In the Cafe: Agostina Segatori in Le Tambourin

Tis a rainy, gloomy day here.  Just perfect.  The soil begs for moisture, so at least it's being slightly sated.  

Well, I've piddled away half my morning trying to attach my newsletter article to an email.  Finally, had to send it via an alternative option available on my Chromebook.  Fingers crossed that I hear back from the editor saying he received it.  Otherwise, I'm gonna start banging my head against a brick wall.  Boo-hiss!

Yesterday we didn't get anything accomplished relative to our spring-cleaning.  I got my brain into a matter that I wanted to research, all the while the boyfriend was putting up with my detour.  That means today it's serious business.  Bedroom #1 is getting the ax, so they say.  The closet is in A+ shape, already having been tackled.  At least that.  This is the time we're turning the mattress, putting on a new mattress pad, brand new sheets and a brand new bedspread.  When we clean, we clean.  

I told the boyfriend we're gonna have to check to see what's under the bed.  It's where we store my Christmas village, but other than that neither of us remembers what's under there.  It's not like it's easy to get on our hands and knees anymore.  Little things are now big challenges. 

  

In the Cafe:  Agostina Segatori
in Le Tambourin - 1887

Vincent exhibited his work to a larger audience at the Cafe Le Tambourin in Paris.  The Cafe was popular with artists and writers.  He was a regular at that cafe and had a brief relationship with the owner, Agostina Segatori.

Vincent is said to have been in love with Agostina.  In this portrait, he painted her sitting on a stool at a table shaped like a tambourine, befitting the cafe's name.  There's a mug of beer on the table, and Agostina is holding a cigarette.  The two saucers beneath the beer mug suggest it's her second drink.  Drinking and smoking weren't appropriate for respectable ladies at the time, but rather associated with arty types and prostitutes.  Note the parasol on the stool and the hat she's wearing.  In the background are Japanese prints that Vincent had put on display at the Cafe.  Vincent was unable to pay cash for his meals, so he exchanged paintings for them.  

Agostina and Vincent had a falling out.  He wanted all of his paintings back, but Le Tambourin went bankrupt, and the Cafe was sold, including Vincent's paintings that were still there. 🖌