Finland

The Finnish painter keen on lakes mentioned in the post before last was Akseli Gallen-Kallela. According to Wikipedia: '... was a Swedish-speaking Finnish painter who is best known for his illustrations of the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic ... His work was considered very important for the Finnish national identity'. Which might explain the presence of a painting of rather jolly looking naked maidens rowing some bearded cove across a lake.

With thanks to the National Gallery for this reproduction of one of the four paintings of Lake Keitele which they are showing off. This one from 1905.

Reference 1: http://www.gallen-kallela.fi/en/.

Dwarf

One of the set of four wall panels mentioned in the previous post, complete with dwarf in chains adding to the illusion that we are looking at a set of carpets rather than a set of paintings.

A conceit which one comes across from time to time, with the earliest example I know of being on the frieze running around the top of a Greek pot - a Greek pot which I failed to find last time I went looking for it. Even going so far, as I recall, as going to the pot department at the British Museum.

Domenichino and his assistants, early 17th century.

Braces

Last to London, ostensibly for cheese but actually for braces.

Bad start in that a young lady in the next compartment talked loud & boring business into her telephone all the way to Waterloo. One could not help learning all about the dynamic & exciting environment in which the person to whom she was talking was working. She may have been angling for employment, being about to leave off being something in government.

Mildly diverted by the new building at Nine Elms which I noticed was called the Food Exchange. The website for which tells me that this will a dynamic & exciting environment in which to be a wannabee foodie entrepreneur. Awe inspiring. See reference 1.

There were some new model Bullingdons on the ramp at Waterloo, with the most conspicuous change being the improved lock bolt to the saddle column. The ones that I tried were out of order, so I was reduced to taking an old model for the 8 minute 11 seconds run to Drury Lane.

Mildly diverted on the exit onto the Waterloo roundabout by a mixer lorry with interesting flashy lights and dalek voice. What this turned out to mean was that it was swinging right before making a sharp turn left into concert hall approach. Just as well that I had kept well back.

Cheese shop busy. There were even some French people in it, deigning to buy, what was for them, foreign cheese. Maybe even hard yellow stuff instead of their more usual soft white stuff.

Barmaid with the tattoos missing from the Crown. Headed down towards the National Gallery to pass a shop front which was full of earnest looking young people communing with their Apple computers but might also have been a coffee bar. I think it was the place at reference 2: 'TY offers dynamic, independent creative public and private workspaces fused with speciality tea and coffee. A challenge to the traditional coffee shop, we are a new and exciting environment that aims to provide products and services that are conductive to the evolving needs of life in London'. No wonder the customers were looking a bit earnest.

The credit card hardly twitched at all as I went through Cecil Court, so the fad for buying second hand books must be on the wane. Not clear what sort of business the second hand book shops there were doing: they were rather small, rather expensive looking and their appearance did not encourage wandering in for a browse. And if it was all mail order over the internet, why bother having a shop in an expensive part of London? Was it all cover for some criminal or otherwise secret activity? Were the upper floors all chock full of the Covent Garden branch of the Security Service, in the way of some of the James Bond/Harry Palmer films of the 1970's?

Next stop Lipman's, a shop I have passed many times, but have never before managed to buy anything there. On this occasion I was able to buy some braces, intermediate in both price and quality between those of Moss Bros. of Epsom and those of Crombie of  Conduit Street. At the website for these last, I see that they are now part of the Abercrombie & Fitch family, otherwise just another brand in some larger outfit - which may explain why the Conduit Street shop was running down its supplies of braces on my last visit. I shall stick to Lipman for the time being - who got a bonus point for commenting on, and correctly naming my Manchester City scarf. I learn that this is another club which had been bought up by rich foreigners, these last from somewhere in the Persian Gulf, as part of balancing our international trade account. For that last visit to Crombies see reference 4.

Next to the National Gallery to sort out the puzzle noticed at reference 5. In at the back door, where the young lady at the desk went to some trouble to find out where the picture in question was, despite my knowing neither title nor painter. And so to Room 10 to decide that the Costa painting was indeed the one I was thinking of, despite the defects of memory about the shape of the painting and the number of people in it. Also, taking a bit more trouble with it, a much better painting than I had thought, despite the various failings of draughtsmanship, for example, the muddle underneath the neck of the lute - which taken out of its context it might be mistaken for a bit of abstract expressionism. The ticket explained that painters of this time - late 15th century - were interested in trying to capture scenes of this sort, trying to capture people in the act of singing, rather than just posing.

I was interested to see, when I zoomed in on the picture this morning on the Gallery website, that the music in front of them did not appear to be in modern notation. Sort of half way between that and the sort of thing that monks used to do plainsong from.

I felt that it being in a frame on a wall made a difference to the experience. Much more effective than panning around the thing on a big screen computer, despite the quality of reproduction the computer now offers. Partly because being in a gallery gives the viewing more of a sense of occasion. The difference between a concert in a concert hall and a concert on one's hifi. Or a film in a cinema and a film in one's living room.

Room 10 also contained what was for me a famous jigsaw, 'An Allegory of Love' by Garafalo. Good to see it again. See, for example, reference 6.

Out to come across some interesting wall panels to one of the staircases, wall panels which started life as frescos. Snap to follow. And then what seemed to be a remodelled main entrance. Much more light and airy, floor mosaics shown off to much better effect. I thought they had done rather well. And just by the stairs down to the exit, a room full of paintings by a Finnish painter who was, inter alia, keen on one particular lake. Snap to follow.

Bacon sandwich at the café in Duncannon Street. Rather good and, having had this sandwich, I think I prefer my bacon to be cooked rather than crisped.

Rather odd bar next door, 'Halfway to Heaven' or some such, with an even odder cellar bar below. Maybe interesting clientele of an evening.

For my second Bullingdon, from William IV Street, I did manage to get a new model. Then, in the course of my 10 minutes 50 seconds run back to Waterloo, I learned that King's College have taken over Bush House, a once prestigious building full of prestigious corporate clients. I hope the students show respect. I also had to pedal hard on Waterloo bridge, it being down to single track in both directions while it is being mended. A pain for motor vehicles stuck behind older people on bicycles.

Pole position on the ramp, as illustrated above.

Reference 1: http://brand.newcoventgardenmarket.com/food-exchange.

Reference 2: https://tyuk.com/.

Reference 3: http://www.lipmanandsons.co.uk/.

Reference 4: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/wigmore-two.html.

Reference 5: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/vespers.html.

Reference 6: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/jigsaw-5-series-3.html.

Fake 20

A Christmas tree, just outside the stable yard at Polesden Lacey, with additional shopping & catering facilities visible in a blue shed behind. Car park off picture to the left.

Fake, because from the front it could easily be mistaken for a live tree, growing in the spacious and otherwise well-treed grounds. And indeed, I did overhear one family being taken in. I did not like to disillusion them.

But go around the back and all become clear, including the impressive stakes tying the thing to the ground. Just like proper fairground people use to hold up their tents and such like.

I shall be taking advice on whether it is fair to score this fake, given that there was probably no intention to mislead. No malice aforethought, as they used to say in another connection.

Group search key: plf.

The world of theatre

The National Theatre is putting Macbeth on in the New Year, a play I have a soft spot for, probably because it was the first play I did at school when I was old enough to care. So we thought we might go.

The only catch is that I have got fed up with modern dress. When people are banging on about daggers, skipping falchions and putting up their hangers, I find it rather tiresome that they are wielding machine guns - or perhaps assault rifles. I like my Shakespeare to be done in vaguely Elizabethan or older costume.

The theatre website had no information on this point, although it did know about the leading man & his lady and there is a full bill of collateral events, tours, study days and such like. The Theatre box office had none either, although I can say I got a very prompt reply to my email.

On the other hand, the show appears to be sold out for its run - 26th February to 12th May. So one can only presume that most people are prepared to buy blind on this point.

Alternatively, the theatre website is sold out because they have allocated all their tickets to various value adding agents across the land. Who knows.

PS: perhaps the theatre, by the time the show hits the boards, will also be selling the book of the play, that is to say the text they are working to, as opposed to the text handed down. Perhaps they have commissioned Sir Damien Hirst to write a new, cross-cutting version, something that modern audiences can better relate to. And as someone very keen on cutting up bodies, rather well suited to the subject matter.

Reference 1: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/.

More enlightenment

To Smith Square earlier in the week for a reprise of the 'Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment' concert noticed at reference 1. The Mozart items were the same, including the rondo encore, but we had Haydn Symphony No.26 and J.C. Bach Symphony in G minor to make up the programme, rather than the Haydn violin concerto and the C.P.E Bach of first time around. The orchestra having, in the meantime, given much the same concert all over Australia.

Once again, decided against Bullingdon from Vauxhall, so walked, managing to get into something of a muddle over Big Ben, which I found very hard to read. From Lambeth Bridge, I thought that maybe the hands had been removed from the clock faces during refurbishment work, but when I got up close some time later, I found that the hands were all present and correct. Now I think my (corrected) vision is still more or less OK, so maybe all that black stuff on the clock face is makes it hard to pick out the hands.

Refreshment in the cellar where a print adjacent suggested that the capitals to the pillars in the nave had hollow concrete cylinders doing the work, with stone (or quite possibly plaster) trim stuck around the cylinder for appearances sake.

Upstairs the drill was for the musicians to stand for the Haydn and the Bach and to sit for the Mozart, with Rachel Podger on the violin and in the lead. I was impressed that Ms. Podger was not too proud to play with the first violins for the Haydn and the Bach. And interested to see that a lot of her leading consisted in her facing the audience and swaying in time to the music - which, to be fair, the orchestra had probably played many times before.

But while the concert was good, it did not seem as good as it had in April, partly because I was more conscious of fiddly bits on the violin, possibly cadenzas, which I was not that keen on. Maybe I prefer the Faust style to the Podger style.

At the interval, we had one very stroppy gentleman having a go as his older lady neighbour for using a pocket torch during the show. He had a point, but he did seem to be making rather a lot of it. Then another stroppy gentleman was having a go at the usher by the door about the odd noises, seemingly from a radio, which seemed to be coming from somewhere near the organ at the back. Again, he had a point, but he did not need to get quite so cross with the usher, not paid to soak up that kind of thing. We retired to the Marquis of Granby where, for the first time, I noticed the division bell installed there.

Some interesting stuff in the programme from Rabbi Neuberger about how the Freemasons, who had claimed Mozart for a member, were rather progressive in allowing Jews, who (unlike me) were deists and so qualified. And from someone else about how J.C. Bach, the great Bach's son, despite initial success, died in penury in London. From where I associate to something from another programme about how Haydn, who knew, or knew of, one or more of Bach's sons, was rather surprised when he learned that the father was a composer too.

Afterwards we strolled along to the Red Lion, a pub across the way from Big Ben which I used to use occasionally during my time at the Treasury. Bit too close to home for regular use. But oddly, the place must have been refurbished and the front bar was not what I remembered at all. All plush and monumentally high ceiling. No division bell either, despite being a good bit nearer the action than the Marquis. Quite busy this Monday night, a mixture of suits and tourists, mostly quite loud.

No aeroplanes at Wimbledon, but there was some consolation in the discourse from the taxi driver at Epsom on the failings of his new Mercedes taxi, a taxi which I first heard about after the outing noticed at reference 3. Not a Metrocab, rather a long wheel base Mercedes - possibly a Euro 6 Vito - with the catch that the cunning new steps up into the back were the one thing excluded from the warranty and the one thing that did not work. It sounded as if getting them to work involved taking a day out and driving into the wilds of the northern home counties, not good at all.

Not sure about the Euro 6 Vito, as I recall the Epsom taxi having a sliding door at the back, while the doors at the Mercedes web site look conventional. Right shape vehicle but wrong back door. Something else to be checked in due course.

PS: this picture of Ms. Podger was selected on the grounds that it exhibits her plentiful hair. Her dress, on this occasion, was I think pale, but full body cover. No Wuja. We did take some time out to discuss the matter of wigs. It was ruled that Ms. Podger was not wearing one, but alleged that both Mrs. Obama and Ms. Markle did, at least on occasion. Bing turns up little evidence for the latter, but rather more for the former, the most definite being a report about a wig lady called Leona from Baltimore.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/faust.html.

Reference 2: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/last-trump.html. A rather different programme being offered in July.

Reference 3: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/carducci.html.

Paint job

A train passing through Wimbledon at night recently, demonstrating that the new franchise holder for the trains in southwest London is on the case when it comes to paint jobs. The new name has appeared!

I remember being rather surprised at how quickly the Santander livery replaced the Barclays livery on Bullingdons, when the former took over sponsorship from the latter.

In the case of trains at least, not a complete waste of resources, as I rather like the liveries of both Southwest Trains/South Western Railway and Southern - both of which I imagine to be rather smarter than whatever British Rail used to have, although, to be fair, I cannot now remember what that was.

It was also an occasion to ponder on the excitement of the engineer from the Lebanon noticed at reference 1 when she told us that platforms at the new Farringdon station on Crossrail had to be 250m long. If one has a regular commuter train, the sort of thing you might get at Wimbledon, of 10 coaches, it only takes a unit length of 25m to make up the 250m. So what is the unit length?

A bit of poking around with Bing and I decide that a lot of the coaches deployed in and around Epsom were built, quite some time ago, by British Rail Engineering and were called Class 455s. According to their Wikipedia entry (reference 2) the coaches (aka units) are just under 20m long. So maybe Crossrail is going up to 12 unit trains to make the distance, but the bottom line is that 250m is not that special for the length of a railway platform. And you have to walk a lot further than that to get from the northbound Victoria Line platform at Kings Cross to the outside world.

Along the way I was interested to learn that railway rolling stock can be quite old, and a unit can go through several refurbishments before, in the language of Thomas the Tank Engine, it is sent behind the shed. And even then, its more expensive parts might be recycled into more fortunate units.

Also that my 'World Railways' from Jane's was not much good at this sort of thing. It gives you the names and makes of the rolling stock, but is feeble on their specifications. Furthermore, outfits like British Rail Engineering which no longer exist, do not get a mention, despite their long and honourable records. See reference 3.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/bretchel.html.

Reference 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_455.

Reference 3: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/train-spotters.html.