Tuesday 20 March 1665/66
Up and to the office, where busy all the morning. At noon dined in haste, and so my wife, Mrs. Barbary, Mercer, and I by coach to Hales’s, where I find my wife’s picture now perfectly finished in all respects, and a beautiful picture it is, as almost I ever saw. I sat again, and had a great deale done, but, whatever the matter is, I do not fancy that it has the ayre of my face, though it will be a very fine picture. Thence home and to my business, being post night, and so home to supper and to, bed.
10 Annotations
First Reading
Michael L • Link
"I do not fancy that it has the ayre of my face." Even today, people see pictures of themselves and say, "Do I really look like that?" Though I'm sure the variation was greater before photography.
cgs • Link
wait 10 years.
“I do not fancy that it has the ayre of my face.”
Terry Foreman • Link
“I do not fancy that it has the ayre of my face.”
Seeing ourself as we imagine we are seen by others....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Look…
Mary • Link
"I do not fancy that it has the ayre of my face"
Hitherto Sam has only ever seen his own face in a reflection and so has only ever seen it back-to-front, so to speak. Perhaps this is where his sense of a lack begins.
A. Hamilton • Link
O wad some Hales the giftie gie us
To see oursels as the painter sees us!
cgs • Link
Visage. I've yet to meet anyone that was satisfied with their features as photographed unless they be perfect and that be rare, portraits have to be doctored for acceptance. The Aire brush be very popular for ages but now the computer has the answer.
Even using the technique used by Vermeer and allies did not satisfy the sitter.
Jan Grantham • Link
Portrait painters of the realistic school today only hope to do as well as 17th century painters like Frans Hals. Photographic portraits may or may not "capture" the subject just as realistic or impressionistic or abstract portraits may succeed or fail.
Robert Gertz • Link
Well, what does Bess say?
Second Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
A classic day on Pepys' new schedule: work/output all morning, refreshment/contrast/input all afternoon; work/preparation for tomorrow all evening.
Life as a "cube": Work - input - work - sleep.
Our lives (lifes?) are marathons, not sprints, and he has been sprinting for about three years now.
Gerald Berg • Link
Wait till he hears his voice on a recording!