O.K., this is reallyRobert Mileham's photo,
and he deserves full credit for it.
But how could I pass up the opportunity to show
my two e-friends, Conrad and Sir G.
parked in front of an image of the "School of Athens"
(and flirting with a young woman
whose hands appear at the extreme right)
Conrad seems to be studying that notorious iconoclast, Diogenes,
while Sir G.seems to mirror the figure
of the renowned Neo-Platonist, Plotinus.
I may never meet these two brilliant gentlemen,
but this is how I want to remember them!
there are two other notable facts about this photo
ReplyDelete1. conrad is in black and gawain in red
2. conrad has haid and gawain doesnt
Diogenes--yes! Actually I am in sort of a coffee brown, though. And to my knowledge, I do not have any haid.
ReplyDeleteI do owe you a cup of coffee so Lisbon it may have to be.
ReplyDeleteI was the one wiout haid!!
I find the most interest in the artful diagonal that Robert has given us, leading our eyes past the two gentlemen to the unseen visage of the lady.
ReplyDeleteStill laboring on the pigeon theory, Sir G?
Hi Chris, I've just started an art/writing themed blog and would be very honoured if you would glance at the latest entry (when you're free).
ReplyDeleteIt's a theme that's been niggling at my dualistic thoughts for ages. Form vs. significance. But I've reached conclusions lately - thanks to Roger Fry - which I never expected to embrace.
Sorry to make this request through your blog ... I wasn't sure how otherwise to reach you ...
http://thewholeman.blogspot.com/
Yours is the only source of contemporary art writing that gives me the feeling that it expands my powers of understanding art. Something I haven't felt since Kenneth Clark or Herbert Read. Or Roger Fry.
Dear Amanda:
ReplyDeletePigeon though I am, it was (if i may point my accusatory finger) my friends who showered poor Tracy with their business cards and blog addresses. (I couldn't get a word in edgewise, a hard thing to imagine, as you well know). It is interesting, certainly, though, that Robert should choose a picture hiding the lady. what is this, men posting about other men? but of course fully in keeping with the pigeoness theory of everything that your eagle eye should spot her despite all the hiding!
Conrad: you hae haid.
Robert: your haid much more than my.
I have a book by Kenneth Clark on "The Nude", rather old a tatty and I haven't read it, but now that Iian has mentioned him I suppose I had better.
ReplyDeleteUnder no Illusions
I don’t suppose I am breaking new ground here but I deliberately chose a photo that did not show faces. I think it only right to get permission in advance to show more. This one is quite harmless and illustrates the day rather well; I felt in communication with “The Culture of Mankind”. The background couldn’t have been more appropriate! The young lady was interested in our academic conversation and responded intelligently to it. It was she who wanted to know the blog addresses which she was given on a post card; I nearly went off with her pen as one does accidentally sometimes in the confusion of the moment . It is not often I give my e-address to a stranger. The pen was also rather a nice one too. Do not blame Gawain or Conrad, none of us could be accused of any impropriety. We were all taken by the attention of a beautiful intelligent young lady and behaved perfectly!
If you were to accurately analyse the contents of the Victoria and Albert Museum you would, I think, get a very interesting snapshot of humanity which any self-respecting alien would give an arm and a leg for if they had any spare!