I have no doubt that the living room was Richard's private "sea world" as there were dark green curtains and, at one time, the ceiling was painted aqua and tan............Even the bricks on the hearth were painted aqua and tan. (The fireplace is no longer in use, and they are covered by carpet.) Richard mentioned in The Secret World, as a matter of fact, on the same page as your painting, "what fun it must have been to swim through those dimly sunlit waters." This living room WAS his sea, (and one of his paintings, we found, is in the paneling).

#1 I took the liberty of putting the painting next to the paneling that we believe to be the inspiration. The breasts are a little higher in the paneling than in the painting, but other than that, it's pretty much in proportion. The two heads are there, and the face in the abdomen, the wood even has the upswept eyelashes........and even the knees are similar, one lower than the other, and most paintings don't end at the knees.

#2 Looks like an ordinary room at first glance, doesn't it? The following photos are just a few of the images that appear. One I had not seen until tonight. A few images I have intentionally covered with strategically placed pictures and furniture.....it seems that there are breasts everywhere, and I don't have the fascination with them that Shaver did. (smile)

#3 The hippo and the Wizard of Oz tree on the right.

#4 Top center: The duck

Here is an enhanced B&W of the duck.

#5 One set of breasts



#6 And this is the spooky one. It looks like some sort of animal and the eyes are out of it, like in the old time movies when someone would be peeking from behind a painting.

#7 And the one that I had not seen until tonight. I have enhanced the profile in this black and white photo. I think you will agree that this is one ugly being!



#8 In the lower center of the photo there is a large head of a lady. On closer inspection, you can even see her eyelashes. There is a hippo peaking over the mirror. Below is a B&W enhanced photo of the lady.



I hope you've enjoyed seeing these images. I'm sure Shaver enjoyed this living room. As I said, I believe it was his underwater world. It was so dark; grass green lace curtains with dark green shades over each window. The ceiling was painted a seaweed(?) color and the linoleum was a sand-colored pebble design.......the ocean floor, it would seem.

(Editor's Note: Uninvited visitors to the former Shaver home are NOT welcomed by the current occupants!)

#9 (Editor's Note: This panel was not mentioned in this article, but it jumped right out at us as we studied the panels...)



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