Traves Tangents

 I was caught up with a lovely friend, and some lovely art this week. This painting, 'St Nicholas of Bari calming the storm', by Bicci di Lorenzo , is an absolute favourite. As I've said elsewhere, great art is to be experienced, savoured, so I'll just urge you to feast your eyes on St Nick zooming in like an exocet... ...his pristine gloves... ....the reasonably shaped mermaid, and the lowering, green sea. Thanks to my friend the Rector, I like to keep an eye out for St Catherine , here's a rather pensive one by Vittore Crivelli . Here is a cross St Lucy ( Andrea di Bartolo Cini ). I recently found out that she was supposedly killed by a sword thrust to throat, and is invoked against throat infections as a consequence, which seems to be adding insult to injury, if you ask me. This little foot of the infant Christ ( Tino di Camaino ) caught at my heart...although I think that pelican should be confiscated. On the subject of feet, had Jacopo Sansovino (or anyone fr...

Yesterday I had the enormous privilege of a visit to the old library at St John's College , Oxford.   As readers of the late, great Terry Pratchett will know, books have to be chained up to keep readers safe.... ...dangerous things books. Chained books had to shelved with the spine facing away, so the shelf mark had to be written on the leaves of the book. A rod would have been passed through the ring on the end of the chain.... ...and then secured in this gap between the desk and the bookshelf.  

A wonderful defence of mince pies...  ...and pleasure, to be found in St John's library .

I was rather taken by this worn out coat of arms over the door to the Department of Computer Science Annex. It turns out that they belonged to Samuel Wilblerforce , Bishop of Oxford from 1845 to 1869.  The door used to lead to the dioscean registry of the Bishop of Oxford, in a building attached to the back of the house. Since 1999 said building, has been used by the Department of Computer Science .

I don’t normally like to blow my own trumpet, but slightly later than planned, what with colds and moving, I’ve finished a Couch to 5K programme. I am FAR from being a natural athlete, which makes it all the more special. It’s done amazing things for my mental well being. #couchto5k A HUGE thank you to Jo Grieve , and the other Drinkin^H^HRunning Group ladies, I really could have done it without your love, support and encouragement.

 "I've only packed the essentials..." I said, then found myself unpacking three hot water bottles....however, as a friend reassured me "Well... they are different shapes so I guess useful for specifically targeted warming activities". Hurrah for targeted warming activities I say!

Yesterday, a friend and I took ourselves off to the exhibition 'Colour Revolution: Victorian Art, Fashion and Design' at the Ashmolean. The premise of the exhibition was/is that invention of synthetic, commercial dyes meant that the Victorian era was full of dazzling new, vibrant colours. Apart from Queen Victoria in her many years of mourning. Here is one of her mourning outfits. We were both struck by how short she was. I loved the military details on the front of the jacket. This was also the moment when artists' paints in tubes became widely available, rather than artists having to grind their own. Here is one of Turner 's pallets. This flagon for communion wine was made around 1858 by John Hardman Powell   I love the pelican detail. The Victorians rediscovered the rich colours of medieval manuscripts, one of which was on display. I'm not quite sure what this creature is supposed to be, or how the poor thing managed to get about. Scientific discovery also infl...