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.


11 July 2018

verse + verso


LOOKING AT the auction lists 
for Melbourne and Tokyo
tomorrow : two paintings of
persons supported, looking 
to and looking fro


Theatre of the Actors of Regard   
 Lot 3123
 PETER CHURCHER (born 1964)
 Self Portrait Looking Away (1999)
 oil on canvas
 signed and dated lower centre: P. Churcher 99
 86 x 76cm

 detail
 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
 someone looks at something... 
         
 LOGOS/HA HA


Theatre of the Actors of Regard   
 Description of item (translation) :
 It is Yosa Buson figure figure. 
 Paper book. Handwriting. Some spots, broken, there 
 are places of gnawing. 
 Please carefully look at the image and offer a bid.
 Size : Main Paper Vertical 85.4 cm Width 27.3 cm
 Overall Vertical 152.5 cm Horizontal 31.4 cm 
 Shaft 37.3 cm

 detail
 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
 someone looks at something... 
         
 LOGOS/HA HA