h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Tuesday 19th

Went to the first of six WEA afternoons on art in literature. We are reading Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland, and Girl with Pearl Earring (which I think just about everyone has read) - to cover Vermeer.

Now, I want to go to the National Gallery to see the Vermeer there - so come Saturday, I think that's what I will do.

We also have Sally Vickers' Miss Garnet's Angel on the list - I previously read this at my book club, and enjoyed it, so looking forward to the class next week, when we will be discussing it.

If anyone has any other art/lit books that they've enjoyed - I would be very pleased to hear about them.

Better be off now - and start reading

Prue

Michael' Frayn's Headlong is a must, especially as you're doing Vermeer already. A hoot and an education.

There's also that very famous description by Proust of a painting by Vermeer (he calls it the yellow door); I can look it up for you if you like.

Yes please, Martine.

And interestingly, Headlong is one of the books for about three weeks ahead - have a copy queuing to be read.

It is a most interesting idea for a short summer lit course, I think. Good old WEA.

Prue

Headlong is about Brueghel, not Vermeer, sorry for the miw-up. I am looking up the Prous reference for you.

Thanks Martine. I have printed off the article, and will read it properly later on.

Prue

Hi

Nice to see you back!

Hiya, Prue.

I don't know if this would enter the orbit of your course, but one of the chapters of 'A History of the World in 10½ Chapters' by Julian Barnes is an essay about Gericault's 'Raft of The Medusa'

I wandered round the Louvre for hours looking for this painting, only to be told when I eventually decided to ask someone that it was away for cleaning.

How annoying, SeaN.

We thought we might pop into the National Gallery on Saturday, to see the Vermeer there - so hope they haven't taken it away for cleaning too.

Hope things are going well for you - sorry we were away for your birthday, but here's some for you.

Prue

We recently did an unseen paper on Art in Literature, comparing the passage from Barnes that SeaN mentioned (rather wonderful) with a poem called UA Fanthorpe (a feminist poet, IIRC) called "Not my best side". This was inspired by Uccello's painting of St. George and the Dragon (in the National Gallery?) and is written as a kind of Triptych, with the perspectives first of the dragon, then of the princess, then of George being presented in a humorous, but thought-provoking way. If you like, I can post it on here as it's fairly short, but looks at Art in a very different way- but are there copyright laws that prevent me from doing that?

stephen

Aha! I found a copy of it online, so it will be fine to post it here:

"Not my Best Side"

I

Not my best side, I'm afraid.
The artist didn't give me a chance to
Pose properly, and as you can see,
Poor chap, he had this obsession with
Triangles, so he left off two of my
Feet. I didn't comment at the time
(What, after all, are two feet
To a monster?) but afterwards
I was sorry for the bad publicity.
Why, I said to myself, should my conqueror
Be so ostentatiously beardless, and ride
A horse with a deformed neck and square hoofs?
Why should my victim be so
Unattractive as to be inedible,
And why should she have me literally
On a string? I don't mind dying
Ritually, since I always rise again,
But I should have liked a little more blood
To show they were taking me seriously.

II

It's hard for a girl to be sure if
She wants to be rescued. I mean, I quite
Took to the dragon. It's nice to be
Liked, if you know what I mean. He was
So nicely physical, with his claws
And lovely green skin, and that sexy tail,
And the way he looked at me,
He made me feel he was all ready to
Eat me. And any girl enjoys that.
So when this boy turned up, wearing machinery,
On a really dangerous horse, to be honest
I didn't much fancy him. I mean,
What was he like underneath the hardware?
He might have acne, blackheads or even
Bad breath for all I could tell, but the dragon--
Well, you could see all his equipment
At a glance. Still, what could I do?
The dragon got himself beaten by the boy,
And a girl's got to think of her future.

III

I have diplomas in Dragon
Management and Virgin Reclamation.
My horse is the latest model, with
Automatic transmission and built-in
Obsolescence. My spear is custom-built,
And my prototype armour
Still on the secret list. You can't
Do better than me at the moment.
I'm qualified and equipped to the
Eyebrow. So why be difficult?
Don't you want to be killed and/or rescued
In the most contemporary way? Don't
You want to carry out the roles
That sociology and myth have designed for you?
Don't you realize that, by being choosy,
You are endangering job prospects
In the spear- and horse-building industries?
What, in any case, does it matter what
You want? You're in my way.

-- U. A. Fanthorpe

And if you'd like to see the painting, follow the link:

http://www.wga.hu/art/u/uccello/6various/5dragon1.jpg

I have no idea whether this is in the slightest bit relevant to what you're doing, but I rather liked it anyway...

Thanks Stephen.

I do know the painting - in fact - ( soppy bit alert!) - the very first piece of post that was sent by Stephen (my husband - a good name!) to me, was a message on a picture postcard of that very painting.

Will print off the poem.

Hugs for doing that

Prue

I like the poem very much - although I would take issue with the dragon about his fantasy of having four legs! One of the things that originally appealed to me about the dragon, was that he has two legs (and two wings) thus preserving the basic four limb plan found in the vertebrate kingdom.

Can't help being a biologist at heart!

We also liked the RAF circles on the dragon's wings - which are very splendid - and have the virtue of appearing to be along the five digit plan. Thus, the dragon was quite clearly real - and not a fantasy as many would have it.

I agree with him about the maiden - he could surely find something better to eat than her. I like her pink frock though - and feel very sorry for her, in that the dragon was obviously a much cherished pet, and this wally of a show-off has turned up to destroy their tranquil life together.

Many thanks for reminding me of a favourite picture - and sending the poem - which is great fun.

Prue (PS Prof Bear says he is pleased that you are taking my cultural education in hand - no idea what he means by that!!!!!)

Afternoon Sean, and you did get quite a birthday party.

Two legs and two wings on a mythological reptile isn't a dragon.It's a wyvern.I think they represent something entirely different, but will leave the research to you, Prue.

And thanks for your best wishes the other day, martine.If you've seen my thread of yesterday in TB, you'll know I had a fine time.