First, let’s start with an unequivocable good: this stunning, drop-dead gorgeous Malik I found at Tuesday Morning several months back that I never got around to opening until today:
While I liked the mold itself, I wasn’t overwhelmed by the color of most of the ones I saw. I thought I’d have to wait until they released him in a different color before I’d finally buy one. And then I was shopping for something else entirely and this guy practically threw himself at me. Of course I had to take him home!
Now they’re on the verge of releasing the mold as The Black Stallion, and now I’m all in on this mold, until they release something I can’t obtain or afford. Which isn’t super likely – it is a Classic (oops sorry, Freedom Series) mold – but I might as well prepare myself for the possibility.
As expected, no Meadowlark for me. I have pretty much consigned myself to the very real possibility of not getting picked for any Web Specials until the current Collectible market boom finally busts.
I have mixed feelings about the Saturday Raffle model Bonheur:
Positives: the color is beautiful, the gloss is thick and deep, and from what I can see of the markings, there appears to be an attention to detail that’s going to be much more apparent in person, and we all should know by now that models can’t really be evaluated by web site photographs.
Negatives: Not the fact that she’s solid – I truly do not care one way or another – but that it’s going to open up the “Solid versus Patterned” debate again. Hobbyists complain that there are too many pintos and appaloosas, but when they give us more solid colors, hobbyists complain that they’re boring.
Whatever happened to the saying “A good horse can be any color?”
The other negative – for me, anyway – is the fact that they named it after Rosa Bonheur. When they announced the Diorama Contest theme, I just knew that a significant portion of the entries – if not the majority – were going to be based on the painting The Horse Fair. And at least a few of them will win, because it’s The Horse Fair.
Setting aside the historical significance of the painting – because most people are either unaware, or uninterested in it – the image itself has become a safe, conventional and almost stereotypical one today. The antithesis of the kind of artwork that inspires me.
And possibly one of the reasons why I rarely succeed at these contests. I am the weird kid staring at the reconstruction of The Dragon of Marduk, while everyone else is taking pictures of themselves with the Rivera Murals. (Not that the Rivera Murals are not awesome. They are just... obvious.)
I will not turn down a Bonheur if I win one, though. But it’s been a long time since I’ve won anything.
8 comments:
A good horse is never a bad color -- that's the way I learned it.
I'm afraid I don't pay that much attention to how a company names a release; there's so many of them, and I consider the names mere references, the same as one would consider locations on a map. If I like a horse I name it myself.
I like this one. If I win one I'll find a good name, rich and metallic, possibly tropical; we'll see.
It will always be the Classic Series to me. "Freedom Series" just sounds silly. Is it supposed to invoke a feeling of "patriotism"/"USA! USA!"? Because that rings hollow when you take into account that they sent their manufacturing jobs overseas nearly three decades ago.
They’re definitely boring in terms of raffle models, especially the Roxy. Too much like Blue Boons, Shining N Sassy, Don’t Look Twice and Diana. The Icelandic has been way overused and has a “guest horse” already. Yet more disappointment.
And no Sunday raffle. *sadness*
As Anonymous said- "rings hollow" -well said! I'm not against Chinese imports, but when they raise the price after reducing production costs...and pandering on top of that... :^(
I had to look up the Horse Fair, and it looked so familiar...clearly the "inspiration" for the chariot horses (Plate 24) in the Bhagavad-Gīta As It Is! (The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1972) Sorry, I can never remember how to properly cite sources...anyways, probably the only edition anyone's likely to come across. Great illustrations!
I still don't have a Malik yet... perhaps I will try to find one next weekend. Every time I have found one with a good colour, there is some nasty flaw, one including a chunk of plastic stuck to his face and painted over... Like, how does that make it past quality control? Because I am like you, but High Tide won me over on the mold. Now they're doing him as The Black? I'm alllllll in on that.
Malik as "The Black"- I'm sure it's been observed before, but he does resemble the little figurine from the feature!
Oh-em-gee he does! Makes me need one that much more, though I wish he had the tan hooves that the original Trad and Classic releases sported. I don't care if it's "incorrect" bc he has no socks, it just looks prettier. :D
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