El Greco and Others

The trigger for the trip to Paris, from which I have just returned, was the much-publicised Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at the Louvre. For months, all the papers wrote about this most important Leonardo exhibition, which, we were told, one had to visit.

It may be because of the enormous PR hype that I was somewhat disappointed by the exhibition itself. A not small part of the exhibition was devoted to drawings, some of which were so dimly illuminated, that one could hardly see them. Moreover, exhibitions of Leonardo drawings are not that unusual. There is one currently at London’s Queens Gallery. 

I really travelled to Paris because of the Leonardo – or as the French call him Leonard de Vinci, and the El Greco and Toulouse Lautrec exhibitions at the Grand Palais were to be an added bonus. As it turned out, the big wow for me, was the El Greco exhibition. They managed to get the most wonderful El Greco paintings, many of which are spread all over the world’s museums. If you are around Paris before 10 February – go and see that exhibition.   

Museums - The Visit(or)

I still remember the good old times, before visiting museums became a must ingredient for all tourists. In those days, tourists would cover the museum slot, by visiting a Madame Tussauds. In those days, you could enjoy the wonderful treasures of the world’s major museums in peace and quiet. Now, you get pushed around by hordes and cannot really concentrate in a museum, let alone, in any of the mega-exhibitions, which all museums seem to be offering. They are all filled with groups, often totally uninterested, as they chatter away with their friends, whilst their guides weave and waive them through the art-filled rooms.

Another phenomenon is the photo-taking-museum-visitor. I stood and watched, as one visitor after another placed themselves in front of a painting, took a picture and walked on. The point is, they would walk on without actually looking at the painting. It was all about taking a picture. I am not quite sure what the purpose of it is. Are they trying to create a cheap version, a self-made catalogue of the exhibition?

 

 

And to top it all, you get the selfie takers. Why look at the painting, such as the Mona Lisa, if you can get yourself a selfie with her?

Talking with my hands

A close friend of mine has more than once told me off, for talking with my hands. No longer will I allow him to do so. Both Leonardo and El Greco, in their Supper depictions leave no doubt that talking with one’s hands, was definitely acceptable in the committed classes. 

Marco d'Oggiono after Leonardo da Vinci

Marco d'Oggiono after Leonardo da Vinci

Atelier of El Greco: The Feast in the House of Simon

Trump and the ‘civilised world”

Some time ago, President Trump said: "The civilised world must send a clear and unified message to the Iranian regime. Your campaign of terror, murder and mayhem will not be tolerated any more. It will not be allowed to go forward." Trump speaking for the ‘civilised world’, whatever that civilised world may be, is a somewhat curious notion. And if Trump is the speaker for the civilised world, do we want then want to belong to the uncivilised world?

The Assassination

The civilised world, that is Trump & Cie. just assassinated Qasem Suleimani, an Iranian general. Because of Suleimani’s track record and position in Iran, this killing enjoyed much more media attention than most targeted killings, which are, after all, all in the day’s work for us ‘civilised’.

There are various criteria by which one can assess this killing: moral, legal, strategic and the tactical. Can one build a moral case for killing? Some feel that they can, others not. Most will agree that Suleimani had it coming. The legality of the act may be intellectually interesting but of no practical significance. Iraq, since it was invaded by the USA, like Syria, Libya and several other countries, is a playground, where anyone seems to be able to do what they wish.

Whilst it is hard to believe that Trump even knows how to spell the word strategic, let alone act strategically, it may be that the killing of Suleimani, will trigger the opening of a new channel of negotiations between the US and Iran, which will lead to some or other agreement. Both sides are actually interested in one. The accidental shooting down of the Ukrainian plane, and the Iranian mea culpa, in a bizarre way, may serve the same purpose.

Israel is likely to be worried by any rapprochement between Iran and the USA. In a speech, which Israel’s chief-of-staff, General Kochavi, gave on Christmas day, (before the assassination) he complained about the fact that Israel had to do all the anti-Iran work on its own. He would prefer – he explained – a reality in which “we weren’t the only ones acting against them offensively.” Kochavi asked and Trump delivered.

#JewishandProud

Someone in the American Jewish Committee (AJC)must have recently watched the old Annie get Your Gun movie with Irving Berlin’s famous Anything you can do, I can do better.  Why should – they must have thought – only Gays have all the fun, with their colourful Gay pride marches. And so, they announced a Jewish Pride Day. For some reason, they chose the 6^th of January – Epiphany – for it.

I don’t know whether AJC organised carnivalesque floats, with young or not so young men demonstrating the binding of tefillin, extravagantly dressed orthodox Jews showing off their kaftans, yarmulkes  and tallit prayer shawls (they might have gone for the rainbow coloured one, to show commonality with the other “others”.  

I have no objection to parties, not even to street parties. It is the concept of pride that I question. The AJC’s website explains “We will win not by guarding our identity, but by celebrating it. We will win not by hiding who we are, but by trumpeting it, and by being embraced by our friends in other communities.” I agree about not hiding. I just don’t like the ‘pride’ concept.

According to the Oxford dictionary pride is “a feeling of elation or satisfaction at achievements or qualities or possessions etc. that do one credit”. I am not quite sure which achievements, qualities or possessions, the AJC believe we are to be proud of. The other meaning of pride, the Oxford dictionary offers is “high or overbearing opinion of one’s worth or importance”. I cannot imagine that we would like to suggest that we are afflicted with this condition. That leaves a pride of lions...  

The Sussex Family

Harry, who had to endure the destruction of his parental marriage by his father and the ensuing tragic death of his mother, may have many advantages, but has had a very tough childhood. Moreover, his prospects, the planned life and/or career path of the “spare” are also not that attractive. And so, he has decided that he does not want to go down the Prince Andrew road, or that of his great aunt, Princess Margaret. Seems quite sensible.

If, as “palace sources” have been briefing the press, the matter has come as a surprise to the Queen and to grumpy Charles, then Harry has indeed not handled it well. But neither has the palace. Where exactly have they left the old fashioned stiff upper lip? This unusual briefing by the Queen’s courtiers against her own grandson and leaks regarding William’s unhappiness about his younger brother’s behaviour, are bad form. We all, but especially Harry and Meghan, got a reminder of the ruthlessness of his paternal family. 

Lucian Freud at the Royal Academy

If you are in London and have not yet seen Lucian Freud’s Self-portraits exhibition at the Royal Academy, then you should hurry. It ends on 26 January.  It is quite wonderful.