Tuesday 21 Apr, Dublin

Grazie mille!

Monday 20 Apr, Rome

Sunday cloister

For 9 years, I presided over meetings of the board of Coll. S. Bonaventurae (Quaracchi) in the Aula Max of S. Isidoro Roma with its 1672 frescoes of the great Irish Scotists.

Yesterday was the last. It has been an honour & a delight to work for this great Franciscan enterprise.

After public Mass in the house this morning

Rome

Sunday 19 April, Rome

Saturday 20 Apr, Rome

Rome from the roof

Friary cat

Walking back from my meeting

Small archives are the best

Unlike home, everything will be dry in a few hours.

Also unlike home, there’s a chance of a “strike” from passing green parrots.

Friday 17 Apr, Rome

Angelus time in the archive, Rome.

Out the window.
1620s (?) ceiling.
1633 theology thesis.

Verum est

“I exist in all languages: my language is Greek, my language is Syrian, my language is Hebrew. My language is that of all peoples for I exist in the unity of peoples”

Augustine of Hippo, Enarrationes in Psalmos, 147.19

(Met Museum)

I’ll not be posting much for a few days.

Here are some tulips in the meantime.

Juxtaposition on a Dublin lamppost:
Blessed Charles of Mt Argus (a healing holy man) and a “build a better you” QR code.

Ah fantastic, what an archetypal story!

Gosh, that's fascinating! Thanks for that, John.

Friday 10 Apr, Dublin

Gold pendant cross decorated with enamel, Sicily, 1600-1699.

(V&A Museum, London)

9 Apr 1255: Pope Alexander IV confirms the papal grant of the throne of #Sicily to Edmund (Crouchback) Plantagenet #otd

(Bodleian)

Jan Steen, Woman at her Toilet Signed & dated 1663 Densely packed with puns, both visual and verbal. Also, apparently, a rare example of a painting showing 17th century stays, worn by women beneath a jacket (as seen here) or bodice. (Royal Collection Trust, HM CIII)

‘News from London of the execution of the rebellious Quakers and the hanging of the disinterred bodies of Cromwell, Ireton and Bradshaw, from a correspondent in London, 1661’.

(British Museum)

9 Apr 1657: Under a banner depicting a red lion with motto 'Who shall raise him up' Thomas Venner's supporters assemble for rebellion at Mile End #otd

9 Apr 1566: Sir Thomas Hoby arrives at #Calais #otd as ambassador to #France. A soldier at the town gate puts 2 or 3 shots though the #English flag - Hoby demands an apology, which came, but very slowly...
Hoby was also translator of Bucer & Castiglione to #English (eebo)

This is a wonderful survival: Christ Washing the Feet of His Disciples, 1595, done in wool, silk and thread from a design based on a woodcut by Albrecht Dürer from his Passion series, done about 1508 (Met Museum)

The School Master
1662
Adriaen van Ostade

(Musée du Louvre)