Bal du Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renior

[Stefan cel Rau]

Art is my passion. It is what gives me my breath, so to speak. I need it to exist. Without art life would be a dull, bland mixture of noise, chaos and discord. Art brings balance, harmony and reason to that which would otherwise just be a pointless existence. I am almost ready to open the gallery to the public. I have purchased a nice building in Edessa in a rich, tourist section of Macedonia. Renovations will be complete very shortly and I'm very eager to announce the grand opening sometime in the Fall.
Though it's impossible to acquire, the painting that I covet the most is Bal du Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renior. I can stand and gaze into this painting for hours on end. It brings back memories of a simpler time, a more innocent age. Back in the day, people would gather on the weekends to enjoy each others company. They would dance, dine and break bread while listening to music & sharing conversation. It is such a different scene these days. People leave very little time for pleasure anymore. Everyone is in such a hurry to get somewhere that they simply forget that right were they are or not far away is a park and friends and relatives with whom time should be spent. Cell phones and computers have taken the place of a lot if in-person meet ups. Rather than walking to the park to walk with a friend it's more common to just send your communication via text.
When I look at this painting I can hear the music, the laughter and the bubbly sound of excited conversation. There is much we can learn from the art work of long ago. We should not only enjoy it for it's aesthetic purpose but also read between the brush strokes. What is the painting saying? What does it depict?
For me, it depicts togetherness, friendship and the enjoyment of life.
Embrace life, go out, spend time with your friends, eat, dance and be merry!