ekphrastic. The word ekphrasis, or ecphrasis, comes from the Greek for the description of a work of art produced as a rhetorical exercise, often used in the adjectival form ekphrastic. It is a vivid, often dramatic, verbal description of a visual work of art, either real or imagined.
I have been reading a lot of books recently about Paris; which has led me to read a lot of books about Paris in the past, including the period between WWI and WWII, including historical fiction and non-fiction. Also including WWII, the occupation, and the resistance. I've learned more from the rabbit hole research these books have sent me scampering through than I ever did in school.
Being a lover, also, of historical fiction having to do with art it was only a matter of time before I stumbled across Susan Vreeland's work.
"Lisette's List" tapped right into the category of "just right" as my own internal version of Goldilocks might say.
After reading, and falling deeply in love with this book, I knew I'd be reading more of Susan Vreeland's work.
And I wanted to know more about her.
Sadly, Ms. Vreeland died in 2017, but she left a legacy of fine writing; which she referred to as ekphrasic literature in an interview she did with "Women Writers, Women['s} Books."
I've been drawn to fiction linked to art and artists most of my life. Sadly, it took me until today to realize much of it is written in a form which has a name. And, is a form of writing widely used in poetry possibly even more so than in prose. Happily - I learned something new.
And I have an author's work I'm looking forward to reading and exploring as I'm now doing with "Lisette's List." Here's a little about the book and the paintings she writes about - https://www.svreeland.com/ll-intro.html
Happy Reading!
1 comment:
Oh, I read The Passion of Artemesia, which I really liked, and Girl in Hyacinth Blue. Donna loved Clara and Mr. Tiffany. But, I didn't realize she died in 2017. What a loss. Beautiful writer.
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