(urth) The mystery of the image of an astronaut cleaned by Rudesind

[David Stockhoff]

That's true. So perhaps this painting is not something Wolfe made up, 
but rather a painting by a person he made up, in Borgesian fashion.

Either way, it is a study in symbols/icons becoming more real than reality.

Unless, of course, there IS a real model.

Jeff Wilson wrote:
> On 7/1/2010 6:55 AM, David Stockhoff wrote:
>> Jeff, no one said pulp covers were more inspirational than photos.
>>
>> But if you eliminate Apollo 11 photos and Alan Bean, what's left?
>
> A composite of iconic images, as you speculated. The Apollo 11 photo 
> of Buzz saluting the flag has the grey regolith and the gold visor as 
> well, but it was earlier Apollo 8 orbital photos that show the earth 
> rising over the lunar horizon that were hugely popularized. Some of 
> the Apollo 11 photos do show the earth in the sky, but not terribly 
> prominently. IIRC, Van Gogh was known to have put Ursa Major above 
> southern-looking European landscapes; no reason some unborn master yet 
> to paint couldn't do the same for Neil and Buzz.
>