I have noticed that an unusual phenomenon takes
place as one gets older. I can remember vividly things that happened 50 or more
years ago, but ask me what I ate at the weekend and my mind is a blank!
Selective forgetfulness? Or merely that my mind ignores the trivial…
So, some four years ago, I started a hunt for a
long-forgotten member of my family. I was especially interested in my
great-great-grandfather on my mothers’ side of the family, as it was rumoured
he was a clever man with his hands. Evidently, he had been a glass-maker; a
specific type of glass – stained or coloured – used much later by far more
well-known glass-makers, such as Lalique.
I have managed at last to track down this
long-distant relative as well as some of his work. It seems his work was of
high quality, and was much in demand by both the “upper class” and the church.
I have been able to photograph some of his work and I must admit, it does have
an ethereal tenderness to it; tremendous depth of colour and feeling, so as it
is getting near to the Festive Season, I felt it would be the right time to
share it.
In all honesty, I cannot say he did everything
on the two windows above, but he is on record as having contributed
significantly to that on the upper left hand side.
So, in the spirit of being able to “touch the
past”, I wish everyone seasonal greetings, and may 2015 bring you peace and
good health…
Until next year,
Peripatetic Scribe
A splendid seasonal post, PS - and I wish you everything of the best in 2015. The photographs are stunning - just shows what our ancestors were capable of doing back then. I hope this post is shared amongst many as it certainly lifts my heart...
ReplyDeleteJames, Totnes
And an excellent 2015 to you also, PS. These are lovely pictures and I agree with James that what our ancestors did should be remembered and saved - too often we never give such things a thought...
ReplyDeleteBruno, Berlin
James, thank you for your kind words. I think every generation starts out by dismissing "the past", only to put a lot of effort into "creating hot water" (again!)
ReplyDeleteBruno, thank you for your comments. I agree that saving what we inherit is of prime importance - but perhaps, as I have replied to James - each generation seems to think that only "they" can produce "art". No comment!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work!
ReplyDeleteA Quote I like: "There is no future without a past, because what is to be cannot be imagined except as a form of repetition.”
I wish you an excellent 2015!
Lucana
― Siri Hustvedt, The Summer Without Men
Lucana thank you for your comments. I enjoyed the quote as it is most relevant to this blog post....
ReplyDelete