“The Black Boys” is part of a Neel exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art until Aug. 1. The boys sat for the portrait but went through life never having seen it. Credit… Amr Alfiky/The New York Times.
“I would say she was looking at two ghetto children from uptown and bringing out the beauty in us.” [Jeff Neal, on left in the portrait with brother Toby.]
Ms. Neel in her studio in 1979. She called herself “a collector of souls.” Credit… Alfred Eisenstaedt/The LIFE Picture Collection, via Getty Images.
(John Leland, “Two Brothers Posed for a Portrait. One Lived to See It in the Met.” NYTimes, 4-2-21)
I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.
