Magpie Carnival

[AndrewCollins]

Spotted this print in a pub the other night - titled Magpie Carnival by an artist named Mavis Harris ; dated 1986.

 

Sorry it's not a very good image.

 

 

 

[David Barnert]

So many questions...

 

Why does the concertina player have his back to the morris dancer?

 

The dancer is doing a solo jig. I’ve never seen a solo jig done to more than one musician (and I’ve seen a LOT of morris jigs).

 

And, of course, what’s with the young lady with the legs?

 

Nice picture, though.

[Roger Hare]

What a very nice print!

 

Mavis Harris (1933-2008), estimates in auction sales £50-£70. I may start hunting...

 

There is another artist called Mavis Harris, based in (I think) Alabama...

[wunks]

Viewing with a hand lens reveals various visual sub plots.  Mitch Ryder's "Devil with a Blue Dress On" pops out at me!  Is the gentleman flipping the kerchiefs wearing shades?

Edited June 11, 2022 by wunks
more info,

[Roger Hare]

Check out the guy sat on the bench at bottom left. He has flowers round his hat,

so he may be a dancer or a musician, he may be merely an interested passer-by. 

 

Whatever, he looks as if he's had a long, hard dayl...

 

Oh! it looks like it might be a lady, hence the flowered hat? But what about the

trousers and the scruffy boots...

Edited June 11, 2022 by lachenal74693

[wunks]

On 6/9/2022 at 12:06 PM, David Barnert said:

So many questions...

 

Why does the concertina player have his back to the morris dancer?

 

 

Perhaps to rouse the sitting marionett?  I have a hunch the person in the red shirt is the artist.

[David Barnert]

10 hours ago, lachenal74693 said:

Check out the guy sat on the bench at bottom left. He has flowers round his hat,

so he may be a dancer or a musician, he may be merely an interested passer-by. 

 

Whatever, he looks as if he's had a long, hard dayl...

 

Oh! it looks like it might be a lady, hence the flowered hat? But what about the

trousers and the scruffy boots...

 

I think I see a beard on that one. There’s another person who appears to be “in kit” while watching from the sidelines: To the right of the concertina player, behind the woman in blue with the red handbag. With three musicians and a solo dancer center stage, it wouldn’t be surprising that other morris dancers are around. The solo dance (the jig) is probably one of a set of dances, the others involving a whole side of six dancers.

[Roger Hare]

3 hours ago, David Barnert said:

I think I see a beard on that one...

I thought the beard was part of a hat worn by the little girl standing immediately in front, but

now I look again, I think you are right! It's a dancer, and IMHO he does look a trifle 'wrecked'.

 

I just noticed the hat in the dancing area. We use a purple plastic flower in a plastic plant pot

for the same purpose...

 

I sent a copy of the picture to the rest of the side. They all love it!

 

That image is just good enough to do an acceptable quality laser print at A4 size. I think I'm going

to go for it - I have enough empty frames lying around to supply the National Gallery...

Edited June 12, 2022 by lachenal74693

[David Barnert]

6 hours ago, lachenal74693 said:

I just noticed the hat in the dancing area. We use a purple plastic flower in a plastic plant pot

for the same purpose...

 

Wow! I hadn’t noticed that.

 

Quote

Barnert's Laws of Morris Musicianship:

 

7) If you're playing the pipe & tabor and the dancers insist upon dropping their hats at your feet, you might or you might not allow drool to fall from your instrument onto them. Either choice should be deliberate.