Universe-Sargent, Richard Avedon, Rene Gruau,Cecil Beaton, Nancy Mitford, Truman Capote, Horst-they're all there-making repeated cameos  in the book.

"Nothing is pleasant that is not spiced with variety." Francis Bacon

 INSIDE CHIC

Pauline de Rothschild-the color in her Chateau Mouton Library

 Syrie Maugham's certain inexplicable "je ne sais quoi"

DIVINE MAXIMS

I'm a Believer. 
Sir Francis' always guides my little augury stories-and ideas.

Who Can Argue with HJ?

DEVOTION

 "Studies serve for delight, for ornaments, and for ability." Sir Francis Bacon

Miles' devoted followers will revel in the collection of his design work set against a backdrop of  people, personalities, celebrities and quotations that have inspired his life & work. His choices-to no surprise are just what we expect-
& Love.
It is all in THE BIG BOOK OF CHIC.

all photographs used with permission from Assouline
photography for the book by Paul Costello.

..

what would Freud say?

 "which Freud?" you say.

"the late Lucian, of course," I say.

 Lucian Freud's Bella, 1996

How extraordinary would it have been if Lucian Freud could have painted the Duchess of Cambridge-his last great work?

Some of his work is atmospherically beautiful.

Freud's Bella and Esther, 2002

He had a go at the Queen in 2001.

Freud's portrait of the Queen. 9" x 6"

The Duchess views Freud's paintings. 

"Can't you just imagine transporting the Duchess into this family portrait?" I say.

 "for that matter what would Madame Tussaud say?"

"More Wax!" Madame Tussaud

 upon viewing a Freud portrait of his wife The Duke of Devonshire said:

on looker "Who is that?"

Andrew Devonshire "It's my wife." 

on looker "Well, thank God it's not mine."

(above, the Duchess of Devonshire by Lucien Freud)

"This is a double portrait of the Windsor men," I say.

"& jolly good," You say.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge & Prince Harry by Nicola Jane ('Nicky') Philipps

  © National Portrait Gallery, London

"She's a lovely woman-animated, athletic.    

Just like the guys, Right?

They look like they might just soul shake next?"

I say old chap-"why didn't the Duchess get a vibrant portrait of the woman that comes through in her countless-countless photographs?"

 (No I haven't met her or even seen her in her royal personess-but still.)

 "Yes-I see that her mouth is open a bit in this one-

but look so is the Duke's-the Prince I mean in the Harry and Wills portrait."

"say what?"

Yes-most definitely it is-

"why not in a hat?" I say hats definitely become her.

Or in a Sargent frame of mind?

"Perfect."

Think  Edith Minturn Stokes in Sargent's Stokes painting.

"Never more lovely- her hair-windswept

why not something romantic?" I say.

 Think Pre-Raphaelite.

Windswept by John Waterhouse, 1904

"Never prettier with flowers in her hair"-I say-

No self respecting Pre-Raphaelite would disagree.

In the hands, say of Dante Gabriel Rossetti?

Paul  Emsley says ‘The Duchess explained that she would like to be portrayed naturally - her natural self - as opposed to her official self. She struck me as enormously open and generous and a very warm person. After initially feeling it was going to be an unsmiling portrait I think it was the right choice in the end to have her smiling - that is really who she is.’ from the NPG  (linked in text)

HRH The Duchess of Cambridge

portrait by Paul Emsley
National Portrait Gallery, London; A National Portrait Gallery commission given by Sir Hugh Leggatt in memory of Sir Denis Mahon through the Art Fund. 
 Leggatt is a great patron of the Gallery.

"I think any artist would agree that with an older face, with lines or wrinkles, or strong distinguishing features, it's easier to create a likeness. But with a genuinely beautiful face, it's harder to convey character," Elmsley  says.

She says, "Brilliant."

He says-he altered the color of her eyes to be more harmonious with the blouse and background.

      In a style called photorealism, I say what?

Stephen Deuchar, director of the Art Fund charity, says-"There is a tradition of portraits of princesses, which he was very much aware of, and he (Leggatt) wanted to commission this image of her before the full weight of responsibilities of state and motherhood descended on her – and as it turned out, just in time."

To see it in the flesh-I say is the only way to truly judge, however from the countless images circulating-

it would appear from the portrait time ran out-

"but No I can't believe that," I say.

No small Freud, the Elmsley, is a clossal 45" x 38"

Emsley stands by the portrait of the Duchess

The Duchess of Cambridge has many portraits in her future-perhaps none will capture her-certainly Elmsley-as the first-
will be a constant reminder to those who come after-the best is yet to come.

One Hopes.

Something that captures the youth and vibrancy of them both-


"In the monumental style of the Stokes portrait," I say.

 “She carried within herself a great fund of life, and her deepest enjoyment was to feel the continuity between the movement of her own heart and the agitations of the world. For this reason, she was fond of seeing great crowds, and large stretches of country, of reading about revolutions and wars, of looking at historical pictures--a class of efforts to which she had often gone so far as to forgive much bad painting for the sake of the subject,” Henry James said.

 

Sometimes words paint the picture best-and Time changes nothing-that is of importance, I say.

a first hand account of  viewing the portrait at The Anglophile here