Slumdog millionaire

This is a close up of the other Thanh Son picture. Nothing spooky that I've noticed in it so far. Instead it is perhaps a rather unappealing choice of subject - the dilapidated back streets, nay even slums of Hanoi - but the impressionistic rendering ameliorates that, and I find the colour combination of the yellows and blues very attractive, and something rather quirky about the lone television aerial.

Such was our indecision at the gallery about which picture to buy, we ended up buying both, and I am very pleased about that now, as they look well together, assisted in this strange marriage by being framed in the same gilded frames.

Slums and gilding, now that's juxtaposition.

Anatomy of a picture

These two oil paintings hang on the wall in our sitting room, and both are by the artist Thanh Son, who was born in Haiphong, Vietnam in 1982. He is a graduate of the Hanoi Industrial Fine Art College, and first exhibited in Hanoi in 1997, (at the tender age of 15). He may not yet be a name to conjure with, but we felt there was an immediate sense of talent when we spotted these pictures in a gallery in Hanoi in 2006. The canvases were removed from their stretchers and rolled to fit into a piece of hard plastic tubing for the journey back to Bangkok, where they then had to be placed on new stretchers and framed.

At first glance, the picture on the left (above) has a haunting quality, with an impressionistic view of a dimly lit street in Hanoi.

It was not for some months until we noticed a ghostly figure of the head of the Buddha, (above). The delay in its revelation created a sense that it had materialised subsequently.

Subsequently too we noticed the number "21" on the door, which had not be obvious before.

And finally, what had appeared to be the head, apparently wearing a traditional straw hat, is in fact only a round alcove in the wall.

The canvas measures one metre by one metre, so this might explain the initial lack of observance of these details. But the subsequent discoveries have made the picture the more enjoyable. And spooky!

Picture of a loose woman

This picture is up for auction in January, and is purportedly by the English artist George Romney, (1743-1802). A similar and slightly better execution of the same portrait was offered at auction in July, as below and which I wrote about here.

As you will note, I had my doubts about the picture for sale in July, as it seemed to differ so much from other better known Romneys. Clearly this woman has been about, and whoever she is - neither seller offered that information - my doubts about authenticity have only increased by seeing another version of her.

It's not snowing here

In fact it's sunny, with blue skies, low humidity, and a slight breeze, with temperatures ranging from 31C to 20C. Perfect.

If ever there was a need to remind people that travelling over busy holiday periods can be hazardous to one's charm skills, this story of the chaos at Eurostar is surely a salutary reminder.

On the other hand, one can take precautions, and travel well ahead of time, as demonstrated by Her Majesty here.

Symmetrical visions

This is the dining room of the designer Tim Gosling. To me it is utter pefection, with its salute to the classical in every detail, including the oculars. The choice of colours too are ideal, with the yellow in the freize complementing the purple of the chair covers.

I find the design process very exciting. I sketch with the client, so that they can watch the genesis. Many people start with the big picture, but I'll begin with the detail, perhaps a leg, or a ball-and-claw foot...I'll help the client explore the possibilities.

I could not ask for more from a designer.

Image and story from House & Garden.

"The holiday shopping season"

So described by Betty Liu of Bloomberg TV. And sadly, that's what it's really all about. The little matter of the birth of JC seems to be but a footnote to history. Judging by all the usual hype, I'm sure that's what most people focus on, which is why for example in a country that is 99% Buddhist, it's capital city and shops are festooned in meaningless tinsel.

As written by The Blue Remembered Hills, in his thoughtful blog, I was encouraged by the words of Nigella Lawson on the subject of Christmas:

Another interesting point that Nigella brought up about Christmas is that, despite her being Jewish "of the blood pure" as she says in her book Feast, for her as a Brit Christmas represents that mid-winter, non-denominational, non-religious festival of lights that bravely battles the dark of winter with a promise that spring, and rebirth is not too far away.

So in a way it has become festival for everyman, and every religion, or no religion. "Battling the dark of winter" however is a bit of a stretch when it's 30 degrees Centigrade in bright sunshine, with blue skies.

Happy holiday shopping season then, if that's what pulls your sleigh.

On thin ice

Reverend Robert Walker (1755 - 1808) Skating on Duddingston Loch about 1795, by Sir Henry Raeburn. National Galleries of Scotland.

This serene skater is thought to be the Reverend Robert Walker, minister of the Canongate Kirk and a member of the Edinburgh Skating Society. The club - the oldest of its kind in Britain - usually met on the frozen lochs of Duddingston or Lochend on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Walker's pose, as he glides across the ice, looks effortless, but would have been recognised by fellow skaters as a difficult and sophisticated manoeuvre. This small picture, showing a figure in action, is quite unlike other known portraits by Raeburn.



"C19th of a woman by Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823)", offered at auction on 9th December and sold for USD850.

Like so many before, the name on the plaque suggested that this was a Raeburn, but the lack of provenance, and any obvious artistic similarity to his work rang the usual cautionary bells. The price paid, versus the estimate, reinforced the doubts I had.

Similar stories here, and here.

Ex libris

In the house depicted here and here, I showed two rooms that had custom built bookcases, and in this library the walls are lined with them, and books. Clearly this is now proving inadequate, with books now being stacked on the Chinese horseshoe chairs. The room beyond the library is mostly used for reading, as it has better light during the day, and no interference from the television.

In camera

A visit to Japan seemed incomplete without some consumer electronic retail therapy - the purchase of a camera and a laptop. The former for me, and the latter for my partner.

The problem with buying these in Japan however, is that instructions come in Japanese, which is a problem for me, but not for him. My initial attempts at photography, (including these of our dining/sitting room), was that they were a shot in the dark. I have now managed to download a manual, which was not an easy task, because the camera model is called something different in Japan to that sold for export, (and therefore in English).

The room's decorative scheme is now five years old, and whilst there have been a number of ongoing adjustments, they are principally of the change in pictures. With light coloured fabrics - Jim Thompson silks, there has been discolouration and the usual signs of wear, (such as that which an antimacassar would eliminate), and which have not been permanently removed by the usual steam cleaning. But the fabric is durable, and still serviceable, so I suspect it will not be high on the priority list for household expenditure.

Mesh blinds have been used for window coverage, to maximise the view, and they are down in a number of areas during the day, to reduce sun damage, and exclude the heat.

When "now" means "right now"

This rather amusing story from The Daily Express is a reminder not only of the longevity of the Queen's reign - and the eleven prime ministers who have served her over the course of 57 years, but also of the constitutional role of the sovereign, and "her government".

Chic on the Peak

These are more images of the house in which we stayed in Hong Kong, of the drawing room. At the garden end of the room there are two alcoves that go towards a small sitting room, (to the left), and a small dining room, (to the right). Each of these rooms themselves connect separately to the library, and to the main dining room. This creates an unusual, interesting and yet very structured layout to the entire ground floor of the house.

More images of these other rooms and the main hall and staircase will follow. The painting above the chimneypiece in the drawing room is by the Australian artist Garry Shead, and is one of many in a very fine collection which the owners have amassed. The picture above the large sofa in the first image, is Chinese, and almost Lowry-esq, with its vibrant activity of children playing. The walls in this room, and the hallway have been given a polished plaster glaze.

In a previous post about the dining room of this house I commented on the custom built bookcases at one end of the dining room. A larger expanse of this flanks the double door entry from the hallway. And the library, well naturally the library has many more, wall to ceiling.

Nestling

The beauty of Hong Kong's colonial neoclassical architecture is demonstrated well here by the former Supreme Court building, (now Legislative Council), which was built in 1912. It is surrounded by the exciting new architecture of the Hongkong Bank building, designed by Lord Foster, and the new Bank of China building designed by I M Pei. The old Bank of China building is just across the street in Des Voeux Road Central, and houses the China Club, exquisitely decorated in 1920s Shanghai style by its founder Sir David Tang, (of Shanghai Tang fame).

The (now) Legislative Council building faces Statue Square, so named because it used to have a statue of Queen Victoria, removed many years ago to Victoria Park. The only statue that now remains is that of Sir Thomas Jackson, the first chief manager (chairman) of The Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation, now called HSBC.

The recent visit to Hong Kong is a reminder of a good legacy of the British empire. Would that others were as successful.