The Wish / Le Voeux is portrait of Marie-Chantal Embert who lived in Fayence, the village my mother had moved to at the start of that year, 1973. As she got to know the locals and her neighbors she was always on the lookout for people or places that she thought would make for good paintings. Marie-Chantal was one such local. If you read the diary, you can see that the models were often enthusiastic to start but that would wane once they realized it was nothing but sitting still. Reading through the diary you can begin to see some of the troubles she had. I think my mother would pay them some nominal amount or more often work out some other sort of renumeration like a drawing or a small painting.

Further reading her diary, one can see that she initially thought that Marie-Chantal would be a beautiful subject but only after the first sitting did she come up with the concept of “The Wish” for love and peace. In a letter to me later that year, with included a photo of the painting, she wrote “”The Wish” “Le Voeux” Sept 1973. Exhibited Nice Sept 73. Peace and love symbolised by medallion. Heart & dove – Field for growth, rock wall for foundation.”

While going through her sketches, I came across this series of sketches that includes ideas for what turns out to be four separate paintings, see the Chantal paintings and some early ideas for the Oyster Nymphs.

Diary Entries