Something Beautiful

Gold plaque

At first glance, this gold plaque may not look like much.  But don't go away just yet.  If  you take a look at the zoom version, it will probably delight you, as it did me.   Ca. 750 B.C., Iranian Kurdistan.

Thomas Hardy

I was quite taken by this painting of author Thomas Hardy by (surprise!) Augustus John.

Book of Hours

(This is a completed, revised version of a previously posted entry. ) 

I want to look over Ms. HM 1124, an early 14th century French Book of Hours that belongs to the Huntington Library, California.  (from the Digital Scriptorium)   

It is useful to divide the images of Ms. HM1124 into four sections.   The first section contains the inevitable liturgical calendar -- 

January, beginning, f. 1r

January - February, ff. 1v-2r

February - March, ff. 2v-3r

March - April, ff. 3v-4r

April - May, ff. 4v-5r

May - June, ff. 5v-6r

June - July, ff. 6v-7r

July - August, ff. 7v-8r

August - September, ff. 8v-9r

September - October, ff. 9v-10r

October - November, ff. 10v-11r

November - December, ff. 11v-12r

December, end, f. 12v

The second section contains five portraits --

Virgin Mary teaching the Christ Child to read, f. 13r

St John the Evangelist, f. 21r

St Mark the Evangelist, f. 22v

St Matthew the Evangelist, f. 23v

St Luke the Evangelist, f. 25r

The next section is a special one.  It presents sets of facing pages, with a scene from the Passion on the left (in grisaille), and one from Christ's early life on the right (in color) --

Betrayal of Jesus, f. 26r

Christ before Pilate, Annunciation, ff. 36v-37r

Scourging at the Pillar, Visitation, ff. 51v-52r

Mocking of Jesus, Nativity, ff. 61v-62r  (especially good)

Pilate washing his hands; Annunciation to the Shepherds, ff. 65v-66r

Road to Calvary, Adoration of the Magi, ff. 69v-70r

Crucifixion, Presentation in the Temple, ff. 73v-74r

Deposition from the Cross, Flight into Egypt, ff. 77v-78r

Entombment of Christ, Assumption of the Virgin, ff. 84v-85r

The fourth, and final, section contains a variety of decorated text pages and illustrated Biblical scenes -- 

Virgin, surrounded by her attributes, f. 91v

Meeting of Joachim and Anne, f. 100r 

Risen Christ and emblems of the Passion, f. 106r

Angels holding chalice (of blood?), f.n 110r

Pentecost, f. 118v

David penitent, f. 123r

Text, with initials FM (Francisco de Mello), ff. 138v-139r (interesting)

Raising of Lazarus, (in grisaille), f. 140r

Text, with St Christopher, ff. 178v-179r

Colophon and Coat of arms,  f. 188v

 

Wild eagle

An astoundinig close-up of a wild eagle.

Consolation

An untitled poem by Issa, full of consolation --

    In these latter-day,
Degenerate times,
    Cherry-blossoms everywhere!

Quilts

Twelve intriguing quilts at the Minneapolis Institute of Art site.     Of these, the loveliest might be the Rose of Sharon quilt, made ca. 1850. 

Love that well which . . .

For future reference I want to make just a quick note here on Sonnet 73, by William Shakespeare.   

This poem contains one of my best-loved lines of poetry -- "Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang"   

Only this afternoon, however, did I become aware of the rhythmic, wise, last line, "[ ] Love that well which thou must leave ere long."  Wonderful! 

Stained glass (Paris)

Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France. Built around 1243-48 by King Louis IX (St. Louis). Here are four views of the interior --

Painted sculptural decoration, north wall.

Stained glass roundels, south wall.

Shrine, with lancet windows, facing east (detail).

Hidden Canyons

Hidden canyons of the Southwest (26 photos).    

England!

This Pictures of England site is really something else!   

To get a feel for its possibilities, try the section on Kent, which has 37 photos.    Or have a look at these --

Cambridge (29 photos); 

Oxford (a whopping 75 pictures!)

You could also try the entire category of Abbeys and cathedrals.  These include --

 

Bath Abbey (17 photos)

York Minster (23) (These are especially good.)