“There is little choice in a barrel of rotten apples.” ~ William Shakespeare ~ The photographer Antoinette / colorfulexpressions commented to the painting below: “The Coopers (1970, 94 by 126 inches) – In the Portland Museum of Art hangs this mixed-media construction by Charles DuBack which portrays 14 barrel-makers from Waldoboro, Maine.
In somewhat of a trompe I’oeil manner, the artist mixes painted renderings of the seated and standing men with affixed elements as a pair of suspenders, dungarees, a plastic bouquet and fabricated wood heads and arms.”
title=”posing for a barrel of laughs” – uploaded by colorfulexpressions = Antoinette, kindly sent to my group BLOG IT!, click on the picture to enter her galleries on Flickr.com
~
Frizztext: I’ve always really liked the irony of Shakespeare in his comedies. As Allyson Mellone, New York, was currently talking about the Shakespeare plays in Central Park, I remembered not only the wonderful performances that we enjoyed there for two years, but also deeper digging, noticed that I during my students time was standing on stage in some Shakespeare plays. “JULIUS CAESAR” is to me as a pleasant memory [I played the CRASSUS]. My first and lasting encounter with irony, after Julius Caesar having been previously discussed in Latin class of the high school with bitterly serious pathos. “If Jesus and Caesar would suddenly meet, they would, I believe, share a smile.” Maybe a quotation by Shakespeare. Or Arthur Schnitzler. I’ll google…
P.S.:
Actually I’ve published a book via blurb, featuring some of the thoughts, comments, discussions, statements of my daily blog: fragments and feedbacks, June-2013 US $12.10
Related articles
- About Shakespeare (stratford4u.wordpress.com)
- Chicago’s Shakespeare Theatre (local.answers.com)
- How Mandela took note of Shakespeare’s advice not to fear death when he read his plays in prison (laurelbabeblog.wordpress.com)
- Costume & Theater: Shakespeare Resource Center (costumediscounters.com)
- How Nelson Mandela took note of Shakespeare’s advice not to fear death when he read his plays in prison (thisismoney.co.uk)
14? or 12? Missing two! Hanged?
Flickr Comments 
Nice to see this photo. It has reminded me, somewhat annoyingly, that instead of visiting the Portland Museum of Art when we were in Maine last year, we went shopping instead. Silly us.
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Shakespeare is great for all times… Thank you dear Frizz, have a nice weekend, love, nia
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without irony: though I’m afraid of bees and wasps, Nia, you made me understand by your perfect writing, that is has been a sad thing, especially because “they embraced to each other while they died…”
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You’re speaking about Julius Ceasar and Crassus ….and I speak about the art fo changing sides, the lobbyist and corruption in the exercice of power. But our Montebourg is very far from Brutus and we have no Caesar now. And speaking of Julius in July is as normal as speaking of Augustus in August….Not sure Shakespeare did something about him :p
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http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnaud_Montebourg
no Caesar to kill for Montebourg? Maybe the president of Luxembourg? Or Merkel?
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Je ne connais pas les expressions dans d’autres pays que la France mais “Retourner sa veste” désigne l’art de changer d’avis systématiquement du coté des plus forts, lorsque le vent tourne. = deutsch: “sein Mäntelchen nach dem Winde drehen”, trifft auf alle Politiker zu, besonders auf die der FDP.
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It’s good to see a picture from the Portland Museum of Art. It reminds me that instead of going there when we were in Portland, Maine, last year, we went looking at shops instead. Very silly us.
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I do love the Shakespeare quote, especially!
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I like that quote. The painting is quite amusing too.
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Dear Frizz, I too fell in love with “The Coopers.” The ironies are apparent as the barrel makers stand with serious expressions. Alike in their profession but certainly different in how they dress and the implements they are carrying.
I would say the message in the painting is: “not every apple in the barrel is the same.” Or “don’t judge an apple by the barrel because you can still get a good apple from a bad barrel.”
Connection…Julius Caesar, oh yes, pathos abound with a tragedy depicting pride, arrogance, disconnection from ones roots, betrayal of the Republic and assassination.
As always, you stir my brain to ponder, wonder, and most gratefully, to think!
Thanks so much for the link to my “Companions in the Park”!
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Hope this inspires more trips to the fabulous Portland Museum of Art! I was grateful for the opportunity to be able to photograph some of their magnificent works. Portland, Maine is one of our favorite places. This shot was just one of over 600 I shot in two days in and around the inspirational city.
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hi Antoinette,
I like your very clever website design
with the links hidden in your drawings at
http://www.journalady.com/main.html
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14? Where are the other 2?
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maybe hanged?
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hi TinCanTraveler you inspired me to grab my guitar to play the TOM DOOLEY ballad on my own guitar:
https://soundcloud.com/fingerstyle_guitar/65-1
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Ah! I love that old song! Thanks, Frizz
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