I love this painting. Every time I look at it I take away something different. A celebration from a past time of which we might not see the likes of again.
The scene is a 20th century military ball. The festive vibe of the foreground is the hook that pulls you into the room, where the open, joyful faces are now less clear. Shadowy profiles, turned heads, a cutoff of a standing man, these all signal something deeper that is happening.
Summed up in a haiku:
Smiles swirled in, among
official merrymaking,
something is hidden.
Also, I crafted this for a slightly different take. This is a quatrain that does not rhyme, but if you read it from bottom to top it has a different message that still pertains to the painting. Let me know what you think.
Festive sounds and sights
To hide our watchful eyes from
Things we are not supposed
To see regardless
And flipped over, it reads:
To see regardless
Things we are not supposed
To hide our watchful eyes from
Festive sounds and sights
Which one do you like the best?
-B.
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