William Orpen, "A Bitter Curacao"



   This week's artist is new to me, but when I first saw this portrait, I knew I would have to show it to you.   The artist is William Newenham Montague Orpen (1878 - 1931).  He was born in Dublin, Ireland and spent most of his adult life in London and Paris.  Today he is remembered for the huge number of images he created depicting the soldiers and scenes of World War I.  Traveling along the front lines of the war his images provided a realistic picture of the brutality of war.  After the war he returned to London and continued a very successful career as a society portrait painter, which made him very wealthy.   After his death in 1931 he was pretty much forgotten by art critics until very late in the 20th century.  
   I  know little of curacao, but after a quick search discovered the liquor is made from laraha, a bitter orange native to the island of Curacao.   Evidently juice and pulp of the laraha is so bitter it cannot be enjoyed so the liquor is made from the dried peels of the fruit.   I have never tasted it, but reports say it has a bitter, yet sweet orange taste.   
   Orpen painted a lot of self portraits, and I think our painting for this week is one of them.  It was done in 1900, so when he was quite young, and before the war.  I find this painting SO interesting.  First, it is divided almost in half - notice the almost straight line running right down the center, and then, all the rectangles - everywhere!  See how nicely his hands, body, curves of his clothing, and table items interrupt.  He has positioned himself to the right providing ample room for the setting; the table, chair and window.  And the centerpiece of the left side is the glass of curacao, his hand and the little bottle.   He is looking straight at us, just as if he has turned his attention to us as we have entered the room.   The color harmony is almost monochromatic: a red/brown with black, white and greys.  
     A Bitter Curacao is an oil on board.  It is part of the permanent collection of the Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa.   I was not able to find its dimensions.
    
Make Art a part of your life, it's a beautiful thing to do.


 

Comments

  1. Char HarguthApril 6, 2021 at 6:23 PM

    This is such an interesting and unusual painting. I love the neutral color harmony.
    Yes, so many rectangle's; it's the first thing I noticed. The light of his face leads me to the window and back to his hands, So much information is in the details. It seems like he has just turned his head and we have interrupted the moment. His stature suggests a very confident man. I notice that his body extends beyond the top and bottom borders. He really commands our attention in this painting. I HAVE tasted curacao in Curacao! Of course, not bitter in a mixed drink!!! :)

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    Replies
    1. Art Expert On LineApril 7, 2021 at 6:41 AM

      Oh, How fun! You have been in Curacao and tasted the liquor. I am sure in a mixed drink it was wonderful. I will have to check that out. Good comments, as always about this painting. The man really does have a very confident air about him, besides his posture, it helps that he is reasonably young. Thanks for being with me.

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