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.


27 July 2014

Le Tour de France


Some of us like to think about things. 
Qu'est-ce que c'est un vélo?

Thinks : Must the front wheel always win, in relation to the rear? What colour is the maillot jaune, the yellow jersey, really? Is it not an anachronism that a Republic honours the King of the Mountains? Is the brain a binary cycler-ist? And it's rider?
       

 c.1920 - artist unknown  
     
Some of us simply like to go along for the ride.

collection : FIAPCE                         click image to enlarge
      
Today on the Champs-Élysées and tonight here on late night winter TV another great Tour de France will conclude. Winner of the mailllot jaune for 2014 is likely to be Vincenzo Nibali of Italy. Vive le Tour!
      

Louis Malle, 1962                Theatre of the Actors of Regard

detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
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