Mary Shelley, you know the name, don't you? You should recognize her as the author of "Frankenstein", a novel which she wrote when she was in her late teens. She was the wife of the poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley. There is a great deal of detailed information at the poetry foundation website about her and you may find it here. Fascinating story of her life!
There were two instances this week that made me think of her.... Today, on the BBC website, there was a list given of the top 20 British novels and her book was listed at number nine.
Also, this past week, there was news about the Mona Lisa, the famous painting by Da Vinci. The news was that by some kind of technology that there might be different paintings UNDERNEATH the Mona Lisa painting. Now, what was I trying to tell you before science reared its ugly head? Oh yes, Mary Shelley....well, you see, the Mona Lisa made me think of another one of the masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, The Last Supper. And when I happened to look just a bit further...I happened upon something written by Mary Shelley when she saw the painting of The Last Supper in Italy...
"First we visited the fading inimitable fresco of Leonardo da Vinci. How vain are copies! Not in one, nor in any print, did I ever see the slightest approach to the expression in our Saviour's face, such as it is in the original. Majesty and love - these are the words that describe it - joined to an absence of all guile that expresses the divine nature more visibly than I ever saw it in any other picture."
The Poetry Foundation article that I have the link to above, states that although Mary Shelley was most well known for her works of fiction, she was a most excellent writer and she should also be known for her works of NON fiction. (Okay, they worded it much better than my paraphrase, but you get the idea, right?)
Anyway, rather than to just think of Mary Shelley as the author of Frankenstein, I will remember her description of "The Last Supper".
"Majesty and love".
The above is a photo of a painting that we saw at the Monastery which is very close to where we live in Rockdale County. In all the rush of the season, I am grateful to be so close to this quiet retreat.
And one more thing, I thought to have the list of the 20 top novels that I mentioned, but since I thought that didn't fit, I took them out. Somehow, that made everything go kind of strange with a ghostly background in white, I really don't know how to fix that or delete it!
It is astonishing that two such gifted writers were married to each other. I love your chapel. A beautiful building brings such peace to the soul.
ReplyDeleteIt would have been interesting to have been around that couple, I should think!
DeleteAnd yes, the church at the Monastery is amazing, built of solid concrete (although it looks like marble) it is very quiet and peaceful.
They definitely traveled in a literary circle. It is quite a list of people who were friends of theirs.
DeleteThere is still time - you'll find those missing ornaments, I am sure of it! There can't be all that many places in your house where you may have put them. Start by looking at the least likely one, is my suggestion :-)
ReplyDeleteI see you have been experimenting with different fonts and backgrounds in this post. That one line here probably wasn't intentional:
First "First, we visited the fading inimitable fresco ore
Sometimes it is also blogger acting up on us, so maybe that's what happened here.
I probably will find my missing ornaments as soon as Christmas is over because that is the kind of thing I do!
DeleteSpeaking of which, I had the list of the 20 British novels on here for you, but took them off since, as you know, I rarely read novels these days. When I took that list off, that is where everything went haywire!
I can't blame blogger for this one, it was all me! :-)
It's so amazing that her novel is even more famous than her husband's poetry is now....at least in popular culture. It's so hard to believe she was so young when she wrote Frankenstein.
ReplyDeleteShe was just in her teens when she wrote her most famous book. She wrote for most of her lifetime but that is her most famous work.
DeleteWe watched the program on the Mona Lisa this week, it was fascinating and there are actually many different versions of the painting it turns out, as well as the other one painted below the one we know. A really interesting subject! I hope that you find your decorations, so annoying when you mislay something isn't it. They are very pretty, I didn't know that you were a crocheter! xx
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I have been crocheting since I was a teenager! Any EASY patterns you would like to pass along to me would be most appreciated!!
DeleteSpeaking for Leonardo da Vinci, we should appreciate his art as he left it for us, not what he painted over!
As I'm spending Christmas with just me and my two furry rascals, I have nothing to organise, really.
ReplyDeleteI've placed my order for fresh seafood. I'll pick that up on Christmas Eve. I'll have half a leg of ham to graze on at leisure through into early New Year...and I've made my Christmas cakes...one for me and a couple more to give away as gifts. I'll have loads of fresh fruit (I always have loads of fresh fruit. I'll have shortbread and fruit mince tarts...and I intend having a very relaxed, chilled-out day with music playing. I've already organised not being organised..I certainly won't be lacking in the food department!
I won't be putting up a Christmas tree or decorations...I've not done so for a few years now. I do bring out a Santa ornament and a golden reindeer and they stand together on my coffee table. That's all I need. :)
What a talented duo the Shelley's were. I bet they had some fascinating conversations in their household!
I like the picture I have in my mind of Santa with his golden reindeer on your coffee table, sounds warm and inviting to me!
DeleteAnd I wish I could come and eat with you, your food always sounds so wonderful on your blog!
I admire talented people, and I think the Shelleys qualify.
An interesting lady, Mary Shelley. I hope you find your ornaments!
ReplyDeleteInteresting indeed. Not found my crocheted pieces yet! :-)
DeleteI would love to live near a monastery. I've heard people say there might be another painting under the Lisa for a long time now. Science always has the answers. I just hope they don't ruin a classic piece of artwork to find out what's underneath it.
ReplyDeleteScience and math, both of them are necessary evils to me! I am thinking that if the artist paints over something, he has done so for a reason! There, like I have a mind of an artist or something! :-)
DeleteMay you find those ornaments and many others! We aren't even looking for ours this year, there is so much going on, it's sad.
ReplyDeleteAnd even when you try to get ordinary things done it is a challenge to get anywhere because of all the traffic! Hope you find time for some quiet time, as they say in England, "chance would be a fine thing."
DeleteMajesty and love are such wonderful words especially this time of year. I just found my Christmas plates that were lost, hope you find your ornaments too.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you found your Christmas plates!
DeleteMajesty and love...don't you love what she wrote when she saw "The Last Supper"?
Mary was a also a teenager when she gave birth to Jesus. I didn't say this in this post but of course, that came to my mind.
I heard that story about the Mona Lisa too - although such a thing is not unusual, we are always a little surprised when we learn about it! Mary Shelley was certainly an interesting girl, and so Young when she wrote Frankenstein. Hope you find your ornaments and have the fun of seeing them on your tree!
ReplyDeleteMy tree is now decorated. I mostly used very small ornaments since it is a small tree. Never did find the ones I crocheted but that's okay, I used a lot of the ones that our son made when he was little and those mean the most to me anyway. x
DeleteOh I wish you had left the list in, Kay! I should go google it, but I'm behind in everything. We had a snowstorm today, and I got caught up in making my fist chicken pot pie ever. I forgot about all I had to do and made the pie. I should be irked at myself for going off the rails, but Terry LOVED the pie, so it was a good thing! What a lovely description Mary Shelley wrote. I have to read her Frankenstein. Have a good one!
ReplyDelete