Forever Blue
1994 by George Rodrigue
20 x 24 inches
Oil on linen
Location: New Orleans
By the late 1960s, the famous above-ground tombs and cemeteries of Louisiana had become a common subject matter in George Rodrigue’s art. As he began to incorporate the Cajun people into his landscapes, Rodrigue depicted them living in and around these mysterious settings.
In 1984 when asked to illustrate a book of Cajun ghost stories (Bayou. Inkwell Press, 1984), Rodrigue incorporated a number of these enigmatic environments, including Watchdog, the painting that would later be recognized as the precursor to the Blue Dog series. He placed the mythical loup-garou within an eery landscape which included a series of tomb-like white concrete blocks. This first painting shows the werewolf-type dog with red eyes and scruffy fur, set against a dark night under a full moon, casting a blue-grey shadow on the dog’s fur.
As Rodrigue continued to develop this shape, transitioning it into the Blue Dog, the figure became friendlier, less frightening, and the surrounding landscape became less intimidating. In Forever Blue, the dog has almost fully transitioned away from the mythical creature into the Blue Dog. The figure no longer emerges from darkness; but rests atop a white concrete burial tomb in a bright landscape that exhibits Rodrigue’s well-defined style. The prominent dark oak tree is cut off at the top, and the light shines from underneath the tree, forming interesting shapes beneath the dark branches.
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