Thursday 5th December - Kiss and Be Friends

 I hope it is less stormy where you are this morning as it is blusterous and miserable here. It has stopped raining long enough for me to go out and feed the birds (I am currently cultivating a friendship with a robin) but I think I won't bother moving very much today. Hurrah! 

Yes, the cat is gorgeous, but look at the darting on the dress!

I have Mr Walker to thank for today's offering as he suggested an artist who was well known for his animals and children in art.  Admittedly, he seemed to prefer dogs to cats but I have chosen a corking image to brighten your Thursday...

Kiss and Be Friends (1901) Arthur J Elsley

I must admit, Arthur John Elsley is probably not everyone's cup of tea and like yesterday's picture, his work probably decorates many a biscuit tin and jigsaw in the land.  I first met him after I used the following picture in an exhibition of Victorian narrative art...

A Tempting Bait (1906)

Oh dear Lord, what a picture.  It is absolutely beautifully painted but the subject and its modern connotations leave you a tad queasy. I'm not sure if the little boy is showing the girls how they will be bridled (which is a bit too close to 'bridal' for my liking) or if the girls are just watching in admiration as the proud young Englishman conquers the pony/other people's countries etc etc. It is followed by the equally icky Well Done in 1907, where the brave little Soldier of the Empire is riding the pony and all the girls cheer and clap. Smashing.

Divided Affection (1899)

I think it is quite obvious why Elsley slipped from fashion - the same reason why we love early Millais paintings but not so much Cherry Ripe or Bubbles - but he has tremendous skill in painting his little subjects. Thanks to a marvellous book, Golden Hours: The Paintings of Arthur J Elsley 1860-1952 by Terry Parker, I can see that Elsley used photographs as his source material, so you can see the kitten in Divided Affection here...

Source photo for Divided Affection

 Golden Hours contains lots of the source photographs and not only that, you can see Elsley's children, dogs and other animals appear over and over again in the different images over the years. The collie in Divided Affection might well be the same one in A Tempting Bait and was called Old Bruce.  The St Bernard in Kiss and Be Friends is unlikely to be Rollo, the one who appeared in I'se Biggest from 1892 but by the turn of the century, the breed was becoming fashionable. I've spoken before about how I don't see many St Bernards anymore and I believe there are fewer and fewer people who would know who Schnorbitz was these days. The pairing of the giant dog with the tiny kitten is visually adorable and hilarious, and as much as it is unfashionable, it still makes me smile. 

I'se Biggest (1892)

I think it would do some art critics good to realise that just because something is kitsch or cutesy, it doesn't mean it doesn't have value and can be enjoyed.  Is Elsley great art? No, but truly what is? It is sweet, personal, funny and well executed, so what is not to love? If it isn't to your taste, then just move on to something that is. That way, Victorian art exhibition wouldn't have to put up with people who think they are smarter than they are, looking down on stuff that makes people happy.

This will not be the only small-child-and-animal moment we'll have this month, but I hope your day is full of fun, St Bernards and kittens. I'll catch you tomorrow...