Barroom Philosophy

Which Patsy Cline song are you?

2013-02-10T14:51:00.001-05:00

For all you aching hearts out there, the cure is Patsy Cline. And whiskey. I've made it easy for you, follow my Patsy Guide:

"I fall to pieces" - You're trying to get over your ex, and be "friends" (pffft), but everytime you see them you have a complete breakdown and feel totally pathetic.

"Walkin after midnight" - You spend your nights searching for your lost love on foot.

"She's got you" - You still have all of your ex's stuff... but you don't have their heart :(

"Sweet dreams of you"- You're having recurring (sexy?) dreams about your ex.

"If you've got leavin on your mind"- You have a sneaking suspicion you're about to get dumped.

"Back in baby's arms" - You and your ex got back together! WOO! (subtext: yea... it's probably still going to be a disaster though...)

Happy Valentine's Day!

The best euphemisms in music part 1

2013-01-19T13:50:00.001-05:00

Presented without comment.

Vintage Christmas- From the Library and Archives Canada

2012-12-24T20:07:00.001-05:00

The awkward moment when your Christmas card has a swastika on it.
This is from the William Lyon Mackenzie King fonds.
There's no date, but we can probably assume this was sent pre- WWII.

Pte. Lyle Enright Returning from Overseas for Christmas.

ca. 1943-1965 link

WWII poster- n.d. link

From the Empire Marketing Board.
1926-1934
Artist- Austin Cooper link

From the Department of Labour, n.d. link

Christmas shopping in Ottawa, 1955 link

Christmas Bateman Wedding
photographer- Yousuf Karsh
March 20, 1937 link

From the Empire Marketing Board
1926-1934
Artist- Austin Cooper link

Classic Christmas : a multi-image christmas extravaganza.
n.d.
Artist- Theo Dimson link

Christmas card
between 1875-1878
publisher- Eyre and Spottiswoode
link

Pork Cocktails

2012-08-27T21:17:00.003-04:00

Earlier this summer I tried to get all Martha Stuart by inventing my own summer cocktail. I borrowed a historic recipe for Lemon Balm Tea added some rosemary, added some honey and added some gin. I served it to friends, some of whom loved it and some of whom politely told me it was more suited as a beverage to accompany a pork chop, rather than to imbibe at happy hour. Thus, the drink came to be known at the "Pork Cocktail."

The recipe is as follows-

Chop up lemon balm leaves and steep in boiling water with a sprig of rosemary for 10 minutes, strain the liquid and add honey to taste, serve hot or cold and add some gin if desired, garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Vintage Wedding

2012-08-27T21:07:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend I attended a gorgeous Scottish wedding at a beautiful historic house, which has inspired me to do a vintage wedding post. Enjoy!


Gord Walker's wedding St. Cuthbert's Church, Leaside, 1938


Ethel (Mrs. A.A. Gross) in a wedding dress 1903

Mr. and Mrs. Croft leaving St. Paul's April 2nd, 1913


Colonel W.A. Bishop marries Miss. Burden of the Eaton family

This is a fun one- Billy Bishop a Canadian First World War flying ace marries granddaughter of Timothy Eaton. From Wikipedia- "Bishop returned home to Canada in 1917, where he was acclaimed a hero and helped boost the morale of the Canadian public, who were growing tired of the war. On 17 October 1917, at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto, he married his longtime fiancée, Margaret Burden,a granddaughter of Timothy Eaton and sister of ace Henry John Burden."


Banting wedding 1925

Hay- Beck wedding 1925

Wedding guests at Knox Chapel 1930

Lou and Nat Turofsky, 1937

This photograph is mysteriously labelled in the archive as

"Nat Turofsky with woman in wedding dress, 194-?"

Military wedding, 1930-1950?

Vintage Garbage

2012-08-11T12:09:00.000-04:00

Some Torontonians are making a stink (pun!) about Mayor Ford's privatization of garbage collection in the city.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/clock-ticking-for-private-garbage-collector-to-clean-up-its-act/article4476163/

With this in mind I thought it would be fun to take a look back at the garbage of yore- how did our forefathers in Toronto deal with the perpetual problem of trash? Hint: they dealt with it with style.

Garbage collection on Toronto Island

1950s fleet

Dan Griff

2012-07-15T20:57:00.001-04:00

As some of you may know it has been a pretty rough week, so I surprised even myself by mustering the energy to haul my butt down to the Dakota Tavern to see Dan Griffin Thursday night. I'd been waiting for this show for ages and I am so happy I went and that Caroline came and helped prop my tired self up. The only thing that would have made the show more epic-ly awesome is if our other friends had been able to be there.

I was so happy when Dan played his song "East Coast" and then I was sooo sad, I had to actively stop myself from crying openly over my gin and tonic.

Some songs will always have memories attached to them. When we embarked on our crazy adventure to Halifax I remember making the playlist for our two day journey. The first song was Two Hours Traffic- "Sure Can Start," naturally. The next song was Dan Griffin's "East Coast" and the rest of the CD was Joel Plaskett.

I was piled into the back seat of a tiny ford focus with Styne half sitting on my lap. The car was jam-packed; garbage bags stuffed full of clothes, two keyboards, a guitar, a fiddle... not to mention four girls. The rest of our worldly possessions were on a greyhound bus somewhere between Kingston, ON and the maritimes.

Though we were more than cramped, we had good tunes, clear skies and good company. I really can't think of a happier or more exciting two days.

So it made me really sad that the girls couldn't be with me at the Dakota Tavern jamming out to "East Coast" in the front row.

But the silver lining is that everyday Styne is doing better and better, she hasn't lost her sense of humour and is still cracking jokes and making the nurses laugh. She is rocking the physical therapy so far, and specifically requested that we play "Eye of the Tiger" for her. I know that soon she'll be able to stand again, and then walk, and then it will be no time before she is up to her usual antics and getting into all kinds of shenanigans. So keep sending out your good vibes for her, cause it is working!

Styne and I- cuddled in the backseat

Me and Court after a few too many hours together

Claire was a pro navigator

Captain Courtney

lol

We strapped Styne to the roof when we felt too cramped... just kidding

Is there anything more exciting than open highway?

Old Soul

2012-07-09T16:45:00.003-04:00

After some introspection, I have realized that I have the soul of a 75 year old retired man. I Base this conclusion on the activities I like to do such as; drink gin, complain about how people dress, glare at noisy children on the subway, listen to oldies, go on walking tours, and attend public lectures on local history.

For those of you who share my love of old stuff, I thought I'd provide a reading list, or as I'd prefer to call it, a Gateway to Discovering Toronto's History! In addition to these blogs, you can also go on FREE walking tours of Toronto with the ROM, and also Heritage Toronto. Plus, don't forget to visit your local museums!

Photo from Toronto Before

http://torontodreamsproject.blogspot.ca/

http://torontoist.com/tag/historicist/

http://vintagetoronto.wordpress.com/

http://torontobefore.blogspot.ca/

http://www.heritagetoronto.org/discover-toronto/walk

ROM Walks

In Miss Bennets news...

2012-07-09T16:33:00.002-04:00

Courtney stayed with us in Toronto for a good long stint in June. Of course, that meant lots of wine and music. It seemed that every night we were either going out to shows or making music at home. Happily, Apple finally fixed a software glitch that had prevented us from doing any recording for many months. We ended up recording the fruits of one jam session- a traditional Celtic tune. We originally had guitar and mandolin on the recording but we took them out and replaced them with violin. You can hear it on our Band Page, but I'm happy to e-mail the Mp3 to anyone who wants it. Cheers!

https://www.facebook.com/TheMissBennets?v=app_178091127385&app_data=eyJjb250ZW50LnRyYWNrIjoiOTg2MTA5MDkxODU4MzkxMDQifQ%3D%3D

Put a lid on it

2012-07-09T16:12:00.001-04:00

I like hats. Some of you may even remember the time I wrote a song "Red Beret" about my favourite hat, a red woolen beret my mother purchased in London in the 1960s. In high school I used to wear a vintage grey wool fedora I stole from my father. Sadly, some cruel person (with great taste) stole my hat from a pimps and hos party and I have never seen it since.

It was only recently, however, that my grandmother casually mentioned that her grandmother used to work at a milliner shop and created hats for the Queen Mother. I just about died when I was told this. And it was the final push I needed to splurge on the summer hat I'd been ogling at Goorin Bros. http://www.goorin.com/shop-hats/cloche/toots

The Toronto location just opened this summer at Queen and Spadina. Stepping into their shop is like taking a step back in time, it is so rad! I am a firm believer that there is the right hat out there for everyone, so if you're shopping make sure to try on every shape and style. The staff at Goorin Bros. were really helpful. I actually visited three times before I purchased and tried on almost every hat in the store.


Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mum- possibly wearing one of my Great- Great Grandmother's creations?

hat + dress + g&t? must be summer!

Mad Hatter

Shakespeare in the Park

2012-07-09T15:39:00.004-04:00

It has been a resolution of mine to attend the theatre more often. And really, I have no excuse not to when there is a most delightful Shakespearean production happening all summer long just a stone's throw from my home!

I won't pretend to know enough about theatre to write a review of the show, other than to say I LOVED it. The setting is perfect, the cast was amazing, I laughed from start to finish, and did I mention you can bring your own picnic?

Here is a more thorough review from the globe: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/theatre-reviews/a-midsummer-nights-dream-even-the-queen-can-approve-of/article4380897/

and for more information on the show click here !

Baked Goods

2012-07-09T15:30:00.004-04:00

My dear friend Caroline was kind enough to bring me back several souvenirs from her sojourn in London, one of which was a box of apple tea from Fortnum and Mason. Since it is horrendously hot in Toronto I decided to make a great big pot of iced tea, along with a batch of yogurt and blueberry muffins. Naturally, I got the muffin recipe from Caroline's amazing cooking blog, and they were delectable!

http://scrambledeggsetc.blogspot.ca/2012/03/blueberry-yogurt-muffins.html

Tea and muffins cooling

Caroline is a much better food stylist than I am, these photos don't do the deliciousness justice!

Cheap Beauty

2012-07-09T15:00:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago Ally invited the girls over for a spa night. Ally is a genius at finding home recipes and affordable all-natural alternatives to the overpriced drugstore cleansers/moisturizers/exfoliaters etc. One of my favourite things we did as a jojoba oil and sugar scrub. There's only two ingredients, it is so easy to do. I bought a bottle of jojoba oil from a health supply store near my apartment, it was $13.99 for 118mL.

Just combine the jojoba oil and sugar in a bowl, scrub your face with it. Ta- da! The oil has a mild smell and you can add a couple drops of essential oil such as lavender if you'd like a more fragrant scrub. Use the scrub before bed for optimal results. It's best not to put on make-up right after using this as your make-up won't stay.

July DJ

2012-07-09T14:40:00.001-04:00

First, let me apologize for my absenteeism. I've been a very bad blogger since summer began! I've been very busy as I'm sure you have been as well. The unfortunate irony in doing a ton of fun blog-worthy things around Toronto, is that I've had no time to write about them. So I hope to hammer out a few posts today for you, starting with my July playlist.

Summertime always seems to bring out my vintage side. Retro dresses, hats, sunglasses and of course, music. Perhaps it's because my signature dance move is the twist (it used to be the pointy finger dance but that was retired several years ago after a regrettable eye- injury incident) but 60's pop and soul and rock 'n' roll seem to be the only thing I listen to once the temperatures top 30.

So here's what I've been listening to- happy twisting!

And for good measure, a couple contemporary musicians who appreciate the value of music you can twist to.

Coolest chicks in Canadian music

2012-06-04T16:41:00.000-04:00

Amanda Zelina of The Coppertone meets all of my criterion for a really friggin' cool lady:
1. Great hair
2. Looks good in hats
3. Blues vocals that dig deep
4. A white and gold guitar
5. Dirty, crunchy guitar sounds you'll want to snack on

The Coppertone will play The Horseshoe Tavern Friday, June 15th as part of NXNE.

Presumably you know Claire Boucher aka Grimes by now. Music writers have struggled somewhat to define her sound. Jumping off of my previous post about the NASA sound recordings of planets and moons, I would say she sounds like an as of yet undiscovered moon of Jupiter. So basically, she sounds like outer space, and it doesn't get much cooler than that.

Melissa McLelland is 1/2 of the husband and wife music duo Whitehorse. Whitehorse is basically the soundtrack I would blast from a beat up white convertible as a barreled down a desert highway, heading for Mexico after robbing a bank. Their sound is badass.

I saw Scarlett Jane at the Dakota Tavern with the Weber Brothers a couple times and absolutely loved them. Their debut album Stranger sounds like horizon lines and highway lines. They are touring like crazy across Canada right now and you absolutely need to go see them live. Buy the album and play it on a freight hopping adventure this summer.

Jubilee

2012-06-04T15:43:00.001-04:00


Queen Elizabeth II, Dorothy Wilding, 1952.

When Elizabeth acceded to the British throne in 1952 there was talk of a “new Elizabethan age,” associating the new Queen with the past glory of Elizabeth I, and hoping for a national revival for a country still recovering from the trauma of World War II.[1] The images of the Queen in the early years of her reign focused on her youth and beauty. The Queen posed for photographer Dorothy Wilding 59 times to mark her accession.[2] In the images she is dressed in evening gowns and jewels. Wilding’s photographs were sent to embassies and were made into the images on banknotes and stamps. Still young at 26 years old, the Queen was made into a symbol of hope and renewal. Her coronation on June 2^nd 1953 was a huge event, which aimed for public visibility. For the first time ever the coronation ceremony was broadcast globally by the BBC with an estimated 27 million viewers.[3] The broadcasting of the ceremony brought the public into the event, connecting them with a historic moment and instilling a sense of national pride.

Queen Elizabeth II, Cecil Beaton, 1953

Following the coronation ceremony, the Queen sat for photographer Cecil Beaton in the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace. As per tradition, in this coronation portrait, she is dressed in the coronation robes and is wearing the Imperial State Crown.[4] Her coronation gown was designed by Norman Hartnel and is embroidered with the emblems of the United Kingdon and the Commonwealth. She holds the orb and scepter and the coronation ring is visible. All of these motifs are symbols that have been carried through the coronation portrait type in Britain for hundreds of years. However, the extreme similarities of the gown to coronation portraits of Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, and as well the similar focus on the female monarchs’ youth and beauty, suggests a conscious effort to convey to Britons that Queen Elizabeth II would usher in another golden age, like those Elizabethan and Victorian eras. In the coronation portrait for Queen Elizabeth II, Beaton used a blown up photograph of the Chapel of Henry VII at Westminster as a backdrop, which further heightens the sense of grandeur of the image.[5] The portrait draws heavily on traditional imagery of the Queen, acting as propaganda to increase nationalism. These images of the new Queen were well received by the public and she was generally the subject of adoration, however some criticized the event of the coronation as a form of escapism for Britons.[6]

Queen Elizabeth I, Unknown, c. 1600

Queen Victoria, Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 185959

Queen Elizabeth II, Pietro Annigoni, 1954-

The idealized depiction of the young Queen Elizabeth II is also evident in Pietro Annigoni’s celebrated portrait from 1954-55, commissioned by the Fishmonger’s Company.[7] Her figure is set in front of a romantic winter landscape. The image is regal, dignified and traditional, although once again conveys a sense of glamour. This effect is partly created by the dramatic contrast between the figure of the Queen wearing the dark garter mantle, set against the cool winter background, a technique which recalls Renaissance painting. Annigoni claims to have drawn his inspiration for the composition from something Queen Elizabeth said during a prepatory sketch, “When I was a little child, it always delighted me to look out of the window and see the people and traffic going by.”[8] The distant gaze of the Queen, and the cool landscape setting suggest that the Queen, because of her exalted position, observes the world from a place of isolation.[9] Later artists will draw upon this idea of the Queen’s duty and sacrifice for her nation.

However, at this time, the symbolism of Queen Elizabeth II’s role was already becoming more complex than representing duty and sacrifice. The Times wrote in 1955 that, “Now in the twentieth- century conception of the monarchy the Queen has come to be the symbol of every side of life of this society, its universal representative in whom her people see their better selves ideally reflected.”[10] Thus images of the Queen must attempt to represent this complex symbolism, setting her above and apart from her people, whilst still showing her to represent broader social values of Britain.

After this period, portraits of Queen Elizabeth II took a significant shift away from these formalized images. The coronation portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, were created for a post- war nation standing on shaky legs and looking for a symbol of hope and renewal. As the 1950s progressed, it became clear that the hope for a “new Elizabethan age” had been false and people abandoned the term.[1] The British Empire was rapidly downsizing, and the post World War II new world order was decidedly American dominated. In 1956, the Suez Crisis was a national embarrassment for Britain, and further highlighted the loss of their imperial power.[2] Along with Britain’s changing role on the global stage, the institution of the British monarchy was the subject of increasing criticism. It is thus particularly fascinating that in 2012, 60 years since Queen Elizabeth's accession, the British Monarchy has attained increasing popularity since the event of the royal wedding and throughout the jubilee celebrations. A level of support for the monarchy, which has perhaps not been seen since the 1950s and suggesting an increasing nostalgia and perhaps once again a desire for a revival of past British glory.

Queen Elizabeth II, Cecil Beaton, 1953

[1] Moorhouse, 23.

[2] Moorhouse, 41.

[1] Cannadine, The queen art & image, 21.

[2] Moorhouse, The queen art & image, 39.

[3] Moorhouse, 39.

[4] Moorhouse, 39.

[5] Moorhouse, 39.

[6] Cannadine, 22.

[7] Moorhouse, 40.

[8] Moorhouse, 68.

[9] Moorhouse, 68

[10] Moorhouse, 40.

Oh hay thuuurrr

2012-05-28T14:12:00.000-04:00

So I realize that I have completely fallen of the blogwagon lately, however the upshot is that I have tons of cool things to blog about!

Life has been pretty rad lately. In fact, things have been going suspiciously well. So not to forget times not so long ago when nothing was going my way, I'd like to share a favourite song by Old Man Luedecke "It ain't goin' my way."

Anyways, I hope good fortune is smiling down on you as well. Cheers!

Ain’t goin my Way

I was feeling important, feeling in control
Felt like everywhere I went folks said “there he goes” I was beaming like a noonday sun
My ducks all in a row
When suddenly, all in a flash, I saw it was not so

Chorus

It ain’t goin’ my way
Ain’t goin’ my way
There’s no denyin’ things ain’t flyin’ my way X2

Well I used to walk around a lot, feeling pretty small
Til people said you’re not so bad, and so I stood up tall But then my inner napoleon said you could have it all
I hit a curve and strained a nerve and headed for a a fall.

Chorus

Now I am lonely mole back in the underground,
I make bigger hills from little hills, cause I’m so tightly wound Really am I all that bad taking pennys for the pound?
Cause even from the margins, lord, there comes a holy sound.

Chorus

Titanic

2012-04-28T13:03:00.000-04:00

So Erica and Lynx and I went to see Titanic 3D on Tuesday. I was initially reluctant to give James Cameron any more of my money because I still regret strongly the hours of my life I wasted sitting through that blue tinted Pocahontas rip-off called Avatar, but Titanic is awesome for many reasons, the costumes, the love story, a young Leo. But before you go I'd like to remind you of all the horrible things about the Titanic movie so you can prepare yourself:

- the boat sinks
-1, 514 people die
- you hold your breath through half the movie
- the old couple in the bed about to drown
- the mother and two children in the bed about to drown
- the musicians who play until they drown
- the Irish guy who gets shot
- the captain at the helm when the windows burst and he drowns
- Thomas Andrews when he adjusts the clock on the mantle even though he is about to drown
- The foreign man and his son who go the wrong way down the passage and drown when the doors burst open
- the worker in the belly of the ship who doesn't make it through when they close the doors and he drowns
- all the people who fall off the ship when it is at a 90 degree angle, especially the guy who hits the goddamn propeller! OW
- all the people who sit in the lifeboats listening to the cries of the people in the water, and they DO NOTHING
- Jack Dawson freezes to death

Anyways, the first half of the movie is highly enjoyable, but for your own sanity leave after the car sex, as soon as you see that foggy hand print, grab your coat and get out of the theater. That way you can tell yourself that the boat made it to America and Jack and Rose lived happily ever after, and sold the Heart of the Ocean and bought a big house and Jack did nudie drawings of Rose forever, awwww. Also if you were looking forward to 3D boobs, you should know that the drawing scene is not in 3D.

Also- Erica cried at the end of the film. Apparently, it brought back all the trauma of seeing Titanic when we were 9 years old in 1997.

Rock 'n' Roll

2012-04-28T11:08:00.000-04:00

So I popped into the Dakota Tavern on Tuesday for the last Weber Brothers show they'll be doing there for awhile. It rocked as usual and they did a nice little tribute to the great Levon Helm.

Space Sounds

2012-04-28T11:02:00.000-04:00

I've found a new trick to relieve my occasional bouts of insomnia. Whenever the sandman is being a jerk and refusing to come visit me, I put on this recording of Jupiter's moon Io. Something about it is so soothing, it's like a galactic lullaby. I won't attempt explain to you the science behind how NASA was able to capture the sounds of planets and moons (I barely understand it), but I would like to tell you about the myth of Io and share my favourite painting of the subject.


Jupiter and Io, Antonio da Correggio, c. 1530, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Correggio and the Loves of Jupiter

(an excerpt from a paper I wrote in 2010)

During the Renaissance, many artists became fascinated by mythological subject matter. The works of Correggio and Titian around 1520 marks what Barkan refers to as an, “Ovidian Renaissance.”[1] These artists, and many more after them, found Ovid’s Metamorphoses to be a rich source of artistic inspiration. The classical work contains many stories pertaining to Greek Gods and their interactions with the mortal world. These stories are often dramatic narratives detailing the romantic dramas of their subjects. The narratives of these Gods are characterized by themes such as love, longing, hatred and jealousy. The overarching idea, however, as the title suggests, is that of metamorphosis. Gods take up various guises, in animal forms or otherwise, or else they turn unlucky people into non-human form, such as Arachne who is transformed into the spider or Daphne who is metamorphosized into the laurel tree. Other stories detail transformations that result from the desperation of love, such as Echo who wastes away to a disembodied voice when Narcissus does not return her amorous attentions. Narcissus, in turn, falls in love with his own reflection and stares at it so long, unable to embrace it, that he transforms into the Narcissus flower. The drama and magical quality of these narratives understandably made them attractive subjects for artists. These themes of attraction and metamorphosis, as we will see, are strongly taken up by Correggio in his Amori di Giove or the Loves of Jupiter, which depict some of the Olympic God’s love affairs.

Correggio can be considered one of the most significant Northern Italian painters of the first half of the 16^th Century. The Emilian artist was born Antonio Allegri, but is known as Correggio.[2] Correggio was not a particularly learned man, and did not move in humanist circles.[3] Despite this, he still found artistic inspiration in Antiquity. He was stylistically and technically innovative in his time and the exoticism of his artworks make the pieces seem more 18thC than Renaissance.[4] The popularity of Correggio’s paintings, both during the Renaissance and today, stems from their aesthetic appeal; the soft textures, the subtle expressions, the beautiful, young subjects. The sensuality and delicacy of his works strongly influenced the later rococo artists, and his paintings are seen as the precursor to this stylistic period.[5] The 18thC French artist Boucher was particularly effected by the work of Correggio.[6] In fact, Boucher even painted the same subject of Leda and the Swan.

Although few in number, Correggio’s mythological works are considered the masterpieces of his oeuvre.[7] Mythologies are Correggio’s strong suit because the nature of their subject matter provided a challenge that allowed Correggio’s technical skill to excel.[8] Further to this point, Correggio’s talent is also exemplified in his ability to conceive of these subjects in an essentially unique way. Of his Loves of Jupiter the Jupiter and Io and the Leda and the Swan are especially original in their conception. Correggio not only reinterprets or, one might even say reinvents Ovid’s myths, but he also seems to break away almost entirely from contemporary depictions of these types of subjects.

The Loves of Jupiter consists of four paintings which each depict one of the God’s romantic liaisons, Io, Ganymede, Danae and Leda. The similar dimensions between the Io and Ganymede suggest they are intended as a pair, and likewise for the Leda and Danae.[9] All painted after 1520, these were Correggio’s last mythological works.[10] The series was commissioned by Federico II Gonzaga the 5^th Marchese of Mantua and were presented to the emperor Charles V.[11] These works date towards the last four years of Correggio’s life and are some of the most erotic artworks of the Renaissance.[12] This is particularly true of the Io and Jupiter and Leda and the Swan, as both works depict the sexual act itself, while Ganymede and Danae show the moments before the act.[13]

If we look first at Jupiter and Io in relation to the original story in Metamorphoses we can see just how erotic Correggio’s interpretation is. The beautiful Io, daughter of the river god Inachus, catches the attention of Jupiter one day as she is returning from her father’s banks. Although she spurns the advances of Jupiter and runs away, the god, “concealed the land entirely beneath a dense dark mist and seized her and dishonoured her” (830-32). Although the rest of the story continues on, telling of Jupiter’s jealous wife Juno and how Jupiter transforms Io into a heifer in an effort to hide his misdeed, it is the sexual act itself, mentioned in under three lines, that Correggio chooses to depict. Ovid does not describe the rape explicitly, but this vagueness leaves a large amount of leeway for Correggio to creatively imagine how the dramatic scene would unfold. Absent in Correggio’s interpretation of the encounter, however, is any sense of violence.

In Correggio’s painting it is not a scene of rape, but rather that of sexual ecstasy. Jupiter, instead of disguised within the fog, appears to be actually made of the vapor himself. His face appears through the haze to delicately plant a kiss on Io’s mouth, and he snakes a hefty cloudy arm around her waist. The nude Io meanwhile, seated upon crinkled draperies, throws her head back with pleasure and seems to pull Jupiter in closer. She kicks her right leg out in bliss while her arm wraps around Jupiter’s and the expression of her right hand seems to further emphasize her enjoyment.[14] The cloud in Ovid’s story is simply a disguise to hide Jupiter's adultery from the jealous Juno, but here the cloud and Jupiter are one and the same, and the mist itself seems to be the source of Io’s sexual pleasure.[15] The couple is thus shown in a passionate, and clearly consensual embrace. Io’s submission to Jupiter is perhaps a part of male fantasy and the idea of, “blissful surrender.”[16] This is contrary to Ovid’s telling of the story, where Io runs from Jupiter and is taken against her will.

The vertically formatted painting is devoid of excess detail and instead the pair fills most of the composition.[17] The dark cloudy mass that is Jupiter fills the entire upper part of the canvas. The details that are included consist of the head of a deer, which is thinly painted over the rocks beneath Io, drinking the water at her feet.[18] Further emphasizing this theme of water, is the terracotta urn to the right of Io. The urn was an antique symbol for a river source, which is an allusion to Io’s father.[19] The theme of water is also related to the vaporous form of Jupiter’s cloud.[20] Perhaps Correggio’s interest in water relates to the idea of transformation, as water can easily transform into different states just as the God does himself.

Io herself is painted as a lovely, youthful maiden, with a fancy hairstyle of lush curls and smooth supple skin.[21] Her hairstyle is quite different from other female figures by Correggio, and Gould suggests that this coif may have been influenced by Parmigianino’s work.[22] In the painting, Correggio masterfully renders textures, and her skin seems almost life-like between the cool dark cloud and the bright white of the sheet.[23] His expert use of shading gives life to the work, and is particularly essential to show the face of Jupiter appearing from the mist.

The cloud shrouding Jupiter is meant to hide him from the watchful eyes of his jealous wife Juno. However, the scene of adultery is not hidden from us the viewers. In this sense, we are meant to feel like a fourth participant in the scene. Juno cannot perceive the adulterous sexual act, but we can.[24] This work therefore is not intended for a female viewer to observe, but rather for the eye of the male voyeur.[25] Perhaps it is this voyeurism of a private and furthermore secret act that makes it acceptable for Correggio to depict such an explicit subject. Jupiter and Io are so caught up in their raptures, that they are unaware they have been seen. The viewer, seemingly stumbling across the couple in the woods, functions to foreshadow the later suspicion of Juno when she perceives the conspicuous dark cloud on earth. The viewer, aware of the events of Ovid’s story, would know Io’s pleasure is short lived as she will soon be turned into a heifer and subjected to the jealousy-driven punishments of Jupiter’s neglected wife. In this painting, Correggio certainly pushes the boundary for explicitness, but the delicateness of his rendering, and the more cloudy than bodily form of Jupiter tempers what might otherwise be overt eroticism.

[1] Leonard Barkan, Gods made Flesh (United States of America: Yale University, 1986), 175.

[2] Paul Barolsky, "Ovid's Web." Arion 11, no. 2 (2003): 47.

[3] Barkan, 176.

[4] Cecil Hilton Monk Gould, The Paintings of Correggio (Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University Press, 1976), 132.

[5] Ekserdjian, David, "Correggio." In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T019595 (accessed April 16, 2010).

[6] Barolsky, "Ovid's Web," 50.

[7] Cecil Hilton Monk Gould, The School of Love and Correggio’s Mythologies (London: Trustees Publ. Dep., Nat. Gallery, 1970), 5.

[8] Gould, Paintings of Correggio, 124.

[9] Gould, School of Love, 5.

[10] Ekserdjian, Correggio, Grove Art.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Gould, Paintings of Correggio, 131.

[13] David Ekserdjian, Correggio (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997), 288.

[14] Ekserdjian, Correggio, 284.

[15] Barolsky, "Ovid's Web," 47.

[16] Ekserdjian, Correggio 284.

[17] Ibid.

[18] Ekserdjian, Correggio, 286.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Barolsky, "Ovid's Web," 50.

[21] Ekserdjian, Correggio, grove.

[22] Gould, Paintings of Correggio, 133.

[23] Ekserdjian, Correggio, 284.

[24] Barolsky, "Ovid's Web," 48.

[25] Barolsky, "Ovid's Web," 47.

This song ROCKS

2012-04-28T10:12:00.000-04:00

If you need a new ditty to jump around and dance to in your underpants this is that song. I've never heard of Vancouver's No Sinner before, but I read that this is their debut single. Way to hit the ground running!

Architour

2012-04-21T20:07:00.000-04:00

Today Oli and I totally architecture nerded-out. We did walk number 15 (Queen Street West) from Toronto Architecture- A City Guide by Patricia McHugh. This walk focuses on 20 different buildings around Spadina and Queen. It took us about 4+ hours but we stopped for a long and yummy lunch at Kensington Espresso Bar (we both had the ham, spinach and feta cheese crepe) and we also did a good share of window shopping including poking around the pet shop at the Dragon City Shopping Mall in China Town (they had albino frogs!)

I'll probably post more photos later but I wanted to post about this beautiful Victorian gem on 25 Augusta Avenue. The building has housed the Felician Sisters Convent since 1938, and the nuns have diligently preserved the building, and it is in much better shape than most of its pals downtown. The picturesque house features bonnet dormers, canopied windows, bracketed eaves, filigreed veranda and gabled tower. The house was constructed in 1876 for a Toronto manufacturer named Edward Leadlay.

Beauty History- 1940s Part 2

2012-04-21T19:38:00.003-04:00

Some more beauty history because I just love this stuff! Here are some girlies from 1943- beauty pageant contestants from the General Engineering Company (Canada) munitions factory in Scarborough.

Wooden Sky- my oh my

2012-04-21T19:28:00.002-04:00

Yes YES! A thousand times YES!
This is what I was saying to myself last night at The Wooden Sky show. I am going to explain my reaction in list form for the sake of brevity:
- Opera House is a killer venue
- all the people standing in front of me were shorter than me = great view! (seriously, this never happens)
- solid folk- rock
- delectable vocals from Gavin Gardiner
- tight vocal harmonies
- tasty guitar riffs
- killed it on the fiddle (also- buddy looked like a hobo who used to panhandle near my high school. nice.)
- egg shakers and a wood block
- a little tribute to Levon on the drum kit <3
- a song called "Angelina"

OK- y'all need to go check out The Wooden Sky now because ages ago Will and Courtney told me I'd love Wooden Sky and for some reason I waited months to look them up. Remember, everyday you wait to check out Wooden Sky is a day you could be listening to Wooden Sky. Don't waste your life not listening to Wooden Sky. WOODEN SKY WOODEN SKY WOODEN SKY.

Here's a little video I took:

Goodbye Levon

2012-04-20T13:18:00.003-04:00

http://www.ctv.ca/canadaAMPlayer/index.html?video=662754