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.
Sotheby's recently auctioned Sandro Botticelli's 1480
'Young Man Holding a Roundel'.
We like that work very much, the round and rectangular formalities, the staged depth, the two diverting outward gazers, and more. Here, though, we're interested in two of Sotheby's own images. The Image is Shown to the Crowd and The Kill.
First, House Supporters (their mouths COVID covered) [LOGOS, the muffled Speaking into Being of the Image] display the Image to the breath-masked mob. Behold!
Scene two, The Kill, in which the determinaTAR poses in collage, ready for the money shot.
In his hands, his Instruments of the Passion.
We recognise his pose and the godly lineage proposed. Descendant of Zeus, the god of the sky, lightning and thunder, ruler of all the gods on Mount Olympus. If not the sky god, then it is Poseidon, god of the See. Poised, ready to project his thunderbolt (Zeus) or trident (Poseidon).
Sold, for $92 million!
Theatre of the Actors of Regard
detail
A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
someone looks at something...
LOGOS/HA HA
