Rembrandt as literary critic
Howard Wallace has been delving ‘artfully’ into the biblical stories that fascinated Rembrandt. Howard writes: The National Gallery of Victoria’s collection of two paintings by Rembrandt does not give a …
‘What if ?’
As the month of May concluded, contact tracers were actively tracking down potential COVID contacts and exposure sites around the city of Melbourne while case numbers grew. Curiously, this ‘hunting’ …
May-Day
‘A Tale of Two Cities’ (1859) by Charles Dickens begins: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was …
Sisley’s ‘seascapes’
Taking her lead from the current exhibition of Australian Impressionists and the forthcoming exhibition of Impressionist art from the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston) at the National Gallery of Victoria, …
For the birds …
Another wonderful piece from Barrie Sheppard. Barrie writes: If you happen to be on the viewing platform opposite the shops at Point Lonsdale at about 8:00 am on a Tuesday …
‘Jokesmithery’ in the Golden Age
Writing in 1973, the art historian Ernst Gombrich (somewhat portentously) noted: ‘In … the history of art, we have become intolerably earnest. A false prestige has come to be attached …
World Health Day
Today, April 7, is World Health Day. Since 1950, the World Health Organization has celebrated this day annually and takes the opportunity to focus attention on important aspects of health. …
“white rabbits!”
On the first day of each month it is customary at our house to say: “white rabbits!” as the first utterance we make. This superstitious habit is of unknown origin …
Can ’empathy’ be learned?
How many psychiatrists does it take to change a lightbulb? Only one … but the lightbulb has to want to change. I was reminded of this joke when the discussion …
No Planet B
It has been a year since COVID prematurely shut down the 2020 Melbourne Art Book Fair at the National Gallery of Victoria. But the Book Fair is back – although …