STILL LIFE
101
ground up sea shells, she blew the dust on mucilaged paper ("Velo
nella Nebbia"). She composed collages of rags and toilet tissue. Mter
a dozen linear studies ("Linee Discendenti"), she experimented with
gold leaf sprayed with umber, the whole while wet combed in long
undulations with a fine comb. She framed this in a black frame
and hung it on end like a diamond ("Luce di Candela"). Anna–
maria worked intently, her brow furrowed, small violet mouth
pursed, eyes lit, nostrils palpitating in creative excitement. And
when she had temporarily run out of new ideas she did a mythological
bull in red clay ("La Donna Toro"), afterwards returning to nature
morte with bunches of bananas, then self-portraits.
The pittrice occasionally took time out to see what Fidelman
was up to, although not much, and then editing his efforts. She
changed lines and altered figures, or swabbed paint over whole
compositions that didn't appeal to her. There was not much that
did, but Fidelman was grateful for any attention she gave his work,
and even kept at it to incite her criticism. He could feel his heartbeat
in his teeth whenever she stood close to him modifying his work,
he deeply breathing her intimate smell of sweating flowers. She used
perfume only when Augusto came and it disappointed Fidelman
that the old man should evoke the use of bottled fragrance; yet he
was cheered that her natural odor which he, so to say, got for free,
was so much more exciting than the stuff she doused herself with
for her decrepit Romeo. He had noticed she had a bit of soft belly
but he loved the pliant roundness and often daydreamed of it.
Think–
ing
it
might please her, for he pleased her rarely (he reveried how
it would be once she understood the true depth of
his
love for her)
the art student experimented with some of the things Annamaria
had done-the spontaneous holes, for instance, several studies of
"Lines Ascending," and two lyrical abstract expressionistic pieces
based on, interwoven with, and ultimately concealing, a Star of
David, although for these attempts he soon discovered he had earned,
instead of her good will, an increased measure of scorn.
However Annamaria continued to eat lunch with him at Guido's,
and more often than not, supper, although she said practically nothing
during meals and afterwards let her eyes roam over the men at the
other tables. But there were times after they had eaten when she
would agree to go for a short walk with Fidelman,
if
there was no
