We were living at 169 Faubourg St. Antoine, Paris in the 11th arrondissement. Our younger daughter was attending a French public school that was a short walk down the Rue Forge Royal. Everyday I would walk her to school. At the end of the day I would go to meet her and while waiting for her release from school, I would see women dressed in all sorts of native costumes. One woman, in particular, stood out for her beauty and grace. She was probably from Senegal. She had a young baby strapped to her back wrapped in cloth. I approached the woman and asked her if I could take her picture. I wanted to paint her. She shook her head and I never saw her again. I realized that she was probably an illegal immigrant and I must have frightened her. We don’t always realize the consequences of our actions. I’m sorry for for the trouble I must have caused her. Her likeness in this painting is from memory. This is a 18″x 24″ oil on canvas.
swo8 
Handsome woman and beautiful painting! There’s a law of unintended consequences … and it’s always lurking waiting to grab us.
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Oh, Marilyn, I only realized what I must’ve done days later when the woman was no longer waiting for her child at the school.
Leslie
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That’s a beautiful painting! She could have been from anywhere in West Africa – Nigerians too back babies same way. Ha, the joy of unintended consequences, little did she know you were not a spy for immigration officers. This is what I don’t understand, is it really worth it?
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Thank you Fola. I love how they carry their babies. I certainly never wanted to cause her any harm.
Leslie
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Ha, I understand but one would think she’d be relaxed and just be friendly back as a nice gesture to someone who was curious. Illegal immigrants issues break my heart as they are likely to live forever ‘on the run’ always having something to hide when noone is after them.
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One cannot under estimate the fear that they must live in. She must have pulled her child from the school and maybe moved to another area in Paris.
Leslie
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A beautiful portrait and an important story about respect.
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Thank you Carol.
Leslie
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Beautiful. The portrait, the woman, and your respect in asking her if you could take her picture.
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Thank you for that. I can only hope that I didn’t cause her and her family a great deal of turmoil and angst.
Leslie
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I’m betting that because you respected her ‘no’ and allowed her to go her own way without pursuing or insisting made her feel ‘okay’ with it. And what a gift, that her presence in this world struck you so powerfully.
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Thank you Chatter Master.
Leslie
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You’re welcome Leslie.
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Beautiful painting and what a story behind 🙂
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Thank you, Anna.
Leslie
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You’re welcome 🙂
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This was an all around precious and thought provoking post. You were respectful and thank you for sharing photo.
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Sad to have distressed her, but she does look quite handsome from the picture.
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She was a great beauty.
Leslie
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Me too. I still wonder about them.
Leslie
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A really stunning portrait from memory, and such an interesting story behind it. Thank you for visiting my blog today. 🙂 Sylvia
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I’m glad you liked it.
Leslie
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That’s incredible! I wish I was talented like that! Great work!
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Thank you so much.
Leslie
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If you managed to produced such a beautiful portrait from memory you are a very talented artist, I can understand the reluctance of the woman to have her photograph taken. I remember my own grandmother telling me not have my photograph taken because according to my granny my photograph would be used in a negative way because we are Africans. You may be right she may have been an illegal, whatever her reasons if she would see it now she would love you for it.
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Thank you so much for that. She was, indeed very lovely.
Leslie
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impressive and emotional post, dear L… Paris, mon amour… ❤ where I lived for several years(12e & 17e), nos 2 "old babies" were born there, too, l'un des 2 y habite encore… 🙂
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Melanie, our time in Paris was a highlight in our lives. We spent a lot of time at the Louvre and the Muse D’Orsay only to mention a few.
Leslie
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Very impressive! I only feel adequate painting from photographs.
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I’m not sure I understand what you mean, Carolyn. Is it that you prefer photographs to paintings?
Leslie
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Precious. This captures the love and nurture of so many mothers around the world.
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Thank you so much.
Leslie
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