Friday, January 21, 2022

Althouse

Althouse


"As young women, we were taught to keep silent. We were taught early that taking second place is easier than first."

Posted: 21 Jan 2022 03:29 AM PST

"You tell yourself that's all right, but it's not all right. It is important that we learn to express ourselves, to say what it is that we like, that we want."

Said Françoise Gilot, quoted in "Françoise Gilot: 'It Girl' at 100 The painter, writer and the only woman with the spunk and self-determination to leave Picasso has a few things to say about success, personal style and the nature of intimacy" (NYT).

She has not always been above using her looks to further her aims. Soon after they met, she writes, she took up Picasso's invitation to teach her engraving. "I arrived on time wearing a black velvet dress with a high white lace collar, my dark red hair done up in a coiffure I had taken from a painting of the Infanta by Velázquez."

When he remarked that her turnout was ill-suited for engraving, she informed him that she knew he had no intention of teaching that day. "I was simply trying to look beautiful," she told him.

"She has not always been above using her looks to further her aims" — Is that sarcastic understatement?

Speaking of herself now, at the age of 100, she says: "Maybe I rather like the way I look... A sense of style is important... It's like a pane of glass that makes you seem transparent but at the same time is a barrier.... You should not make yourself known that much to other people and keep your most intimate thoughts to yourself... People tell you to be natural. But what is natural, I would like to know?"

I read her book "Life with Picasso" half a century ago. Highly recommended.

How are you picturing that Infanta hairdo? This seems rather implausible:

Another Coldness Café.

Posted: 20 Jan 2022 05:07 PM PST

No photos of this too-cold day. I only took a half step outside the door to pick up a package — that toaster I ordered yesterday. It's the third day in a row that I have not left the house, I'm sorry to say. It's cold! I have my indoor things — eating toast, etc. — so I'm quite all right. Only one more day of this intense cold, I think.

Meanwhile, please use the comments section to talk about whatever you like.

"Trump gives Biden the best advice."

Posted: 21 Jan 2022 02:59 AM PST

@austinnasso Trump has advice #donaldtrump #trump #impression #fyp #usa #america #biden #bidenimpression ♬ original sound - Austin Nasso
ADDED: It looks much nicer as a TikTok embed, so I've replaced the YouTube version. I'll put it below the fold if people say this doesn't work on their browser. By the way, the last line is so clipped you could miss it, but it's excellent.

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