Went yesterday, to see Rodin’s masterpiece, The Kiss at The Turner Contemporary in Margate. I’d seen it before at The Tate Modern about 10 years ago, but I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity to combine it with fish and chips and a mushy pea fritter now was I? lol 😉
The Kiss has always had a special place in my heart….. As a small child, my grandparents had a large oak bureau in their dining room. The top section was full of old interesting books that I was never allowed to touch, and in the base there were 2 drawers, also out of bounds. Of course, being a child, the more I was told not to touch, the more I wanted to lol (I was always inquisitive, nothing’s changed lol).
One day when my grandmother was busy somewhere else, I opened a draw, and sitting right on top was a museum/art gallery leaflet about The Kiss. All in black and white and dating from about the 1950’s, I was fascinated. It is my earliest memory of the concept of ‘art’ as something beautiful, to be admired. I quickly put the pamphlet back, but never forgot about it…..it stayed with me for years, and even now, knocking 40 years later, I absolutely adore it 🙂
In 2003 my husband and I went to Rome for our anniversary, and in a small gift shop, close to the Vatican, they had a marble reproduction, about a foot high. Well, as you can imagine, I insisted my husband buy it for me and lug it all the way back home lol. It now sits proudly on the hearth of my fireplace, having been subjected to 2 house moves, 3 children, 2 cats and 2 dogs 🙂
I’m still behind with my prompts, even though I was up at 4.30 this morning…. Tomorrows one is it’s what was whispered about and as hubby is going out tomorrow, I should be able to catch up 😉
The View Outside 
This was a lovely story of your Grandparents oak bureau. Have you considered taking part in the Family History writing challenge and writing these posts up? http://familyhistorywritingchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/01/defining-plot-in-your-family-history.html
I did the challenge last year and loved it. I have a set of notebooks that I recorded lots of genealogical conversations in with my Great Aunts. I managed to write the posts – all 28 of them without looking at the notes books, so my posts were from my memories which in turn will fade…….
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I’ve never heard of that Julie, will definitely look into it.
By the way, I actually now own the oak burea. When my grandparents died my aunts and uncles were going to give it away to a charity shop, so I rescued it and it’s now in storage. When I get my house decorated I’m going to have it in the dining room 🙂
xxx
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How lovely to now own the bureau.
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Yes 🙂 but it’s been in storage since 2004 lol
Unfortunately, they cleared it of its contents before I could stop them, so The Kiss leaflet/pamphlet is long gone 😦
They threw away a lot of stuff that might have actually been worth something *deep sigh*
xxx
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Oh dear. Alas I think that is a sign of the times. The more involved with the clearing of a loved ones belongings the more chance of things being lost. I guess that I am lucky to have so much of my Grandparents things. Stuart is not so lucky. When the time comes I can just imagine how that will turn out!
Have you looked on eBay or Google for a copy of the pamphlet? x
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It’s so sad isn’t it 😦
I’m not sure I would know what it looks like now hon….I’m happy with the memories and that it gave me my life long love of the sculpture 😉
Xx
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