National Gallery, Sainsbury wing. I've always liked him too, despite the fact that his anatomy is shocking. If you stood Mars up straight, he'd be a freak. I think his appeal has to do with it being simultaneously human, carnal and with a subtle, encoded non-Christian symbolism. I like Crivelli too, for his humanity and style, even though he's regarded as one of the lesser painters.



I like St. Sebastian's slightly flirty look, particularly given that he's doing his human pincushion act. And the nun who has just crept out from under St. Francis' habit.

LLLLLLLLLLLLL

S'funny thaqt, I was trying to think of the saint who famously got arrowed to death cos there's a particular painting I liked of it/him. Been ongoing for about five years that. I can look it up now, thanks.

His expression looks slightly pissed off/threatening to me. Like 'you did not want to do that'.

The nun is fucking great though. Were nuns really that big in the olden days uncle Steve?

Only when dehydrated.

I have a feeling she was the commissioner of the painting or summat, and as a mere mortal she is depicted as Lilliputian.

I can't find the painting I liked. But this one sort of makes up for it:

There is also, of course, the desperately self-indulgent Jarman movie.

Oooh, forgot about that. I liked that, but I like Jarman generally. Despite of/because of his self-indulgence maybe. It's ok to be self-indulgent when you are quite interesting. Love his Wittgenstein film too, of course. Only saw that recently though.

:'D

It was the ten minutes of pretty men splashing each other with water in S.L.O.W. motion that got on my tits.

But I agree, he could direct; think he needed imposed discipline or he got self-indulgent.

I can only remember it vaguely. But yeah, he does tend to go off on one sometimes. I sort of like that though. But that's probably because I don't like plot/narrative much.

My interpretation of Manthrob's wallpaper.

 

The nekkid chap on the rights is stoned out of his brains, and the four hairy-legged children are part of his crazy hallucinations. The missus opposite, is quite obviously giving him evils for being such a pot-head.

 

Have I interpreted this picture correctly?

 

/fart

All I know is that he's going to get his ear dicked.

There's an Italian restaurant in Keswick with that painting on the wall, except that Venus looks more like Kylie Minogue and Mars kind of looks like he's supposed to be George Clooney. Or possibly Philip Schofield.

I tried to explain your take on the humour of it, but everyone was too busy figuring out the bill.

Bloody hell that was a bit of a thread resurrection. Didn't the topic come up again recently?

It is a terrible thing to do to a wonderful painting.  I trust you refused to pay on grounds of good taste.

I wanted to refuse to pay on the grounds of good taste, but then I realised that I was eating very nice Italian food and could see Kylie's nipples through her dress, a situation I'm unlikely to ever find myself in again.

It's a reasonable defence.