Stubbs', his son, Townley, ... stipple engraving, Wedgwood, Écorché art ...

 

Laughter, Crying, Terror, and Tranquility … all stipple engravings made by George Stubbs' son: George Townly Stubbs (after his father) …

Laughter

These prints, by Townly Stubbs, reproduce a lost set of wax models of facial expressions made by his father based on the influential illustrations of 'passions' designed by the 17^th century French history painter Charles Le Brun, which many artists of the period used as a guide for depicting human expression.

Charles Le Brun's The Expressions
(1619 - 1690)

But please note (!) George Stubbs snr (1724 – 1806) … took licence with Le Brun's illustrations … as he 'removed the skin' to reveal the muscular foundations of the expressions … adding to his personal artistic fascination with anatomy and physiology. This is known as Écorché … as depicted by Leonardo da Vinci.

Echorche by Leonardo

As you might have gathered … I've become slightly obsessed with the work of George Stubbs …

Crying

Stubbs was 'full on' as far as experimentation was concerned … which I'm sure you've gathered from this post and the earlier one.

Terror / Fright

He also collaborated with Josiah Wedgwood in producing ceramic plaques … it took over three years for a satisfactory 'canvas' to be prepared … with which Stubbs and Wedgwood continued to refine.

During this time – Stubbs also experimented with  methods of painting enamels on copper. Again a few years passed as he worked with new pigments appropriate for enamelling in the 1700s.

One of the books I learnt from

As Stubbs snr was silent to the world … we have hardly any records of the work he was carrying out. Wedgwood's discoveries were however listed in his Experiment Books – and also in his personal letters to his friends, unfortunately his Books detailing the Stubbs' records have vanished

Anglo-Saxon hilt showing garnet
inlay in the Cloisonne style

The word 'enamel' is used to denote both a material and various forms of pictorial art which are made from the mixes. The material is essentially a kind of glass formed from silicates with some technical adjustments.

Mosan 12thC armiet - showing the cast
recesses for the enamal
(in the Champleve style)

The main forms of enamelling are Champlevé, Cloisonné, Bassetaille, and painted (vitreous) enamels … these latter were the type Stubbs was exhibiting. I've linked Wikipedia's pages for each type …

Vitreous Enamelling on my ring

Well that's it … I just wish I was artistic and technically capable … still curiosity clicks in … as you can see …

The ring was made for me about 20 years ago … it's beautiful and was a wonderful prize to win – I got to chose what I wanted made … lucky me.

Écorché - c/o Wikipedia

Tranquility ... let's all be tranquil

Charles Le Brun - French painter, physiognomist, art theorist  (1619 - 1690)

Champlevé technique ... 

Cloisonné style ... 

Basse-taille ... 

Vitreous Enamelling ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Blue Moon Rising solved … Suspended Coffee anyone?

 

Originally I could only think of David Niven's memoir 'The Moon's a Balloon' – which on the cover of the French version appears as rising blue and white moon rays …

However 'My Blue Moon' tethered the other day on Eastbourne College's playing fields was a fundraising campaign to provide more school bursaries for children from all backgrounds – they are aiming for 40 fully funded pupil bursaries.

Having friends who used to work at the College, or friends and family who either went there themselves, or sent their children to the school – I hadn't realised that Nigel Lawson's son, once our Chancellor of the Exchequer … and Nigella Lawson's father, is the headmaster: Tom Lawson. Also I'd no idea he lived down here …

Eastbourne College - with 'its balloon'

Tom Lawson appeared with his wife in the 'Blue Moon', which did not rise – as a promotion for this new appeal.

The College was founded 157 years by the town's philanthropic doctor, with support from the local residents.

Bandstand in 2005

The Balloon tethered at the College, and the Bandstand concert in the evening, were the 'headlines' announcing their Blue Sky Bursaries Appeal … including regular giving, one-off gifts, or a financial legacy … however small or large …

The Blue Sky Bursaries Appeal has been based on the Caffè Sospeso film … whereby when a coffee is bought, another is included in the price – so deserving customers can have a free coffee …

Container in Naples where the
'Surprise' receipts can be dropped

Paying it Forward style with an added beneficial twist … and with that long-term commitment added in … I hope they succeed for the kids who could benefit from the Appeal.

I have to say I couldn't quite get to grips with the Caffè Sospeso (coffee suspended) film … but obviously the concept is working around the world.

Volume One bookshop in Duncan, Canada

My mind is scattered … around much going on, much coming up … and the usual – my curiosity … so I need to get to grips with my typing fingers!

Thanks for visiting … and I will be around soon – the fingers promise!

Our logo for five years of 
encouraging posts that we blogged about

You might remember my WATWB post in 2018, about the chap who paid for my groceries – when I quietly nearly died of embarrassment … that post resonated with many of you … after I confirmed I'd paid it forward with a book voucher to a local Early Learning Day Care Centre.

Wikipedia's entry for Caffè Sospeso

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Blue Moon Rising ... or not ...

 

To look out of my third floor flat window and see a blue ball rearing its ugly or beautiful nose over the rooves … was a bit of a surprise.

Church Tower ahead, Town Hall clock
distantly on the left - but I can hear its chimes,
when the wind is in the right direction ... 

I know we're into yellow/green ball season – which I'm very happy has arrived … bringing back lovely memories of summer days playing tennis, Wimbledon, and now Eastbourne – while watching some (a lot!) on the tv … but only in the summertime and on the grass.

... and here behind the branches you can
just see the College's tower

So that blue ball … I thought might rise high into the air – but no … it floated around – hiding behind the church tower, before peeping out the other side … but obviously tethered to an unimportant part of the playing fields (cricket) in front of Eastbourne College.

It's a-rising ... two halves ... 

It blew itself up, backed down … as the day went on – but never rose into the sky to meet one of its yellow mates high, high above … and most definitely wasn't as interesting as the ones Elephant Child's finds for us.

As I walked down the road - up it bobbed

But it amused … the thought that sprang to mind for this very non-musical blogger … was as you might have guessed 'Bad Moon Rising' … by Creedence Clearwater Revival …

What interested me though … when I had a look at their Wiki page … was one of their early names … totally infra-dig now-a-days … was a character originally drawn by Florence Kate Upton that was around for nearly 70 years … but certainly came into my childhood memories …

Tethered to the main playing
field ... 

We're about to hit our election polls … and then what next – I really don't want to think – here, I guess, we'll get on with things … but I do 'worry' about what's happening elsewhere … so with apologies to Creedence Clearwater Revival …

I see the blue moon a-risin' …

I see trouble on the way

I see earthquakes and lightnin'

I see bad times today …

... probably tomorrow … or the days a-followin' …

what will be will be …

A slightly better view of the College's
buildings ... it's lovely to walk by on 
my way to town (behind the other church 
tower that rears up between the buildings)

Eastbourne tennis had three wonderful very sunny days, then the wind blew for 2 days, before easing up for finals … being by the seaside has its fun!

Happy summer days, or winter days as EC loves, to you all – I'll stick with my summer ones for now … yet true to form ... it's drizzling!

Elephant's Child - Balloon Spectacular 2020, Canberra, Australia 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Horses and Exotic Animals in the 1700s ...

 

I gave a talk recently on George Stubbs (1724 – 1806) – known as the 'horse painter' … a man who shunned the conventional way of artistic learning: copying others' works – he taught himself.

Whistlejacket (1762)
Probably his most famous painting

He'd have none of it … his drawings, paintings, etchings would be 'all done from Nature'. Starting young, aged 8, he drew bones loaned from a doctor in his home town of Liverpool, unfortunately none survive …

Horses coming in, in all directions

... and that is the (lack of) story of Stubbs' life – he was a loner … silent to the world ... other than the extraordinary artistic works he left us.

side view Skeleton of a horse (1766)
{Courtesy of Wellcome Cllection}

Some notes were correlated in the 1800s – which became known as the (Ozias) Humphry (1742-1810)/(Joseph) Mayer(1803-1886) 'essay'.

Poor little zebra - her mate died on the
journey over; Stubbs painted her in her
green setting - not at all usual - but his
backgrounds were guessed at ... he never
left Europe. (1763)

He is known today mostly for his incredible horse paintings … yet probably his greatest skill was in the study of anatomy of animals. Two hundred and fifty years later … his horse ones are still considered definitive …

Cheetah and Stag with two Indians (1765)
It is painted as the Indian way of hunting with
cheetah, using a collar and sash to restrain
the animal, the hood has been pushed back
as she's about to be released.
(This was commissioned by Lord Pigot, who
had been Governor of Madras)

Before I go on – a thought … how will future generations think of us: 250 years on (2275 AD or so)??… as we are progressing life, so were our ancestors – many not in a way we approve of today.

Two Leopards  (c1776)

The 1700s were when lots of change was happening … scientific, exploration and agricultural revolutions … menageries were held by the wealthy and royals …

Rhinoceros (1780 - 91)
This was commissioned by Dr John Hunter -
the brother of William Hunter both Scottish
physicians and anatomists.
Poor animal died of injuries inflicted as a 
result of its predilection for sweet wine -
it's hard to be sure!

The art work I show here are of his exotics … due to the demand of the wealthy … whereby Stubbs could spend time at menageries to study these creatures … so accurate, even today …

Soldiers of the 10th Light Infantry (1793)
The King commissioned it.  Very stilted -
as was the norm in the 1700s

Then I came across the work being done by Pauleen Bennett an Australian scientist studying anthrozoology at La Trobe University, in Victoria, Australia – a field of study she founded.

The human body

Stubbs at the end of his life was wanting to compare the anatomy of the Human Body ... 

Common fowl

... with a common fowl, and a tiger body - sadly they were never finished.

Tiger body

We have moved on … we continue to learn, study, research – yet George Stubbs gave us this amazing record of anatomy … while letting us see his beautiful art works …

Self-portrait in 1782

I'd love to know what our successors will think about us in 250 years time … and obviously your thoughts on George Stubbs' …

I've included many of his exotics with notes, together with one or two of his anatomical horse engravings ... 

Royal Academy of Arts – George Stubbs …

The artsdesk.com – review of exhibition I saw in 2019 in Milton Keynes, UK

Wikipedia's article on Pauleen Bennett - anthrozoologist

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

D-day and world pain: 'Weltschmerz' ...

 

As it was D-day and I was remembering my parents who were 19 or 20 at the beginning of the war and 24 or 25 at the end … my father's birthday being at this time of year.

Melancholy - 1891

So in these tempestuous times … I wondered how to title the post … then frustratingly after the internet went down for nigh on 24 hours ...

… just when I needed it to be up and running for work that needed to get done, the ideal title for this post courtesy of Big Think appeared … link also below ... 

Suits me … melancholy at this time, yet uplifting as we're so fortunate to be alive and well … we all have our ups and downs …

Anxiety (1894)

... while in the last 80 years – since the end of the 2^nd World War - which was meant to be the end of all wars … discord never stopped and perhaps more so now as there's the non-stop news, social media traction – all of which add to people's insecurity …

... so rightly described in this article … where reality often doesn't live up to people's ideals and expectations.

Separation (1896)

I was going to include photos of three churches I visited recently ... covering 1,000 years of history - including many skirmishes, conflicts, war-mongering peoples ... locals and invaders ... but that can wait ... weltschmerz is more suitable ... 

An Optimist and a Pessimist by the
Russian artist Vladimir Makovsky (1893)

World Pain - unfairly affects the poor, the disenfranchised ... it also applies to our communities ... especially in these days of the 21st century ... 

As the BigThink article mentions … we can soften our weltschmerz by keeping our positivity out there, and refusing to be dulled by others … our spirits need to be up … 

Syrian girl in Istanbul ... looking wistful 
but with hope ... 

... we can all do it, I know we can … all those little positive actions, optimistic thoughts add up giving us a more generous view of life.

Big Think article: The upside of feeling dissatisfied with the world: How to work your "weltschmerz".

Please note unless mentioned the art is by Edvard Munch (1863 - 1944) - his Melancholy is the one chosen by Big Think to illustrate their article.  

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

WEP Get Togethers # 3 … Spring blues, with a touch of 'flambeau' …

It's ridiculous … it's still blowing a gale, and heaping lots of that chilly wet stuff on us … everything is green, when really we should be enjoying Spring blues. No doubt we'll be having water rationing later on – as we haven't enough reservoirs … but so be it …

June togetherness ... 

Our election is going to be in early July I'm very glad to say – let's get it out of the way so we get on with life … there's far too much discord going on: here, there, and everywhere … so I'll be happy to have ours over and done with.

When I wrote this post – I'd got no idea about the background to said 'flambeau' … we did have fun and games ??!!, which took a few days to get over … our fire-alarm goes off quite often, particularly since a challenged-family moved in to the basement flat next door.

Spring Blues ...

The house is divided into a variety of flats, but at one stage both sides of the house was a school – so the layout isn't the normal 'semi' that most would expect.

Two Thirty am (yes, early morning) – the alarm goes off … and stops, and goes off, and repeat, repeat … we're all tired of it – as it's usually set off by that family.

Hand held brazier by Joan
in the 1928 film Joan of Arc

I couldn't see anything serious, and looking at how other flat members were reacting, so went back to bed … but was then surprised to see two fire engines and an ambulance turn up.

The firemen went to work … by then I was up and about again watching from on high … got the hoses out, put their smoke equipment on … and went in – but that really was it.

I've since found out – curiosity necessitated itself … the wife was there on her own, so I could chat to her – apparently her husband doesn't sleep – he put some oil on for some french fries (what we call chips!), went to the loo … when he came back the pan was on fire … he managed to tip that over his foot …

Issam Kourbaj - exhibit at Kettles Yard, 
Cambridge in 2016

The place was full of smoke, the extractor fan had caught fire, the walls are in a state … he's now not in a fit state to do much, his wife is grafting to clean up … the two kids – another story – are away for now (bliss – no screeching from the little girl) …

This scenario … got me thinking … I was wise not to go out into the street in the early hours of the morning … common sense by me prevailing.

But brought to mind … Hilaire Belloc's 1907 poem 'Matilda' ...

Struwwelpeter

 ... and the one I was even happier to have happy memories of 'Struwwelpeter' by Heinrich Hoffman – which is available on Project Gutenberg … 'Merry Stories and Funny Pictures' – particularly 'The Dreadful Story of Harriet and the Matches' … and of course Struwwelpeter himself – just like the chap next door …

There are plans for a move to a better area for the family, where their friends are … the little girl turned off a tap – so one of the flats this side of the house didn't have any water – they borrowed from me … not a problem – but the actual tap-stuff was turned off by Amelia the amoeba of the aqua world …

Life in Hilary land … and oh yes … after the peregrinations of the night-time … guess what – it was fire-alarm test day for the flats, then I was meeting friends for coffee up at a local hotel – and yes … you guessed it – the fire-alarm went off there too … thankfully a test … that day I'd had it! Three alarms in less than twelve hours …

That's summed up recent days ... I do hope there will be no more fire alarms, and that the weather will improve … summer really is due soon … isn't it?!

Hilaire Belloc's poem 'Matilda' ... 

Project Gutenberg - includes Struwwelpeter by Heinrich Hoffman

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories