never a dull moment

So, about this whole "no posts in weeks" thing.  The usual lassitude is to blame in part, of course, but a few other things have intruded as well.  You know the whole silly "blogging can kill you" thing that went around a few weeks ago?  True, I'm sure, for some tiny number of highly driven people who also take poor care of themselves and possibly have other underlying problems, and not a bad pretext for taking some space back for one's self.  As for me, it's been some time since I've been hell-bent on posting daily, so I've not been facing that kind of pressure--heck, I've been begging for ideas.  Nonetheless, I discovered that when life puts you flat on your back in a hospital bed, as happened to me three weeks ago, it's a good time to focus on things other than what might make a good blog post.  I'm doing well, much better now than then (though it was slightly interesting to have the mundane realization that when tv shows do the cliched first-person angle giving the view of someone looking up from a gurney being wheeled around, showing only bits of hallways and walls and hospital staff looking down--yup, it's pretty much like that), but still can't say that writing here has emerged once more as a priority.  Which isn't to say that I'm not planning to write more, or that I'm not reading, thinking, and (when opportunities arise) looking, but I'm trying to balance those aspects of life with a greater focus on the whole staying out of the hospital thing.  I owe emails to several people, which I hope to get to soon, as well as posts on various books, more thoughts on Pompeo Batoni and 18th century painting in Rome, and who knows? Perhaps I'll make to the MFA's El Greco/Velázquez show.

For now, though, I'll leave you with an update and a quick link: first, as many of you no doubt have already seen, Geoff Edgers had a recent follow-up article in the Globe on the MFA's fight over its Kokoschka painting.  In brief, his piece presents arguments from some disputing the museum's attempt to claim title to the painting on the grounds that its late 1930's sale by the then-owner, an Austrian Jew, was not a forced sale.  Criticisms by historians of the museum's stance and perceived lack of forthcoming regarding all details also figure in as well.  I'm simply noting the article right now, as I blogged about previous coverage, arguing (with reservations) in favor of the museum's position.  Obviously I know nothing of the exact facts of the case beyond what's been published, and reserve the right to change my mind about the case, as I indicated I might in previous posts.  Still, while I'm not going to go into detail at this time--I haven't read carefully enough--I remain concerned about what the exact standards are for determining whether a work should be restituted and how they apply here even as the public case for the museum has taken some hits.  More, perhaps, later.  On a different note, the quick link I mentioned is to the blog of The New Courtauld Mafia, bring you "cultural coverage from the students of the Courtauld Institute of Art.  They're just getting started, and could post more frequently (though I shouldn't talk of course), but I'm thinking it's a site worth watching, even if I admit to a certain bias in favor of almost anything Courtauld-related.  Check it out, and I'll be back when I can.

Updating on preview: whoa, the Courtauld Mafia site informs me that Anne d'Harnoncourt has died.  Terrible news that puts my experiences in perspective.  I second their post.

Comments

[Fugitive Ink]

Warmest best wishes for a swift and lasting return to the ranks of the vibrantly healthy, perhaps even richly productive bloggers, JL - as good as it was to be reminded of that Rilke poem, it has to be said, we all missed you.

[mark]

Hey, stay well. I hate the gurney thing all covered in streptacocklie yuk. It's worse when the bills start arriving.

[Franklin]

Jumping Jehosephat! So sorry to hear about this. The speediest of recoveries to you.

[rb]

hey! glad you're back! don't feel pressured to blog on any schedule but your own....carpe diem

[Cynthia]

ohmigod! Hope all is well. I've been inactive much of this year, but need my kicky fix periodically. Don't worry about blogging if you're not up to it. You won't lose us!

[eva]

Hope you are feeling better.