“Zaftig: a Yiddish word meaning ripe or luscious and is commonly applied to curvaceous women.”
Taken from the front inside cover of the book ZAFTIG, THE CASE FOR CURVES by Edward St. Paige, author of many other books. some of which are examinations of various aspects of our social history.
I love this book. It contains so many wonderful paintings, drawings and quotes that show how the female form is beautiful and touches on how sometimes ‘larger and curvier’ is considered more feminine, fertile and preferable. The pages are filled with gorgeous women that posed for famous painters like Rembrandt, Diego Rivera, Renoir, Picasso and Lord Leighton who did one of my favorite paintings on page 50 called ‘Flaming June’. I think I saw it for the first time at the Getty in L.A. a few years ago although I could be wrong…I’ve been to many galleries over the years. In any case, I remember the impact it had on me. The color and figure in it are amazing and move me.
I quoted a couple of lines the other day in my blog. Here are a few more I love.
From page 134,
Fatness at it’s best is associated with moistness, fertility and kindness (a sociable and giving nature) as well as with happiness, vitality and bodily health in general. People know that drinks and warm moist, cooked food can fatten them, while cold rice, overnight food (leftovers), and dryers such as store-bought crackers usually cannot. Fatness connotes fullness and juicy ripeness, like that of ripe fruit well sweet and soon to burst.
Lisa J. Sobo describing the Jamaican feminine ideal from Many Mirrors, 1994
From page 138,
She was very beautiful, even though her status as a singer was only second-rate. All the same, he was more interested in her as a woman than as a singer. She certainly was desirable. Her folds of flesh and fat would warm a chilly man during the bitter cold of winters, which was at hand.
Naguib Mahfouz from Palace Walk, 1989
Today is 03, 03 of 03. That’s three threes which makes it my sister Rhoda’s favorite day. Ever. Period.
quick recap for the kids:
beauty is everywhere and in almost everything, be proud of who you are.
much love,
mom
ps. the new strongbad is WAY funny….don’t forget to look for the hidden stuff.
adil adil a deleted by tony p. love ya
yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo yo
yapers!!!!!!
you are my favorite anthony in the whole world!!
i love you. : )
so are you