As wrecked men deem they sight the land When far at sea they stay.

The first time I saw MadameX I was sixteen, I had no money, and I had spent the day wandering up from Bleeker along 6th and through the Park. I had woke early but I didn’t know how far it was. Then I had to spend hours talking to the security guard at the front of the Met, due to my smooth talking, his desire to be left alone, or the fact that the Museum was going to close in an hour, he finally let me in (I was not very smooth). I tried to shuffle through as much of the museum as I could, then it seemed I could not go any further. I walked into a large dark room lined with several canvasses. She is Immense, she must be about eight feet tall, and commands the room. Nearly twenty years later, I may have seen some of the great works of modern painting that day, and I am sure there were others in the room, but I could not tell you what they were. I have pondered this attraction for years I believe it to be contrast. MadameX typifies contrast, she is daring and graceful she is bold and sublime. I believe as men are single minded it is inherent and distinctive to her that she should effortlessly manipulate the contrast that men find so captivating yet so elusive, she is strong and beautiful.