All Good in the Garden - A metaphor for our ultimate desire...4 - WEEK 34, 2020 - Epoch Cloud
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
WEEK 34, 2020
Public Domain
Lorem Ipsum
All Good in the Garden
A metaphor for our ultimate desire...4
2 | ARTS & CULTURE
B2 TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020
Week 34, TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020
Week 34, 2020 ARTS & CULTURE |B33
Literature live in “The Age of Communication.” Unfortunately, we see a lack of style are just a few of his many creative put-
We may lack the training of a Demosthen- at work in this arena as well. Our ver- downs:
What Our
es, Cicero, or Lincoln, but thinking before bal slings and arrows are all too often
Wo r d Pl ay we speak and editing our written words,
even those in emails to friends, allows us to
reduced to a handful of words, the ugli-
est of which derive from Anglo-Saxon,
“Thou art a boil, a plague sore, an em-
bossed carbuncle.” (“King Lear”)
Readers Say: Excursions
communicate with grace and clarity. short, nasty shots that reveal us as jacka- “Out of my sight! Thou dost infect my
napes or popinjays. eyes.” (“Richard III”)
Digs, Rebuffs, and Put-Downs This crude, degraded language may “A pox o’ your throat, you bawling,
Ours is the age of insult, both in the offend another, but certainly it offends blasphemous, incharitable dog!” (“The
into English
public square and on social media. We our rich language. Tempest”)
hurl out imprecations and barbs faster If we must prick an offender with a
than a tennis machine can spit out yel- verbal rapier, let’s look to the godfather Surely, if we put our minds to work and
low balls. of insults: William Shakespeare. Here our pens to paper, we could conjure up
It’s the only sane newspaper It's bringing morality similar amusing jibes and defamations
DaViD P bailEYS/SHuTTERSTocK suited to our time.
amidst all this insanity. back to newspapers. Jeff Minick
E
STAN K., PASTOR LISSA T., BUSINESS OWNER Ebullient Elegance
nough. Enough of COVID-19. Earlier this year, I read and reviewed
Enough of the Marxist rioting David Lane’s play “Dido: The Tragedy
in Portland. Enough of “can- of a Woman.” That review opened with
It's the only paper that You're presenting the cel culture,” corporations and these lines:
celebrities embracing politi-
I know of right now that facts and letting the cal correctness at every turn, and sports “What kind of a nut writes a play about
“The best Words” by Robert Hartwell
actually gives you the honest, reader decide. Fiske celebrates unusual words.
teams taking a knee during the national antiquity using blank verse, sentences
old fashioned journalism. TERRI B., BUSINESS OWNER anthem for reasons no one can discern as convoluted as any in Shakespeare,
DRUE L., BUSINESS OWNER anymore. and words which, outside of Elizabe- Waters of Exhilaration
No more, my friends. Not today. than theater, have sounded in no hu- Earlier, I compared the English lan-
It’s time to have some fun. man ear in hundreds of years? guage to a sea made up of sounds, sylla-
It’s August, and some of you will take “Apparently, my kind of nut.” bles, and sentences in which we can im-
Everything I read in it is fair and balanced, your pleasure in backyard barbeques Here is a guy enthralled by the beauty merse ourselves time and again. I like to
compared to other newspapers. with friends and family. Where permit- of the English language. imagine language in this way, an ocean
JUNE V., RETIRED BANKER ted, some of you will hie yourselves off to Look at this sample of Lane’s verse-play, whose sandy beach is always glittering
the shore or the mountains. Some will taken from the scene where Nissus and white with sunshine, whose blue
pack kit and kids into the van, and slip speaks to Aeneas after the gods have or- waves invite us to kick off our shoes, roll
$1
away for the weekend to the cool creek dered him to leave Carthage and Dido, up our trousers, and wade into waters
and broad meadows of Grandpa’s farm. and resume his quest for a homeland: that never fail to delight, a shore where
As for me, I intend today to wade in the we can pick up and marvel at new words
delightful waters of that most remark- “Aeneas—if thou art the man and not like a child finding a sand dollar.
able of seas: the English language. The region ghost that quits its grave There are no storms on this coast,
to live no black clouds, no tsunamis or hur-
Amusements Again calamity—thou wannest white ricanes. There is only the sweetness of
FIRST MONTH! If we leave aside archaic words, and de- As alabaster; sweat thy tangled brow exploration, the beauty and pleasure of
pending on which source we believe Bedews, as if my poring eyes might words. In my imagination, I wade in the
in regard to numbers, English has ap- read roiling tides of this immense ocean, see-
proximately 171,000 words available for Therein disaster. Is’t the Kindly Ones ing what the waves bring to shore and
usage. If we Google “How many differ- Join me in the Who shake the hissing hair have lately taking immense delight when some-
beautiful sea
ent words does the average person use paid thing new or different attracts my at-
of words.
every day?” we find debate about this Thee sudden courtesy and made thy tention.
question as well, though most experts eyes “Come on in, everyone,” I want to
believe that we know the meanings of So start and wilder? Find thy tongue shout. “The water’s fine.”
Subscribe @ 30,000 to 40,000 words, but typically use Public Domain
and tell,
only 5,000 in most of our speech and For I have care to know thee whole Jeff Minick has four children and a
ReadEpoch.com writing.
This last limitation spills over into
In my imagination, I or ill.” growing platoon of grandchildren. For
20 years, he taught history, literature,
the classroom and publishing outfits. wade in the roiling tides Not everyone’s cup of coffee, to be sure, and Latin to seminars of homeschool-
It is common for editors, teachers, and
writers to remind others to use short,
of this immense ocean but in “Dido” I found an exuberant love
of our mother tongue whose high spirits
ing students in Asheville, N.C., Today,
he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va.
everyday words in their essays and com- of the English language. were infectious. See Jeff Minick.com to follow his blog.
TRUTH AND TRADITION positions, contending that long or un-
usual words will either confuse readers
35 COUNTRIES • 23 LANGUAGES or give the impression that the author
is showboating.
Too bad, in a way.
In “The Best Words,” Robert Hart-
How to Share The Epoch Times
well Fiske (1948–2016), once the editor
of “Vocabula Review” and author of
several books on language, celebrates
unusual words that might liven up
TRUTH and TRADITION
any conversation. Here are just a few
With Your Friends and Family
of them.
lady anne utters a delightful insult to
You’re at a party speaking to a friend wicked Richard iii: “out of my sight! Thou
about the ridiculous edicts of your gov- dost infect my eyes.” J.W. Wright’s draw-
ernor, and your friend comments on the ing from “The Heroines of Shakespeare”
dangers of these edentulous (toothless) by charles Heath.
laws. You comment that such is life in a
cc bY-Sa 3.0
kakistocracy (government by the worst,
most unscrupulous, or least qualified
citizens.) The pulchritudinous (having As an Epoch VIP, you’re else after you’ve read it. Consider to spread the news about The Epoch
great physical beauty, comely) young
neighbors, friends, family, relatives, Times. Talk it up at your local library,
woman who has joined your circle and passionate about the
whom you’ve studied throughout the co-workers, teachers, golf buddies, and meetings, birthday parties, special
evening (you are, after all, a philogynist, traditional journalism and your boss. events, and with friends and family over
one with a fondness for women)—does
she look bewildered or impressed? Then in-depth reporting you get the holidays.
she says, “The governor’s circle of me-
phitic (poisonous, noxious, having a in The Epoch Times. You’ve Newspaper Placement
foul odor) advisers are just as much at
even sent us ideas on how to Place a copy of The Epoch Times at Using Email and Social Media
fault as he,” and you realize you’ve just
places where people typically wait Use technology to share stories from
met the girl you want to marry. spread the word. Here are such as doctors’ offices, dentists’ The Epoch Times. Forward our daily
Word Wit some of the best suggestions offices, hotel lobbies, airline terminals, email MORNING BRIEF to friends
Fiske plays with words straight up, offer-
ing definitions and then giving readers from readers like you! barbershops, and beauty salons. Also and family. Share postings from our
examples from books, magazines, and
consider placing copies at community Facebook site and YouTube channel.
newspapers.
Not so with lexicographer Peter Bowl- Request FREE Newspapers centers, company cafeterias, break Simply copy the URL and then send it
er. In “The Superior Person’s Book of a bust of cicero, before a.D. 50. cicero is
Words,” he taps unusual words on the considered one of Rome’s greatest orators to Be Sent to Your Friends* rooms, coffee shops, gyms, churches, with a brief note such as: “Here’s a story
and prose stylists. The capitoline
shoulder and then dances with them. museums, Rome.
Submit the names and shipping automobile dealerships, or in your car. I thought you’d like to read.”
His definitions are clear and sharp, but
addresses of your friends. You can Visit EpochShop.com.
his examples of usage are intended to
amuse himself and his readers. Communications 101: Precision request FREE newspapers for as many Displaying Your Poster
“Famulus n. A medieval sorcerer’s Unlike Bowler, many of us are often
apprentice. A pleasing appellation for sloppy with our words.
friends as you want. The Epoch Times Bumper Stickers The Epoch Times SPYGATE poster has
your husband when he is helping you in Take, for example, the use of the word will send the newspapers on your Put a bumper sticker on your car plus become legendary—so consider posting
Returning
the kitchen by peeling potatoes, drying “like,” which many, especially young
behalf for free. ask friends and family to put stickers on it on a wall at your home or office. When
the dishes, etc.—or when you are en- people, inject throughout a conversa-
tertaining. ‘Come into the living room tion and which is more contagious than their cars as well. Visit EpochShop.com. friends or business associates ask, explain
and make yourselves comfortable while any virus. “I was, like, in the store,” says
I have my famulus mix some drinks.’” Sally. “And like, this guy wasn’t wearing,
Newspaper Sharing what the poster is about and how they
to Tradition
“Fabulist n. An elegant euphemism you know, a mask, so I was like, what’s Simply pass your copy of The Epoch Getting the Word Out can get their own copy.
for liar.” up with you, dude? Don’t you, like, read
Times, or a section of it, to someone Word-of-mouth is always a great way
“Evanescent adj. Fleeting, vanishing, the sign on the door or like, listen to the
impermanent. When your wife’s weekly news?” Not a subscriber yet?
number is the Grand Prize-winner in Arrrggghhhh. Visit ReadEpoch.com
Advertise in the Arts & Culture Section the lottery but you admit to her that you
omitted to buy her ticket that week, her
Once, young people from the ancient
Greeks to American politicians of the
to learn more
effervescence is evanescent.” 19th century were taught and valued
call 212-292-8359 or email advertise@epochtimes.nyc Note Bowler’s tart style, which pre- the tools of rhetoric and oratory. Today, * (1) Please log into your account at TheEpochTimes.com (2) Click your name to manage your account (3) Click “Request Free Papers” on the left menu bar and follow steps
vails through this book and the others those skills gather dust in the attic of
in “The Superior Person’s” series. education, a strange fate given that we
4 | ARTS & CULTURE Week 34, 2020 Week 34, 2020 ARTS & CULTURE | 5
Public Domain Public Domain
“Adam and Eve in “The Garden of Eden,”
the Garden of Eden,” circa 1828, by Thomas
between 1800 and Cole. Amon Carter
1829, by Johann Museum of American Art.
Wenzel Peter. Vatican
Pinacoteca.
US-PD
“The Expulsion of Adam
and Eve From Paradise,”
1866, by Gustave Doré
for “La Grande Bible
de Tours.”
Traditional Culture This text proleptically anticipated means, etymologically, to bind, or to Som natural tears they drop’d, But if we think for a moment about
the whole personal development discipline oneself so that one attains but wip’d them soon;” James Allen’s quotation, the real gar-
and human potential movement the paradisal state we were meant to dens we want are in the mind. Here,
All Good in the Garden
of the late 20th century. We now have. Instead of evolution (though We find, too, in Dante, that at the top I think, we find the greatest achieve-
have—to take just one example I do not deny aspects of its theory) of the Mount of Purgatory (Canto 28 ments of humanity, for surely that is
from a plethora—tools like Neuro- and simplistic ideas of “progress,” we onward) the Earthly Paradise has what the arts are. Great art is when
Linguistic Programming (NLP) that know that there has been some ab- not been lost but is still there as (to mention just three disciplines)
aim to reprogram the mind in or- original calamity that wrecked us all, the critical exit point, as it were, to the colors, or the sounds, or the
der for it to be more effective, more and we want to know the way back. heaven itself. words become gardens—metaphori-
useful, and ultimately more at peace But, of course, the cherubim with That reminds one of how the an- cally speaking—in which we can re-
with its own functioning. The tool, flaming swords bar our access. And cient Greeks had the Elysian Fields fresh our thoughts, our feelings, and
James Sale metaphor of the garden. “enlightened.” The symbol, then, allow them to take us over: Think then, helps us “cultivate” our own instead of peace of mind, we find for the dead, although some—like our spirits through contemplation
M
because it is so primary to our con- Dr. Faustus! garden of the mind. NLP does this weeds and thorns and a wilderness Herakles—might attain heaven it- and participation in these works.
etaphor is a primary The Garden: A Symbol, sciousness, becomes almost infinite At the same time, those same partially through the “Linguistic” all around us—certainly no garden. self. In ancient Egyptian lore, the In real art there is measure, con-
way through which we a Metaphor in its metaphorical applications. And spiritual traditions also assert that component of its process. Linguistic? paradise was known as the Field of tainment, and purpose: The colors
understand the world; The importance of the garden as a so with the garden. there is a Nirvana, or Heaven, or Through words and how they impact Paradise on This Side of Heaven Reeds, which the scholar Jacobus have patterns, the sounds have har-
we cannot really know way we understand the world can- place where we can find the peace us and others. Humans ever since have been try- Van Dijk describes as “idealized monics, and the words are struc-
what anything really is except by not be overstated. We find in all re- In the Beginning and that passes all understanding. And Since our Fall from The Garden, of ing to re-create this garden, this true farmland,” that is, a place where life tured in such a way as to be the very
way of comparing it with some- ligions, past and present, traces of Our End Goal we understand as well that where course, we have found that peace of garden where they can be and feel is cultivated, grows, and is purpose- opposite of random. Indeed, in this
thing else. the garden: the Garden of the Hes- If we return now to the starting point we are now is not where we should mind extremely elusive. We need to themselves to be their true selves. ful. A field, then, like a garden, is not last case, a million monkeys with
Aristotle observed: “The great- perides where Zeus married Hera, of Western civilization, we find a be. At some deep psychological and keep in mind at this point that the There is a hankering, a longing for a wilderness but a place that is mea- a million typewriters hitting the
est thing by far is to be a master of the Pure Land or Western Paradise garden. It all started in a garden, spiritual level, we feel that the world “Fall” is not an exclusive Judaic or it, which is perfectly captured at the sured, contained, and purposeful. keys for a million years would not
metaphor; it is the one thing that of Buddhism, the Zen dry gardens, the Garden of Eden. What does this is not ideal, but that it should be; we Christian construct, a delusion that end of Milton’s famous poem “Para- And this leads on to the observa- come close to producing one page of
cannot be learnt from others; and it and of course more besides, includ- mean? In the beginning, it means should be in the garden. has falsely hypnotized the Western dise Lost” (Book 12, lines 641–5): tion that we certainly do not lack Shakespeare’s collected works.
Author James Allen sees is also a sign of genius, since a good ing the Garden of Eden. that human beings were—if we take Interestingly, it is not just religious mind. For when we think about it, all those who have deliberately sought In this world today of increasing
the mind as something metaphor implies an intuitive per- Catholic priest and author Timothy the nuances from the original an- or spiritual people who feel this. serious religions believe in the Fall, “They looking back, all th’ East- to create and re-create literal gar- chaos and randomness, a focus on
to cultivate. ception of the similarity in the dis- Radcliffe shares a Chinese proverb cient languages—in an enclosure, Atheists and Enlightenment think- or their versions of it; all religions ern side beheld dens of Eden here on earth: Think of gardens and especially those of the
similar.” That is why, of course, we on this topic: “If a man wishes to be a park, a place planted with trees, ers do so too. To take the most fa- acknowledge the imperfection of the Of Paradise, so late thir hap- Nebuchadnezzar II’s Hanging Gar- mind—art—would not go amiss.
rate poets so highly. As preeminent happy for a week, he should take flowers, and herbs. In brief, a para- mous of all, Voltaire ended his novel world and desire to return to that pie seat, dens of Babylon or in 18th-century We strive, we seek, we find … busy-
writers, they more than any other a wife; if he plans happiness for a dise where security was unquestion- “Candide” with the injunction “One state of paradise they consciously Wav’d over by that flaming England, Capability Brown’s hedge ness, and so miss the mark of what
human beings have the gift of coin- month, he must kill a pig; but if he able, where life simply grew in its must cultivate one’s own garden.” or intuitively recognize as being our Brand, the Gate maze at Blenheim Palace, to name a great life might be. So far as this
ing (there, another metaphor) fresh desires happiness forever, he should own luxuriant splendor, and where Notice that the summit of Enlight- real destiny. With dreadful Faces but two, albeit in time these gardens world is concerned, the garden is
images expressing the similarity plant a garden.” (I am assuming the all the animals were named and enment wisdom is to be found in a Indeed, the word “religion” itself throng’d and fierie Armes: all decay. the ultimate symbol of where sat-
in the dissimilar. In other words, same is true for women, naturally!) under the direct control of human garden: something local and near, DECAN CC BY-SA 3.0 isfaction may be found. And if we
they expand our understanding of But the point is that gardens are in- beings. something we have created, and not extend its meaning metaphorically,
reality in new and luminous ways. escapably connected in our minds The thing about a garden is that it just a patch of land, a remote moun- we need to be demanding great art
Essentially, using metaphors is with paradise and states of bliss. is not a wilderness, not a chaos, and tainside, or a valley or an enclave. from our artists, composers, and
the way we linguistically and con- Now, why do I go on about meta- not a dangerous and shifting setting, But a garden. poets so that we might find refresh-
ceptually “map” (to use another phor here when clearly, in the first but a place of security, stability, or- This looking back to the garden is ment from all the weariness with-
metaphor; I shall stop now drawing instance, it would appear that gar- ganization, purpose, and peace. This effectively looking back to perfection out and about us.
attention to this ubiquitous phe- dens are symbols? Well, the garden last word, “peace,” is very important that we wish to regain.
nomenon) our reality: It provides a is a symbol, but it also functions as as “peace of mind” is often consid- James Sale is an English business-
way of seeing that enables “things” a metaphor because we are always ered to be the ultimate goal of all our The Modern Approach man whose company, Motivational
to be not just inert things—discrete using it to compare (similarities) strivings. At the beginning of the 20th century, Maps Ltd., operates in 14 countries.
objects out there, stacked in their and contrast (dissimilarities) with Often, too, we focus on the wrong the writer James Allen stated in his He is the author of over 40 books on
isolations—but meaningful “some- aspects of our reality. thing to bring us this peace of mind: book “As a Man Thinketh”: “Man’s management and education from
things,” which exist in dynamic re- Perhaps, to make this clearer, I If only we had enough money, or mind may be likened to a garden, major international publishers
lationships of similarity and dissimi- should suggest that the greatest power, or knowledge, then we would which may be intelligently cultivated including Macmillan, Pearson, and
(Left)
larity with other somethings. symbol of all is light. But immedi- feel secure and this would bring us or allowed to run wild; but whether Routledge. As a poet, he won the Considered the
But some metaphors seem to—and ately once we have the idea of light, peace of mind. All the true spiritual cultivated or neglected, it must and first prize in The Society of Clas- masterpiece of English
do—assume a kind of principal im- we cannot help but reflect on its ab- traditions deny that money, power, will bring forth. If no useful seeds are sical Poets’ 2017 competition and landscape architect
portance in our thinking and so in sence or its opposite. Indeed, we see and knowledge will bring us peace. put into it, then an abundance of use- spoke in June 2019 at the group’s Capability Brown: the
our understanding of the world. One through light, and so metaphorically On the contrary, they will entrap less weed-seeds will fall therein, and first symposium held at New York’s Marlborough Maze at
such metaphor—and symbol—is the we understand also that we can be and destroy our very souls if we will continue to produce their kind.” Princeton Club. Blenheim Palace.
6B6| ARTS & CULTURE TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020
Week 34, Week 34, 2020
TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020 ARTS & CULTURE |B77
THE NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON DAVID JAMES/DREAMWORKS II DISTRIBUTION CO., LLC.
FINE ARTS
An Extra- FILM INSIGHTS Mark Jackson grew up in Spring Val-
ley, N.Y., where he attended a Waldorf
WITH MARK
school. At Williams College, his pro-
fessors all suggested he write pro-
fessionally. He acted professionally
ordinary JACKSON
for 20 years instead. Now he
writes professionally about
acting. In the movies.
Pastel POPCORN AND INSPIRATION
Breakfast A Perfect
‘The Lavergne
Family Breakfast’ by
POTUS Portrait
Jean-Etienne Liotard MARK JACKSON
Daniel Day-Lewis as
O
ur nation currently and unfortu- President Abraham Lin-
LORRAINE FERRIER nately suffers from even deeper coln in a scene from the
A
skepticism toward government dramatic historical biog-
t first glance, everything in the than ever before, which is why it’s inspi- raphy “Lincoln,” a film
pastel painting “The Lavergne rational to go back and have a look at “Lin- about Lincoln’s strug-
Family Breakfast” seems rather coln,” Steven Spielberg’s wonderful biopic. gle in the Civil War and
ordinary: A mother and daugh- As Spielberg mentioned in the produc- the fighting in his cabi-
ter sit at a table eating breakfast. Similar tion notes, “In this day and age when so net over the decision to
emancipate slaves.
scenes could play out in homes across the many people have lost faith in the idea of
country. But look closely and you’ll see that governance, it’s a story that shows that you
18th-century Swiss artist Jean-Etienne Lio- to the extraordinary, with each detail mak- The Hague, and he commanded high pric- can achieve miraculous, beautiful things
tard has conveyed the resplendent nuances “The Lavergne Fam- ing the picture relatable to us even now, es for his commissions. through the democratic system.”
of human nature. ily Breakfast,” 1754, nearly 250 years later. Nowadays, few likely know of Liotard; most man of that size and historical gravitas to tam, Fort Sumter, Ticonderoga, William
Lauded as Liotard’s masterpiece, “The by Jean-Etienne Lio- of his oeuvre was made for private house- The Script of ‘Lincoln’ be a basso profundo, Day-Lewis nails the Tecumseh Sherman, Gettysburg, Confed-
Lavergne Family Breakfast” was acquired tard. Pastel on paper Pastel Painting’s Golden Age holds and kept behind closed doors in family Published in 2005, Doris Kearns Goodwin’s president’s real voice, which was appar- eracy, and Martha Washington.
in May by London’s National Gallery. (It stuck down on canvas; Liotard worked in the golden age of pastel collections to be treasured for generations. 944-page mega-bestseller, “Team of Rivals: ently surprisingly tenor. (It’s a sort of Mike It takes a minute to downshift to a time
had been on loan to the gallery since Oc- 31 1/2 inches by 41 painting, according to Christie’s website. It’s this aspect of Liotard’s art that is most The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln,” Tyson moment.) And then you immediately where things moved slower, people memo-
3/4 inches. From the
tober 2018, the first time it was shown in estate of George Pinto
Although pastel had been around since the fascinating. He put his sitter’s very nature provided just the ingredients that Spielberg acclimatize and have the odd, slightly ee- rized political speeches, quoted Euclid, and
public.) The pastel painting has been in under the acceptance Renaissance, it wasn’t until the 18th cen- onto paper. Whereas portraits destined for had been hoping to find in order to tell a rie sensation of feeling in your bones that savored sophisticated insults. Tommy Lee
Britain since 1755 when it was bought by in Lieu scheme. tury, initially in France, that the medium the public realm often showed the sitter’s Lincoln story. Out of that massive tome, he this was the definitive voice, and here it is, Jones as Thaddeus Stevens has a great line:
Liotard’s most important patron, Viscount became popular. standing in the world—a public persona and writing superstar Tony Kushner settled speaking to you out of the distant past. In a “Slavery is the only insult to natural law,
Duncannon. Pastels use the same pigments as oil that would be idealized—Liotard’s paint- on telling the story of the 16th president’s split second, one moves from “Oh, there’s you fatuous nincompoop.”
In the painting, an elegant lady dressed paints but are mixed with a binder and ings were different; he showed his sitters passing of the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Daniel playing Abraham” to a wholesale
in fine silk attentively tends to her daugh- made into sticks. They appealed to the in private moments and noticed every little Constitution: the abolition of slavery. suspension of disbelief—we witness Lin- Pick Your Battles
ter. With perfect posture and poise, the growing middle-class clientele as a cheaper thing about them and their surroundings. This particular slice of Honest Abe’s life dis- coln. Movie magic indeed. In the aftermath of “Lincoln,” one feels
mother patiently steadies the teacup and alternative to oil paints. Plus, the immedi- For instance, in “The Lavergne Family tills his essence. It provides insight into his Sally Field, if not heavily supervised, will like one has come to know the man. One
saucer with her left hand as her daughter acy of pastels allowed the artist to capture Breakfast,” Liotard rendered the mother family life, emotional life, and political genius. ‘Lincoln’ normally suck all the air out of a room, but feels the warmth, love of humanity, and
dips a biscuit into the hot milky drink. This fleeting expressions almost as quickly as with dark circles under her eyes, perhaps It’s packed with suspense, drama, and crisis. Director not here. As Mary Todd Lincoln, she grounds the high moral stature on display in his at-
tender mother-daughter moment appears they happened, as opposed to waiting for a sign that she’d been woken early by her Can Lincoln end slavery—and hold the Union Steven Spielberg the great man’s wife in believability, while tempts to change history and save people.
calm and still, yet the painting is full of tiny a layer of oil paints to slowly dry. little girl. And he breathtakingly depicted together—before the South surrenders? Starring leaving lingering questions as to the valid- In one of the movie’s most powerful scenes,
movements. The powdery nature of pastels made the so many different materials, such as the Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally ity of the classic phrase “Behind every great President Lincoln rides out on horseback to
Every mother can relate to the scene as paintings fragile, yet the refraction of light on delicate Chinese porcelain reflecting on To the Manor Born Field, David Strathairn, man, there’s a great woman.” As per this witness Civil War battlefield carnage. He is
the mother in the painting simultaneously the powder created the most luminous pic- the lacquer tray, and a silver coffee pot and Similar to Ben Kingsley being born to play Joseph Gordon-Levitt, great “Lincoln,” there’s a woman, in any case. stunned and at a loss for words.
James Spader, Hal Holbrook,
juggles many tasks. While steadying the tures. Pastel paintings have kept their color pottery jug that both reflect the windows Gandhi, Daniel Day-Lewis was born to play Tommy Lee Jones And while “Lincoln” is not quite on There should be an amendment to the
teacup with her left hand, she holds a jug Liotard put saturation more often than oil paintings, since on their surfaces. Abraham Lincoln. Day-Lewis simply is par with Spielberg’s magnum opus, Constitution that all American presidents
in her right hand as if she’s just poured her pastel paintings cannot be varnished, which “The Lavergne Family Breakfast” reflects him. The hair and makeup is brilliant, and Rated “Schindler’s List,” it’s close. Part of Spiel- be required to get astride a horse and per-
daughter’s drink. Her daughter, being so ea- his sitter’s often discolors or damages the oil paint. just one aspect of Liotard’s artistry. His out- Day-Lewis utterly inhabits the 6-foot-4- PG-13
berg’s artistry lies in the creation of atmo- sonally go see the carnage of their wars.
ger to eat, has dipped her biscuit in at once. A very nature put was prolific and not limited to paint- inch gangling ranginess and faltering walk. Running Time sphere, and a heartwarming Americana is “Lincoln” illustrates the weightiness of the
tiny spill can be seen to the left of the saucer. onto paper. Jean-Etienne Liotard ing. He even wrote a treatise on painting. Despite the somber weightiness of 2 hours, 30 minutes strongly palpable throughout. decisions a U.S. president must carry.
The little girl, whose head is almost Liotard (1702–1789) first trained as a min- And his interests varied: He was a collector, those ancient sepia-toned historical im- Release Date John Williams’s cello-laden score and the For Lincoln-like times, may the high mor-
crowned by the paper curlers she’s slept iaturist in Geneva and then as a portraitist dealer, and traveler. Liotard’s work deserves ages, America’s 16th POTUS is brought Nov. 16, 2012 chiaroscuro dark browns, blacks, muted al stature, humor, and courage on display
in, holds onto the table with her left hand in Paris. In his lifetime, he was a pastellist the high level of attention he gave to his to life as an avuncular, prolifically jokey blues, and hazy grays evoke deep American in “Lincoln” shine the light of hope on the
as if to resist her natural impulse to hold the known across Europe for creating intimate marvelous works. raconteur, and although one assumes a nostalgia as surely as do the words Antie- path of all future American leaders.
teacup herself, which no doubt her mother and illuminating paintings. (He also cre-
has told her is too hot for her to handle. ated in oil, chalk, and enamel.) His often To find out more about Jean-Etienne
Liotard’s attention to these minutest of candid paintings were highly regarded in Liotard’s “The Lavergne Family Break-
details elevates the scene from the ordinary the courts of London, Vienna, Paris, and fast,” visit NationalGallery.org.uk
REWIND, REVIEW, AND RE-RATE ‘Warrior’ The Story Nick Nolte won an Oscar nomina-
There are two brothers. One, Tom- tion for this performance, with good
Cain Faces Abel in a
Director
Gavin O’Connor my Conlon (Tom Hardy), is a for- cause. It’s a role that’s directly in his
PETAR MILOSEVIC CC BY-SA 4.0 mer Marine with a tragic secret; power alley of grizzled ex-power-
Starring
rowing from the likeness of
the Greek god Hermes, who
functioned as a messenger
actually present in commu-
nion. These buildings tap
into a widely held religious
How Chapels Came to Be
In contrast to the often large
and impressive designs
Mixed Martial Arts Bout Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy,
Jennifer Morrison, Frank
Grillo, Nick Nolte
the other, Brendan Conlon (Joel
Edgerton), is a high-school phys-
ics teacher and family man.
houses—arguably easy for him. But
one of the definitions of acting is
being private in public, and Nolte’s
deity as well as a carrier of history that the deity dwells of cathedrals, chapels in Tommy enlists the father he hates courage to be this vulnerable, along
Rated
souls in the afterlife. in the holy place. Christianity represent a MARK JACKSON ing, and so on. When it all shook PG-13 (Nick Nolte), but who trained him with the natural raw power of his
The cross as a widely dis- Many of these ancient, smaller-scale conception out, Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) domi- to great victories in wrestling as a personality, is jaw-dropping.
played symbol of Christian pre-Christian temples, in- of religious worship. Tales of fathers versus sons and nated with impunity. Running Time youth, to train him again for Sparta, As mentioned, being a warrior is
2 hours, 20 minutes
faith would become more cluding the Temple in Jeru- The term “chapel” derives brother-against-brother conflicts The UFC then started sorting a fictitious MMA worldwide event a calling for some men and wom-
frequent only after the Ro- salem, were oriented from from Martin of Tours, a contain ingredients that unfailing- fighters, per their style, into either Release Date with a winner’s purse in the millions. en. Traditionally, the warrior spirit
man emperor Constantine east to west. Christian ca- bishop in the early church ly make grown men cry. “Warrior” the striking camp or the grap- Sept. 9, 2011 Brendan, facing foreclosure on takes joy in hardship and pride in
converted to Christianity in thedrals for the most part in from France who was wear- will make tough guys bawl (watch- pling camp, and it became clear his house and wanting to keep his the forbearance of pain. It lauds
the fourth century. both the ancient and mod- ing a cloak while walking ing alone, at home, of course). that anyone mastering both would family from homelessness, goes commitment, fearlessness, honor,
ern worlds used this east- past a poor man. Martin “Warrior” is the archetypal story have no peer. Standup fighters back to moonlighting—forbidden integrity, accountability, and, yes,
Development of to-west axis as well. Some was reminded of Jesus’s of how parental divorce, the early (strikers) quickly swarmed to get by his wife, Tess (charismatically mercy. All men (and many women
Cathedrals traditions placed com- words in the Gospel of Mat- death of the mother, and a distant a good ground (grappling) game, played by Jennifer Morrison)—tak- nowadays) have an inner warrior,
With imperial backing, munion toward the east— thew that helping the poor (or violent) father wreak havoc on and vice versa. ing illegal MMA fights for money. which loves these things.
Christians began to build called “oriented”—and oth- was, in effect, to help and the bond between brothers, uniting Rapidly, fighters assimilated This eventually puts Sparta in his The shadow side of the warrior
their places of worship, ers toward the west—called worship God. Martin gave them only in their hatred of the father boxing and karate for punching sights, thus setting the brothers on is the stronghold of rage, hatred,
known as “churches” from “occidented.” the poor man his cloak, and deep resentment of each other. and kicking, muay thai for elbows an inevitable collision course. bullying, jealousy, competitive-
the Greek “kuriake” (“be- Notable exceptions oc- and the destitute person “Warrior” is secondarily a movie and knees, wrestling and judo for Two siblings fighting each other ness, domination, bragging, ruth-
The apse mosaic in the San Vitale Basilica, in Ravenna, Italy.
longing to the lord”), above curred, such as in the Rock- revealed himself to be Je- about the world’s fastest growing takedowns, and jiujitsu for chokes, in the world’s top MMA venue? An lessness, wall-to-wall tattoos, and
HISTORY The UNESCO World heritage site was built in A.D. 547.
ground. efeller Chapel at the Univer- sus himself. sport: mixed martial arts (MMA), cranks, and joint-locks. overly convenient deus ex machina bloodlust. Unfortunately, men also
What Are the Origins of
Such building practices sity of Chicago, originally a Pieces of this cloak, having which, outside of the actual military, Jiujitsu is also called “submission script ploy? It could happen. Think: love these things.
borrowed from two main Baptist school, whose chapel touched Jesus, were thought is the modern-day world of warriors. fighting.” The fighter being stran- the Williams sisters at Wimbledon. Ex-Marine Tommy embodies more
areas of precursors: ancient is oriented north to south. to hold special significance. It’s a calling; these men (and as of gled, neck-cranked, or joint-locked Also the “Manning Bowl”: NFL of the shadow warrior; Brendan is
Brothers face off in the
Cathedrals and Chapels?
temples and places of Ro- The second major source As a result, small structures March 28, 1997—women) absolutely is forced to submit, or “tap out” (tap ring. (L–R) Tom Hardy, quarterback (Indianapolis Colts) the opposite, training to Beethoven
man administration. for early Christian churches were built to house them. love what they do. If you like the fight the mat, the opposing fighter, or quit Anthony Tambakis, and Peyton Manning versus younger in order to cultivate his inner abil-
Ancient temples across was Roman administrative These small structures were game, “Warrior” will have you hol- verbally), or risks breaking bones or Joel Edgerton in “Warrior.” brother (N.Y. Giants) Eli Manning. ity to remain emotionally calm and
cultures, including the one buildings. The very name known as chapels, derived lering and jumping out of your seat. losing consciousness—colorfully It could have happened in the ac- unmoved. This naturally sets up a
THE CONVERSATION not only provide a space for ever, such persecutions in Jerusalem, generally were “cathedral” means “seat,” from the Latin “capella” for known as “tap, snap, or nap.” tual UFC with brothers Nick and powerful dissonance, which calls
CHUCK ZLOTNICK/LIONSGATE
worship, but they are also were periodic and not thought of as spaces where and in Roman society re- “little cloak.” A Quick History of MMA and Nate Diaz, except that they respect for a powerful resolution.
Cathedrals and chapels vessels for the display of re- sustained. Other explana- the god or goddess lived. ferred to the location where These spaces of worship Modern Fighting each other too much to beat each “Warrior” is an emotional roller
have played vital roles in ligious iconography and art. tions have been offered re- Many ancient and mod- governors would adjudicate did not have musical in- In the 1960s, there was no kicking of other half to death. The UFC draws coaster, an extremely fun sports
the development of Chris- Until the early fourth cen- garding the regular use of ern Christians believe that and oversee their districts. struments to accompany another person in a fight. That was such a massive crowd because it’s movie, and it delivers dissonance
tian culture. tury A.D., much of early the catacombs as a result. Jesus is physically present When the pope speaks the service. As a result, the for girly-men. In the early 1970s, the closest human beings can come and resolution on a grand scale.
As a scholar of the Bible, Christian art and space for In any case, such tombs in communion—the ritu- from his seat of power, he term “a capella,” meaning along came Bruce Lee, whose to killing each other, without actu- When all is said and done, the men-
Judaism, and Christianity, I worship occurred in cata- became the repositories al that in some Christian speaks “ex cathedra.” “according to the chapel” spectacular, high roundhouse and ally killing each other. folk will experience catharsis on par
have come to learn the his- combs—subterranean lo- of art expressions in the ear- thought involves the actu- Roman temples had a dif- or “in the chapel style,” re- spinning back-kicks were high-tech While the two lead actors in “War- with a good Superbowl win. And you
toric importance of these cations where Christians ly decades of the religion. al transformation of bread ferent structure, but the Ro- flects the manner of wor- weaponry, and kicking was sud- rior” would get quickly pulverized don’t even have to wait till January.
structures and the pivotal would bury members of Prominent scenes include and wine into the body and man basilica, with its reso- ship in the small church. denly cool. in a pro (or even amateur) MMA Actually, you might need to wait a
role they play in the practice their community. depictions of the Bible that blood of Jesus. nances of governance and The Ultimate Fighting Champi- cage fight, despite their black belts, couple of Januarys due to the pan-
of many Christians’ faith. It has traditionally been highlighted deliverance As such, cathedrals such imperial backing, was in- Samuel L. Boyd is an assis- onship (UFC) debuted in the early they are professional chameleons. demic. The UFC, however, can’t be
thought that Christians from death. as the Basilica of San Vitale stead chosen, along with the tant professor at the Univer- 1990s, pitting various martial art They built muscle, trained like stopped by any virus; they’ve come
Early Christian used such catacombs due Depictions of Jesus of in Italy, constructed in the east-to-west orientation of sity of Colorado–Boulder. styles against each other; karate fiends; one’s a Brit, the other’s an up with a “Fight Island.” No crowds.
Architecture to persecutions by the Ro- Nazareth appear in these sixth century A.D., contain ancient temples, as the basic This article was first pub- went up against wrestling, kung fu Aussie—and they both come off as Just Fights. After watching “Warrior,”
Cathedrals and chapels man government. How- catacombs, but often bor- mosaics to depict Jesus as design for such cathedrals. lished on The Conversation. versus muay Thai, judo versus box- 100 percent all-American. you might end up a UFC fan too.
8B8| ARTS & CULTURE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020
Week 34, Week 34, 2020
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2020 ARTS & CULTURE |B99
A Celebration of Books and Reading
Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart
Eyes to the Future
‘Nymphs Finding the
aNDRii KObRYN/SHuTTERSTOCK
JEFF MiNicK
B
efore I entered first
grade—at that time,
Boonville, North Caro-
Head of Orpheus’
lina, offered no kin-
dergarten—adults kept
telling me, “When you
go to school, you’ll learn
to read.”
When my busy mom found the time
to read us bedtime stories, often from
PubliC DOmaiN the Childcraft volumes we owned, I
Eric BEss always felt as if there was a particular
T
magic in books, and was eager to ex-
here comes a moment plore the world of words and stories.
in life in which we When Mom picked me up at the end
are made to reflect on of my first day of school, I was mostly
who we are and who silent on the short drive home. As I got
we wish to be. We out of the car, Mom said, “You seem
stop casting blame for upset, Jeff.”
our circumstances and put effort
into becoming the best version of
ourselves. We may spend weeks,
months, or even years cultivating
ourselves into the heroes of our Most inveterate
own stories.
But, there’s also that moment
readers treasure
in life in which we are seduced those books
by our own complacency; we
become lax in our efforts and fall introducing us to
victim to temptations for which
we will later suffer.
authors and stories.
I recently came across a paint-
ing by the Pre-Raphaelite painter “They didn’t teach us to read!” I shout-
John William Waterhouse titled ed, nearly bursting into tears.
“Nymphs Finding the Head of Soon, of course, Mrs. Whisnut intro- Nothing is quite as transportive as reading a great book.
Orpheus.” This painting stimu- duced us to the world of Dick and Jane,
lated in me a curiosity for how we Sally and Spot, and I became a lifelong
deal with temptations and their bibliophile, an ardent lover of books. most customers in my local coffee shop so much time staring at a computer at
consequences. are picking away on their electronic work or school, a book brings a wel-
Good News in a Gloomy Time devices, as I am doing while writing come break from the screen. We replace
The Orphean Journey Though the daily headlines these days these words, some sit over their bev- the cold plastic of a keyboard with pa-
According to Greek legend, Or- often tumble some of us into dark erages entranced by words on paper, per, and instead of striking those keys
pheus was born to the god of mu- moods, rays of sunshine do break oblivious to the music and conversa- with our fingertips or reading an online
sic, Apollo, and one of the muses. through the black clouds. Recently, a tions around them. essay by means of a cursor, we leisurely
Orpheus played the lyre and sang reader sent me the results of a survey All book lovers know this feeling. turn the pages of a novel or a collection
beautifully, so beautifully that he conducted by StorageCafe looking into We are physically present in the cof- of essays.
was able to influence his immedi- hobbies and leisure activities taken up fee shop, the library, or at home, but
ate environment with his music. in our time of pandemic and quaran- mentally and emotionally we are re- Books About Books
Orpheus fell in love with and tine. Gardening, cooking, exercise, and moved from these places. No—we are Most inveterate readers treasure those
married Eurydice. One day, Eu- learning new skills like candle-making instead riding with Dave Robicheaux books introducing us to authors and
rydice was bitten by a poisonous or calligraphy all made the list, but the as he tears along Louisiana highways stories. We open these collections of
snake while attempting to escape great news for book lovers is that the tracking down a killer, we are walking reviews and reading suggestions, and
an attacker. She died and began number of people turning to books for with Frodo and Sam on their quest to feel as if we have stumbled across a
her journey into Hades. pleasure and relief has shot way up. destroy the Ring of Power, we stand pirate’s chest of gold doubloons and
Orpheus, inconsolable, decides Writer Mirela Mohan reports that beside Scarlett O’Hara as she tries to shining rubies.
to use the magic of his heavenly “reading for leisure ranked third in save her plantation and family after the In my home library are several such
inspired music to enter Hades people’s preferences with 27% of re- Civil War. books. Nick Hornsby’s “Ten Years in the
and save Eurydice. He sings his spondents claiming they plan to spend In this sense, books differ radically Tub: A Decade Soaking in Great Books”
songs and plays his lyre so beau- approximately 105 minutes daily on from movies. I love movies, but in the contains scores of his reviews for “The
tifully that he charms Charon, average reading a book.” theater or on our televisions, we are Believer.” Here are long, funny, quirky,
the ferryman who transports This increase is good news for our watching the action as outsiders. The and always engaging columns touting
souls across the rivers Styx and “Nymphs Find- republic for several reasons. So many power of film to move us from laugh- not only certain books, but also mak-
ing the Head of
Acheron, and Cerberus, the of us acquire our political and cultur- ter to tears, to inspire us, to entertain ing the case slantwise for reading itself.
Orpheus,” 1900,
three-headed dog who guards the by John William al information from television’s mass us, is extraordinary, but we are always Retired Adm. James Stavridis and
gates of Hades. Waterhouse. Oil media, where truth and objectivity watchers of the actors and the story. R. Manning Ancell’s “The Leader’s
Orpheus sings and plays his on canvas, 58 5/8 are sometimes in short supply. From With books, we become partici- Bookshelf” is a compilation of litera-
way to the god Hades himself. inches by 38 7/8 these commentators, we rarely hear pants. We can imagine ourselves as ture recommended by more than 200
On meeting Hades, Orpheus inches. Private the stories of political corruption told, Jim Hawkins battling against Long four-star military officers. The choices
requests that Eurydice return to Collection. for instance, in Peter Schweizer’s “Pro- John Silver and his band of mutineers range from Douglas Southall Free-
earth with him. Hades, moved by files in Corruption: Abuse of Power by in “Treasure Island,” or we can get in- man’s three-volume “Lee’s Lieutenants:
Orpheus’s beautiful music, agrees America’s Progressive Elite.” Reading side the skin of the narrator desper- A Study in Command” to Orson Scott
to return Eurydice to him on one The focal point is the two his head says the name compelled books such as this one makes for more ate to escape his pursuers in Geoffrey Card’s science fiction classic “Ender’s
condition: Orpheus cannot look nymphs: Their light complexion by his desire, and he floats along- informed voters. “The Leader’s Household’s “Rogue Male.” Game.” Stavridis and Ancell also look
back at Eurydice until they have stands out against the darkness of side a lyre he cannot play. Reading history and biographies can Bookshelf” by Adm. at what younger military leaders are
left Hades. the background, and this area of Waterhouse depicts the two also strengthen our patriotic spirit. James Stavridis, USN Paper and Print reading and give advice on how to build
Orpheus begins his journey high contrast holds the viewer’s nymphs as distracted from their Right now, I am caught up in David Ru- (Ret.) and R. Manning Many today go to their tablets or other a personal library.
with Eurydice out of Hades, but attention. Their line of sight and task when they see the objects benstein’s “The American Story: Con- Ancell. electronic devices, and read e-books. James Mustich’s “1,000 Books to Read
he is unsure if she is actually fol- the water that flows from the float past them. They are stopped versations With Master Historians,” in The advantages here are that readers Before You Die: A Life-Changing List”
lowing him. He cannot hear her rocks beneath them lead our eye from collecting water—a source which Rubenstein interviews such great can carry libraries in their satchels or contains authors long familiar to me—
or feel her presence. Close to exit- to the secondary focal point: the for sustaining life—by the float- biographers as David McCullough, Do- purses, pay less for the electronic book, Dickens, Hemingway, Shelby Foote,
ing Hades, Orpheus cannot bear head of Orpheus and his lyre. ing head and lyre, which for me ris Kearns Goodwin, and Robert Caro and reduce the number of bookcases in Anne Tyler—but also scores of unfa-
it any longer and turns to look into are representations of the con- on past American presidents and other a small apartment. miliar writers such as Tijs Goldschmidt,
Eurydice’s eyes, and as he does, Eyes to the Future sequences of falling victim to leaders. These lively interviews tell us Lucy Grealy, and Christopher Hibbert.
she vanishes back into Hades. Orpheus’s story makes me think temptation. much about the men and women who Every time I open this book, the truth
Distraught, Orpheus puts his about the power of art. Art, when Is it the case that temptation helped shape our nation. of the adage “Too many books, too little
lyre away and refuses to sing influenced by the heavens, can Orpheus distracts us from the important Good literature also has an effect on
Books differ time” smacks me upside the head.
anymore. He roams aimlessly stir the soul in indescribable things in life, the things that us and so on our country. At their best,
until Dionysian maenads (manic ways. Orpheus uses his heavenly played the would sustain and fulfill our novels, stories, plays, and poetry allow us radically from Cheers
female revelers) come upon him inspired power of music to save lyre and sang lives? Can the consequences of to learn life lessons without ever leaving
movies. With
Let me end by lifting my glass to all
and rip him to pieces because Eurydice from Hades. To me, our own temptations negatively our living room sofa. We can immerse of you readers out there. May you live
of his depression. Other ver- it’s as if all of Orpheus’s singing beautifully, so impact those around us? ourselves in the psychological agonies books, we become long, and fill your house and your mind
sions of the story suggest that the and lyre playing was practice for With our eyes to the future, how of Dostoevsky’s Raskolnikov in “Crime with books, books, and more books.
maenads rip Orpheus to pieces when he’d need to use them to beautifully that might we deal with a past that and Punishment,” and so learn the con- participants. As for those not in the habit of read-
because he preached that Apollo, save another human being. he was able haunts our present? sequences of great wrongs without com- ing, let me encourage you to give it a
instead of Dionysus, was the But Orpheus, overwhelmed mitting those wrongs ourselves. Young shot. Awaiting you are stories that allow
greatest god. by extreme desire for the one he to influence Art has an incredible ability to women can step into the shoes of Eliza- But some of us, including myself, you to time-travel into the past or to
Orpheus’s limbs were carried
out to sea, and his head, whisper-
loved, is unable to control the
temptation to look at her. His
his immediate point to what can’t be seen so
that we may ask “What does this
beth Bennet in Jane Austen’s “Pride and
Prejudice,” and receive lessons in love,
much prefer a physical book, a tangible
object to hold in hand, marking favorite
the future, that give you deep insights
into your humanity, that give valuable
ing Eurydice’s name, washed inability to control temptation environment mean for me and for everyone who commitment, and matrimony. pages with bits of paper and passages advice, that whisk you off to distant
onto the shore of Lesbos where it causes him to lose two things: sees it?” “How has it influenced In Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s “One with pencil. We open a new book in the lands or help you better understand
was buried by the muses. Eurydice and his heavenly con- with his music. the past and how might it influ- Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich,” we store or library, and the scent of fresh your neighbors, friends, and family.
nection to music. ence the future?” “What does it explore from the comfort of our den a print is like an exotic perfume. We pick Books are the magical railway cars that
‘Nymphs Finding Ironically, temptation causes suggest about the human experi- communist gulag, which should stiffen a novel from the shelves of our used carry us out of ourselves and more deep-
the Head of Orpheus’ him to lose the very thing he de- ence?” These are some of the ques- our resolve to fight against any govern- bookstore, scan the timeworn pages, ly into ourselves, all at the same time.
In “Nymphs Finding the Head of sired. He suffers deep depression tions I explore in my series “Reach- ment creating such a brutal and op- and delight in reading the occasional Hop aboard and see what happens.
Orpheus,” Waterhouse depicted for his inability to control this ing Within: What Traditional Art pressive system. notes made by some previous reader—
the moment in which Orpheus’s temptation and is literally torn to Offers the Heart.” “Right on!” “I disagree 100 percent”—or Jeff Minick has four children and a
head and lyre float toward two pieces because of it. Pleasures the inscriptions often found on the first growing platoon of grandchildren. For
nymphs. The nymphs seem to be The consequence of Orpheus’s in- Eric Bess is a practicing represen- Then, there are the pure and simple blank page, such as “To Bill, whose love 20 years, he taught history, literature,
gathering water at either dawn ability to overcome his temptations tational artist. He is currently a joys derived from reading. For me, few puts me over the moon, Brenda” and and Latin to seminars of homeschool-
or dusk when the head and lyre haunts him into his afterlife. He, doctoral student at the Institute for sights are more glorious than watching “Ten Years in the Tub: A “To my daughter, the sweetest girl in ing students in Asheville, N.C. Today,
happen upon them, and they look I think, becomes obsessed with a Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts someone, especially a young person, Decade Soaking in Great the world, Happy Birthday, Love Mom.” he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va.
intently at the two floating objects. past he can’t change. Even in death, (IDSVA). utterly absorbed by a book. Though Books” by Nick Hornsby. Moreover, for those of us who spend See Jeff Minick.com to follow his blog.
You can also read
