(urth) Fechin

[b sharp]

In a previous post I noted some interesting (largely monkey based) 
connections between Father Inire, Rudesind and Dorcas' husband.  I was 
hoping someone would fill in the blank space since I had mentioned him in my 
list of red headed characters.  Roy came through with  Fechin.

You know, for all his babble about Fechin, Rudesind only mentions one 
painting by him; three girls dressing each other with flowers.  To find out 
more about his artwork we have to go to the old person in Casdoe's house.  
In that person's long story we find that Fechin seems to only have two 
things he likes to draw:  young women (spoiler) and himself.  Naturally this 
calls to mind our old Lewis Carrollian friend Father Inire. But it also 
suggests someone else.

I think only once in this, or maybe it was some other archive, have I seen a 
suggestion that Fechin could be based on artist Nicolai Fechin.  
Russian-born he immigrated to the US and settled in the Southwest.  In this 
online gallery (http://www.erbzine.com/mag3/0349.html) we see that two of 
his favorite subjects are young women and himself.  I couldn't find a 
written physical description of him, but his Russian heritage would 
certainly allow for red hair.  The self-portrait in the lower right, in 
front of the brick wall, could be showing red hair.  Not only was he an 
artist but also....an architect!  I would like to know if the Wolfes ever 
made a trip to the Fechin House in Taos, New Mexico.  I bet it has its 
Secrets (let's hope not an antechamber or white wolves).

-bsharp