by Carl Schaefer
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ART OF THE BLOWJOB WELL
JOHNSON HOUSE, HANOVER ⎔ MOON AND COW ⎔ MUSKOX ⎔ MYSTERIES ⎔ OXBOROUGH ⎔ VESUVIUS
APPEARANCE
Seen in two shots as Wendy tops the stairs, at 129:40-129:50 and 130:03-130:11.
IDENTITY
Schaefer was a student of Arthur Lismer and JEH MacDonald. He was also a war artist in the ’40s, which darkened his paintings for a while, but then he snapped back to rural works. ’32-’42 is considered his “Hanover period” which is where I’m guessing this piece came from.
STYLISTIC SIGNIFICANCE
The Canadian Encyclopedia holds that this period marked his transition from geometric works to “starkly realistic, occasionally allegorical” works depicting landscape and still life. So this work fits within his more “I’ve got something to say” period, and perhaps that speaks to what Wendy sees while it’s behind her.
SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE
Jack, as discussed, derives from John. So if we read this as “Jack-son House” then Wendy is perhaps seeing what her own house looks like from the outside. The blowjob bear seems to be a mash-up of Duvall’s eyes, Pooh’s black nose, and possibly even the general costume design for the eggmen on the cover of the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour.
HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
Also, I don’t know if this is just a crazy coincidence, but there was a cult called the Johnson Cult of New Hanover, where a bunch of Papua New Guineans apparently tried to elect Lyndon B. Johnson as their leader. I’ve wondered too if this piece might invoke the fact that Johnson was president in 1969, the year a lot of significant Shining art pieces occurred. He was the 36th president and the 37th vice president while his predecessor, Richard Nixon was the 37th president and 36th vice president. And as we just discussed, the stairwell Wendy just climbed has 37 stairs. And this is one of Wendy’s two “blue” trials at the end. If I ever find a reference to a “Nixon” in one of the as-yet-unidentified “red” trial artworks, that’ll probably clinch it.
And you’ll recall that this piece has a Hanover connection to the piece outside 237.
MIRRORFORM SIGNIFICANCE
The first shot overlays with the start of Danny’s first bloodfall vision, and his shocked face as the vision is coming upon him. The second shot mirrors over him begging Tony to tell him why he doesn’t want to go to the hotel. Is Hanover the reason?
Next art reference: Pether-Style Vesuvius Painting
MAIN PAGE ⎔ SECTION PAGE ⎔ SITE MAP ⎔ GLOSSARY
OTHER MAIN PAGES FOR SHINING ANALYSIS
THE MIRRORFORM ⎔ THE BEATLES ⎔ THE RUM AND THE RED
BACKGROUND ART ⎔ OVERLOOK PHOTOGRAPHS ⎔ GOLDEN SPIRALS
PHI GRIDS ⎔ PATTERNS ⎔ VIOLENCE AND INDIGENA ⎔ ABSURDITIES
THE STORY ROOM ⎔ ANIMAL SYMBOLS ⎔ THE ANNOTATED SHINING
EYE SCREAM 