Art Made Perfect

We have a framed print hanging on the first landing in our foyer. It's one I have always liked from the moment I saw it. When I saw it; I knew I had to have it.

It is slim and long, just right for the space.

The name of the painting is "Posting a Letter" and was painted by Albert Ludovici, 1850-1932.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Imagine how impressed I was day before yesterday when the painting was suddenly improved.

Husband came in the kitchen with a more than usual perplexed look on his face. "Have you ever noticed - " he started. "Never mind. It's a visual. Come with me."

He took me to stand at the stairs and look up at the painting. Imagine my surprise when I saw a foggy, white, harvest moon shimmering up in the middle of the painting's sky.

It was beautiful.

Husband said, "I thought to myself 'how could I have never noticed that beautiful moon in the painting before?' ." (We've had it over 25 years). "It's so perfect."

Then he had gone to stand in front of the painting to get a better look, and the moon disappeared.

It was light from the sun, somehow casting a perfect moon through one of our windows.

We don't think it had ever done that before.

And let me tell you, the harvest moon had all the darks and  lights you can see on the moon when it is large and bright.

We stood there and watched it move slowly across the painted sky.

Just like a real moon.

And now, of course, when I look at "Posting a Letter", something seems to be missing from it. That dreamy, hazy, milky harvest moon made the painting perfect.

Life imitating art.

Or was it the other way 'round?