Mar 16, 2007 17:14
17 yrs ago
français term

magnifique modèle d'atelier

français vers anglais Art / Littérature Poésie et littérature Introduction to a book
IF YOU'RE EASILY OFFENDED DO NOT READ THIS

"Marie, notre voisine, un personnage fantastique. Mariée et mère de famille elle avait une particularité fort singulière; c’était certainement la première et la seule femme juive en Tunisie à cette époque-là, à être nymphomane affichée. Elle ne portait jamais de culotte pour que ses grosses fesses puissent se caresser mieux en marchant, une provocatrice d’un temps qui n’était pas le sien. Toutes les femmes de l’immeuble et du quartier se méfiaient plus d’elle que de la rue Sidi Baïan. Elle était l’attraction de l’immeuble et notre complément d’éducation sexuelle. Même les tout-petits se faisaient parfois pincer le bout du zizi. Elle était sympathique comme un tournesol. Son mari, un beau gosse costaud mais pas très grand, était chanteur animateur pour les fêtes de familles et aussi...boxeur, probablement pour se défouler autrement que sur sa femme. Il lui était impossible de se plaindre sans se faire aller voir ailleurs par Marie. Inoubliable Marie et ***magnifique modèle d’atelier***."

Strange one this, I don't get it at all.

Proposed translations

+13
9 minutes
Selected

magnificent studio model

Sounds like you're the only one who DIDN'T get it then!

Surely the writer is just casting her in the mould of artists' models, who have historically always been looked down upon as little more than common tarts; while at the same time saying she was attractive (or sexy, or whatever...) enough to have been able to be a model (if indeed, maybe, she wasn't...?)

Or is it me that isn't getting it...?

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Note added at 10 days (2007-03-27 09:43:07 GMT) Post-grading
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Oh, I just love the idea of her as some kind of 'workshop protoype'! :-))
Peer comment(s):

agree katsy : wanted to make a remark, but only double entendres come to mind. HUm. I agree// you boys are not doing so badly... Get it eh? eh? - remember Monty Python....
13 minutes
I think you're worse than ME! Thanks, Katsy! // Oh dear me yes: MP was very...influential... in my most delicate formative years. And just look at me NOW!
agree Alain Pommet : Yes, old fashioned fleshy Renoir type.
25 minutes
Ooh, don't, Alain... I'm getting all bubbly in the gusset
agree Raymonde Gagnier : In those days, artist's models were full figured and had loose morals, exactly what he describes...
30 minutes
Thanks, Rousselures! Shame I never met any of THOSE ones... ;-((
agree Richard Benham : How come I didn't have a neighbour like that when I needed one?
38 minutes
Me too! Cheers, RB!
agree Thais Maria Lips : this is a boys chat, but I agree.
58 minutes
Oh, we're not sexist here...! Thanks a lot, Thais!
agree Katarina Peters : I agree with Thais!
2 heures
Thanks, Katarina!
agree Laurel Clausen : I think this is the right track. Maybe "magnificent artist's model" as an alternative phrasing
3 heures
Thanks, Laurel!
agree msabeh
3 heures
Thanks, msabeh!
agree Mark Nathan : I like the St Patrick's day hair - sadly I don't have enough for it to be worthwhile
4 heures
Thanks, Mark! Well, I thought I'd better make the most of it, while I still have enough to do it!
agree Vicky Papaprodromou
8 heures
Efharisto, Vicky!
agree xuebai
17 heures
Thanks, xuebai!
agree Carol Gullidge
1 jour 5 heures
Thanks, Carol!
agree jean-jacques alexandre : yes, yes, yes....O.K. I'll try my best
2 jours 16 heures
Merci, Jacques ! Now don't get TOO excited there... ;-)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks Tony. I used "Unforgettable Marie, who would have made a wonderful studio model", as the client told me not to follow the text word by word. (I think my comprehension problem arose because I saw "atelier" as workshop and "modèle" as some kind of prototype -- indeed I think that nowadays "model" is the more common spelling, even in French, as in "top model".)"
+1
8 heures

modèle idéal pour un sculpteur

Je vois plus le contexte artistique, dans cette histoire. Un sculpteur suggère mieux les formes. :-)
Peer comment(s):

agree Tony M : ...et il aurait moins à dégrossir dans son bloc de marbre !
9 heures
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