Anything for Art!

PHOTO PROMPT - © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

“I sketched a ceiling relief…of people..dancing exuberantly ..not the cherubic angels with the tiny..er…wings. When my bedroom was finished I only saw flowers ..everywhere. I cried . The artist consoled me. He said that I had extraordinary talent. But the Count, my late husband, had said : Flowers.  Seeing me cry he offered to loosen the chandelier …to let it dangle that it would surely fall around midnight. I took his offer”

The Prioress shook her head in displeasure at her young nun’s confession…. the girls nowadays … engaging in risky behaviour ..what happened to a good old dose of Belladonna?

——————————————end ———————————————————-

This story is set in Medieval Italy where rich widowed women were allowed to join a nunnery to pursue their love of art, although they had to keep it “religious”. I can almost imagine the heroine of my story “cherubize” her sensual painting to make it acceptable for her times and introduce one naughty-looking girl among the hordes of male cherubs, like the painting below:

Pic courtesy: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/jacobitevirtuosi/image7.php

Some info on Medieval women artists: http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-art/medieval-women-artists.htm

Belladonna:  is a flower extract used for many purposes including poisoning to kill.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropa_belladonna

————————————————————————————————————————-

This  100 word story is written in response to the 100 word photo challenge  posted by Rochelle Wisoff-Field each week.

Click on the ‘blue frog’  below to read other amazing takes, that fellow Friday Fictioneers have, on the same photo prompt:

38 responses to “Anything for Art!

  1. Dear Ansumani,

    As you say, anything for art.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Oh my. Anything for art indeed. I could imagine the heroine of your story doing that too 🙂

    Like

  3. Ha.. yes Belladonna or Hemlock would have worked too.. but with a helpful hand she got her will will to be with not so tiny “wings”..

    Like

  4. Ah these nunneries. Liked the way you slipped in the ‘late husband’.

    Like

  5. Such a shame to have your artistry squelched. Well told!

    Like

  6. The Prioress seems quite an interesting character 😉

    Like

  7. Shame – religion’s favourite weapon. Art is freedom – we can’t have that.
    Good piece.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Hello Ansumani! Yet abother fantastic piece of writing,a wonderful take on the prompt! 🙂

    Like

  9. Ah looks like the Prioress seems to have a well of experience to draw upon. Nice one.

    Like

  10. Interesting story, made even more so by the information you provide about female artists and what they had to sacrifice. SO unfair…

    Like

  11. Nicely written piece. Such an interesting bit of history here. I love that painting with the little girl and her expression.

    Like

  12. Nice take to the prompt

    Like

  13. She was fortunate to have found such an obliging artist to help her out of her marriage. I love the understated reaction of the prioress – ‘risky behaviour’? Very good.

    Like

  14. I think the Prioress and the Countess will discover they have more in common than they think.
    Great take on the prompt.

    Like

  15. Excellent! The ways women had to go to get what they wanted wasn’t always, err, conventional.

    Like

  16. I do like to learn something during these FF challenges – nicely done. I had no idea about the rich widowers being taken in as nuns 🙂

    Like

  17. Fascinating tale and an enjoyable history lesson. Like KT, I learned something new.

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Some of those nunneries in Medieval times were not exactly the same as those today. There are many stories that would cause scandal. Well written, Ansumani. — Suzanne

    Like

Leave a comment