Francesca is back! Did you miss her? I missed you! So much has been going on here in the blog. We learned how to look good naked,  Plumcake acknowledged my erudition, and we discussed why big ol’ briefs are better than “arse trinkets.” For the record, the music which would play upon Francesca’s entry to a room would either be “Fame,” or “What a Feelin,’” or “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,” depending on her mood and the occasion.

Onward to the art! Francesca just loves this painting, by Katherine Tisne.  To Francesca, the woman in the image seems serene and wise, and confident in her wisdom and her age. Do you agree or no?

(Francesca also enjoys the juxtaposition of the woman’s assymetrical clothing against the symmetrical backdrop.)

A poster print of this image is available here.

Here we have the beautiful big girl who is playing the cello. She even has the little cherub to hold her music for her.

Francesca asks: What is she thinking about?

A poster print of this painting is available here.

Woman in Blue Reading a Letter (circa 1663) by Johannes Vermeer .  A poster print of this painting is available here.

Here we have a Big Girl (or perhaps a Thin Girl wearing many layers of clothing? Or a Pregnant Girl?) studiously reading a letter!

Francesca asks: How does this painting make you feel?

And: In your opinion, what is she reading? Who has written it? How does she feel about it?

Woman with Flowers by Sophie B. Steel. Poster print of this painting is available here.

(Francesca has no information on this artist or on the painting other than the name of the artist. If you are familiar with Steel’s life or works, please leave information or links in the comments.)

Francesca asks: In your mind, how is this woman feeling? What is she thinking about? What is she doing?

Woman with Mango by Paul Gaugin. Poster print of this paintingavailable here.

Last week, several readers of Manolo for the Big Girl commented on the art, and we discovered that different readers had vastly different interpretations of the painting (but of course!)

So, Francesca asks: In your opinion, what is the Woman with the Mango looking at? Where is she? How old is she? Why is she holding a mango? Why do we not see the fingers of her left hand? Francesca says: discuss!

Francesca loves art.

So we will be looking at art, especially fat women celebrated in art, every so often. Let us begin with Picasso, shall we not?

This painting evokes many feelings and thoughts for Francesca. First, she loves the colors. Second, see how the mirror creates a reflection which is not a true representation of reality. In Francesca’s eyes, the reflection in the mirror is less symmetrical and more sad-looking than the woman herself. Or is she even looking in the mirror at all? Can not we relate to this girl who sees something in the mirror other than what she truly is?

This image, Femme devant mirroir, is available at one of Francesca’s favorite internet sites, barewalls.com, whose owners Francesca once had occasion to speak with. They were truly very nice people, who said that their original and ongoing vision for the site is to sell poster prints at accessible prices, which will allow the average persons to surround themselves with beautiful things.

It was easy, when they started the site, to find posters online of scantily-clad women, rock stars, and the like. They created a site for people who want vintage magazine covers, fine art, old maps and the like. What Francesca loves is that one can browse by artist, or subject, or type of art. She has discovered so many many wonderful artists, who have created such extraordinary images for us to enjoy. Human creativity is a wondrous thing.

Here we have more of the superfantastic literary recommendations by Francesca, as well as Francesca’s favorite art print!

Before Francesca continues, she wants to know: Have you yet ordered your copy of The Time Traveler’s Wife, which many, many of Francesca’s internet friends have also read and loved, loved, loved?

And have you yet ordered the memoirs of Camryn Manheim, who shares her superfantastic fattitude in the funny and relatable Wake Up, I’m Fat!?

Good. Then we may continue.

Francesca was completely drawn in to the vivid, dramatic, and somewhat creepy The Virgin Blue. The critical reviews for this book by Tracy Chevalier, who went on later to write Girl with a Pearl Earring, were lukewarm at best. But Francesca found it fascinating. The book follows the lives of two very different women, who each live in rural France hundreds of years apart. It is true that the modern-day narrator is not as sympathetic as Chevalier perhaps intended. It is also true that the relationships between the two women rely on coincidences which require great suspension of disbelief. However, the story — especially the parts dealing with the heroine of the 1600′s — was for Francesca a real page-turner and quite chilling. Come to think of it, perhaps Francesca also likes this book because a certain shade of blue plays an important role, and Francesca is obsessed with blue.

Speaking of believing in your own taste, Francesca learned much from Wine For Dummies. Yes, ’tis true. There is much here that will make one seem more educated when attending a cocktail party: how to swish one’s wine, and what sort of glass to use with different types of drink, what makes dry wines dry and sweet ones sweet. But the most valuable tidbit in the entire volume is the encouragement to trust yourself, and not to drink a “fine” wine just because “the experts” say it is fine. “The best wine,” the author says, “is a wine that you like.”

Are you looking to “break into” freelance journalism? Francesca recommends this introductory book which explains how to think of ideas for magazine articles, how to pitch them, and how to write them better: Writer’s Digest Handbook Of Magazine Article Writing

And now, Francesca, who is a big fan of abstract expressionism, presents her favorite painting of all time, the “Composition” by Jackson Pollock:

Francesca could stare at it all day. Someday, when I move into a larger apartment, this poster will adorn Francesca’s wall.