David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :
'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)
(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.
.
Following on from yesterday's post (
Picture Arrival Ritual),
as reported in The Australian :
THE loading dock at the Art Gallery of NSW was a sea of art in motion yesterday as artists rushed to meet the deadline for entries for the Archibald Prize.
Artists face off in bigger battle for the Archibald
Ian Cuthbertson, 'The Australian', April 02, 2011
Below is the photo that accompanied the report.
Again it rang some very familiar old bells.
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something ...
LOGOS/HA HA
