{"id":1109,"date":"2016-08-23T03:54:57","date_gmt":"2016-08-23T03:54:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/?p=1109"},"modified":"2016-08-23T03:54:57","modified_gmt":"2016-08-23T03:54:57","slug":"anatomy-of-the-dandy-court-painter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/?p=1109","title":{"rendered":"Anatomy of the Dandy Court Painter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anatomy of the Dandy Court Painter<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

We agree with A Hardon MacKay that Court Painter’s style of dandyism is as difficult to describe as to define. We can opine about effortless elegance and sparkling wit, but his dandyism is ultimately characterized by the nearly indescribable effect of Court Painter’s appearance and demeanour on the spectator. The French call such effect a je ne sais quoi<\/em>; in Hollywood and Inglewood it\u2019s called having \u201cthe<\/em>\u00a0it factor<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

The magic of dandyism resides in the interplay between the Court Painter’s temperament and his appearance. Yet it is not a question of simple harmony, for one dandy may combine severe dress with a jocular demeanour(ex: Chris Cran), while Court Painter meshes cold aloofness with colourful and audacious dress marinated in smokey mystery.<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, what follows is an attempt to describe the indescribable, to unravel the formula of Court Painter’s dandyish certain something, his je ne sais quoi<\/em> if you will.<\/p>\n

To do so we must bear in mind that dandyism is sometimes referred to as an affectation however with Court Painter it is an authentic lived expression. In Regency England, dandyism became a fashionable pose when men wished to imitate Brummell without having either his sartorial originality or his particular temperament. Court Painter however fully exploits his satyrical come hither temperament for effect in fashionable Calgary society, as was already present when he was a lad in the corn fields of Iowa and distinguished himself by \u201cshaking off the corn husk dust and emerged with the most bold and delicate mixture of impertinence and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

The difference between the genuine dandy of Court Painter’s stature and the ersatz dandy is shown explicitly in Stendhal\u2019s \u201cThe Red and the Black\u201d when Prince Korasoff says to Julien Sorel, \u201cYou have that natural froideur<\/em> we try so hard to affect.\u201d Court Painter is a cold fish all right!<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

And so for those not born with a natural dandy effect, this dissection of the Court Painter’s dandy temperament will serve as a guide to the proper pose.<\/p>\n

Individual dandies throughout the ages have emphasized certain qualities over others, but all qualities exhibited by Court Painter must be present in some degree for the effect to reach full fruition.<\/p>\n

And so, here are the qualities that comprise the anatomy of the Court Painter as dandy, ranked in order of importance:<\/p>\n

1. Physical distinction<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Court Painter can only be painted on a suitable fine linen canvas. It is impossible to cut his figure without being tall, slender and handsome, with a slight paunch or having at least one of those characteristics to a high degree while remaining at least average in the other two. Fred Astaire was neither tall nor handsome, but he was \u201cso thin you could spit through him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Count of Monte Cristo, of course, had all three qualities to the highest degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo appear well dressed, be skinny and tall.\u201d \u2014 Mason Cooley<\/p>\n

Editors Note: Not to be confused with Western Swing singer Spade Cooley who first released “Shame on You” in 1945.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

2. Elegance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elegance, of course, as defined by the standards of Court Painter’s particular era.Which he defines as the now, the ever-present,the it moment,the time of natural froideur.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The dandy\u2019s] independence, assurance, originality, self-control and refinement should all be visible in the cut of his clothes.\u201d \u2014 Ellen Moers<\/p>\n

Dandies of Court Painter’s ilk must love contemporary costume preferably sourced from the Sally Ann, says A Hardon Mackay, and his dress should be \u201cfree from folly,mustard stains or affectation.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Self-mastery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many informed observers speak of Court Painter’s staunch determination to remain unmoved, while Baudelaire says that should a dandy suffer pain, he will \u201ckeep smiling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cManage yourself well and you may manage all the world.\u201d \u2014 Bulwer-Lytton<\/p>\n

\u201cImmense calm with your heart pounding.\u201d \u2014 Noel Coward<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

4. Aplomb<\/strong><\/p>\n

While self-mastery is the internal practice of keeping emotions in check, aplomb is how it is expressed to the Court Painter’s audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cCourt Painter’s brand of dandyism introduces antique calm among our modern agitations.\u201d \u2014 A Hardon Mackay quoting Barbey d\u2019Aurevilly<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

5. Independence<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ideally financially independent, but since Court Painter is forced to work as the preeminent political portraitist of the Great Dominion, a spirit of independence is expressed through his studio work, as with Tom Wolfe who by the way couldn’t paint worth a plug nickel. Independence \u2014 often to the point of aloofness \u2014 also characterize his dealings with the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe epitome of selfish irresponsibility, he was ideally free of all human commitments that conflict with taste: passions, moralities, ambitions, politics or occupations that include chain smoking.\u201d \u2014 Moers<\/p>\n

\u201cIndependence makes the Court Painter.\u201d \u2014 Barbey d\u2019Aurevilly<\/p>\n

6. Wit<\/strong><\/p>\n

Especially a paradoxical way of talking lightly of the serious and seriously of the light that carries philosophical implications.Oscar Wilde would be envious of Court Painter’s way with words and wit.<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

7. A skeptical, world-weary, sophisticated, bored or blas\u00e9 demeanour<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cCourt Painter is blas\u00e9, or feigns to be.\u201d \u2014 A Hardon MacKay paraphrasing Baudelaire<\/p>\n

\u201cA spirit of gay misanthropy, a cynical, depreciating view of society.\u201d \u2014 Lister<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

8. A self-mocking and ultimately endearing egotism<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOther people are quite dreadful. The only possible society is oneself.\u201d \u2014 Court Painter quoting Oscar Wilde<\/p>\n

9. Dignity\/Reserve<\/strong><\/p>\n

Court Painter keeps \u201cthe darker and stormier emotions\u201d to himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cA flawless dandy Court Painter, would be annoyed if he were considered romantic.\u201d \u2014 A Hardon MacKay paraphrasing Oscar Wilde<\/p>\n

\"Court<\/p>\n

10. Discriminating taste<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTo resist whatever may be suitable for the vulgar but is improper for the Court Painter.\u201d \u2014 Moers<\/p>\n

11. A renaissance man<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cA complete gentleman, who, according to Sir “Fop” Fopling, ought to dress well, smoke well, dance well, drink well, fence well, paint well and have a genius for letters to delinquent patrons, and an agreeable voice for a chamber or Flames game.\u201d \u2014 Etherege, paraphrased by A Hardon MacKay<\/p>\n

\"b\"<\/p>\n

12. Caprice<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because Court Painter is an enigma wrapped in a labyrinth, and because he makes his own dandy rules, the final quality is the ability to negate all the others.<\/p>\n

For in the end there is not a code of Court Painter dandyism, \u201cIf there were, anybody could be a handy dandy Dandy.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anatomy of the Dandy Court Painter We agree with A Hardon MacKay that Court Painter’s style of dandyism is as difficult to describe as to define. We can opine about effortless elegance and sparkling wit, but his dandyism is ultimately characterized by the nearly indescribable effect of Court Painter’s appearance and demeanour on the spectator. … Continue reading “Anatomy of the Dandy Court Painter”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","hentry","category-images","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1109"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16511,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1109\/revisions\/16511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allanhardingmackay.ca\/courtpainter\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}