The room is saturated with red, brown and orange - a quiet morning filled with the warmth of the day before and the rhythm of the night. The walls, the blanket, the man, and the dog are enclosed in those earth tones. Outside the window we see the light of day, the crisp morning. We stand at the edge of the draped doorway and peer into this private moment. Those drapes have the same coolness of the window as do the sheets and body of the woman.
I'm always stopped by Early Hour painted by Karl Hofer in 1935. It was one of his paintings that was not destroyed by the Nazi regime when he and his art were deemed degenerate. When I first saw Early Hour in 2005, I could hear Helen Reddy singing the lyrics to I Didn't Mean to Love You.
Sunday Morning waking up and touching you
You’re always warm at 9 a.m
Pillows close and I can feel you wanting me
When I go back to sleep again...
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4 comments:
This is one of my very favorite paintings in the PAM collection. The mystery, the stillness, the fragility of it.
This is my very very favorite piece in PAM, and has been for years.
It's also interesting in terms of this quote:
"It is true that sometimes a painting includes a male lover. But the woman's attention is very rarely directed towards him. Often she looks away from him or she looks out of the picture towards the one who considers himself her true lover-- the spectator-owner." -Berger, Ways of Seeing
Does anyone know where one could find a print of this work? I'd love to have a framed reproduction in my home. I've searched all the usual websites, but with no success. Thanks in advance!
We're not aware of this being in print. But will let you know should we find out differently.
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