On our second year in the Wild West I took a trip without the painter, back to the Sequoia's where we used to live. It was an epic journey, extended by fleeing Los Angeles within 10 hours of getting there. Thus extending my time in the mountains by 4 days.
It was prime time for my architipal journey. The solitary mind was flowing script and having visions that were then fulfilled. The swiftest of which was manifesting a bear within an hour of having the day dream while sleeping in a meadow on some unknown hill that beaconed me off the road. Yep it was one of those adventures. A time of independence and fulfillment that was an alixier that I was yearning for.
During this trip, among other things I purchased on old postcard from the Louvre of Hans Holbein's portrait of d'Anne de Cleves. A rather osteir portrait of a woman, hands clenched, rings on most fingers, and an indifferent look on her face. I remember flicking through the cards, regarding it, and then later buying it along with some watercolors and a notebook.
When I reluctantly returned home from journey the painter had painted a painting. Unusually it was a self portrait of himself, in the style and costume of a Hans Holbein. The coincidence was flabbergasting. What are the chances that this landscape painter would paint a self portrait of him in this period, and infront of this portrait a checkboard with a painting of him and me from our wedding day on the board.
It was a significent piece. I was uncertain at this point of his love for me. I felt the time apart would help us clarify the truth, if we were meant to be together or not. This paintings show us together, on the checkerboard of life with this rather osteir victorian figure watching over us.
Even more interesting the postcard is a Holbein painting of Anne de Cleves, who was give Hever Castle as a gift by her husband, Henry the eighth when they annulled their marriage. This I find out a year after the painter, myself and our son visited the castle.
Henry the eighth sent his favorite portrait artist, Hans Holbein to the Germany duchy to paint a portrait of the intended bride and her sister. Particular about looks the portrait was the key to the negotiations of marriage that were started in ernest after the portraits of Anne and her sister were viewed by the fussy king.
The painter was apparently more enchanted with embroidery of her gown than with Anne's personality. Her eyes are downcast and her features lost beneath the ornate trappings of her dress and hood.
The English Channel delayed the meeting of the king and the portraits subject. For two weeks she waited in Calais until the ocean calmed to let the entourage cross. Their first encounter was brash and under cloaks and veils. The King pretended to be the Kings entourage. The marriage to Henry lasted 4 months and was never consecrated. Anne de Cleves escaped with her life and inherited the castle that the previous Anne (Anne Boleyn Henrys second wife, who was beheaded) was raised in.
The painter had been inspired to paint this particular piece by Holbeins portrait of an Unknown Young Man at his Office Desk. In the original painting the young man has a book in one hand and a scroll in the other. In the rendition the man holds a paintbrush and a pallet. The portrait is an amalgam of two portraits of other people from a decade earlier than the 1541 painting was painted.
There were many times in the past when I was prone to over look coincidences. But as the decades unfold I am more likely to pay attention to the patterns that have appeared in our world. Particularly the archytypal influences and connections that make themselves known. In this example there are the chances in a million that I would come home with a postcard from a area unrelated to the image, and find a husband who has painted a unrelated painting to his norm. That the two would tangent was remarkable. Than now third connection is the fact that we visited Hever Castle, the home of Anne Boleyn second wife of Henry the VIII and later home of Anne de Cleves, the subject of my postcard. On research of the connections the only other coincidence is that Anne Boyeln was excuited on May nineteenth, my birthday.
This is just the first step on my pondering this subject. I found the painting today in the basement. It is now here in my caravan as i consider that the man in the painting is no longer in charge of the board game, and the osteir mystery Holbein influence is in charge of the next move.
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