timeless beauty never dates

'The Village Beauty'

From the first generation after Manaku and Nainsukh, 1785
Opaque watercolor on paper

(image from Master Painters of India at the Met)

The beauty in this picture is lifting her right shoulder very slightly as she

flirtatiously gazes at something behind her. Its almost like she knew she was 

being watched by an appreciator of her timeless fecund beauty, and ripeness.

She could just as well be a girl today, standing on the tram self-consciously aware

of herself, yet probably innocent of her power: timeless feminine beauty.

the beauty and sensuality of Saida, by Kees van Dongen ca 1913

Kees van Dongen (image here) who I got re-acquainted with recently on my visit to Amsterdam and The Hague, was a Dutch painter born near Rotterdam, who's earlier works were way ahead of their time. He was a fauvist, one of my favorite groups, because everything was about colour.

I didn't see this particular painting, but the paintings I did see inspired me deeply. I haven't put them here because the ones I saw are ubiquitous, you just have to google his name and up they come. I haven't seen 'Saida' before, and it did indeed remind me of an earlier time in my life in Morocco where I met one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen, even to this day, called Saida, who was the daughter of a family in Rabat where we were guests.
This Saida pictured here has the same quality of serenity, yet sensual femininity, and depth of gaze.

Lanvin Spring 2010

Gorgeous! Alber Elbaz is a genius...he turns voluptuous lashings of sparkling glamour into an emotional rodeo ride..I love the casual chic amazon of this ensemble..

honouring the inner feminine

I took this picture a few days ago of this sculpture which I have up on my windowsill against the sky. I'm not sure where she comes from, it could be one of my aunt (Katinka van Rood) sculptures. I have been going in the last week, exploring the inner feminine. She mostly gets overridden by the overpowering voice of the outer male dominated doer, who needs to earn a living and survive etc. She is a delicate flower, filled with Love and creativity. I am embracing her...