It’s November and time for the monthly LWD Art Appreciation selections. This year we are reading classics, exploring a variety of types of art, architecture and design, listening to opera and watching some of the all-time best films.
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ART APPRECIATION
November 2025
Classic Literature
Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë’s moving masterpiece – the novel that has been “teaching true strength of character for generations” (The Guardian). Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read
A novel of intense power and intrigue, Jane Eyre has dazzled generations of readers with its depiction of a woman’s quest for freedom. Having grown up an orphan in the home of her cruel aunt and at a harsh charity school, Jane Eyre becomes an independent and spirited survivor-qualities that serve her well as governess at Thornfield Hall. But when she finds love with her sardonic employer, Rochester, the discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a choice. Should she stay with him whatever the consequences or follow her convictions, even if it means leaving her beloved?
Note: Many of us are doing our best to avoid purchasing from Amazon and a number of other large corporations, for a variety of reasons. I recommend checking the public library or purchasing books from local book stores if you have them in your area. If not, Bookshop.org is a great option.
Art/Architecture/Design
In the architecture of Richard Neutra (1892–1970), inside and outside find their perfect modernist harmony. As the Californian sun glints off sleek building surfaces, vast glass panel walls allow panoramic views over mountains, gardens, palm trees, and pools.Neutra moved to the United States from his native Vienna in 1923 and settled in Los Angeles. He displayed his affinity with architectural settings early on with the Lovell House, set on a landscaped hill with views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Mountains. Later projects such as the Kaufmann House and Nesbitt House would continue this blend of art, landscape, and living comfort, with Neutra’s clients often receiving detailed questionnaires to define their precise needs.This richly illustrated architect introduction presents the defining projects of Neutra’s career. As crisp structures nestle amid natural wonders, we celebrate a particularly holistic brand of modernism which incorporated the ragged lines and changing colors of nature as much as the pared down geometries of the International Style.
Opera
Porgy & Bess – the jazz opera by George Gershwin, is truly a milestone in jazz history. It describes the life of African Americans in the black settlement of Catfish Row in Charleston around 1870 and tells the touching love story between Porgy & Bess. This eponymous album by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong presents a magnificent selection of the best pieces from Gershwin’s opera and is a jewel that no jazz collection should be without.
Synopsis – The Metropolitan Opera
The Complex History and Uneasy Present of ‘Porgy and Bess’ (NYT gift article)
Spotify Playlist:
Classic Film
I consider this classic the perfect film to watch on Thanksgiving as a bridge to the Christmas season. We alternate the original with the 2009 version each year. It’s rare that a remake is as good as the original but I must say I like the “new” version very nearly as much. But since this art appreciation feature focuses on classic films, let’s go with the 1947 version. It’s good to set aside cynicism for a couple of hours, right?
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If you have any favorites to recommend for future posts feel free to share in the comments!
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