A painting has gone missing.
And no one is interested in my story.
I found it about a month ago.
That is how I knew it had gone missing.
I found it online at an auction house.
The only worse thing is going by a Pawn shop window
Or perusing the local goodwill boutiques
And finding something that once sat in your house
Or your grandmother's bureau
Or even those people who used to stop by.
They stopped for some reason
And there is a very pretty little trinket
Sitting where it ought not to be.
Wonder why they stopped coming by?
Anyways, there are a lot of thieves in the world.
Slippery fingers into once purse or closet is nothing to these ones.
But it the really big items,
Such as a painting on the wall or piece of furniture.
Excuse me, I am sure that is not meant to be removed!
There it sat on a Thursday evening auction.
I wonder if they still serve champagne?
My location they were having kerokee and salsa!
My Wi-Fi is off and on again, the management is having issues.
Up popped my alarm and the Auction was already on.
I had to keep after the little icon at the bottom for a whole hour
Just to get a peek at the thing
That should be hanging at the White House.
The Crossing of the Delaware
Has been a Jewel of the tourists
Until Michelle came to stay
She seems to have gotten offended
Took it off the wall
It sat for nearly four decades.
Really, Washingtons Butler is sitting right there
On the raft.
After a trip to the Bahamas as a youth,
George went out of his way
To buy two young boys
Who had found their way to a Plantation
He made them his butler and valet
They had to be trained
And grow into their jobs
They did receive their freedom in due course
And they were allowed to marry
Something most servants were not given the privilege.
They also followed him into battle willingly,
Whether than stay at home with the others
After all they were his only personal property
And a little bit standoffish of the rest
Who were Marthas first husbands
Her inheritance did not come in cash.
He is on the raft steering his Master
Along with a number of other persons
Emmanuel Leutz used locals for his painting.
He probably carried at least one version with him
Before creating the mural size one
That does still hang at the Metropolitan
They say there are three of the things.
One big one and two small ones.
One must of have been his master copy
The other a copy for presentation
And the large one for the public.
Someone in the Private sector may have even had it as a personal possession
The little thing, a original drawing or work in progress.
Perhaps he used it for payment to his place of residence.
Or to his mentor benefactor who helped
An immigrant German arrive and pursue his artistic skills
Instead of being put to work in a factory or become a janitor.
Maybe, he left it behind and forgot all about the thing.
One of the tow small ones
Was donated by an unknown person
To the White House, for them to enjoy
More school children make it to DCthan NY
They say sometime after
Michelle moved in to the big house
She allowed it to be bought
This donation to a private couple
And now they have requested it be removed
From the very place it represents
The Crossing of the Delaware
Is the ultimate iconic scene of the American revolution
Besides the signing of the Declaration.
Shame.
Someone wanted it off the walls.
And sent it to Auction.
Why not a Pawn shop!
It was touch and go with the online live auction
They were fixated on an early twentieth century
Painting of an African community dancing and enjoying themselves.
It was quite good and the elaborate body movement captured
Was genuinely enjoyable.
It went for almost twenty million dollars.
Just the other day a Warhol went for ninety five million.
Not the tomatoes soup can but Marilyn Monroe
At least it wasn't Jacqueline Kennedys image.
The Evening sale this week
Included many modern twentieth century
and Nineteenth century Impressionists.
Quite a lot to take in for those not accustomed to modern works of art
There sitting right in the middle was this work of art
Where it did not belong.
Even the auctioneer said it was not like the others
They had hoped for perhaps fifteen million dollars
For someone else stolen or missing inheritance.
Offered as a donation and then sold.
I bet it was offered originally as a gift not to be sold.
Very well, they were off and running.
No one called to pull it out of the auction.
And they were bidding on it and very excited.
It went by so quickly.
The little thing that never did anyone any harm at all
And for thirty nine million dollars!
Well, it at least it was worth some little value.
Quite a fortune for someone to pocket
And without a bill of sale
Wonder who now gets to enjoy it?
Not an Arab in his tent?
Nor Oligarch hiding on a boat!
They are getting rid of those types of people.
Probably a nobody who won't even hang it but put it in storage
For some flood to damage or fire to consume
In the future ...
Without the benefit of the enjoyment of all those who once believed
In an America that fought for freedom, tried to undo wrongs
And never sided against independent ventures.
I do hope this guy in the Oval Office knows what he is doing.
Letting a thing like that go,
Should have just tossed in the trash pile.
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