What’s that book with an orange on top? / Is the citrus some kind of a prop? / More a sweet illustration / of the book’s deviation, / and a kind of mechanical crop. /// What’s the novel in which Alex purges / all his violent, creative urges? / Metal mainsprings unwind / like this fruit’s spiral rind. / “Clockwork Orange,” by Anthony Burgess.
For this still-life, the artist prepared / a large orange, first halved and then pared. / On a table, a book / in a nondescript nook. / And what did it all mean? No one cared.
Now orange you glad you can read? / And here is the book that you need/ to get out of the bind/ if you’re more inclined/ to go read your Twitter feed/// what? You say things are going to seed ?That books are impeding your speed ?/ That the turning of pages/ takes ages and ages -/ time which you could be using to breed ?/// Well, I’m not gonna beg or to plead/ and my presence is not guaranteed/ at your odd exhibition/ I’ll appear on condition/ that you call my work “surreal indeed”.
In my mind’s eye, Melch chuckles with glee / when this painting and caption we see. / “On a book, there’s cut fruit. / Now, go type something cute, / if you think you’re as funny as me.” /// In addition he’s set a big snare / for a writer of limericks to dare. / Try to rhyme the word “orange,” / and you’re stuck writing “door hinge,” / an odd phrase that won’t fit anywhere. /// So, I guess that Sol may as well quit. / Crown Steve Melcher the Wizard of Wit. / Orange you waiting for / someone clever to soar? / Surely Ish’s stuff will be a hit!
You appear to have missed it. Your “orange” is a clementine. A clementine is a tangor, a citrus fruit hybrid between a willowleaf mandarin orange and a sweet orange, named for its late 19th-century discoverer. And Clementine is unwinding with a good book.
I have added a comment there (already approved by Mr. Melcher) pointing to the artist info I used to point to here. First work by this artist used here.
For this painting, Peale did not dare/ to resort to a peach or a pear./ There being no melon/ to be found in his dwellin’/ an orange is lying there.///A banana is easy to peel/ but the fruit stand denied him a deal/ and a pun on his name/ was a ticket to fame/ though the juice is inclined to congeal…
She stood at the mantle and cried/ with faithful old Trey at her side/ and crumpled the note/ her physician had wrote: / “Dear Lydia: the rabbit has died..”
BE THIS GUY almost 3 years ago
The artist Raphaelle Peale: Self-portrait
Solstice*1947 almost 3 years ago
What’s that book with an orange on top? / Is the citrus some kind of a prop? / More a sweet illustration / of the book’s deviation, / and a kind of mechanical crop. /// What’s the novel in which Alex purges / all his violent, creative urges? / Metal mainsprings unwind / like this fruit’s spiral rind. / “Clockwork Orange,” by Anthony Burgess.
Say What Now‽ Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Either cut the orange or peal it, not both!
rmremail almost 3 years ago
Clementine is doing a striptease.
Solstice*1947 almost 3 years ago
For this still-life, the artist prepared / a large orange, first halved and then pared. / On a table, a book / in a nondescript nook. / And what did it all mean? No one cared.
sparklite almost 3 years ago
As the humans slumber at ease,
Randy loosens the grip on his ‘squeeze.’
There’s a young apricot
who thinks he is hot,
So he snakily slithers to please.
ronaldspence almost 3 years ago
When the publisher asked the author to write a book with appeal, I don’t think this is what she meant!
Call me Ishmael almost 3 years ago
Now orange you glad you can read? / And here is the book that you need/ to get out of the bind/ if you’re more inclined/ to go read your Twitter feed/// what? You say things are going to seed ?That books are impeding your speed ?/ That the turning of pages/ takes ages and ages -/ time which you could be using to breed ?/// Well, I’m not gonna beg or to plead/ and my presence is not guaranteed/ at your odd exhibition/ I’ll appear on condition/ that you call my work “surreal indeed”.
Solstice*1947 almost 3 years ago
In my mind’s eye, Melch chuckles with glee / when this painting and caption we see. / “On a book, there’s cut fruit. / Now, go type something cute, / if you think you’re as funny as me.” /// In addition he’s set a big snare / for a writer of limericks to dare. / Try to rhyme the word “orange,” / and you’re stuck writing “door hinge,” / an odd phrase that won’t fit anywhere. /// So, I guess that Sol may as well quit. / Crown Steve Melcher the Wizard of Wit. / Orange you waiting for / someone clever to soar? / Surely Ish’s stuff will be a hit!
Call me Ishmael almost 3 years ago
Takes a special kind of a guy/ to paint a good “fool the eye”/ but to properly say/ “trompe l’oeil” the French way/ is a feat that I won’t even try.
sparklite almost 3 years ago
Jethro unpeeled to try and directly absorb biblical knowledge sufficient for refuting those seedless atheists.
Jayalexander almost 3 years ago
Everyone’s gone. Wanna get naked?
orinoco womble almost 3 years ago
Best part: The artist’s name is Peale!
Reader almost 3 years ago
A good book adds zest to one’s life.
Reader almost 3 years ago
Melcher’s comment was excellent — unrind!
Autological almost 3 years ago
Raphaelle PEALE??? How apropos!
Buzzworld almost 3 years ago
“Hey Julius where did you put the Vodka?”
well-i-never almost 3 years ago
That’s not Clementine, it’s Grace Froot.
Ubintold almost 3 years ago
Very appealing, so to speak.
wincoach Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Orange you glad you didn’t buy War and Peace.
Rev Phnk Ey almost 3 years ago
Melcher is THE Master.
Linguist almost 3 years ago
Perhaps Mr. Melcher’s Clementine would like a little Pastis with that orange?
DAVID ROBERTSON almost 3 years ago
You appear to have missed it. Your “orange” is a clementine. A clementine is a tangor, a citrus fruit hybrid between a willowleaf mandarin orange and a sweet orange, named for its late 19th-century discoverer. And Clementine is unwinding with a good book.
The Wolf In Your Midst almost 3 years ago
Yeah, baby, take it off!
Another Take almost 3 years ago
Raphaelle believed that using orange peel as a bookmark always added a bit of zest to anything he was reading.
Honorable Mention In The Banjo Toss Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Mandatory event in the orange peeling olympics: Make a G clef. Well, pretty close, anyway.
Plods with ...™ almost 3 years ago
Don’t look Ethel!
…but it was too late. Mooned her right there in the novel section.
mabrndt Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Still Life with Orange and Book:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Still_life_with_orange_and_book-raphaelle_peale.JPG
has info and links that point to more info about this 1815, roughly A4 paper size, oil on panel painting.
Again, a larger strip image is shown by (⌘- or Ctrl-) clicking the image at
http://thatispriceless.blogspot.com/2021/11/masterpiece-2820.html
I have added a comment there (already approved by Mr. Melcher) pointing to the artist info I used to point to here. First work by this artist used here.
Bill D. Kat Premium Member almost 3 years ago
It looks more like a Valencia.
Call me Ishmael almost 3 years ago
For this painting, Peale did not dare/ to resort to a peach or a pear./ There being no melon/ to be found in his dwellin’/ an orange is lying there.///A banana is easy to peel/ but the fruit stand denied him a deal/ and a pun on his name/ was a ticket to fame/ though the juice is inclined to congeal…
Running Buffalo Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Raphaelle realized that he became too “distracted” painting nudes, so it was the still life for him.
Running Buffalo Premium Member almost 3 years ago
What couldn’t be shown is the painting of Clementine unrinding with a bad book …
Running Buffalo Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Can we hurry up and deal with these statues? My breakfast and my good book are waiting!
Call me Ishmael almost 3 years ago
She stood at the mantle and cried/ with faithful old Trey at her side/ and crumpled the note/ her physician had wrote: / “Dear Lydia: the rabbit has died..”
cherylllr Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Oh wow, thank you, Raphaelle Peale is one of my favorite artists.