小布什画作登上畅销榜榜首
George W Bush’s book of paintings have been praised by one of the nation’s leading art critics, describing the former president’s work as surprisingly sophisticated and warm.
美国前总统小布什的画作受到了美国国内一位著名艺术批评家的赞赏，该批评家认为布什的画作“出人意料的精妙和温暖”。The book, published on February 28, is currently top of The Washington Post’s list of best sellers.
这本于上月28日出版的画册已然登上《华盛顿邮报》畅销榜榜首。And their chief art critic, Philip Kennicott, said that the 66 portraits of former soldiers, sold in aid of veterans, show the former president honing his craft.
《华盛顿邮报》的首席艺术批评家菲利普?肯尼科特称，这66张美国退伍大兵的肖像画显示出小布什日益精进的画功。小布什出售这本画册是为了捐助退伍军人。
“No matter what you think of George W. Bush, he demonstrates in this book and in these paintings virtues that are sadly lacking at the top of the American political pyramid today: curiosity, compassion, the commitment to learn something new and the humility to learn it in public,” said Mr Kennicott.
肯尼科特说：“不论你对小布什的看法如何，他在这本画册和这些画作中展示出当今美国政坛最高层所缺少的优秀品质：好奇心、同情心、学习新事物的热诚和公开学习的谦虚。”In the book, entitled Portraits of Courage: A commander in chief’s tribute to America’s warriors, Mr Bush writes about each of the soldiers he depicted.
在这本题为《勇气的肖像画：一名总司令对美国战士的颂歌》画册中，小布什介绍了每一幅肖像画所描绘的主人公。“I’m not sure how the art in this volume will hold up to critical eyes,” he writes in the introduction. “After all, I’m a novice. What I am sure of is that each painting was done with a lot of care and respect.”
“我不知道这本画册中的画能不能入批评家的法眼，”小布什在引言中写道，“毕竟，我是个新手。我所能确定的是每一幅画都是怀着无限敬意、非常用心去完成的。”The 70-year-old says he was inspired by the work of Lucian Freud, Wayne Thiebaud, Jamie Wyeth, Ray Turner, Fairfield Porter and Joaquín Sorolla.
现年70岁的小布什说，他受了卢西恩?佛洛伊德、伟恩?第伯、詹米?韦思、雷?特纳、费尔菲尔德?波特和华金?索罗拉的启发和影响。He writes a witty account of how he first took up painting, on leaving the White House.
他还用诙谐的语调描述了自己离开白宫后初拿画笔的经历。“For the first time in my sixty-six years, I picked up a paintbrush that wasn’t meant for drywall,” he wrote. “I selected tube of white paint and another labeled Burnt Umber. While I wasn’t aware at the time that it was a color, I liked the name, which reminded me of Mother’s cooking.”
“活了六十六年，我第一次不是为了刷墙而拿起一把刷子，”他写道，“我选了一管白色的颜料，又拿起一管写着‘烧棕土’的东西。虽然当时我还没有意识到这是一种颜色的名称，但我喜欢这个名字，它让我想起了妈妈做的饭。”And for each of the subjects, he tells their story with what Mr Kennicott saw as “genuine empathy”.
在肯尼科特看来，小布什在讲述画册中每一个士兵的故事时，都是“真正的感同身受”。
Describing Cpl. David Smith’s recovery from a suicide attempt, Mr Bush writes: “Dave sought professional counseling and got prescription medication for his anxiety, depression, and nightmares. Having confronted his trauma and learned to understand and accept it, he began building a new life.”
在讲述戴维?史密斯下士自杀未遂后的康复过程时，小布什写道：“戴维去看心理咨询师，开了治疗焦虑、抑郁、恶梦的药。在直面了内心的创伤，学会理解和接受它后，他开始建立起一种新生活。”Another of his subjects, Petty Officer 3rd Class Chris Goehner, suffered from PTSD.
他的另一位主人公，海军下士克里斯?戈纳，患上了创伤后精神紧张性精神障碍。Mr Bush writes: “Little by little, Chris started to recover. He got down from twelve medications to zero. He realized alcohol didn’t numb the memories but exacerbated them. He started to participate in marathons and triathlons as therapy.”
小布什写道：“克里斯一点一点地开始慢慢康复。吃的药也从12种慢慢减少到零。他意识到酒精不能麻痹记忆，只会加深痛苦。为了治疗疾病，他开始参加马拉松和三项全能运动。”The profits from the book will be donated to a military and veterans’ initiative run by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.
出售该画册所得的利润将被捐给小布什总统中心发起的军事服务倡议项目。
