Robert Flinkman

Robert Flinkman
82nd & Second
oil on canvas
14" X 17"
1983
copyright 1983 Robert Flinkman

(Note : Certain areas in the painting were reworked in Albuq.in 1998)

October 23, 1983        Sunday

I went to the Manet exhibit, and found some fine work to study. It was well presented and the monitoring of the crowd that was there was well handled - no crowding, controlled. Some my favorites are the portrait of Berthe Morisot in black, the toreodor portraits, the portrait of Manet's parents, the Bar at the Folies Bergere, and the portrait of the woman coming out of the cafe with a guitar and holding a bunch of cherries. What struck me most how Manet discovered the genesis of this work - he came upon it suddenly as he caught sight of such a street singer walking out of the same cafe. He approached her to pose for him, but she declined. Regardless what is important is that he found ideas and inspiration from life - everyday life, life as we experience it, and that's what makes his work still fresh, enjoyable and timeless. There wasn't overcrowding here, so I could study his work at ease. After that I headed to work on some of my own painting which is coming along well. Despite the cold I worked two hours and the discipline paid off. I've got a handle on it, and that's important.