Friday’s Library Snapshot …
I have been working on a particular project for years, and it is almost complete and as I see the end in sight I have quickened the pace and not noticed the little gems as I might have done in the past.
Nonetheless, this book grabbed my attention; it is little larger than most and a little more shabby or perhaps rather well used.
I would like a copy of my own but it is a little out of my price range …
but I scanned a few images and put the book on the ‘nice to have one day list’
Grafika by Irme Reiner
Alphabe Thursday X is for Xia Gui
For the last 23 weeks of the Alphabe Thursday I have tried keep to a colour theme. It was not always easy and I am not sure that I have always achieved this. However, this week I have definitely failed; so instead I bring you Xia Gui (1195–1224) who was a Chinese landscape artist of the Song Dynasty. Very little is known about his life, and only a few of his works survive, but he is generally considered one of China’s greatest artists.
During the Tang dynasty only the greatest artists were using colours for their paintings. However, the gentlemen artist considered this vulgar. They preferred to combine the skills of poetry and painting while trying to portray the landscape of the mind rather than that of the eye. Sadly, none of the Tang monochrome paintings survive; Later in the 13th century and the Song dynasty had a renaissance and it became a mainstream theory. One of the most precious paintings in the National Palace Museum is by Xia Gui called the Remote view of streams and hills.
The dislike for colour still continued; Victoria Finlay in Colour retells a story of Su Dongpo a scholar and artist renown in the 11th century who was criticised for painting a picture of a leafy bamboo with red ink. It was, the critic agreed ‘not natural’ and that ‘he should have used black!’
Wednesday’s Wise Women … Maria Quiteria and Joana Angelica
I don’t like reblogging it feels like I have run out of ideas or steam. Perhaps, I have and maybe I should consider the need to post daily. I would value thoughts about Blogging, the reasons why we do it ? Also, why at some point we or just I, wonder if I have lost the plot and should get a life! Meanwhile, as the the year goes on and I look back of the last 3 months of grief and pain and separation. I can perhaps see why blogging has not always been my priority. Then I think, in three months I will be looking at the statue of Princess Isabel of Brazil at the end a street very near where my daughter lives. Maybe the I will be able to celebrate again, the way in women and not just those from privileged backgrounds do cope with adversity.
In my bid to discover some lesser known Wise Women I have discovered various blogs and websites. One such site is Mulher 500 Anos, it is in Portuguese and the translation is poor. Nonetheless it is a list of women of Brazil who have contributed to the building of the democratic and egalitarian society. These women made changes overcoming racism and ethnocentrism; in a man’s world and made history.
During my research I read and learned a little about Princess Isabel the daughter of Pedro II, Brazil’s last emperor. In the absence of her father in 1871 she presided over the enactment of the Law of Free Birth that marked the end of slavery in 1888. For this she earned the name A Redentora (redemptress) I understand that this move did not come from an ethical stand but for economic and practical reasons and pressure from would be…
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Weekly Photo Challenge …. Letters
This week’s photo challenge was no less difficult even though I spend my life surrounded in letters. In the form of books and manuscrips. Even at home I collect letters as letterpress, as well as books and have a wealth of handwritten journals. As a scholar of dead languages and if pressed I could produce a selection of perfectly penned ‘other’ letters
But …
Recently when asked to design a book jacket for a friend; I was inspired by an artist called Nancy Spero. She was infamous for her ‘Victim Art’ and used typed text and newspaper clippings in collages. I had a go but used computer generated fonts on copy paper, which I stained with cold tea. Like her I tried to over print with lino cuts. While her works, worked! Mine failed miserably.
So I decided to use a recently bought manual typewriter; with better quality real printing paper maybe I would fair better …
Sadly I am no typist and the ribbon is well passed its use by date, I will not reach the lofty heights of the likes of Nancy Spero. However, I will not give up on my new rather clumsy and unforgiving friend.
Monday … After the weekend
After Saturday and wall to wall lino cuts and wood engraving, at the Print Fair, I am ready to begin the week or so I hoped.
Sunday was spent in a quagmire of self pity as I struggled with the internet connection on my laptop. I am not sure what caused the problem as my other devices were working perfectly. I did all the usual tricks but still nothing seemed to work.
This morning I am reluctant to turn the thing on.
Why does the media connection have such beastly hold?
As I said I enjoyed the Print Fair; I came home with lots of ideas and echos of ‘I could do something like that!’
After lunch at our favourite vegetarian restaurant in Soho (Mildred’s) we walked to British Museum, carefully avoiding the heavy showers, where we saw two of Picasso’s lino cuts. While the rest of the museum was heaving with tourists,Room 90 on the 4th floor was quiet and peaceful. WE were able gasp knowingly at the exhibits. While I made be not attempting either at home yet; here is a first print of my last drawing of my bike! At least she can be relied on … but I am not holding my breath!
Silent Sunday
Saturday …
On a Saturday I usually tell you how life is or how it seems. (generally of course, more detail would be like painting the Forth Bridge) After a week of ups and downs, I decide whether to be thankful or offer a prayer for divine intervention.
I suppose this week has been no different, there have been the usual trials and tribulations for which I remain grateful.
However, there was one event for which I will probably get divine retribution! I got Doctor’s receptionist rage and also doctor more intense rage … For which I do not apologise or regret!
I should have know better but nonetheless I had reached a point in my recent malady when I wanted some help, reassurance or even comfort instead I got insensitivity, rudeness and inhumanity. Not just from the receptionist but the doctor who had the bedside manner of circus trainer. Strong language, but I don’t respond well to people who don’t offer common courtesy or look me in the eye and then click their fingers when I required to take a seat!
And then I was asked ‘How I thought a doctor could help; as no one knows what causes alopecia and there is no cure’
So after the doctor had gazed at my head as if I had some deadly disease; I tied my scarf round my head and left feeling bereft and broken
However; I am sensible and rational and have a keen sense of fun. I know the score there are ways to address this and it is not life threatening. But, I am now a little sad that the NHS is so unkind.
But I needed to get it off my chest … which incidentally is also less hirsute 😉
I look out of the window now as the sun tries to come through the rain cloud I think this Saturday is going to be OK!
With a trip to London, to visit the Royal Academy and then lunch at Mildred’s in Soho and then off to the British Museum … Marvelous; all is well.
Friday’s Library Snapshot …
I enjoyed my break from the library; with an extra day tacked on; I was able to fill the space with delight. Strangely, when I returned to work refreshed I found the need to catch up! So ran out of time to take a snapshot. However I did come across this item while it is not my cup of tea it will warrant a bit more time and research … but meanwhile take a look and smile at these little things by Mrs Arthur Gaskin.
Alphabe Thursday W is for White
White can be made from many things such as chalk, zinc, barium and rice; but the finest and the cruelest is lead.
White lead was believed by European artists to be one of the most important paints. It can be used as a primer, to prepare their boards and canvases or mixed with other pigments to build up layers. Then it is used as a highlight for eyes, the glimmer on glass or silver, the sparkle on jewels, no painting is complete without white.
Unfortunately lead is poisonous; and this has been documented since Roman times. Pliny says in his Natural History that lead white is poisonous when swallowed; but he doesn’t tell us that it also very harmful when absorbed through the skin or when the dust is breathed in. In his time, Pliny writes, the best lead white came from Rhodes. Shavings of the lead was put over a bowl filled with vinegar. The acid on the metal would cause a chemical reaction leave a white deposit of lead carbonate. The lead-workers would make little cakes of the powder and leave them in the sun to dry.
In Colour Victoria Finlay goes on to say that the recipe changes slightly in Holland in Rembrandt’s time. The process involved using clay pots divided into two sections. Dozens of pots filed with the vinegar and lead were laid out on a bed of manure which would generate heat to evaporate the acid and the carbon dioxide to transform the substance from lead acetate to basic lead carbon. All this happened in a sealed room for three months.
When the room was eventually opened it must have been a wonderful sight, from the stench of the stagnant heat and rotting remains came the purest and cleanest white flakes described as ‘alchemical magic’
Wednesday’s Wise Women … Cecilia Meireles etc.
Today marks a half way point ; it has been 3 months size my daughter and her partner returned to their home in Brazil and it is 3 months until we spend a a holiday with them. We are lucky because we get to enjoy parts of Rio de Janeiro that other tourists will not even see. We are beginning to make tentative plans; but mostly hopping they will be recovered from their recent accident.
While I was away in Rio, it was my intention to write about three women for my Wednesday Women slot; Clarice Lispector, Carmen Miranda. Today, planned to add Cecilia Meireles (1901 – 1964) Brazilian born poet who was orphaned at three years went on to win literary acclaim very early in her career and won the Brazilian Academy of Letters Poetry Prize for 1939 (2009) Merieles died of cancer in Rio de Janeiro.
I had some background knowledge but inadequate for the job in hand; so I planned to research more while in Rio. Unfortunately, this fell rather flat when I discovered early in my visit that I would be unable to access the internet at ‘home,’ also other access points were a bike ride away. Besides which any research materials found would be in Portuguese and to get any understanding and to do them justice I would…
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Coat Hanger Doll's House 