My Friends

This couple came to live with us last week. They first became part of our family just after the turn of the 19th century when my great aunt came over from England and opened an antiques shop. Some years later she returned to England and the picture found its way to my aunt's home. When we visited there recently, it was given to us.




When I was a child, we would visit my aunt every year or two, and how I anticipated those visits! I loved being at her house and with her, and during those visits, I would spend time studying this couple. For years I thought they were my relatives. I was delighted that at some point in my heritage there existed such an elegant and beautiful couple Now that I know they're not my people, I still think they're elegant and beautiful.



Notice how the drawing captures a specific time period and social station.









Notice how tender they are with each other. Notice their grace. Notice how thin they are (no doubt from the fact that we never feed them.) Notice my reflection cleverly disguised in the background.











I don't know much else about this picture, but surely wish I did. I wish I knew the year or the artist's name. I wish I knew the couple's story. But since I don't, I will have to rely on my imagination (and yours, too.) I'll start with their names.



Please take the poll (which Checkered one annonymous reader failed to see in the SIDEBAR -to the left of this post) and we'll get these two named. I feel so guilty that they've been part of my family for close to a century and we've never bothered to name them. We've named dogs and cats and fish and frogs and stuffed animals and parts of our bodies....well, you get what I'm saying.

Then we can move on to the rest of their story.