Sunday Strange microfiction prompt

I said I’d keep posting odd prompt paintings as long as I can find them, so here’s this week’s oddity. I believe the theme is spring. All suggestions, interpretations welcome.

For information, the painting is by Hans Thoma and is dated 1914. Premonitory or naive?

771px-hans_thoma_-_fru%cc%88hlingsmelodie_1914

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Jane Dougherty

I used to do lots of things I didn't much enjoy. Now I am officially a writer. It's what I always wanted to be.

56 thoughts on “Sunday Strange microfiction prompt”

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  3. i suggest humanity the way it was meant to be…………

    hugs within those damning wet kisses,
    where?

    Let’s keep that answer to ourselves…

    kiss kiss chris

    Reply

      1. That’s a puzzle,

        which i have spent some time on…

        One people one government, whom isn’t sleeping with the church…

        Superior amongst space, nonetheless not feared!

        Sot after by every sentient life, throughout known an unknown space..

        We’ve had the opportunity to have travel through the human experience…

        It is, of my honest belief we will get to our rightful place… It is my only wish we could by pass, what has held us back…

        chris

        PS;

        remember i only a using drug addict, living on the street of Vancouver,

        mostly because of canadian law…

      2. Maybe you’re right. Maybe if we were able to unite under one set of rules and not be hog-tied to a church of one kind or another, we’d build a better place here.

      3. The children,

        hidden right in front of your eyes,

        which i call the collective…

        Are well on their way!

        ifinn you quietly listen,
        within a honest belief, you’ll hear them say “we’ll die for you”

        teacher…

      8. I’m a human being, very similar to several billion other human beings, with a history and life course that makes me unique, an acute sense of what’s wrong in the world but not much of an idea of how to put it right.

      11. One must have faith,

        were very few have!

        It is within my belief that,

        President Trump will work his magick
        in the global economy…

        Call it what you may?

        i don’t know how, it’s just a feeling!

        By an By.

        you’ve already made big changes by talking about it… There are those,
        whom follow yet, keep themselves unknown, which read?

        They may disagree or agree, no matter only that they read…

        Tis a sweet loving kiss, i place so soft,
        upon your forehead….

        chris

      12. Thank you for still having kind words to say when I think that Trump represents all that I find abject in this world, combining great wealth with great ignorance and an ability to tell bare-faced lies to millions of people. I have no faith in him whatsoever, but thankfully most of the human race is not like him.

      13. President Trump,

        has had much practice, through his own
        mistakes,

        he has learned the hard question of make a
        Presidential decision…

        Not only will he think, about those within America whom have gave their lives,
        to bring humanity into the right direction,

        he will give the true meaning to being a President, returning power to one man, who will listen to other opinion, then base his decision…

        toad (chris jensen) thisoldtoad

      15. Have no desire to President, once again…

        Now that statement would puzzle any
        human… Nonetheless to be reborn, within a different body each an everytime, as been a puzzle to very few old souls…

        i will keep you wondering, ifinn it could possibly be true…

        No matter, to myself…

        You see i am, me!

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  11. At first glance it would be easy to say pre-Raphaelite, but he’s German from the Black Forest. Art Nouveau, symbolism combined with objective details in nature/his local environment. (influence of Albrecht Altdorfer and Lucas Cranach the Elder). Known for mythical themes, religious overtones, and local color. Naive idealistic images that were popular in the era.(view in context of those times..as the clouds of industrialization were growing, he portrays domestic contentment, place free of cruelty or hardships..wishful thinking? Would account for the mythology themes.)
    Contemporary with Wagner – similar in tone perhaps. I think he actually designed things for Wagner’s operas.
    Looking at it with modern eyes and views/context…looks like a cult. (Don’t drink the koolaid)
    (Sorry art history never washes off)

    Reply

    1. Not willowy enough for Pre-Raph, though it tries. Symbolic, very likely since realist it is not. The Wagner connection is interesting though I’d have expected to see a few noble knights stomping around being manly, keeping those females in line. And can you explain the dinosaur, please, and why the kid is feeding it yellow flowers?

      Reply

      1. Too precise and attention to detail and not fuzzy/rosy enough – for the Pre-Raph – his name clinched it. Wagner was big on mythology, too.
        The giant lizard is an oddity. A little child shall lead them? Beast of the fields? Yellow is bound to be symbolic – indicated enlightenment, honor, clarity, optimism – contrasting with yellow bellied coward( which is actually Brit. not American)
        There’s bound to be a museum show cat. around somewhere with explanation.
        Do you remember those old painting with small children and large dogs/cats? Some of my really old relatives had those in their houses – along with Blue Boy and Rose Girl. It’s a cycle where people want drama and idyllic?

      2. If the lizard had been a cow with flowers in its hair, or a big shepherd dog I don’t think I’d have picked this painting out at all. The kids are ugly and badly painted, deformed almost and the fact that they have a giant lizard (symbol of Lucifer?) in tow which they are feeding yellow flowers (primroses as in the primrose path to hell?) is the clincher for me. When I was a kid it was paintings of waifs and orphans with huge eyes full of teardrops that were all the rage. I associate the children with big dogs with Victorian illustrations, Landseer type stuff. Not that I’m suggesting you’re a left over from the nineteenth century 🙂

      3. HA HA definitely needs a cow. (Somewhere, someone knows what’s with the lizard – can’t remember any heraldry featuring it right now. Maybe if we knew who the harpist is..) The whole pix is rather Blake-like in theme.
        I hate those sentimental big eyed pieces – overly sweet sentimental was usually considered art for the populous. They remind me of carnival game prizes. The Victorian paintings/prints fit that category but at least have redeeming dogs. (I have some really really ancient relatives – living to 100 is fairly common so you can imagine what changes in the world they’ve seen…dogs and little kids might be more comforting than the current?)
        Yep, needs that cow

      4. You know, I think you ought to take up this challenge and write the story that explains who is the harpist, the blind people wandering about in the field, what’s with the lizard and what happened to the cow. Oh and why are those kids so ugly! Go on, I dare you.

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