austinkleon:

Ronald Searle, Les Très Riches Heures de Mrs Mole

47 jewel-like drawings by Ronald Searle made for his wife, Monica, each time she underwent chemotherapy. On New Year’s Eve 1969, Monica Searle was diagnosed with a rare and virulent form of breast cancer. Each time she underwent treatment, Ronald produced a Mrs Mole drawing ‘to cheer every dreaded chemotherapy session and evoke the blissful future ahead’. Filled with light and illuminated in glowing colours, the drawings speak of love, optimism and hope. Like the mediaeval illuminated manuscripts such as the 15th-century Les Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, to which the title of this book refers, the 47 drawings are on an intimate scale and were never intended for publication.

When asked about the drawings, Searle said, “I have only my talent for drawing, so I drew.” Here’s a little more about them:

Prior to the cancer shock the couple had bought a decrepit house in the south of France and, despite her illness, Monica continued to devote her time making this house a home.

Devastated with his wife’s diagnosis Ronald did the only thing he knew how to do to cheer her up. .. draw.

Before every chemotherapy session he gave his wife a painting. Monica was depicted as a mole, a very happy mole celebrating life in their new home. (The Mole idea came after their discovery of a large celler that they made into a cosy room)

‘Everything about them had to be romantic and perfect,’ says Ronald. ‘I drew them originally for no one’s eyes except Mo’s, so she would look at them propped up against her bedside lamp and think: “When I’m better, everything will be beautiful.”

Searle died last week at 91.

Images via bluedoorbooks

Source: austinkleon

978 Notes/ Hide

  1. total-solutions-comments reblogged this from austinkleon
  2. trace-cell-phone-number-x reblogged this from austinkleon
  3. best-music-player-2012 reblogged this from austinkleon
  4. wedding-favors-today reblogged this from austinkleon
  5. mmmmmmmmmmmmmk reblogged this from austinkleon
  6. swifflebird reblogged this from incantatus
  7. incantatus reblogged this from austinkleon
  8. nomoregoodgamesnow reblogged this from austinkleon
  9. malipstick reblogged this from archivalia and added:
    Ronald Searle, Les Très Riches Heures de Mrs Mole 47 jewel-like drawings by Ronald Searle made for his wife, Monica,...
  10. promenonsnous reblogged this from drawnblog
  11. thingswoolike reblogged this from bazookastar
  12. helli-wong reblogged this from elisimo
  13. paradisobrands reblogged this from austinkleon
  14. pike-fish-lake reblogged this from colored-sand
  15. thesupere reblogged this from wollymulch
  16. mmezombi reblogged this from banshee-strikes
  17. banshee-strikes reblogged this from makeiri
  18. makeiri reblogged this from colored-sand
  19. jenniferbuffkin reblogged this from today-isawindingroad
  20. thegreatlongnose reblogged this from today-isawindingroad
  21. today-isawindingroad reblogged this from offerfoxache
  22. colored-sand reblogged this from assistantnursejoy
  23. raindrop-prelude reblogged this from drawnblog
  24. farfetchedfolly reblogged this from hoodoothatvoodoo
  25. eaten-by-z0mbies reblogged this from ampersandeline
  26. ampersandeline reblogged this from artologica
  27. loika reblogged this from wratshit and added:
    There is one person for whom I would emulate Searle’s dedication to his wife, but that person is far, far away.
  28. marblefeet reblogged this from austinkleon
  29. t-w-a-m-p reblogged this from analmouse
  30. lickmybrain reblogged this from artologica
  31. analmouse reblogged this from hoodoothatvoodoo
  32. hoperin reblogged this from artologica