Photo: Staircase

Photo: Under the Dome of the National Gallery

“The Family of Darius before Alexander” by Paolo Veronese

This painting is an incredible masterpiece.

It depicts the mother of Darius - the Persian King - pleading with their conqueror Alexander the Great for mercy.

After the death of Titian, Tintoretto and “Paolo Caliari” succeeded him as the preeminent painters of Venice. Paolo was known as “Veronese” as he was born in the city of Verona. I have been to Venice and their works adorn the churches, palaces, villas. But Veronese’s vast frescos and canvas really engraved on the European imagination a vision of Venice shimmering with pearls and precious stuffs.

Firstly, it is huge. Expansive.

Secondly, Veronese weaves such rich & saturated hues against some rather ghostly shadows. It’s so dramatic and engrossing. We are almost implicated in the Queen Mother’s desperate beseeching.

The dresses and capes (à la Venetian doges), and operatic Roman dress illustrate the brilliance and sheer magnanimity of Alexander the Great.

Alexander the Great spared the Queen Mother, wife and children.

Alexander’s gesture towards the fellow near him (“Hephaestion”) arises from the Queen Mother, Sisygambis, prostrating herself in front of Hephaestion mistaking him for Alexander. Alexander’s negligent gesture betokens a humility 

Details:

 

The Roman dress of Alexander the Great, and his curly hair.

The earnest look on the Queen Mother's face.

 

As ever, Veronese includes a charming canine against a little boy.

Ghostly horses against Roman pillars.

 

Love the primate as an exotic oriental detail.

Those little dogs seem terrified, as the boy himself being consoled.

Paolo Veronese masterpieces at the National Gallery

Veronese is a personal favourite of the High Renaissance. He doesn’t get the praise I think he deserves, and I think he’s totally arresting and compelling.

His highly stylised compositions with captivating use of colours and decorative details & qualities make for a glorious feast on the eyes. Also, his compositions are enormous. They can feel a little disarming.

He can capture a dramatic historical/classical moment, or make the painting move us beyond the mere “story” it reflects.

His illusionistic tricks wonderfully play with space, architectural detail, and light.

To do justice to Veronese, I have decided to split his works among a number of blog posts.

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The Adoration of the Magi

Oh my gosh... Really love it.

There’s just so much going on here..., but the eye is drawn towards a shaft of light illuminating the baby Christ. The three Magi (in such startlingly resplendent & opulent robes and garments) kneeling in supplication & in adoration.

The stable in, and over, Roman ruins. A nod to the Christian triumph over the pagan.

I am struck by the sheer sumptuousness of the garments (including the Madonna).

Gorgeous, rich ... angelic.

Angel heads, with bird-like wings, flying past a pagan ram’s 

head (which has shrubs growing out of it).

An observant dog at the corner is a recurring theme.

The roman numerals MDLXXIII refers to the year of the painting.

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The Consecration of Saint Nicholas

This is an old copy from an earlier post. This version wasn’t very good. I will update it.

As I wrote before:

This depicts the election of a new Bishop. One received a vision of a young-man called Nicholas kneeling. The figures interact in a vista which is completely unrealistic; curtains on one side and an elegant classic column on the other. A young Veronese in the background by the Bishop? And a strange twisted figure - almost falling - in the angel bearing the mitre and crosier.

Overall, I like the surreal claustrophobia of the scene, the expression of horror and shock carved on the body of the Bishop as he seems to recoil and advance at the same.

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The Conversion of Mary Magdalene

The colours and lighting/shadows against the architectural background is incredible. 

Mary Magdalene is shown here - fallen to her knees - overcome at the vision/words of Christ.

So beautiful, and the flooring is terrific.

The symmetry in the colours of Christ & Mary Magdalene is contrasted by their expressions.

Stoicism against “overwroughtness” ... I am not sure what Mary’s face and posture indicate,

but she seems distraught.

Note: her jewellery broken and slipping of her neck.

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The Dream of Saint Helena

Love it.

St Helena is the mother of Christian emperor Constantine. She is said to have the vision of the Cross on which Christ was crucified. 

From my old note:

St Helena is painted in such opulent colours of Venetian golds, oranges and rouges; and in soft delicate fineness. The green shoulder wrap, and the subtle red brushstrokes towards the bottom of her dress. The brushwork creates such incredible folds in her garments. Her lovely hair, dainty hands, beautiful face and carefree expression make this quite an intimate sensual painting. St Helena is glamorous and irresistible.

I think I like what I wrote.

I also notice how St Helena’s foot is resting against some furniture or projection of the wall. It feels rather like a “modern” depiction of a woman.

What a beautiful face, slightly bewitching ...

and there’s something engaging in the way she rests her head in her hand.

Also, the brushstrokes of luminescent whites and yellows create such

luxurious and regal garments.

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Portrait of a Gentleman of the Soranzo Family

Tremendous painting which was recently acquired by the gallery (2022).

This, it seems, is a rare example of Veronese’s full length head-to-toe portraits.

According to the NG:

Dressed in sumptuous black satin trimmed with ermine and poised against a backdrop of classical column and shimmering green drapery, this full-length portrait conveys the status of the sitter. He is thought to be a member of the Soranzo, one of Venice’s leading noble families, for whom Veronese worked throughout his career.

For me, I love the combination of the elegant and sumptuous - but dolorous use of colours, rather austere deportment, and his impassive and distant gaze to convey an aloof reserve and dignity. An “inherent” nobility and worth.

Terrific.

Smile 2 (2024) - horror film review

Wow!

I’ve just returned home from seeing the new horror film “Smile 2” today with my friend Karen.

I saw it at the Leicester Square Odeon theatre. Managed to bag a 2 tickets for £15.

And - boy oh boy! - it’s intense, v. scary and brutal.  

It’s a sequel to the 2022’s “Smile” film which, in my view, takes it to a whole new level of scare/horror with the terrific performance of Naomi Scott as “Skye Riley” (the central character) and the noticeable raising of the stakes. 

The fact that, in the film, Skye has the persona of a world famous pop star adds to the stress and tension which comes from her day-to-day “star” lifestyle and its demands. Since she has a well-developed character, it makes her turmoil so “real”. (I couldn’t really watch the teleprompter scene).  

It makes her unfolding even more torturous. The stakes seem much higher in this film due to (1) the existence of “Morris” (Peter Jackson) who has a plan to work with Skye and destroy the demon in time, while (2) having to please her legion fans, managers, mother, and friends. (For reference, I think her first interaction with Morris was real, but she missed her opportunity.)

The film’s depiction of the “pop star” reality creates a beautiful esthetic. Her outfits, hairstyle, and amazingly choreographed dancing are gorgeous.

There is a v. interesting insight into the demonic lore of the entity. It mixes the supernatural with biology as an allegory on trauma. To me, it seems as though this demon behaves like a virus. Skye is merely a “host” for this malignant entity to “use”; and then, after use, it spreads to the next person killing the earlier host. Its true origins though remain mysterious. 

Like the original film, the demon seems to enjoy mentally torturing the victim. It creates elaborate and complicated delusions which forces the viewer to question what was reality as opposed to illusion. This confusion and chaos combined with a veritable rollercoaster-ride of jump scares makes for a film you can’t look away from ... while also having to cover your eyes.

There is an escalating horror and so much gore. I had to look away often. And the ending scene will leave jaws on the floor. When horror films seem to be more of a miss thesedays, this film is a very strong hit. 

I definitely recommend it for any horror nerds.

Great viewing for Halloween! 

Rating: 4.5 ★★★★★

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar finally killed

Such important news today.

The IDF killed Yahya Sinwar.

This piece of trash was evil incarnate and utterly irredeemable. 

The man who orchestrated the mass killings, rape and kidnappings of October 7 — and Hamas’ human shield strategy — finally got what he deserved.

We also shouldn’t forget that, in 1989, he was sentenced to several life sentences - not because he murdered Israelis - but because he slaughtered Palestinians.

That’s why he was honoured with the epithet of “The Butcher of Khan Younis” against Palestinians merely suspected of passing information to Israel. “According to Israeli officials, he later confessed to punishing a suspected informer by getting the man’s brother to bury him alive, finishing the job using a spoon instead of a spade.”

As I write this post, I’m thinking of all the people who died because of him — Israelis and Palestinians.

If you’d like to know who cared the very least about Gazan civilian lives, it was Sinwar. 

Good riddance.

I hope his death causes Hamas to lay down their arms, hand over the hostages and surrender.

Memorial for the October 7 victims, London Hyde Park

Earlier today, I went to Hyde Park to attend a beautiful, weighty and moving memorial event dedicated to the memory of the victims of the savagery and evil of October 7.

I was so inspired by the faith, courage, persistence, and the love for the Jews and Israelis. 

Many of the speakers touched my heart. We were joined by the released hostage Ada Sagi and her son Noam Sagi, the Holocaust survivor Mrs. Mala Tribich, and a few survivors of the Nova music festival.🥹.

So many people attended too — a reminder of the support and love for Israel.

Long live Israel!   Am Yisrael Chai!

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Below a few photos:

Thousands gathered in London’s Hyde Park.

During these tough times, Israelis & Jews should remember lots of people all around the world, like me, love your nation, love you and will support you !

“Jerusalem of Gold”. So beautiful.

Sir Simon Schama speaking. He shared three poems.

The last one being the most introspective.

Schama.

Mandy Damari, the mother of the British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari.

Poor mother. What strength. I can’t even imagine.

Édouard Manet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir at the Courtauld

This post is a few impressionist paintings from my recent visit to the Courtauld.

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A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Manet - 1882

This was Manet’s last masterpiece.

Manet was never fully appreciated by the public. He submitted this to the Paris Salon of 1882 to negative reception. Critics just didn’t get it, they found it unsettling. He became disillusioned and ill. In April 1883, he died two weeks, after a leg amputated below the knee, due to syphilitic infection. Monet and Zola would help carry his coffin. 

And what a great painting - a complex composition involving a mirror (and, therefore, undoubtedly postulating something about the Parisian 19th century “reality”), and executed quite beautifully. Alluring.

What is fascinating is the expression on the barmaid’s face as she leans onto the bar itself.

Is she trying to recall something, or just feeling a bit tired?

Her energy certainly feels discordant with the overall tone and energy of the surrounding.

One of my favourite little bits of details is the feet of the trapeze artist at the top left.

Such radiant and sumptuous tangerines. They glisten in their bowel.

And the champagne bottles! Manet signs his name on the cover.

According to the gallery:

In this work, Manet created a complex and absorbing composition that is considered one of the iconic paintings of modern life.

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Study for “Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe” (Luncheon on the Grass) by Manet - 1863

This was a preparatory work for the masterpiece at the Musée d’Orsay.

It’s very interesting and makes you think.

This painting’s subject was considered shocking and scandalous in its depiction of the “everyday” and unidealised with the inversion of Renaissance traditions of the female figure.

As above, Manet draws inspiration from the contemporary and everyday ordinary people — in opposition to the academy.

 

 A nude woman casually lunching with two fully dressed men.

They don’t even seem to notice her; and she confronts the viewer with her direct gaze.

I think the lady in the background is a nod to Titian’s “Reclining Venus”.

Turban is part Medieval European Fashion. 

The chaperon/turban (along with the cape) a nod to Renaissance clothing - Jan van Eyck?

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Banks of the Seine at Argenteuil by Manet - 1874

So vivid and beautiful.

Apparently, Manet painted this while staying with Claude Monet over a summer break. Claude Monet’s wife and son are posing along the embankment.

Swift brushstrokes creating amazing ripples on the water surface.

Iran’s missile attack against Israel

I was watching the incoming and defensive missiles shooting across the sky of Tel Aviv on the news.

180 missiles fired into civilian areas with zero military objectives!

Only reason for low casualties are Israeli defence systems and shelters.

Last time Iran launched the mass missile attack, in April 2024, Israel showed tactical restraint. The Iranians told everyone ahead of time, and then launched drones giving plenty of warning to Israel. There wasn’t many direct hits. Iran just did a ballistic missile barrage and is saying more attacks are coming.

It’s no longer posturing, it’s now war.

Iran has certainly escalated this situation.

You cannot fight proxy indefinitely. This is not about “Iranian sovereignty”. To the extent that Iranian officials were recently killed in Lebanon & Syria, it’s because they were meeting with Iranian-proxy terrorist leaders.

Israel is definitely going to respond differently this time around.

“Surviving October 7th: We Will Dance Again” - BBC Documentary

I recently watched Yariv Mozer’s BBC documentary: “Surviving October 7th: We Will Dance Again”.

Found a YouTube upload (above). It is age restricted, so you’ll have to watch it via YouTube.

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Moving, harrowing and very deeply affecting.

At the end, just before the credits, it said: “October 7th was the deadliest single day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”

Jews must process the horrifying trauma & reality that Oct-7 was a repeat of the genocide of the Holocaust. It happened again.

To call it “terrorism”, I think, is to downplay the intent and barbarism. Entire kibbutzim were wiped out ... even pets showered with bullets by hate-filled maniacs. 

What is shocking is that Hamas recorded their evil savagery with cameras - they didn’t try to hide the evidence. You can hear them call Israelis dogs ... dragging hostages by their hair ... and smiling as they approach the victims pointing their guns. Their hatred for Jews is insane.

The footage of the dead bodies doesn’t get easier to watch. And I had to look away, and dry my eyes, at their capacity to brutally shoot defenceless and harmless kids trying to get away. Just when you think you’ve seen the worst, there’s more worse yet!

What I found most shocking was just how vulnerable Israelis were. Hamas fighters attacked at 6.29am ... and yet at only around 2pm did the armed forces appear to protect them. People at the Nova Festival sat for hours and hours and hours among dead bodies, or fridges etc waiting and waiting for help, with Hamas maniacs around them.

The part that hit me the hardest was the story of Ruth Peretz and her father Erick Peretz.

Politicians receiving “gifts” – Keir Starmer and the donorgate scandal

To bloggers not based in the UK: our new PM (and Cabinet) seem to have been receiving loads of “gifts” from a mysterious “Lord Alli” (spelt, apparently, with a double “LL”).

The PM accepted “clothes” from Lord Alli (including a dress for the PM’s wife), and an Arsenal box etc... and everyone seems to have received something from Lord Alli.

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For the Arsenal box — writes Stephen Daisley in “Now we know how Keir Starmer will fall“ (The Spectator):

I’m a massive Arsenal fan. I can’t go into the stands because of security reasons. Therefore if I don’t accept a gift of hospitality I can’t go to a game. You could say, well, bad luck. That’s why gifts have to be registered. But you know, never going to an Arsenal game again because I can’t accept hospitality is pushing it a bit far.

The £20k donation for the use of a flat — writes Archie Mitchell in “Keir Starmer accepted £20,000 of accommodation to help his son study for GCSEs“ (The Independent):

I’m not complaining about that, that’s fine, but if you’re a 16-year-old trying to do your GCSEs, your one chance in life, I promised him we’d move somewhere, we’d get out of that house, and go somewhere where he could be peacefully studying ... “Someone then offered me accommodation where we could do that, I took it up, and it was the right thing to do for my boy, it didn’t cost the taxpayer a penny.” Asked if that was Lord Alli, Sir Keir says: “Yes, of course” ... But my primary concern wasn’t about influencing government, it was making sure my boy could do his GCSE’s without wading through loads of journalists outside the house.

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How does the PM expect normal people (whose taxes are about to go up) to react to this when they can’t afford to attend football matches or find “somewhere quiet” for their kids to “study”? Especially after they’ve been criticising the Tories for being “out of touch”? 

Those undertaking a “civic” job in government (e.g. judges, parliamentarians), directorships, or professional associations have work policies forbidding accepting “gifts” from clients, because doing so runs the risk of falling foul of anti-bribery and corruption laws.

Starmer looks especially bad since he was a most vocal critic of cronyism and questionable donations in opposition.

He just looks like a massive hypocrite now.

Death of Hassan Nasrallah and Israel winning against terror

Very good, very important and very impressive news. 

Israel has more-or-less ended the entire leadership of a terrorist group, in less than a month.

Israel has maimed and killed many (if not most) Hezbollah fighters, destroyed their communications, destroyed infrastructure, and now their leadership.

Nasrallah has already been replaced. And that new guy, who was to replace him (“Nabil Kaouk”), has already been killed too. 

Iran has to be licking its wounds. Its proxy armies have been utterly decimated. And now, they’re trying to save face from the ridicule of the Arab world. The Ayatollah seems to be in genuine fear of his personal safety.

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The underestimation of Israel

Israel’s enemies now understand how much more powerful Israel is, than they ever thought.

It’s the same mistake every Arab leader since 1948 has made: just don’t understand Israel at all.

And, once again, reeling in shock at their reversal of fortune.

Last October, Nasrallah must have believed that he could attack Israel in solidarity with Hamas on the basis that Israel would be too preoccupied with Hamas. He assumed Israel would be unwilling to “escalate” (i.e. seriously retaliate). He assumed that Iran would actively protect Hezbollah. And finally, he assumed that Israel would be too risk-averse and fearful to “risk” war with Hezbollah (based on the last engagement of the IDF in Lebanon in which they suffered higher than expected losses).

And, yet, Israel has learned the lesson from their former conflict in the Lebanon and adjusted their strategy and methods to avoid repeating such mistakes. Her enemies don’t.

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Israel probably has to continue striking Hezbollah

There are probably 2 reasons for Israel’s continuation of the strikes in Lebanon:

1. There are still over 100,000 Hezbollah rockets, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles etc… and you can’t leave Hezbollah with these rockets aimed at Israel. Most of them are located in Southern Lebanon, but some are also hidden in North Lebanon, close to the Syrian border. With Hezbollah having been significantly weakened, there’s a power vacuum taking place in Lebanon, which raises concerns for domestic unrest.
2. Rather, it is the propaganda and ideology that create terrorists (alongside international proxies). Bombs don’t create terrorists. The Allies bombed the Germany, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam and yet there aren’t major terrorist groups there. 

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Great article in the DT: Telegraph View - Israel is winning its war on terror

First Hamas, now Hezbollah: in a matter of months, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has decapitated the two most powerful terrorist organisations in the world.

Rather than rejoice, however, the West has offered at best lukewarm support, at worst ostracism and obstruction.

Yet Israel’s ingenious military response shows that it has lost none of its capacity to astonish the world, just as it did in 1948, in 1967 and ever since.

Once again, and with remarkable panache, Israel has transformed defeat into victory. On Friday, it scored perhaps its most stunning victory so far. Hezbollah has confirmed that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, perished in the rubble of his headquarters in Beirut. After three decades, he has finally paid the price for his crimes and for bringing ruin on his own country of Lebanon.

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Just as IDF’s precision strikes have taken out Hezbollah’s command and control centres, so Mossad transformed their pagers into miniature bombs. This brilliantly planned and executed operation neatly turned the tables on the terrorists, some 1,500 of whom are reportedly out of action.

Even if Hezbollah’s boasted strength of 100,000 men and 150,000 missiles is correct, its offensive capabilities have suffered a severe, perhaps irreparable blow. After dismantling Hamas’s forces in Gaza, Israel has now neutralised the two most immediate threats to its civilian population. Iran, which is responsible for unleashing the present conflict, has suffered a strategic defeat. And Israel-haters everywhere have been reminded that those who attack the Jewish people will not escape unscathed.

Yet we should not forget how grim, even desperate, Israel’s predicament appeared after the genocidal onslaught of October 7 last year. That day 6,000 Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, armed to the teeth. They killed almost 1,200 people in cold blood; most were civilians, including 36 children. Many were raped or tortured; 3,400 were wounded. Hamas took some 251 hostages: eight have been rescued by the IDF and 109 were released in exchange deals. The rest are still in captivity, or dead.

October 7 was Israel’s darkest day. Its military had become complacent and its failure to protect civilians came as a shock. They had come close to defeat in the Yom Kippur War of 1973 by falling for the myth of their own invincibility. Fifty years later, the IDF’s hubris was again followed by nemesis. Israel’s enemies could not wait to exploit its apparent vulnerability. Hezbollah began firing rockets across the border almost immediately, forcing the evacuation of more than 60,000 civilians from northern Israeli cities such as Kiryat Shmona.

In Yemen, the Houthis began a campaign of piracy against Red Sea shipping which continues to this day. Last April, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a barrage of drones and missiles in its first direct assault on Israel.

None of this, nor even the horrors of October 7, intimidated the Israelis. They fought back to reduce the vast underground fortress that Gaza had become under Hamas rule, constructed largely with money diverted from aid.

Despite the difficulty of fighting a ruthless foe that shielded itself in hospitals, schools and apartment blocks, the IDF kept the ratio of civilian to military casualties in Gaza lower than in any comparable conflict.

Despite that, the global consensus turned against Israel. Even its allies in the United States and Europe have blown hot and cold, constantly blaming Israel for the humanitarian crisis that the terror regime in Gaza had brought upon its own people. Lately, the Labour government has gone further, accusing Israel of blocking food supplies to Gaza.

The Prime Minister has told the House of Commons that he is bound by law to prohibit certain arms exports to Israel. Both these claims are demonstrably false.

Israel has ignored this hostile consensus and carried on exercising its right to self-defence. It has routed two terror organisations which between them had more men under arms and bigger arsenals than many sovereign states.

Whether judged by military prowess or humanitarian scruples, the IDF is the most formidable fighting force on earth. Rather than preaching to the Israelis, we in the West should admire their daring, emulate their creativity and learn from their example. Like any nation state, Israel is not perfect, but it has survived and flourished in a dangerous region by its own efforts.

The ordeal of the past year has tested Israelis to the limit, but they have emerged all the stronger for it.

Dame Maggie Smith (1934–2024)

Such sad news today. 

Dame Maggie Smith dies aged 89.

She had a very long and productive life. 

Although I have never watched any “Downton Abbey” (of which she is esteemed) — I remember her as Granny Wendy in “Hook”, “Sister Act”, and the imperishable & quintessential Professor McGonagall from the Harry Potter films.

My earliest childhood memory of her is as the house mistress, Mrs. Medlock, in “The Secret Garden”. That film enchanted me most of my childhood, and I rewatched it a few years ago only to be shocked (1) that it was Maggie Smith and (2) how young she looked.

I came across this photo on the BBC:

“Queen Elizabeth II was presented to Maggie Smith by Sir Laurence Olivier at the 1966 London charity premiere of the film Othello.”

What a treasure!

Israel’s right to defend itself

The Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has recently spoken on TV:

Nasrallah, speaking for the first time since twin pager-and-radio attacks killed dozens across Lebanon, said Israel had crossed all ‘red lines’. The attacks could be seen as “a declaration of war,” he added.

Hezbollah attack Israel – and then cry victim when Israel hits back in response.

They have been attacking Israel for years. The firing of the over 7,000 rockets into northern Israel since the Hamas massacre of Oct-7 was the latest phase which began on Oct 8 – well before Israel responded militarily in Gaza. 

And yet, somehow, the Jewish state’s right to defend itself is being gainsayed as a “declaration of war”.

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I think we have normalised the firing of rockets into Israel because of its amazing (but not imperfect) air defense system. Yet 2 points should be made:

1. Hezbollah have been firing rockets killing civilians indiscriminately. Israel detonated explosives via an ingenious method targeting Hezbollah fighters and personnel discriminately. Military communication devices are a valid military objective. The pagers were distributed by Hezbollah to Hezbollah operatives (and, therefore, non-civilians). Hezbollah is an active participant in the international conflict, and so discrimination can be proven overwhelmingly. The harm to the civilian population cannot and did not outweigh the military advantage conferred.
2. Hezbollah isn’t some silly nuisance. They do serious harm to Israel. Imagine living in the country, and wondering if today is the day there is a malfunction and a rocket slips through, killing you or your loved ones. It makes day-to-day life intolerable. Hezbollah is a serious material threat to the territorial integrity of Israel and the security of its citizens. Tens of thousands of Israeli citizens and others (like the Golani Druze) live and thrive under its protection. 

To question Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah – let alone characterise it as terror (as Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter did) – discloses either a deep-rooted nasty antisemitism or a brain-addled stupidity so profound as to be literally unfathomable.

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Israel must maintain military action against Hezbollah – despite the significant risks.

Citizens must be able to return safely to their homes and businesses in Israel’s northern communities.

Hezbollah second-in-command, Ibrahim Aqil, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut.