That is Priceless by Steve Melcher for May 21, 2021

What was was supposed to have been a simple portrait sitting ended up being a staring contest between the model and the artist’s recently widowed sister.

Norman Rockwell as a boy receives the inspiration for one of his most famous illustrations…

“I’ll do your headshot, but if you want to make it big in this modeling industry you’ll have to show us some skin.”

“Mom, I’ll be fine, really. You’re creeping me out – shove off!”

Emily began to suspect that her therapist had more ‘issues’ than she did

Her nude modeling career was a bust…

The artist’s nickname was Tat. She was well known for asking for Tit for Tat…

“Sis, he’s been dead for over six months now. I think you can stop wearing black and move on. After all, Socks was only a cat, and not a well house-trained one at that.”

It was such a gay event even if Constance insisted on wearing black because she thought it looked slimming.

These modeling gigs made her sad. / Feared nudes might be seen by her Dad. / Without prior warning / Ma showed up in mourning, / revealing he recently had.

There was never a dull moment in the Bronte household, that is, as long as you consider ‘watching paint dry’ as an exciting afternoon. Today’s excitement was a staring contest between the three. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne were easily entertained!

“See, this is what happens when you let a Jehovah’s Witness in the house.”

“And don’t sit like that in front of Aunt Edith”

“Which of you three really wants this modeling job? C’mon. let’s see some skin.”

the ladies wondered why the klimt model had suddenly appeared in their atelier and how they could be rid of her…

“So how’s it goin’, kid?”

Whistler’s Mother decided to sit in on this session while waiting for her portrait appointment.

Melcher’s a welcher. Pay me!

Lavinia continued to cower/ in the corner for more than an hour/ she’d been posing all day/ and wished they’d go away./ What she wanted most was a shower.

WiFi is going to be down awhile. Anyone remember how to communicate in person?

On a blistering August day/ in the windowless atelier/ she’d acquired a fragrance/ that hobos and vagrants/ would be ashamed to display…/// The finest Parisian parfums/were intended for use in such rooms/ but their use has declined/ and no one seems to mind/ since our meetings have all become zooms…

As the widow proved a hard sell, Sally decided to take drastic measures to sell her the life insurance policy, a free portrait of Sally and ….

Well, Jo…….to be honest, I think we should let Amy do the painting from now on. You stick to writing.

In The House of 1000 Kinky Delights, Mourning Maude got the least action as customers preferred Bridal Betty, Louis IV and even Pete The Pony Rug to her tearful performance.

It’s called Gothic; all the hip kids are dressing like this.

“Look, I’m not saying you have to do a nude, but for god’s sake, at least change into something that doesn’t blend into the furniture”

“Now my sister to me was quite dear,

but I’ve had to wear black for a year.

With your portrait unfinished,

my patience diminished–

so I brought the taxidermist here.”

While Ghislaine Maxwell provided encouragement from the sideline.

Cecile did remove her top and bottom for the artist’s brother later that night.

Meanwhile, the guy who lives in the couch is still trying to hitch a ride.

“But the knife I used to skin this bear doesn’t look anything like the one the girl in the painting has.”

" If these two don’t stop their staring contest, " thought the artist, " it’s gonna take me months finish this #%(¿x&@ portrait! "

In the Studio: 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:In_the_Studio_MET_DT8475.jpg 

has info and links that point to more info about this painting.

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/stevens_1823-1906_alfred.html 

https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/collections/works-in-focus/painting/commentaire_id/what-is-called-vagrancy-16565.html?no_cache=1 

https://www.wikiart.org/en/alfred-stevens 

https://modjourn.org/biography/stevens-alfred-emile-leopold-joseph-victor-1823-1906/ 

https://www.wga.hu/bio_m/s/steven_b/biograph.html 

http://www.artnet.com/artists/alfred-stevens/ 

https://www.galeriearyjan.com/en/stevens-alfred-emile.htm 

https://www.artrenewal.org/Artist/Index/541 

http://www.markmurray.com/alfred-stevens-paintings-for-sale/ 

https://prabook.com/web/alfred.stevens/722415 

https://thebiography.us/en/stevens-alfred 

https://www.askart.com/artist/Alfred_Emile_Leopold_Stevens/9001493/Alfred_Emile_Leopold_Stevens.aspx 

http://www.avictorian.com/Stevens_Alfred_Emile_Leopold.html 

http://hoocher.com/Alfred_Stevens/Alfred_Stevens.htm 

all have info, or links that point to more info, about this artist (again, askart.com can be read in full for free on Fridays), perhaps in addition to what’s pointed to by the title URL. So far, 5 works by him have been used here. 

https://www.gocomics.com/that-is-priceless/2021/05/19?comments=visible 

has the prior (my comment there included the same info URLs).

Again, a larger strip image is shown by (⌘- or Ctrl-) clicking the image in Mr. Melcher’s MASTERPIECE #2712 (May 20, 2021) blog entry, accessible by the Check out the blog! box after the last comment.

Leaves more to the imagination when just a portion of the breast is depicted. That’s why guys check out gals…..

Constance always wanted to do a portrait of her sister and this was the last chance. It was now or never. The funeral would just have to wait for the body.

Slumber parties – the early years (no television, no telephones, no cameras) …

Let’s dress up like our parents! OK!

Let’s paint a picture of us to show people what great fun we had! OK!

Starts to paint … I’m bored. What should we do now?

OK, we painted your face, and ready for the body. NOW where did your stunt double go?

The early days of Glamour Shots.

It looks like the artist is photoshopping the woman’s head onto a wedding gown.

Dorothy has her doubts about being in a “morale” poster for the Winkies done by the wicked witch of the west. :>)

Looks like the time when the Spanish lord protector or whoever refused a personal gift with “La Infanta has no legs.”

Perhaps the legless Infanta/ will get lucky, and “Dios” will grant a/ reprieve of a sort/ and she’ll wear her skirts short/ once she gets her new legs from Santa (or el Easter Bunny).