This is today’s prompt. It didn’t flow as well as I would have liked. Definitely one that could use cleaning up. I think there’s a solid short story concept in it.

Tell The Story Of A Painting

Today’s prompt is a reminder that it’s quite all right to be inspired by other artists work!

The Prompt

Write the story of a picture

Tips

*You can pick a favorite picture, or use one of these examples

<– Write Below This Line –>

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Merry_company,_by_Dirck_Hals.jpg

Bryce faked the life he wanted. Everyone knew this, except Bryce. Bryce faked it so long he actually believed the lie. He believed every piece of cutlery was made of pure silver. In his mind all the chairs had real gold painted on them. The tablecloth was made from the finest silk in the world he lived in.

“Bryce must we pose for yet another painting? We really need to go out and work – fund this lie that you live in.”

Mabel gasped in astonishment. “Stephan, how dare you! Nobody is living a lie here. We only work if we want to, that is the right of nobility.”

Bryce smiled. “Thank you Mabel dear. I believe Stephan will spend this painting in the back. It will be a glorious painting, catching the true beauty of our fine clothing.”

The painter hired by Bryce looked around in confusion until Mabel started whispering to him. “Ah. Mr. Bryce, I am not sure I ca catch the true beauty of such fine clothing. The grandeur of this room blinds me and makes my work pale in comparison to the real thing.”

“Non-sense. I have seen your work. You are a true master and I firmly believe that what you paint will be exactly what is real in the moment.”

“Very well sir. If I could get you all around this table here. I will need this side of the table open so I can see all of you at one time. Now, get comfortable, this will be a while.”

The painter started his work. Mabel had told him to embellish what he actually saw, make things seem better than they were. He started with her. She had only eyes for Bryce in his world. Even though she looked longingly at his friend Theadore in this room, the painter pointed her eyes squarely at Bryce. As he looked up he noticed she now looked right at him.

Next he moved to Francis. Francis had eyes only for Edith. This felt wrong, Bryce was the center of the world and everyone wanted to be like him, so he pointed Francis at Mabel, leaning him in longingly. Stephan had been banished to the back and looked sullen. This was unacceptable for one of his paintings so in the painted world Stephan smiled, content with his place. Looking up to see who was next the painter noticed that Stephan had a small smile on now.

And so it went that painter created a painting that showed a better world for Bryce than the one he saw. Everything the painter portrayed seemed to be true to life upon his second look.

After they finished Mabel paid for the painters time and sent him away. As she looked over the painting she started to get a concerned expression. “Where did you find this painter Bryce?”

Bryce looked back at Mabel, away from the fine goblets hanging above the mantel. “I’m not sure, why my love?”

Mabel looked up, not remembering ever seeing the goblets before. “Nothing love.” Mabel wasn’t sure what to say. She liked the new decor in their room but she felt sorry for poor Gertrude who had a strange curve in her back now though.

“Look Mabel, I can touch my knee with my right hand. I wonder why I can’t do the same with my left?”

“I’m not sure my love. Maybe next time we can find a painter who does better at painting people?”