J. W. Waterhouse’s Hylas and the Nymphs: A Modern Debate
The Manchester Art Gallery recently removed what is probably their best-loved painting ‘to prompt conversation’. The story of Hylas and the Nymphs dates back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans and has come down to us in a variety of tellings which means the story can be interpreted more than one way. I like J.W. Waterhouse’s painting of the subject and was sorry to learn it had been taken from view.
Controversy was intensified by this Guardian interview with the curator Claire Gannaway which included the quote:
“We think it probably will return, yes, but hopefully contextualised quite differently. It is not just about that one painting, it is the whole context of the gallery.”
By the time my sweetheart and I called in to the gallery earlier this week, the picture had been replaced, now above a sea of post-it notes.
Continue reading “J. W. Waterhouse’s Hylas and the Nymphs: A Modern Debate”
Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflecting
This characterful bus shelter in Manchester, England, could brighten even a dull day. I love the patterns of colour and light created by the design viewed against the city’s architecture. Continue reading “Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflecting”
Celebrating Chinese New Year 2016: The Year of the Monkey
Night was drawing in when I took this photo of the trees and street lights in Albert Square, Manchester, dressed in red lanterns to celebrate Chinese New Year.
The auspicious colour did seem to have mystical properties, glowing even in the dusk as the lanterns danced in the wintry wind. Continue reading “Celebrating Chinese New Year 2016: The Year of the Monkey”