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.


19 April 2016

The Connoisseur of The Connoisseur


A work we knew of but had not seen in the flesh, "The connoisseur" by Bernard Hall, is one of the supporting works available for regard in the antechamber to the NGV's exhibition of

Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1
Portrait de la mรจre de l'auteur
Whistler's Mother
at the NGV. 

The image below shows "The connoisseur" 
by Bernard Hall, 1890.



NGV Matrix Label Poem
] all a Matter of eMphasis (

(The connoisseur)
(c. 1890)
Bernard HALL

 Medium :  oil on canvas
Measurements :  60.7 × 33.0 cm
Place/s of Execution :  (London), (England)
Accession Number :  2004.769
Department :  Australian Painting    
Credit Line :   National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne 
                      K.M. Christensen and A.E. Bond Bequest, 2004
Gallery location :  17th Century & Flemish Paintings Gallery,
                            Level 2, NGV International

   
Later that night, having emptied the content(s) :
"The Drunken Connoisseur" by Judith Leyster, 1629.



Next morning, somewhat worse for wear, we renew our vow to start afresh : "The Young Connoisseur", An Arrangement in Grey and Black by Theatre of the Actors of Regard, 1952.
       
AAA_Art Archive Australia  
 detail
 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/ 
 someone looks at something...

 LOGOS/HA HA 
                              
     
 Post Script

  Later that night, "The Drunken Cubist" 
 by Haydos, Brisbane, 2016 ( listen here )