Mark Paytress mentions in his bolan biography "The Rise and Fall of a Twentieth Century Superstar" mentions that in March 1977 while Marc was in France for the warm-up concerts of what would turn out to be his final UK tour, he spent time sitting staring at a picture for hours. Apparently, Marc inquired into purchasing the painting.
It is possible none of this is true. But even so the fact that there is a painting (or rather two versions) showing a Tree at dawn entitled 'September 16th' is spooky! I challenge anyone to find a painting of a tree at dawn, done before 1977 called 'September 15th', 'September 17th' or indeed any date other than this one.
It has been suggested that the painting was in the Louvre in Paris at this time although this is unsubstantiated. It is certain that while appearing at Le Nashville in Paris, Marc did visit the Louvre. He commented as much in his tour diary. He wrote about the statue of Hercules that it was "just the artistic inspiration to key the Bolan brain for boogie".
Two versions were painted using different techniques and both are displayed below.
There are slight differences between the two.
One thing is constant.
The phase of the moon.
The Moon is referred to as 'she' in the text below in accordance with the Celtic/Druid beliefs of our for-fathers who among other things erected Stonehenge where the Moon was 'The Goddess' who transformed each Winter Solstice into the Mother who bore the 'Sun Child' for the New Year. The 'Sun Child' grew to become the 'Sun God' with the coming Vernal Equinox on March 21st.
In both paintings, she is part way through the 'First Quarter'. In September 1977 the Moon reached her first quarter just four days after September 16th, on September 20th - the date of Marc's funeral! (see the pair of images below. Compare the Moon phase on the 16th September 1977 with the paintings! |  Above: The Moon on September 16th 1977. |
 Above: The Moon on the day of her Full 'First Quarter' (September 20th 1977) |
