That's how they were selling us in 1984. Merit. I probably didn't spend as much time looking at the ad when I first encountered this issue of Playboy, but besides the nudes this is the most beautiful picture in the magazine. I first picked this to paint because it was a visually striking image to me, a big, heroic nautical theme! As I've worked on it and evolved it toward feeling done, I've found so much irony that can be read into it, topically, historically, personally, that I like it even more. Maybe I'll post a picture of the stages of the painting. (and the poor lost Blue Boy underneath it all!) oil on canvas, 40 by 60 (previous post)