On the River Sorgue, ©John O’Grady
31.65″ x 31.65″ x 1.8″, oil on deep edged canvas, ready to hang.
This $2190 painting is available with a payment plan.
The route by which this painting came into being meandered through an unusual set of circumstances.
A few weeks ago I went to the shore of the Toulourenc, a fast-flowing, limpid mountain river that snakes at the bottom of Mont Ventoux on its way to join the Ouvèze river outside Vaison-la-Romaine.
It was quiet that afternoon near the old stone bridge.
How much water has passed under that bridge one can only guess…
As I approached the bridge, I saw three people looking down on the river. The man turned to me and greeted me. He introduced me to his daughter and then to his wife, a frail woman who was leaning on a zimmer frame.
Her face was pale.
She smiled and told me she’d come to hear ‘the water sing’.
We stood together, listening.
After a little while, the man asked me where I was from and then pointed to the other side of the valley stating they lived over there, in the last house along a rough track, past a tall cypress, in ‘La vallée du bout du monde’ (The valley at the end of the world).
How fabulous.
This encounter reminded me of Herman Hesse’s Siddharta who listens, year after year to the river. He comes to appreciate what it has to say.
The water of the river flows into bigger rivers that flow into the ocean. Then, it comes back as rain.
It’s the cycle of life.
Later, when I picked up a brush, the singing water, the house at the end of the world and Siddharta came flooding back. And then I recalled the Sorgue river, a quieter river that stretches into the distance.
I set out to paint this piece as if we, the viewers, are in the river, taken on a journey to the end of the world…
I’d love to hear what you think.
Wow John , I love the painting and where it may take you, a beautiful light. A lovely story too!
As I suspect you know , we here in England have been having some really windy weather, it was howling and such a rough sea . I did actually go to the allotment on the worse day , a bit scary I must say, but Invigorating , I had to hold on to things though and was blown home.
Hello Elles,
Sounds like the weather was rough. Hope you allotment did not suffer too much. Keep safe.
Thank you for your comment.
Hello John,
I am in sunny, colorful San Miguel de Allende, Mexico this week, in the context of which I particularly appreciate the vibrant, saturated orange, yellow and green of the tree (perhaps willow?) and the strong pink/white marks of the reflection of light in the river. This pink, as vivid as the pink marble of the Parocchia (cathedral) that shimmers with an inviting translucence in San Miguel, here leads our eye up river and over the darkening cobalt trees to the pink of the setting sun above. Without human or animal figures, we nevertheless feel the presence of sentient and observant viewers downstream. I think it is gorgeous, John, and I love the encounter that inspired the work. Thank you for enriching my day.
Hello Rachel,
I am sure you are having a wonderful time, your description of Mexico and how you connected it to my painting is much appreciated. The pink marble of the Cathedral sounds fantastic, particularly in the evening sunlight, I imagine it must glow. Enjoy your break!
Beautiful story and beautifully expressed John. I hadn’t come across the idea of a river ‘singing’ but I like it! The place of a river in the cycle of life is present in the perpetual motion as it surges forward on its journey . Not being familiar with Hesse I looked it up and saw this line ‘Light and shadow ran through his eyes’ captured so well in ‘On the River Sorgue’.
By the way when I clicked on the painting I was able to see it is as part of a room setting and it looks absolutely fantastic! The colours really ‘sing’ too.
Thank you Chris,
‘Line and Light ran through his eyes’ how fitting is that, thank you for sharing that line. Yes the in context image gives the viewer an idea of how it might look, to scale etc. Yes it does look good alright!
Oh, what bliss it would be to see this image every day! It feels like a true sensual immersion, and the lovely description of your walk and encounter (and the reference to Siddharta) completes the picture. The complementary colors and movement in the foreground have a vibrancy that balances the serenity of the distant view as the image draws the eye deeply into the frame toward the horizon and limpid sky. It seems to contain all of life — the fire, the journey, the end of the world (or maybe a new vista beyond the next bend in the river). I absolutely love it.
Hello Jo,
Your reading of the painting added to my own feelings about the painting, particularly when you said ‘It seems to contain all of life-the fire, the journey’ What was interesting was the frail woman on the bridge, was just able to stand with help she still seemed to have that fire in abundance. Glad to hear you love it thank you very much
Congratulations John on such a beautifully expressed narrative which enhances the painting no end. It is clear you were very anchored while working on this painting as looking at the canvas from top right falling towards left there is a vibrant rainbow reaching out to us, illuminating its way along the passageway clothed in colour, form, shadow and light. There is a sense of regained instinct within the natural cycle of the rainbow (the cycles within each cycle, which are incessant and ever evolving) echoing and leaving trails of feelings along the way from anticipation, hope, sweetness softening its way to a resigned tenderness along the river until we reach the summit of clarity. You have captured John a sense of the earths chakras fully alive in nature!
Hello Irene, Thank you for your lovely reading of the painting, and the vibrant rainbow of colours that you mention. Yes I agree, it is very much like a passageway of colour and light isn’t it. The narrative does fit well with the painting I think. 🙂
awash with light and beauty John…great to read your inspiration for your latest painting, blessings Julie
Thank you Julie, it is special I think, I just wrote it out as it happened.