Or What’s the Appropriate 15th-Century Term for “Weekend”?
THE MIDDLE AGES
I dearly love that term. What other historical term covers, in three easy-to-learn words, more or less one millenium of recent Western culture. What other term implies that the millenium in question is a sort of waiting room, a thousand years in the antechamber of the Renaissance, after having been turned out of the theatre when the curtain fell on Antiquity… (this is of course without the Dark Ages, which were just… dark one supposes). What other age has variously “waned”, “declined”, and otherwise guttered out shamefacedly. What other period saw the rise the fabulous cathedrals that dot Europe and is nonetheless qualified as an architectural dead end, rescued only by a revisiting of a more distant past. What other age lends itself so well to enthusiasts, fantastical and historical alike. The Middle Ages seem to have room for everyone. Umberto Eco describes his “Ten Little Midle Ages” precisely, tongue firmly in cheek.
(By the way, ever noticed how the “re” and “neo” movements seem to occur more and more frequently? The initial Renaissance looked back to a few thousand years before. Neoclassic and Neogothic to rather more recent heritages. The sell-by date on nostalgia seems to get shorter and shorter. Now we have neo-70’s and ‘90’s revivals.)
I doubt the inhabitants of the late 15th century were much preoccupied with their unfortunate state. Imagine all those people just hanging around “Mom, is it the Renaissance now?” “Hush darling, it’ll be a while yet.”
Why do a considerable number of otherwise normal adults get dressed up in hose, doublets and mail shirts and run about for a weekend? Beats me. Maybe it’s the research, the pleasure of physically recontructing so many wonderful objects and accessories and using them, the pleasure of what amounts to being in a painstakingly crafted illusion and the visual nourishment it provides.
As for me, I think it’s crowd involved, who come from all walks of life in England, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland, are a truly inspiring bunch. Having a huge castle to play in for a few days helps…
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Photos: Arnaud Besson, Alexander Graff
LORDS & BRUSHES
The documentary will be aired in September , but in the meantime here’s the temporary DVD sleeve.
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TORONTO
More information on the book signings in Toronto.
There is also a line party, which will be a novel experience, at least for me.
“The first 45 people will receive a copy of EA GAME, “The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle–earth” a real time PC strategy game.” The FIRST 45 people!? I hope to emerge from all this alive. I promise I will take photos.
(I love visiting Canada.)
CAROUGE
The exhibition in Carouge will be opening Monday June 26
More information soon on [url=http://www.seigneurdesanneaux.ch]http://www.seigneurdesanneaux.ch[/url].
GENEVA BOOK FAIR
The originals of The Abandoned City will be at the Geneva Book Fair from April 27th to May 1st.
I’ll be there on the 29th at 6 p.m. The documentary THERE AND BACK AGAIN will be shown at 7 p.m. and a signature session at 8 p.m. Everything will take place at the Librairie Payot Stand.
18H SOIRÉE JOHN HOWE
illustrateur du «Seigneur des Anneaux»
DÉBAT ÉCRITURE, ILLUSTRATION, ANIMATION
John Howe, illustrateur, François Boetschi, réalisateur
et Olivier Muller, directeur du NIFFF.
19 H PROJECTION JOHN HOWE : THERE AND BACK AGAIN.
Documentaire inédit de François Boetschi et Anders
Banke, film de 52 mn en anglais.
20 H ENTRETIEN ET DÉDICACE AVEC JOHN HOWE
Les originaux du dernier livre illustré par John Howe
et écrit par Claude Clément «La ville abandonnée»
aux Éditions Casterman, seront exposés sur notre
stand pendant toute la durée du salon.
The originals will later be at the Librairie La Bulle in Fribourg (CH), with a book signing at 3 pm. on May 7th, and at a date to be determined at the Librairie la Dam’Oiseau in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
COMING UP
This October, Kingfisher Books is publishing an encyclopedia of fantastical creatures with a few pictures of mine inside.
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ON THE DRAWING BOARD
Quite a lot, which explains the infrequent newsletters. Currently somewhere between Heorot and Helm’s Deep.
THE JOY OF TRAVEL
Returning from Paris a while back on the TGV fast train. The customs agents, both French and Swiss, board the train at Pontarlier, the last stop in France, then work through the train in the time it takes to reach Neuchâtel. The French go by, and then one ofthe Swiss guards (complete with gun, dog and an undeniable air of authority) looks me straight in the eyes and says “Sir.”
I’m like a lot of people, even if I haven’t a thing to reproach myself, being singled out by a uniform makes me imagine all manner of unconscious and unintentinal offenses.
“Yes?” I quavered (maintaining that air of indifferent nonchalance while sweating profusely and trembling like a leaf).
“Is your new book out yet?”
I was so relieved I’d have given him one if I’d had any with me… but on seconmd thought, with my luck, I’d likely have been busted for attempted bribery.
