Masterpiece

Words cause trouble. Actually, its how we use them. I say “Hey, babe!” in a normal conversational manner to a friend, and it’s a casual but enthusiastic greeting. Kind of like: I haven’t seen you for a while, and I’m really happy to see you. Now I cast my voice low, draw out the sylables and leer, and I’m committing a sexual assualt. Then I have a lot of splaining to do to my wife.

It’s not words per se but how we utilize them. So now that you think I’m going to go off on a tangent talking about sociolinguistics and obscene language (I’ve Already done that; see my post on sociolinguistics: https://loucarrerascarver.com/2024/02/25/dirty-words-dont-just-happen/).

No, I will take a shot at one word I feel is much abused: Masterpiece.

Many years ago in Baltimore, I was at a showing of an artist’s works. A critic asked him which piece he considered his masterpiece. He shrugged and said, “None of these.” He led a group of us to a working area of his studio and presented us a miniature painting. This was his masterpiece. Not in the show, and not in a fancy frame, just sitting near an easel to inspire him. He said it had all the pleasing elements and was his favorite. By the way – not for sale. One of the group, pretty clearly not impressed with what seemed a so-so piece of work, got a bit shifty and coyly asked him why he did not exhibit it. “it’s just for my inspiration.” was the reply.

There is a fascination with the word masterpiece. As in, this was his masterpiece, or that was. But, you may find that the pieces the artist or crafter truly likes were not the commissions that paid well or were commercially successful. They attracted attention but were not the artist’s favorite.

One mentor, a sculptor, graver and carver, had a small carving of Saint Athanasius near his desk. At the beginning of his career, he had carved it as a study piece for a larger ecclesiastical piece. His love for it came from its authentic enthusiasm despite some technical flaws. He considered it to be a very special piece – a personal masterpiece.

The term we use in martial arts comes to mind and applies here – beginner’s mind. That sort of free-of-conventions and authority state we have when we first begin. It was what he saw in that small study in wood. And it was that which we often seek to find later when we are more experienced.

Can we slap the work masterpiece on work and make it commercially successful? We don’t often think of flatware as being something that you’d label masterpieces, but if we wanted, say, a Picasso to sign the box, would a certain clientele want to buy them, labeling them as masterpieces?

You laugh? Salvador Dali had a bit more than a cottage industry going for signed papers that were blank or had assistants works on them. Masterpiece?

When I was young and still lived in New York City, I once ran into the Maestro. Literally. He helped pick me up and told me to watch where I was going. If only I had had the presence of mind to ask the maestro what his favorite work was!

A limited number of my signed masterpieces are available in the gift shop. I carefully planed the wood smooth and signed in ink derived from squids. Each is numbered and a unique piece of work. If it worked for the Maestro, who am I to question genius?