'Sucker' was my immediate assessment of an ageing male punter stuffing a $50 note into the donations gratefully accepted box by the entrance to the delightful little art gallery I had found on the last day of my short holiday.
Of all the paintings that vied for my attention and thrilled me was a quarter-sized copy of a little known Henry Fuseli painting. The painting entitled 'It's All Mine' was of a hooded woman, or at least we presume it is a woman (Fuseli would never confirm or deny it), in a long black cloak with his/her back to the viewer, gazing out onto a desolate, misty moorland. He/she stood gazing into the middle distance on a raised hill seemingly awed by his/her surrounding beauty.
I became gripped and lost in the moment of giving myself to this work of art. I took in a man or woman standing on a pile of rocks gazing out into the far distance, himself/herself taking in everything the spectacle had to offer.
I sensed a presence standing beside me. A husky voice breathed in my ear, "Do you want to see the original?" I immediately jumped with fright making an embarrassing noise.
I turned to see an apologetic nun who genuinely hadn't intended to startle me, She could see my attraction to this particular work and thought I would be interested in finding out more.
After I had affirmed that I indeed would be extremely grateful to be allowed to cast eyes upon the original, my new found tour guide placed a hand on my shoulder and lightly ushered me towards a small storeroom not 10 meters from where we stood.