Started off by further cyclist annoyance, annoyance caused by passing a bit of newly seeded grass, in the margins of the outrageously expensive cycle track works on West Hill, covered with fresh cycle tracks. The wretched cyclists can't even be bothered to keep on the tracks so expensively put together for them. See reference 1. Not to mention the fact that the idea of using a bicycle bell never seems to occur to a cyclist under sixty. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity in the online survey I completed recently for the roads people to bang on about this.
However, we got to South Kensington without further trouble, to take tea in a café which appeared to be being run by a couple of sturdy sisters, at least one of whom smoked, from somewhere in eastern Europe. The tourists that followed us in took fish and chips, fish and chips which looked surprisingly palatable given that the fish had been warmed up in the microwave. The chips, also ready cooked, were warmed up in the fryer.
And so into the V&A where the trusty was very vague about cloisonné (see references 2), so we hung a left into the early modern English gallery, dimly lit and full of large and expensive, mainly domestic, artefacts from around 1450.
We learned that in the days of Henry VIII, not only did one carry one's wall hangings around with one, one also carried locks for the greater security of the privy chambers. You had the local carpenter nail them onto the relevant doors on arrival. This way Henry could be sure that only he had the key. Bad case of Juvenal's 'quis custodiet ipsos custodes' - but perhaps, if he carried on like he did in his mini series ('The Tudors'), one can understand why.
We learned something about cloth of gold, clearly the must use material of the day, with Florence seeming to be implicated in its manufacture. Did Florence get rich by supplying the luxury goods trade in north western Europe?
Amused by the huge bed of Ware, and associated from its many layers of bedding to the tale of the princess and the pea. By Drake's jewel, which reminded us once again how people of that time put a lot of value on intricately worked but small objects. And on jewels, in part, I suppose, because they were relatively permanent objects in a very transient world. By a virginals, the layout of which nicely illustrated for us the transition between a lute or a harp and a piano. The keyboard, while short, appeared to have a modern arrangement of black and white keys, so we must by then have known about modern scales. By fancy cushions, which the ticket for which explained were far more valuable than the chairs on which they we put. Wooden chairs without, that is to say, any built in cushions or interior springing. All in all, a fascinating and not overly crowded gallery, either with things or people.
Out to the rather extravagant café out back, sublet to Benugo, who were able to give us a very decent light lunch. Décor only marred, to my mind, by overly large lighting globes hung from the ceiling. Otherwise a splendid place; a fitting companion piece to the equally extravagant Albert Memorial in nearby Hyde Park.
From there to the silver department which I round rather unpleasant. All that time and materials poured into objects almost the only purpose of which was showing off. Mostly without artistic merit, beyond the craft skills involved. But, towards the end, we came across some church silverware with which I was much more comfortable; showing off in the service of the Lord seemed much less objectionable than simply showing off.
Amused by the non-conformists who had a thing about oral hygiene and who, rather than having one large communion cup, to be used by the whole community, had sets of very small individual ones. Very appropriate to the every man for himself ethos of the up and coming tradespeople who used them. By the reliquary illustrated, able to cope with a large number of small relics, many of which were still present. Bits of bone mainly. We had, for example, a chip from the scapula of St. Ursula Undress, chipped off during a stunt which went wrong during the making of the second Bond film.
On exit, we admired the Swarovski pillar, a slender black pillar, maybe 10m high, studded with chunks of cut glass, with colourful illuminations from within. A proper bit of art. Clever, making good use of the materials involved. Self contained, complete in itself and not making some pretentious statement about matters about which the artist knew little. Not seeking to shock. And today I was pleased to see at reference 3, that as well as selling mid range ladies jewellery, Swarovski go in for flashy bits of public art, showcasing their skill with glass.
Out to admire, once again, the antique indicator boards at Earls Court station. Perhaps they have the status of a listed building.
Reference 1: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/cycle-madness.html.
References 2: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/pots-or-what.html and http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/roman-villa.html.
Reference 3: http://www.swarovski.com/Web_GB/en/index.
Reference 4: http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/webdocs/mnm_mt31.pdf. A useful source on medieval textiles.
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