Occasional Pics: Belated Birthday wishes for Marguerite

[Cary]

Wow! that is epic win, Despard. Love your attention to detail: everything from Enjolras' frock coat (and your clothing-mania is especially evident here ) to the violin to that serene pose. And permit me to borrow from the words of another by saying how perfect Enjolras is in demonstrating, "Music hath charm to sooth a savage breast." Even if said breast is badly decomposed, and has bits falling off.

[Now excuse me while I go erase violin-playing Angelras from that farce I'm working on. ROFL!]

[9430]

How beautiful! Enjolras really does seem to be lost in the music and he does seem to fit the violin well as an instrument. What with Enjolras and his violin and Prouvaire and his flute, if we had some more Amis with instruments they could form a little chamber group!

[Col.Despard]

@MmeBahorel - I'm glad he almost lives up to the smexy/cuddly pics! (speaking of which...I've exiled myself to home this weekend to get a grip on a few projects, so can finally work on some more).

@MmeJavert - Pleased the expression worked. I struggled with it a bit, as I couldn't decide if he was so absolutely lost in the music his eyes would be closed. But if that were the case, he wouldn't be able to 1.) see any oncoming zombies or 2.) flash a smile at Grantaire. If you choose to interpret this as Zombie Fighting E. Also, how intense should he look? I went for a more serene at one with the music thing...at this point, I assume he's making the instrument sing of the beauties of France - his ideal France. And I'm partial to stripey cravats and waistcoats!

@Merlin - Thank you! I might revisit the subject at some point.

@Marguerite - Okay, I'm chuckling a little at how very, very femme my Princess Enjolras must look if this one looks masculine by comparison! But I'm pleased he is and that you also liked the expression. I'm glad you wrote him, even if Grantaire is seeing him through Weed Vision.

@Mamselle Miss - I actually liked this one a bit better than, oh, 90% of what I've done. But the problem is, when I do like something, I don't feel any ownership of it. It seems to me as if someone else did it. But thank you! If anyone gets pleasure out of these, it's worth it.

@Cary - Noooooo! Your Amis fighting Zombies must include Enjolras playing them into submission! Or at least the part where he's glaring them into submission. Or lecturing them into submission. Any of the above would be brilliant. And I'm pleased that my clothes worked I did a quick one today of Enjolras in one of the more extreme styles of the time. With long hair. Because that makes perfect sense.

@9430 - Thank you! And I was thinking that! I'd add Marguerite's piano-playing Joly to the ensemble, and Combeferre's tenor and Courfeyrac's baritone. No idea what Bossuet can do (hopefully stay out of the way and not break an instrument...I'd be wary of him even as a page-turner) and Bahorel can be the bouncer. Grantaire can be Enjolras' rapturous audenice.

Come to think of it, I used to play the flute. Must do a Prouvaire/flute pic.

[MmeJavert]

I admit that there's a small dorky part of me that quietly insists on Combeferre playing the 'cello. Whether there is a specific reason for this or not is unimportant, but I have to say I can imagine it far too easily.

That said, I have spent a ridiculous amount of time just gazing at this E. He is so pretty. And you know, I think I agree with Elyse in that his expression makes him clearly male. Enjolras is still pretty enough to be a girl, but there's something about the way you drew him, easy grace and beauty and everything, that makes him very clearly a him. And... I can just imagine him standing there, swaying just a little in with the music as he plays, completely lost to everything around him except perhaps to the stand of music he reads from.

[Charlette-Ollie]

I was going to comment earlier, but I wanted to say something more than how much I love this piece, because I adore it to pieces. Reading your comments now, I think the thing that I love most is that Enjolras appears intensely reflective and absolutely at one with the music. Even though I didn't quite believe in the plausibility of Enjolras with a violin at first, of course his music is of France and her future - nothing else can explain his serene expression.

I just want to reach out and carefully run my fingers through his hair... that's my second favourite thing!

[MmeBahorel]

Mme Javert: *dies* Yes, yes, he must.

Does Courfeyrac debauch sloths?

Despard, one day we're going to make you read Master and Commander

[MmeJavert]

Well, if Combeferre and Enjolras are supposed to complement each other, we must have 'cello-playing Combeferre to balance out violin-playing Enjolras.

[Cary]

Grantaire can be Enjolras' rapturous audenice.

Nonononono. If Marguerite's Aunt Wodehouse story's anything to go by, Grantaire will be the one pimping their show! and promising the audience things like, "Watch the Amis perform in their drawers and cravats!"

Come to think of it, I used to play the flute. Must do a Prouvaire/flute pic.

That would be awesome.

[merlin_emrys]

Does Courfeyrac debauch sloths?

Yes. Yes he does. Good thing none of the Amis has a sloth ... that we know of.

I'm with you on the Combeferre-playing-a-cello thing! I'd envisioned that for a bit but I was in semi-denial about the reason why it seemed so right for him. I'd love to see a Combeferre and Enjolras duet ... or the whole "Amis with their instruments" idea.

[sophiedegrouchy]

Comments from my email response reposted here so I don't look like an ungrateful wretch:
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His expression is simply gorgeous, as is (of course) his golden mane. Cary mentioned the clothing on Abaissé, and I have to second her there. Guh. It really makes me lament our fashions today - although I did manage to buy a remarkably similar winter coat the other day (albeit in gray wool, and doubtless in a far shorter cut).

And then there's his hands. I don't think I've told many people how hot I find good violin hands, and these hit that perfect balance of strength and delicacy.

Also, you did an admirable job rendering the instrument and its position. It's petty, I know, but I'm always leery of violin art because inaccuracies distract me from the (literal) bigger picture. But this is very, very well done. Have I mentioned how much I love the hands?

Yup, this is definitely going up on the wall next to the "Eroica" (and perhaps a smaller copy will find its way into my violin case as encouragement to practice...) The only problem will be deciding which part I most want to stare at.
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Re: MmeBahorel's "almost as good as the sex pictures" - I have a pianist friend who will, at the slightest provocation, go off on a ramble on how all classical music=sex. So.

I really, really try not to think about cellist!Combeferre (and I know this isn't the first time he's been mentioned around here) because my brain essentially shuts down at the awesomeness of the image.

Yes, someday you will meet Maturin, Despard. You really don't have a choice in the matter.

I'm rather afraid that this may give some people the thoroughly mistaken impression that I'm actually good at violin. I enjoy it, and I'm not bad, per se, but...my proverbial day job is certainly here to stay. Ditto with the music itself; I'm always listening to classical stuff and can tell plenty of silly anecdotes about the composers that I fangirl, but I couldn't tell you the first thing about theory. I know just enough to appreciate the music - or in this case, the beautiful, beautiful performer. (Squee!)

[Col.Despard]

Phew - I'm so relieved you like it, and especially that I didn't disgrace myself over the violin, Pie (and very, very relieved I didn't know you were particular about how they are depicted, as I would have never dared attempt it had I known in advance!). Hands are a bit of a bete noire for me as well, so I'm glad they worked out.

You and MmeBahorel will be pleased that I have bought Master and Commander! Only read the first few pages, but am already sniggering at Jack's behaviour during the performance, beating (out of) time. I'd do that if I had no self-restraint. I adore music and know absolutely nothing about it.

Judging from all the comments, it seems that there is a consensus over Cello Combeferre? And we need to put the Amis band together?

Charlotte-Ollie, your comments make me very happy I went with that particular open-eyed but reflective look rather than the others I was considering.

Cary, I'm surprised that idea didn't occur to Grantaire in the Pimping the Amis conversation! Although perhaps it did, and was one of the later suggestions alongside the art gallery and Greek tableaux ideas he was throwing out.

MmeJavert, I'm always pleased when there's masculine grace there - I find it too easy to tip far into feminising him (like that's a news flash). Depicting a guy who looks 17 and somewhat childlike as well as rather feminine is...a challenge. Toss in the angelic stuff and then the obvious commanding presence, charisma and fact he's supposed to be Vir incarnate, and...argh!

[lesmisloony]

An Amis band, oh God...

...Feuilly on the drums? Courfeyrac as a front man?

We all know Joly plays the trumpet...

*needs sleep*

[Euphrasie]

Bahorel with the triangle.

[MmeJavert]

You and MmeBahorel will be pleased that I have bought Master and Commander! Only read the first few pages, but am already sniggering at Jack's behaviour during the performance, beating (out of) time. I'd do that if I had no self-restraint. I adore music and know absolutely nothing about it.

Yay, finally! I had half started to wonder if whether I ought to send you a copy to get you started, because really... you ought to read that series.

[9430]

We all know Joly plays the trumpet...

Hmm, can't really see Joly playing any sort of wind/brass instrument, on account of the danger of infection. I mean, what if someone else had picked it up and hence left terrible diseases of unknown magnitude all over the mouthpiece?

And yes, I also agree that Combeferre seems to suit the cello, but I reckon that he probably played a couple of instruments, not just 1. Seems to suit his hardworking nature.

I think I would have Bahorel on some sort of percussion, to channel his energy into hitting things.

And now I need to go to sleep and stop making silly theories.