The Origin of the World: Channeling Courbet

"The perfect companion piece to your recent nude of Georgi, although as much for the juxtapositions as the obvious similarities. While she exudes tranquility, he is anticipatory. Her realm is ethereal, his realm is grounded, which is portrayed visually by the robe he’s discarded. Most importantly, she is complete unto herself—there is no hint of another human, and she even has her face turned away from the viewer—while he is clearly waiting for his lover, and he is even “aware” of the gaze of the viewer. The greatest accomplishment of this painting, in my opinion, is that his masculinity and virility are conveyed without having to resort to drawing undue attention to his naked genitalia; for instance, his confidence—cockiness even—is conveyed by the positioning of his hands behind his head, which is a supremely vulnerable position. This is world-class work, Michael." Richard H. Barker, author of Transcending Evolution