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Have felt poorly all week. On Wednesday I went back to the hospital for more tests as I had terrible breathlessness. No cause found, but at least I have an independent witness to my inability to breathe after a 20 metre trip to the green grocers in *Baby_Elvis*.
In the mean time I have been reading *Oil Paintings in Public Ownership in Birmingham* (2008). I ordered it several months ago when Pearl began her non-sleeping streak and I was feeling so miserable, and it has just arrived.
Some observations:
* I chose Birmingham because I knew of the excellent Pre-Raphaelite collection there but I was surprised to see the calibre of some of the other works - Constables and Turners and an interesting Renaissance collection.
* The portrait of Francis Brett Young convinces me that no one can carry off the Hitler moustache except Hitler - www.qlhs.org.uk/oracle/brett-young/brett-young.jpg
* You know how Picasso had a blue period? Walter Sickert's entire career was one long brown period.
* After a while (like about two pages) I find the endless portraits of hairy Victorian patriarchs interchangeable. I honestly can't tell one Mayor from the next Chancellor.
* Landseer did a portrait of 'The Duchess of Bedfordshire's Gameskeeper, J Michie'. I find this astonishingly patronising - Wasn't Landseer known for his animal pictures?
* And Pearl likes the animal pictures best, though she is also keen on the Renaissance adorations of the baby Jesus too. I think it is the angels she likes.
In the mean time I have been reading *Oil Paintings in Public Ownership in Birmingham* (2008). I ordered it several months ago when Pearl began her non-sleeping streak and I was feeling so miserable, and it has just arrived.
Some observations:
* I chose Birmingham because I knew of the excellent Pre-Raphaelite collection there but I was surprised to see the calibre of some of the other works - Constables and Turners and an interesting Renaissance collection.
* The portrait of Francis Brett Young convinces me that no one can carry off the Hitler moustache except Hitler - www.qlhs.org.uk/oracle/brett-young/brett-young.jpg
* You know how Picasso had a blue period? Walter Sickert's entire career was one long brown period.
* After a while (like about two pages) I find the endless portraits of hairy Victorian patriarchs interchangeable. I honestly can't tell one Mayor from the next Chancellor.
* Landseer did a portrait of 'The Duchess of Bedfordshire's Gameskeeper, J Michie'. I find this astonishingly patronising - Wasn't Landseer known for his animal pictures?
* And Pearl likes the animal pictures best, though she is also keen on the Renaissance adorations of the baby Jesus too. I think it is the angels she likes.
