The Betrayal of Sonic Hedgehog, by Caravangeo...

... and other paintings are displayed in one of my favourite museums, "The Museum of Depressionist Art". The museum gives space to art that has been hidden away by museums, the clergy and the state for well over a thousand years.

Depressionism, according to the landmark Johnson & Jansen "Big Book o' Art Stuff," is not limited to a single place or time. Instead it reflects the low point of an otherwise highly regarded artist's career. Picasso's "Blue Period" is a perfect example of this creative state of mind. Mrs. Mumblestoats describes it perfectly when she says "that boy was lower than an ant's bellybutton."

While in the museum, do pay homage to my favourite painting of all time, The Fog (left) by Halycon le Brume. While it's a faithful portrayal of the Breton coastline in winter, it transcends narrow geographical boundaries and stands for the stillness of one's heart. The painting could very well have been titled, "Reason I could not fly away from Delhi on March 13". Or "London 12 noon".

The museum mentions Le Brume's "trademark technique of endless washes of barely observable traces of color, Le Brume achieved a seamless color field without evident brushmarks". However, I would differ slightly with the assessment. Having known more of Le Brume's work, including the "Snowstorm" (left), I can assert that the seamless color field is merely the synthesis reached after the clash between Le Brume's broad sweep on vision and a broader sweep of his brush.

Sadly, Le Brume is almost forgotten. However, his art lives on in many surprising places. Most notably in Libya, where a Gaddafi took his "Detail of Grass" from his green series and converted it into the national flag. And Beatles made "Snowstorm" the background for their White Album.

Go have a look.