57066--like a lizard on a window pane

[zyzyly]

The other day someone mentioned that they had read Tortilla Flat, by John Steinbeck. It was the first Steinbeck book I read. My grandfather had it on his shelf and I read it during a weekend visit to their house years ago. I don't remember much of the story, other than it took place down around Monterey. After reading it, I picked up many of his other books, and forgot about this one.

I was moving books today from one room to another. We are finishing up painting the other side of the house. We decided to move one of the big book cases from the spare bedroom out to the living room, to make it feel more like a reading room. As I was moving the books I looked for Tortilla Flat. After my grandpa died, I got his books, and it was among them.

There it was, up on the shelf with a few of its dusty old friends. I took it down and thumbed through it. This edition was published in 1947. In addition to the story, it contains 17 full-color illustrations by an artist named Peggy Worthington. Google sheds very little light about her, other than two of her illustrations are hanging in the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas.



The title page for the book with an illustration. As I read the book, I will take pictures of some of the other illustrations.

I was going to write something about an experience with windowpane acid in the 70s, and tie it in to the Olympics, but it doesn't seem to fit here. Maybe another day.

Comments

[howeird]

I love bookish nostalgia. I never read Tortilla Flat, though I read most everything else Steinbeck wrote. I think one reason I never read it is the title struck me as redundant. Tortillas are flat - what's to write about? :-)

As for the artist, some digging revealed a tiny bit more. She became Peggy Worthington Best, and was a sketching partner of Norman Rockwell's. This gem is for sale on a collectors' site:

NORMAN ROCKWEL
Norman Rockwell writes to a friend and announces his engagement to be married.
Autograph Letter Signed: "Affectionately/Norman", 2p, 6x8, front and verso. Stockbridge, Massachusetts, no date (but accompanying envelope is postmarked September 28, 1961). To Peggy Worthington Best. In full: "Dear Peggy - Since we are such good friends, I just don't want the news to reach you second hand. Molly Punderson and I are engaged to be married. I guess every one in town will probably know this before long. I know you'll be pleased for Molly and me." Fine condition. Accompanied by 6¼x4 envelope. Addressed in Rockwell's hand to: "Mrs. Peggy Worthington/Best/Stockbridge"

http://historyforsale.com/html/prodetails.asp?bw=0&documentid=265267

And this:
1960- Publishes autobiography My Adventures as an Illustrator in collaboration with son Thomas. NR paints his self portrait for the February 13, 1960 Post cover. Participates in Peggy Worthington best sketch class in Stockbridge. Meets Mary Punderson in poetry reading class

http://www.nrm.org/finding-aid/collectedcurtis/collectedcurtis_m3.html

And this:
In 1960 Norman Rockwell joined a group of artists in the Pine Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts studio of Peggy Worthington Best on Thursday mornings. According to Rockwell historian Laurie Norton Moffatt, "The purpose of the class was for him to experiment in loosening up his tight, detailed style in which he felt he had become too rigid," and she has further noted, "Some of the portraits were sold in a gallery shop at the studio. Many were given to the models who had posed during the session. The remainder are part of the Norman Rockwell Paintings Trust at the Old Corner House."

http://fineart.ha.com/c/catalog-print.zx?saleNo=7015

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

Interesting! As I first read Norman's words to her that he was getting married, it made me wonder if there was more between them than just being sketching partners.

It's also interesting that they would be sketching partners, because she really has a loose style, compared to his attention to detail.

[howeird]

Some other snippets I saw said Rockwell actually enrolled in her class so he could loosen up, and he gave most of his work to the models.