Sunday, May 06, 2007

Twas A Dark And Stormy Night

Probably the best representation either by painting or photogrpahy of Queen Elizabeth in a long time, done by Annie Leibovitz.

While younger than the Queen, Leibovitz is also now in the prime of her life, and so this poignant portrait finds commonality between the subject and the photographer.

Note that it is lit by twilight, with storm clouds looming, shadow and light, the evening or her reign, how apocryphal. The portrait following is even darker. And just as stunning. Reminding one of the days of Bulwer-Lytton who scribbled a dark and stormy night at the end of Victoria's reign.

While the Queen visits Jamestown to celebrate the founding of capitalism in the new world, her last visit to Virginia was when she was twelve. The Queen of modernism in photography captures her spirit in the fin de siecle of her reign.

H/T to Cathie From Canada

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Celebrity photographer Miss Leibovitz created the image by digitally superimposing her picture of the Queen against the moody backdrop of the Palace lake and ominous black clouds.

The effect is eerily reminiscent of pictures from Scottish Widows' well known ad campaign.

It is the second official portrait to be unveiled in a week by Miss Leibovitz, who is best known for magazine portraits - including one of a naked John Lennon hugging Yoko Ono hours before his death.

Her previous image showed the Queen sitting, gazing wistfully out of an open window. It was inspired by a similar photograph Cecil Beaton took of her mother.


SEE:

History of Slavery

1666 The Creation Of The World

The Origin of American Conspiracy Theories

The Truth Shall Set Ye Free

Free Trade: Primitive Accumulation of Capital


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