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The launch of the Kindle got me thinking about all the things an e-reader can never be. You can't inscribe it to a loved one or press flowers between it's pages. It can never be an object, loved and cherished and passed from person to person, with any history. Your children cannot draw upon the pages and fill it with precious memories. Illustrations look terrible on it, especially art, which needs a grand scale. For these reasons and many more, help me celebrate the real thing: dusty old books!

Monday 11 January 2010

Carnival of Venice



















It will soon be that time of the year again, when the people of Venice put on their fantastical masks and take to the Grand Canal to celebrate their famous carnival. Today I listened to Donizetti's Venetian opera Lucrezia Borgia and I was suddenly reminded of a bizarre and beautiful book, which is one of the greatest arguments against the Kindle. For this book is hand made. Beautifully. It is completely unique.





It is called Navi Venete, and no author or illustrator stakes a claim on it. It is entirely anonymous and yet made with unwavering love and dedication. Inside the board covers, stitched into the book, are a collection of around 25 exquisite if rather naive paintings of Venetian ships. Some are taken from mosaics, others from paintings by Giotto or Tintoretto. Others from real ships. They range from tiny little boats, to battleships, and on to the splendid ceremonial ships of the spectacular carnival itself, with the city's protector, the Lion of St Mark proudly standing on flags of gold.

I have never been to Venice. It seems almost superfluous when so many other people have been. And yet I long to go. No doubt I would be bewildered by the light and the details on the architecture and get in a tizzy about how on earth to paint it and then struggling with the realisation that I am, alas, not J.M.W. Turner. But go I will...one day.



Until then, Leyla Gencer sings Donizetti's music and these beautiful little paintings fill my head with dreams and hopes of what I might one day discover when I finally get there.
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13 comments:

  1. Thomas Taylor11 January 2010 at 14:43

    James, are these actual paintings? Extraordinary! Where on earth did you find this?

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  2. Rachel Fenton11 January 2010 at 22:38

    Venice is amazing from what I remember of being there as an eleven year old but I do recall it having the most horrid stench! Plus I was scared out of my wits with tales of thieves and bag snatchers....but I went into a mask shop and bought two tiny brooches which I loved to the point of destruction. I don't think you could ever go to a place like Venice and forget much of it.

    I do like the naivity of the illustrations but especially the delicate tone of the whole creation.

    Thanks for posting.

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  3. James Mayhew12 January 2010 at 01:02

    Thomas, these are indeed real paintings all hand-stitched into the book. I found amongst some books collected by the owner of a holiday cottage in Suffolk where we were staying. She was donating the books to the scout jumble sale. I bought rather a large number but this was the gem - it cost just £1 !!!

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  4. Mary Hoffman12 January 2010 at 02:08

    What a find! And remember that some wise person once said, "no-one ever sees Venice for the first time"!

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  5. James Mayhew12 January 2010 at 03:34

    That's a lovely thought! I'll cling to it until I manage to get there... I wonder if it will be as thrilling as Stravaganza???

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  6. Saviour Pirotta12 January 2010 at 08:39

    Lovely book, James. Glad you rescued it and gave it a good home. I'm booked to go the Venice Carnival in February but I've missed three weeks of training thanks to my leg so I might have to stay put and work out.

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  7. James Mayhew12 January 2010 at 11:23

    Well I should think scurrying around Venice is a resonable work out! Go on - then you can send me a post card!

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  8. Saviour Pirotta12 January 2010 at 12:10

    I might. And you should listen to Korngold's Violanta!

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  9. Thomas Taylor12 January 2010 at 12:41

    £1!

    Collapse of stout(ish) party.

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  10. James Mayhew12 January 2010 at 23:01

    Ha ha! Thomas I can imagine you sitting in a large leather chair nursing gout!

    Saviour - I remember once seeing a recording and wondering about it. I'll investigate. I tried Britten's Death in Venice but I struggled to be honest. I find I need tunes!

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  11. Oberon's Wood20 January 2010 at 02:37

    Oh my...these books are all so lovely!!!

    I have a question...did you photograph my house for your blog picture?...That pile of books looks like it escaped from here...

    I adore books...so nice to meet a fellow biblio...do you like the way they smell too...oh that didn't come out right...

    Please tell your son that I LOVE his drawings...I suppose some of Daddy's talent has rubbed off?

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  12. Rachel Fenton23 January 2010 at 00:04

    I don't mean to be rude (actually I am well aware I am overstepping a boundary here) but are you aware that this comments thread is turning into something of a (slightly dodgy) gentlemen's club? :)

    On another note...Very envious I wasn't there with my quid for this book!

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  13. James Mayhew23 January 2010 at 00:14

    Ha ha! You are always welcome in the club, Rachel, to keep us (dodgy) gentlemen in order!

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