Professor [c.d.],
As I was taking the exam 2 today, I was spending a lot of time on my concluding essays and I wanted to be very thorough, but as I was finished and heading for my class I realized I had completely forgot about the simple and easy bonus question--our favorite piece of artwork from this semester! It's so silly and I feel slightly stupid asking you this, but could I submit it to you now in this e-mail? I know it's only a bonus question, but one point may be that extra little umph needed to do my absolute best and as I worked hard on my exam I feel it would only feel complete if I told you that my favorite work we studied this time was: (First) Bernini, "Ecstasy of Saint Teresa" -- for the raw passion and poetic perfection. It's as if Bernini has fingers of paint and hands of fluid creation. I absolutely fall weak in the knees at his masterpieces. I only wish I could see them for myself, I'm not sure my body could handle it, but I know my soul would soar at such an exquisite sight! St. Teresa's words pierce my soul, much like the "fiery dart of love" that pierces her own. It's incredible.
(Second) David, "Death of Marat"-- for the uncensored outrage and seemingly gentle and soft exquisiteness, the pure elegiac sfumato just drives me insane, but in the best sense. I just want to understand the fury behind such a painting, the sorrow David must've felt with each stroke he created of the death of his friend (even if it was a vain and asked for death). I truly could never understand such an emotional potpourri of anger, sorrow and hope for the figure of his friendship.
I truly love both of those pieces, so wildly.
Anyway, I hope this is okay for me to ask and even if I don't get the bonus point I still want you to know I truly enjoy every second of class and I'm finding a new passion for history and art as I've never had before and I want to thank you for giving that gift to me. It is a beautiful gift.
Thanks again Professor [c.d.]! I hope you have a wonderful night.
Today 10:19AM, [P.c.d.]:
Hello [k.p.],
First off, may I just say that your beautifully written email, and your explanation of your appreciation for Bernini's and David's work brought a tear to my eye! I completely agree with you -- Bernini's sculpture is absolutely jaw-dropping, and as for David, he is in my personal pantheon of artists :)
I would be delighted to give you the bonus point for your answer -- in fact, I just pulled your exam to the top of the stack to grade and wow, absolutely outstanding work! Excellently written, articulated, and supported answers -- your final essay is one of the best comparisons of West and David I have read in a long time. You should be very pleased with your work -- your newfound passion for art history definitely shined through (in a chiaroscuro kind of way) ;)
And thank you, thank you so much for your kind words -- you have made my day!!
Have a delightful morning -- see you in class in a few hours,
[C.d.]
First off, may I just say that your beautifully written email, and your explanation of your appreciation for Bernini's and David's work brought a tear to my eye! I completely agree with you -- Bernini's sculpture is absolutely jaw-dropping, and as for David, he is in my personal pantheon of artists :)
I would be delighted to give you the bonus point for your answer -- in fact, I just pulled your exam to the top of the stack to grade and wow, absolutely outstanding work! Excellently written, articulated, and supported answers -- your final essay is one of the best comparisons of West and David I have read in a long time. You should be very pleased with your work -- your newfound passion for art history definitely shined through (in a chiaroscuro kind of way) ;)
And thank you, thank you so much for your kind words -- you have made my day!!
Have a delightful morning -- see you in class in a few hours,
[C.d.]
Post script: This, as I cannot explain in words alone, has made me happier than anything I've been blessed to experience this week. I contemplated e-mailing my Professor at all as it honestly seemed like such a trivial matter, but as my mother is almost always right I decided to listen to her advice and how I wish you could only see the smile that crackles across my face right now, ridging my cheeks and spreading elation throughout my body like hot cider from following her advice! I opened that e-mail with the hopes that it was positive (I meant it when I told her I could care less about the bonus point), I just wanted her to know that what I said was from my heart and not my head for some bonus point. I wanted her to genuinely know that what I talked about meant something, something monumental inside me that hardly I could understand. And there it was--she understood and honestly flattered me in the greatest way I've ever been flattered. I'm honored by her compliment and only hope I can be as happy as I am now someday along the road when I look back and remember this. It's strange. This unusual joy feels more like a beginning than anything else. I await this class every time I come to school, but there's an electric feeling coursing through my body, like something is beginning and even though the horizon is all I see right now, I await the day I finally understand what all this means. I do not fear ambiguity, nor do I think it bad. I know it to be my friend and only walk beside it with an open mind and flaming curiosity I simply delight myself at having.
Thank you Professor, for what ever beginning you have ignited. I shall be thankful always for your spark--of intellect, curiosity and above all, beginning. -k.p.b. (smiling to myself in a yellow coat and a happy disposition.)
And by the way, these are the pieces of perfection I referenced above, in case you're wondering.
And by the way, these are the pieces of perfection I referenced above, in case you're wondering.
Bernini, "Ecstasy of Saint Teresa" (1645-1652)
David, "Death of Marat" (1793)
