Thought for the Day - Feb 7

Subject: Thought for the Day - Feb 7
From: Peter T.
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 09:24 AM

At 2:00 a.m. on New Year's morning, thieves broke into the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, and stole a favourite painting of mine, one of the most beautiful landscape paintings in the world, Cezanne's "Auvers-sur-Oise". The painting is from Cezanne's transition period, when he was studying with Pisarro, and it has the high horizon line and style of that master, but also the splintering of planes and natural geometries that were becoming essential elements of Cezanne's later style. The Web copy shows nothing of its consummate experimental grace, and the emerging use of colour as a spatial marker -- the roofs and hillside greens interpenetrate like overlapping chords of music -- but here it is:click here. Like the long lost Vermeer from the Isabella Gardiner in Boston, it is now anyone's guess what its fate will be. It may be seen again, or not: it may turn up in a garbage can, or on the walls of some rich jerk; or it may be torched to destroy the evidence. It has gone into limbo. No great thought: just a report on more stupid vandalism against fragile beauty.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Feb 7
From: Peg
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 09:52 AM

I spent a fair amount of time living in Oxford (three summers, one January) and in the 2 or 3 times I visited the Ashmolean, I do not remember this painting; now I wish I had sought it out and made note of it... there is an indescribable, palpable feeling of awe and excitement one feels when being in the presence of a great work of art; especially if one has admired it for years via a reproduction or photograph before seeing the real thing. I cannot help thinking that some art thieves, in addition to acting out of greed ("this is priceless and somewhere there will be someone unscrupulous enough to buy it"), and selfish nastiness ("I have this thing so no one else can enjoy it"), I have often wondered if there is not, among some of these thieves, that tendency to feel some sort of ecstasy in the presence of such beauty...then again, maybe not...

peg who would love to own, say, an original Waterhouse...and recently was left awed in the presence of a Van Gogh at the MFA...

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Feb 7
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 10:02 AM

I like your turn of phrase Peter T "stupid vandalism against fragile beauty" how very aptly put, sir. What destruction of beauty occurs with the loss of a painting. Only copies to remind us of the beauty of the original. The price is nothing, the value everything. Powerfull things words, and the ability to use them well, which is obvious in your case. How I wish I were as eloquent in their use. How I wish I could easily erase some that I have used recently. How easy it is to offended or upset someone unintentionally. Improper use of words is as much a form of vandalism as the theft of the painting, "Stupid vandalism against fragile beauty" I shall treasure that phrase, and remember it daily; words as well as paintings. Thank you Peter. Yours,Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Feb 7
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 10:20 AM

I agree Dave....one of your better turns of phrase Peter. And like Peg, I wonder about thieves and those who possess one of a kind things acquired illegally. I enjoyed the depiction of such a person in the book (and movie) "The Eiger Sanction."

Have you ever noticed that a lot of artist's names sound like characters in Batman?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Feb 7
From: Penny S.
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 10:47 AM

This was one of those carefully planned jobs, as in a 60's film, down through the roof, while no-one in the streets looked up, so probably done to order.

I heard a tale once of the sort of person behind these things concerning a rare fossil, of which there were only two perfect examples. One fell into the hands of a rich collector, who then spent time and effort to purchase, eventually, the second one, thus removing it from the realms of academia, where it could be studied. He then (I am assuming, on internal evidence alone, he) smashed one of them, so he could say that he had the only one in the world. So I was told.

Emotional age of three?

Penny

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Feb 7
From: Mbo
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 10:53 AM

Stealing art is one low-down crime. I hope no one tries to nick any of my stuff in the future! Poor Cezanne!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Feb 7
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 04:21 PM

Worth a second look REFRESH! ahhh

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day - Feb 7
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 04:45 PM

Yeah you're right Dave. Now that I look at it again, I'm thinking they sound more like Pokemon characters.

Spaw