A Day with the Noble Woman

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wing) parrot-like bird perched on one post of a chair.

Now let’s go back to the beginning, before destructive chaos echoed the room. Why the picture was created, and what the painter was trying to depict while seeing beyond the painting. The deep, dark, possibly humorous feelings of the painting. And, looking at the painting on a much deeper level tells a story.

The woman’s husband has recently passed away. The pure magnitude on how his passing will affect her life has not come yet. She’s had no time to grieve. One afternoon she is forced to go through and gather items of value to sell in town. She won’t be gone long, and it was not uncommon to leave children alone in the home, while the parents were out. But, before leaving the woman tells the two young boys, “Look after the monkeys, and practice playing the instruments, using only the songs from the sheet music in the book. I will be back soon.” The woman leaves the room, and the two young boys, do as they were told, until quickly growing bored of playing music. Looking around the room the boys decide to get a closer look at the colorful bird originally perched on top of the flag post. The boys take a chair from the table and move it just next to the beautiful green, yellow, red, white, and blue flag hung on the wall. One boy stands on the seat of the chair, and stretching as tall as he can, reaches for the bird. The bird flies away, and the flag comes crashing to the floor, bringing with it pieces of armor. The monkeys squeal and run around the room. The other boy helplessly trying to catch the bird as it flies around and around. The boy from the chair yells, “Stop!” They quickly place themselves back on the floor with instruments in hand fearing someone heard the crash. After a few minutes, when they realize no one is coming, the boys eye the suits of armor. One set of armor is a bluish color with gold and red embellishments, the other silver with gold and red ribbon outlining the armor. After several failed attempts to put the armor back together and hang the flag back up, the boys decide to put the armor on. Furthermore, each boy grabs (what looks like) a fencing sword, then they begin swiping and slashing at each other as if they were Knights of the King’s guard. Finally, after one boy has won all of the make believe tournaments, the other boy decides not to participate anymore. the boys begin playing a game using cards and dice.

Meanwhile, the monkeys play with whatever trail of toys and trinkets the boys have left on the floor.

The woman returns only to find the room a complete disaster. She walks over and in-between objects that now litter the floor. She says nothing. Finally, making her way to the table she calmly sits down, and removes her gloves, and ruff. She stares expressionlessly at the door to the room. Patiently waiting for her husband to enter, but he never comes. The noisy room no longer fazes her, while the two young boys continue to play. The boys have no idea that their father is not coming home. And, today is not the day to tell them.