The Paris Review

DeFeo, 1960. Photo via the Whitney Museum of American Art.

“Civilization,” Gertrude Stein says, “begins with a rose.” And also: “It continues with blooming and it fastens clearly upon excellent examples.”

You understand what she means when you stand before Jay DeFeo’s massive painting The Rose, a two-ton, twelve-feet-tall canvas sculpted in oil, wood, and mica, a bold burst of grisaille. At the Whitney Museum of Art, where the work is part of the permanent collection, it hangs like an altarpiece, the focal point of a retrospective of DeFeo’s art. Read More »

We’re out this week, but we’re re-posting some of our favorite pieces from 2012 while we’re away. We hope you enjoy—and have a happy New Year!

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Between 318 and 271 million years ago, the ancient continental core of North America butted against what would become South America. Land folded and faulted; mountains were born. Then what would become the Gulf of Mexico opened, and inland seas washed the peaks away. It pays to remember there are mountains beneath Dallas. The tops may have eroded, but the roots remain buried deep.

Some 165 million years later—in 1841—John Neely Bryan built a shelter on a bluff and called the area Dallas.

One hundred and twenty-two years later—in 1963—John F. Kennedy was shot on that bluff, now named Dealey Plaza.

Seventeen years later—in 1980—J. R. Ewing was shot on TV.

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• Hemingway sent this postcard to Gertrude Stein from Spain in 1924.
• A new version of “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” has removed all references to Santa’s pipe.
• Just when you think you are too jaded to enjoy any more book arts and crafts … this.
• Happy Saint Crispin’s Day.
• Jonathan Franzen’s essay “House for Sale” has been adapted into a play and opened off-Broadway this week.
• Marilyn Monroe’s bookshelf.

Gertrude Stein takes notes from the front row at the Céline Spring 2013 collection.

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SILK TWIST.
Look 6.

The change in that is that thick night satin for day. The change has come. There is no sleeve. But there is, there is the understanding of a sleeve. Surely any is unwelcome for spring, but sometime there is breath and there will be trousers that breathe and the pool sandal is charming very charming is that wrapped in and cleansing. Certainly all black for spring is handsome and convincing.

SILK TWIST.
Look 6.

The change in that is that thick night satin for day. The change has come. There is no sleeve. But there is, there is the understanding of a sleeve. Surely any is unwelcome for spring, but sometime there is breath and there will be trousers that breathe and the pool sandal is charming very charming is that wrapped in and cleansing. Certainly all black for spring is handsome and convincing.

A PURSE.
Look 11.

A purse was not blue, it was not straw color. If it was paper it would be nothing and nothing would be in it but PB and J. It was a leather lunch bag and it showed that it rolled open, that is all that it showed.

A PURSE.
Look 11.

A purse was not blue, it was not straw color. If it was paper it would be nothing and nothing would be in it but PB and J. It was a leather lunch bag and it showed that it rolled open, that is all that it showed.

A LITTLE BIT OF A SLIPPER.
Look 13.

A shining indication of strong collections consists in there having been more of the textures that don't belong and bringing in a sense an association like walking on smoke puffs. This was the hope which made the six and seven editors around me feel no use for silly rabbit heels we all pray shed into nothing. Shed into nothing.

A LITTLE BIT OF A SLIPPER.
Look 13.

A shining indication of strong collections consists in there having been more of the textures that don't belong and bringing in a sense an association like walking on smoke puffs. This was the hope which made the six and seven editors around me feel no use for silly rabbit heels we all pray shed into nothing. Shed into nothing.

A FUR SHOE.
Look 19.

An elegant use of a house coat and grace and a little piece of a priest collar.

So fur shoes of several kinds imagined in March slush and trailing dust in the salon makes the fluff tufts a joke and really several. Fluff in the slush pile and then on the sandwiches in the lunch bags what I mean is they could be tasty out of context and editorially strong.

A FUR SHOE.
Look 19.

An elegant use of a house coat and grace and a little piece of a priest collar.

So fur shoes of several kinds imagined in March slush and trailing dust in the salon makes the fluff tufts a joke and really several. Fluff in the slush pile and then on the sandwiches in the lunch bags what I mean is they could be tasty out of context and editorially strong.

MORE.
Look 25.

Yellow fur yellow rather—

No. Ew come on.

MORE.
Look 25.

Yellow fur yellow rather---

No. Ew come on.

NOTHING ELEGANT.
Look 26.

A charm a single fuzz charm is doubtful. If the fashion holds and there is a bad accessory surrounding it, if inside there is a chance for shoes to change and a cool loafer change then certainly something is upright.

NOTHING ELEGANT.
Look 26.

A charm a single fuzz charm is doubtful. If the fashion holds and there is a bad accessory surrounding it, if inside there is a chance for shoes to change and a cool loafer change then certainly something is upright.

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