HISTORY AND CHILDHOOD

Marielle had sent me over a link for a new «art-page» so I could read an article on one of Courbet’s major works. «A Burial at Ornans». Not finding the page at once, I spent a couple of hours reading different historical facts about different paintings. A wonderful new page for me and finally the article on Courbet was fascinating.
http://www.histoire-image.org/index.php 

However, it is not in English.

Instead of going to the exhibition I had planned to see and having discovered something on the new page, I went off to «L’Histoire de France racontée par la Publicité». «French History through Advertising». It was also the first time too I had visited  the Forney Bibliotheque. 

http://equipement.paris.fr/bibliotheque-forney-18

So the Gaulois smoked gauloise cigarettes, Henry lV drank beer, Napoleon lll didn’t suffer from the cold, Mariane (who represents liberty)  is very much a advertising star not to mention all the political figures of a period between 1880 and 1914 who seem to either be sent up graciously, until such imagery is banned. 

Napolean lll and a Fridge


The war effort and soft drinks

Sticks everything
Marianne "It maybe the revolution but this ?" 

Rental car ad during the Presidential campaign

 There is now a law which does not allow the exploitation of our President or well known figures, although there were quite a lot of ads. which appeared in the press during out last elections. Frankly I felt that this ad for SIXT rental cars was in thoroughly bad taste and I doubt if Holland gave his green light for such a picture.


As all the posters had rather subtle French titles or probably are not of much interest to those who do not know the history of France of that period (I knew little) - I am sure th above are self explanatory.

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«One thousand and One nights»? Does that ring a bell? Or is it better if I say «The Arabian Nights» ?

There is an astonishing exhibition at the Arab Institute. When Laurent and I had gone to see the Contemporary art exhibition in November, it had just started and the crowds of young children were impressive. Wednesday is a school day off in France and many museums open their doors to a younger generation. I’m not that young so I could wait.

Arab manuscrit around 1640
As children I suppose we didn’t really look into the history of this book. My brother may have. I didn’t. Originally indo-persan, it was translated into the Arab language in the 8th century. As time went by, the book became more sophisticated, recited, played, adapted, copied. There is no canonical version. A multitude of mythologies, images and beliefs from the arab-musulman world which are developed by Antoine Galland, a French historian and translator who did the FIRST translation of 35 stories between 1704-1717. Of course if you have been brought up on Aladdin’s Lamp, or Sinbad or even The 40 thieves, I was somewhat perplexed to read that these tales were never in the original Oriental version but added by Antoine Galland. 

Sinbad
The Genie's girl from Sinbad


Ida Rubenstein and Vaslav Nijinsky: Water colour by Georges Barbie 1913: Sheherazade


Due to all these copies «The Nights» are books within books, stories within stories. Even to erotica. That was Richard Francis Burton - English of course - who did a rather sensual version in 1880.

Telling the King a story
One of the most wonderful stories and probably that which touches women the most is Sheherazade.  The story of life. The king, Shahriar who wanted to take his revenge on women who were faithless lovers, decided to marry a young virgin every day and then kill her the following morning. Until Shehrazade comes into the picture. Night after night she recounts fairy tales (?) to the King who waits in baited breathe to hear the next one. After 1001 nights, she becomes a Mother and «buys back» the life of all the women in the region. That is the basis of «Nights». A tale to forget treachery, betrayal and fight against the injustice of those in power.

Anyone game to try it?






Commentaires

Michael Keane a dit…
Ce commentaire a été supprimé par l'auteur.
19/2/13 07:01
Michael Keane a dit…
I have a vague recollection of reading "The Arabian Nights" when a child. I recall that it was a rather a fabulous book with beautiful, richly-coloured illustrations.
19/2/13 07:04
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