Happy Mardi Gras

Happy Mardi Gras!

To-day is Shrove Tuesday or as the French call it Mardi Gras (literally Fat Tuesday). It is a day of festivity and feasting before the austerity of Lent, which starts to-morrow, Ash Wednesday.

Across the world the day is marked by excess, merriment and jollity. Many cities have their Mardi Gras celebrations to-day, whilst Rio has its famously flamboyant Carnaval and ancient crimbling Venice its opulently baroque masked Carnevale.

The origin of the name "carnival" is disputed. Variants in Italian dialects suggest that the name comes from the Italian carne levare or similar, meaning "to remove meat", since meat is prohibited during Lent.

A different explanation states that the word comes from the Late Latin expression carne vale, which means "farewell to meat", signifying that those were the last days when one could eat meat before the fasting of Lent. Yet another translation depicts carne vale as "a farewell to the flesh", a phrase embraced by certain carnival celebrations that encourage letting go of your former (or everyday) self and embracing the carefree nature of the festival. However, explanations proceeding from carne vale seem to be folk etymologies and are not supported by philological evidence.

Another possible explanation comes from the term "Carrus Navalis" (ship cart), the name of the Roman festival of the goddess Isis, where her image was carried to the sea-shore to bless the start of the sailing season. The festival consisted in a parade of masks following an adorned wooden boat, that would reflect the floats of modern carnivals.

In Britain we have Pancake Day, where households used up their fats and sugars before the lean month of Lenten abstinance by making pancakes, usually served with lemon juice and sugar. This evening, more than any other night, Britain should be filled from coast-to-coast with tossers!

The word shrove is the past participle of the English verb to shrive, which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by way of confession and doing penance. During the week before Lent, sometimes called Shrovetide in English, Christians were expected to go to confession in preparation for the penitential season of turning to God.

I have shown Harlequin tossing a pancake in a marriage of English and Italian traditions. Harlequin, or Arlecchino in Italian, is the most popular of the 'zanni' or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'Arte tradition and its descendant, the Harlequinade. The Commedia dell'arte is the common ancestor of both modern-day circus clowns and Punch & Judy puppet theatre. He is often associated with Carnevale. Never malicious but always good-humoured he uses his wits and cunning to turn difficult situations on their heads, though he will sometimes use his Batte or slap-stick (from which we get the term!) to bring down the pompous.

Happy Mardi Gras/ Pancake Day!

City of Nantes

La Cité de Nantes (blason)

These are my take on the coat-of-arms of Nantes, in Brittany (Bretagne), France.

I have never been but the place has long had a fascination and draw for me. Home of the imcomparable Jacques Demy, giant mechanised elephants, the LU Petit Buerre bisket... et la plupart de mes amis de FessesBouc français!

I hope very much that this year I will visit it at last!

The arms show a ship upon the waves. The band of ermine at the top indicates that the City is in Brittany, and lies on the mouth of the great river Loire at the regions southernmost tip. The sails of the ship should also be of ermine but I've swapped them for the town's famous biscuit/ bisket!

The motto, Favet Neptunus Eunti, is Latin and means Neptune Favours the Sailors. I am not at all sure of the ship's friggin' rigging but then I'm no sailor. But like King Neptune I favour them! (Favet Paulus Eunti)

Bonjour mes potos nantais!

Lost In Music

Lost in Music

I listen to a lot of Classical Music these days. Mostly because our noisy next door neighbours have become just that little bit more noisy and irritating of late with the addition of two perpetually screaching children to add to the Beyoncé impressions, arguments and religious wailings. Radio 3 of a morning has saved my mind.

This man is literally 'Lost in Music', in this case Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G. Easily done.

Joseph Grimaldi, clown

Joey Grimaldi, clown

Joseph Grimaldi (18 December 1778 – 31 May 1837), was the most celebrated of English clowns, and is credited with being "the first whiteface clown".

Grimaldi was born in Clare Market, London, the son of an Italian, Signor Giuseppe or Joseph 'Iron Legs' Grimaldi, pantomimist, circensian artist and ballet-master at the Drury Lane and Rebecca Brooker, a dancer in the theatre's corps de ballet. Grimaldi's father died in 1788, when Joseph was nine, and plunged the family into debt. When less than two years old, Joseph was introduced to the stage at Drury Lane; at the age of three, he began to appear at the Sadler's Wells theatre.

As a young man, Grimaldi fell in love and married the daughter of the principal proprietor of Sadler's Wells. Maria Grimaldi died in childbirth 18 months after their marriage. He found solace in performance, and eventually married again, to Mary. A son, Joseph Samuel Grimaldi was born and entered the profession, but drank himself to death by the age of thirty.

As a pantomime clown Grimaldi was considered unsurpassable, his greatest success occurring in Harlequin and Mother Goose; or the Golden Egg at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden (1806 and often revived).

Joseph Grimaldi was an innovator, his performance as Joey introduced the modern clown to the world, building on the existing role of Clown as a country bumpkin and fool, derived from the Commedia dell'arte; and making the clown the central character in the Harlequinade. His physical comedy was extraordinary, as was his ability to invent visual tricks and buffoonery, and his ability to poke fun at the audience. As Music Hall became popular, he introduced the pantomime dame to the theatre and was responsible for the tradition of audience participation. His most famous song was Hot Codlins - some historians say these are toffee apples, but I think it was simply a hot and spiced baked apple, sold on the street (incidentally the word Codlin or Codling for a cooking apple is a corruption of the french Coeur de Lion, literally Lion-Heart. Whether this was named in honour of its shape, an hommage to great Richard I or simply that you needed to be brave to eat one I cannot tell!).

A little old woman, her living she got by selling hot codlins, hot, hot, hot. And this little old woman, who codlins sold, tho' her codlins were hot, she felt herself cold. So to keep herself warm, she thought it no sin to fetch for herself a quartern of ........

The audience would shout Gin, with some glee, and Grimaldi would fix them with a stare and say Oh! For shame!, in mock disappointment.

A famous 'sad clown' anecdote was first told of Grimaldi: A young man goes to see his doctor. He is overcome by a terrible sadness and doesn't think anything will make him feel better. The doctor says, "Why not do something happy, like going to see Grimaldi the clown?". The young man answers, with a knowing look, "Ah, but Doctor", he says, "I am Grimaldi."

By 1828, he was broke, and benefit performances were held at both Sadler's Wells (17 March) and Covent Garden (28 June). A pension of £100 per annum was instituted by the Drury Lane Theatrical Fund. He could barely walk, but spent his last years at the Cornwallis Tavern, in Pentonville, the landlord, George Cook carrying him back to his nearby lodgings at the end of the evening. On the night of 31 May 1837, he died, owing to the years of extreme physical exertion his clowning had involved. The London Illustrated News wrote Grimaldi is dead and hath left no peer. We fear with him the spirit of pantomime has disappeared. His death was less than three weeks before Queen Victoria ascended the Throne.

Joseph Grimaldi's grave is in Joseph Grimaldi Park (formerly, the courtyard of St. James's Chapel), Pentonville Road in Islington. To this day, on every first Sunday in February, a memorial service is held for Grimaldi at All Saints' Church, Haggerston, Hackney. At this service, hundreds of clowns flock from all over the world in full 'garb', and the service is followed by a show for the children.

My image is based on a very famous print of Joseph Grimaldi, which you can see here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Grimaldi.jpg

Saffron Walden

This is the badge and arms of Saffron Walden, a small and beautiful market town in North Essex.

In the 16th century and 17th century the saffron crocus (crocus sativus) became widely grown in the area. The flower was precious, as extract from the stigmas, the saffron, was used in medicines, as a condiment, as a perfume, as an aphrodisiac, and as an expensive yellow dye. This industry gave its name to the town and what was originally Chipping Walden became Saffron Walden.

These arms show the Saffron Crocus within the walls of the castle. They are intended as an heraldic pun (known as canting arms) or rebus - "Saffron walled-in".

Artist and illustrator Edward Bawden (a big hero of mine) lived in the town during the 70s and 80s and the town's Fry Art Gallery houses a good collection of his work and that of his circle.

Ordering Plants Online

Ordering Plants Online

A job I just finished yesterday for an article about buying plants online and getting them delivered to your door!

Wanted to keep a limited colour palette, and to clearing delineate the inside (the ordering) and the out-of-doors (the delivery). Sir Plants-a-lot was my terrible idea - I had to check first to see it wasn't an actual company already! The fish-shaped 'gurgle vase' on the window-sil was added because I saw one on Antiques Roadshow on Sunday night!

Happy St David's Day!

Happy St. David's Day! Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant!

Saint David, or Dewi Sant, as he is known in the Welsh language, is the patron saint of Wales. He was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the sixth century. During his life, he was the archbishop of Wales, and he was one of many early saints who helped to spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of western Britain.

For details of the life of Dewi, we depend mainly on his biographer, Rhigyfarch. He wrote Buchedd Dewi (the life of David) in the 11th century. Gerallt Gymro (Giraldus Cambrensis), who wrote a book about his travels through Wales in the 12th century, also gives some information about Dewi's early life. Dewi died in the sixth century, so nearly five hundred years elapsed between his death and the first manuscripts recording his life. As a result, it isn't clear how much of the history of Dewi's life is legend rather than fact.

However, both sources say, so we can be relatively certain, that Dewi was a very gentle person who lived a frugal life. It is claimed that he ate mostly bread and herbs - probably watercress, which was widely used at the time. Despite this supposedly meagre diet, it is reported that he was tall and physically strong.

Dewi is said to have been of royal lineage. His father, Sant, was the son of Ceredig, who was prince of Ceredigion, a region in South-West Wales. His mother, Non, was the daughter of a local chieftain. Legend has it that Non was also a niece of King Arthur.

Dewi was born near Capel Non (Non's chapel) on the South-West Wales coast near the present city of Saint David. We know a little about his early life - he was educated in a monastery called Hen Fynyw, his teacher being Paulinus, a blind monk. Dewi stayed there for some years before going forth with a party of followers on his missionary travels.

Dewi travelled far on his missionary journeys through Wales, where he established several churches. He also travelled to the south and west of England and Cornwall as well as Brittany. It is also possible that he visited Ireland. Two friends of his, Saints Padarn and Teilo, are said to have often accompanied him on his journeys, and they once went together on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to meet the Patriarch.

Dewi is sometimes known, in Welsh, as 'Dewi Ddyfrwr' (David the Water Drinker) and, indeed, water was an important part of his life - he is said to have drunk nothing else. Sometimes, as a self-imposed penance, he would stand up to his neck in a lake of cold water, reciting Scripture. Little wonder, then, that some authors have seen Dewi as an early Puritan!

He founded a monastery at Glyn Rhosyn (Rose Vale) on the banks of the small river Alun where the cathedral city of St. David stands today. The monastic brotherhood that Dewi founded was very strict, the brothers having to work very hard besides praying and celebrating masses. They had to get up very early in the morning for prayers and afterwards work very hard to help maintain life at the monastery, cultivating the land and even pulling the plough. Many crafts were followed - beekeeping, in particular, was very important. The monks had to keep themselves fed as well as the many pilgrims and travellers who needed lodgings. They also had to feed and clothe the poor and needy in their neighbourhood.

There are many stories regarding Dewi's life. It is said that he once rose a youth from death, and milestones during his life were marked by the appearance of springs of water. These events are arguably more apocryphal than factual, but are so well known to Welsh-speaking schoolchildren that it is worth mentioning them here.

Perhaps the most well-known story regarding Dewi's life is said to have taken place at the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi. They were to decide whether Dewi was to be Archbishop. A great crowd gathered at the synod, and when Dewi stood up to speak, one of the congregation shouted, 'We won't be able to see or hear him'. At that instant the ground rose till everyone could see and hear Dewi. Unsurprisingly, it was decided, very shortly afterwards, that Dewi would be the Archbishop...

It is claimed that Dewi lived for over 100 years, and it is generally accepted that he died in 589. His last words to his followers were in a sermon on the previous Sunday. Rhigyfarch transcribes these as 'Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.' 'Do the little things' ('Gwnewch y pethau bychain') is today a very well-known phrase in Welsh, and has proved an inspiration to many. On a Tuesday, the first of March, in the year 589, the monastery is said to have been 'filled with angels as Christ received his soul'.

Dewi's body was buried in the grounds of his own monastery, where the Cathedral of St. David now stands. After his death, his influence spread far and wide - first through Britain, along what was left of the Roman roads, and by sea to Cornwall and Brittany.

St David's Day, as celebrated today, dates back to 1120, when Dewi was canonised by Pope Callactus the Second, and March 1st was included in the Church calendar. After Dewi's canonisation, many pilgrimages were made to St. David's, and it was reported that two pilgrimages there equalled one to Rome, and three pilgrimages one to Jerusalem. March 1st was celebrated until the Reformation as a holy day. Many churches are dedicated to Dewi, and some to his mother Non.

I have shown three generations of one Welsh family - mother, grandmother & two daughters - dressed in trditional costume. Their remarkable tall hats are thought to be the origin of the pointed witch's hat - an early form of racist slur! Two of the family hold umbrellas - this is Wales after all! Their names, from right to left, are Gwenyth (my great-aunt's name), Buddug, Blodwyn and little Winifred (my mum's name) at the end. There's a traditional Welsh song 'We'll keep a welcome in the hillside', but judging by the expressions on their faces it sure isn't this hillside!

Saint David is the only one of the United Kingdom's four patron saints to have come from the country he is now saint of!
The image is based on an early Victorian print showing Welsh farm women.

If you are Welsh you should wear a daffodil or leek on your lapel or in your hat to-day. Or at the very least a scallion!

Happy Saint David's Day!