White Sails Billowing...

I provided my own image of a close up of water from a fountain to Edith Wharton's short story A Cup of Cold Water in my previous post, Summer Air. I got the idea from this line: White skirts wavered across the floor like thistle-down on summer air...But the same short story (in fact, the same line) gave me an idea for another image: that of sailboats on Lake Ontario. The white skirts wavering could be white sails billowing.





Harbourfront Sailboats

[Photos By: KPA]
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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Man, Nature and God

Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway skis during the Alpine Men's Downhill.
He finished fourth

Many of the Winter Olympics' events are frighteningly dangerous. I recently watched a replay of a female skateboard competition, where the Czech Republic contestant fell in a dramatic way. She came back to show she was O.K., although her helmet was cracked!

I feel sorry for these contestants. I think they are being pushed to the extreme. But what else is there but for more - more speed, more height, more aerial acrobatics, more danger. Perhaps it is time to stop these Olympic events (and other championships too). But that will never happen.

It is sad that I have to feel sorry for athletes, whose role (if I can call it that) is to show me their strength, not for me (or spectators) to detect any weakness. The Olympics, and the inhuman standards that have been set, have made these athletes into vulnerable creatures, instead of confident and bold humans. The joy of watching sports is lost once we suspect that the athletes aren't up to the standards.

So, do we lower these standards that we have set? I think it is too late for that. Either we have to re-invent the Olympics' sports, or we have to watch each competition with the dangers (of death, even) that are imminent. If we chose the latter, than we have truly become barbarians, sending our men into the lion's den to be devoured for our enjoyment.

So all we can do is watch with bated breath at these incredible feats of these mere humans. We want them to be god-like. We want more of everything, for them to prove their mettle. After all, humans have always aspired to, and admired, physical strength. But I don't think we've ever gone this far, pitching one human being with nature, with the mountains.

And we watch in horror as nature takes one of them and plays with him as a puppy does with a ball.

But, there is an option: NOT to watch. That is the one I have chosen, which is the only one I have control over. And of course, that means not listening to the news for the next couple of weeks, and to click past all postings that fill every webpage. We have to be inhumanly absent from the world around us, for two weeks, at least.

Leni Riefenstahl, Hitler's filmographer, understood the god-like energy of man that can be displayed in the best of men. Her film Olympia, on the Berlin Summer Olympics accentuates the incredible feats of the athletes. She was a skier herself, and had already acted in several mountain films, and understood the majesty of nature, and the thrill of conquering it.

Her magnum opus is the film Triumph of the Will. It has been labeled as a "Nazi film" or a "propaganda film for Hitler," The initial shots of the film are of Hitler hovering above in an airplane, ready to land, god-like, on earth. But Triumph of the Will is bigger and more ambitious than a propaganda, or even a Nazi, film. Riefenstahl's artistic vision (and mission) was to show the glory of man, who can reach the skies. Yet she forgot, or ignored, Icarus, one mere man who tried to reach the heavens where only gods could reach.


Henri Matisse (French, 1869–1954)
Icarus, plate VIII from the illustrated book, "Jazz"
Date: 1947
Medium: Stencil
Dimensions: 16 1/2 x 10 1/4 in.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

And the biggest irony of all, which she in her frenzied passion didn't see, was that Hitler is not even an Icarus, but a stringy, spindly, short, dark-haired man, who was ready to destroy the world for the Nordic Blonde Gods of Germany. His Icarus moment was short-lived, although devastating to Germany. His vision of heaven transformed quickly into a Götterdämmerung, leaving Europe shell-shocked for decades to come.

Here we are adulating athletes, and urging them to fly close to the sun. How close are we to Hitler's vision now?


An unidentified skier takes part in the first training session
of the Val Gardena Men’s World Cup Downhill on December 16, 2009
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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Jewel Reigns

Last year a beautiful American Foxhound named Jewel won the Hound category in the National Dog Show.

This year, she went one up and won both the Hound, and the final coveted Best in Show prize.


Yes, she is smiling

Dogs are interesting creatures. They do things with such seriousness, and above all, with such eagerness to please their masters. Some act a little cocky, even in front their masters, but their are quickly reined in by an adroit and commanding voice. Jewel was a little disobedient in last year's competition, and that is why the judges feel she may have lost the grand title, although she did win the 2012 Best in Hound trophy. It looks like she was a little spooked by the foreign environment, with all the noise and the crowd. But, the judges were quick to add that at the moment of the hunt, the American Foxhound focuses in on putting his attention on the chase and capture. That is probably the same spirit that led Jewel to win the coveted dog prize this year.

And this year, she seemed perfect. She was happy to show what she knew, and she did so with some flourish. Probably the familiarity with the place helped, as well as a few other competitions and prizes she took along the way. And a dog's natural proclivity for play (at whatever age) also adds to Jewel's, and other dogs', charms.



The foxhound was President Washington's favorite dog. As I wrote here (quoting from the America Kennel Club):

George Washington, the father of our nation, is also the father of American Foxhounds. In 1770, Washington imported a number of hounds from England and in 1785, he received a number of French foxhounds from the Marquis de Lafayette. These hounds, carefully bred and maintained by Washington, are the founders of today’s American Foxhound. More than 30 hounds were listed in Washington’s journals, including "Drunkard," "Tipler," and "Tipsy."

First Gentleman of Virginia, 1909
John Ward Dunsmore
Fraunces Tavern Museum


Jewel: A Winning Spirit


Roger the Pekingese, who won Best in Toy [Dog] category.
How can this creature compete with the likes of Jewel?

There is a hierarchy of royalty. American President George Washington vs. Chinese Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi

The Pekingese is a spoiled lap dog: The American Foxhound is a working dog. Although the Amercian Foxhound became famous for fox hunts, it was also used for chasing coyote and deer.


Jewel, with her Best in Show 2013 Trophy

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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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The Deterioration of Tennis

Rafael Nadal in the 2013 US Open. He goes on to win the title.
Serena Williams in the 2012 US Open. She goes on to win the title.

These are the tennis "champions" of our era. This is what they wear, this is how they behave on court, this is what sports aficionados admire (if they didn't, these characters would never be able to play the way they do).

Watching tennis is still a pleasure. There is something mesmerizing about that tiny ball making it back and forth across the court.

But now, not only do we have to put up with the aggressive, and often frightening, behavior of the players, there is a new trend where the players accompany their strokes with loud grunts.

Perhaps the grunts are understandable. Tennis has become a game of muscles, not of finesse. The athletes have become body builders maneuvering themselves around the court. Any smaller-built competitor is already at a disadvantage, not because of lack of talent, but because of his body size.


Nadal (left) with the leaner Djokovic in the 2013 US Open. Nadal won the championship

This is how it played out between Rafael Nadal, the current champion, and Novak Djokovic, who played him in the finals. Djokovic is a much leaner player, at least in muscle mass, and it was visible in his the force of his strokes. His precise and graceful style was over-powered by the forceful shots of Nadal.

And I wont even go into the transvestite-looking Serena Williams. The photograph at the top says it all.

I miss those days when court tantrums were defined by McEnroe. Now we have heavily grunting, testosterone-spiked players, who may actually attack the judges and their opponents.

Thus is our era eradicating civility, even in the most civil of sports.


Left: John McEnroe argues with the umpire during his semi-final match against Jimmy Connors
in 1980 at Wimbledon. McEnroe won the match.
Right: Serena Williams argues with tournament referee (right) in 2009 at the US Open during her match with Kim Clijsters. Williams lost the match.
[Notice the petrified look of the female grand slam supervisor Donna Kelso].

John McEnroe arguing with an umpire at Wimbeldon in 1980:
- Notice the safe height at which the judge is positioned.
- Notice McEnroe's unobtrusive tennis clothes
- Notice how the judge brushes off McEnroe, even reprimanding him
- Notice how McEnroe, since he cannot get close enough to act out his tantrum, resolves to arguing his point rather than attacking the judge

Serena Williams arguing with referee at the US Open in 2009:
- Notice how close Williams gets to the referee, frightening the female line judge who looks petrified at Williams' aggression and violent posture.
- The referee looks cautious and conciliatory (notice his outreached hand, as if to say that the decision is beyond his control: i.e. it is correct).
- Notice how there is nothing protecting the referee from a potential violent physical attack by Williams. In an age of more aggressive playing, safety measures are actually removed from the tennis court, compared to 1980.
- Notice Williams' pumped up, muscular physique against the tall and lean referee. She could throw him down with one swoop of her tennis racket.
- Her non-conforming attire, black and menacing, adds to her aggressive attitude.


1930s tennis outfits for men and women
Elegant and white
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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The Aesthetics of Foxhunting

John Ward Dunsmore (1856-1945)
The First Gentleman of Virginia: George Washington at the Hunt (c. 1777)
Frances Tavern Museum, New York City

Information on the painting is on page 20 of:
Images of America: Woodbrook Hunt Club
Joy Keniston-Longrie
Arcadia Publishing, 2009
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Jessica Fletcher, the astute observer of human (and it seems, animal) behavior in Murder, She Wrote is on a Virginia estate solving the problem of the murdered estate owner Denton Langley in the episode It's a Dog's Life. The wealthy Langley leaves his estate to his dog Teddy, causing a lot of disappointment amongst his relatives, including the one who murdered him in the hopes of getting the spoils of his death. Teddy gets called a murderer (of his beloved master) by these greedy relatives, in order to disown him of the inheritance, and to claim it for themselves. It is up to Jessica to show that Teddy in as innocent as, well, a dog.

Here is the synopsis of the episode.

What was interesting was the foxhunt that took place during the program. Jessica usually carries out her special art of investigative activity in a charming Massachussets coastal town called Cabot's Cove. For this one, she travels to Virginia to visit a friend at Langley's estate. Foxhunting is apparently still practiced in the United States.

Jessica joins the crowd in her own charming version of a foxhunt attire:



Standard attire is:

[D]uring the formal hunt season (usually around late October to late March in the northern hemisphere)...hunt members [wear] 'colours'. This attire usually consists of the traditional red coats worn by huntsmen, masters, former masters, whippers-in (regardless of sex), other hunt staff members and male members who have been invited to wear colours as a mark of honour. Since the Hunting Act in England and Wales, only Masters and Hunt Servants tend to wear red coats or the hunt livery whilst out hunting. Gentleman subscribers tend to wear black coats, with or without hunt buttons. Ladies generally wear coloured collars on their black or navy coats. These help them stand out from the rest of the field.

Teddy, the dog is probably an American Foxhound, which was bred by George Washington, although he looks a little too small to be an American Foxhound (here are dimensions for the American Foxhound and here for the English Foxhound), since he was easily carried around by the various protagonists of the murderous show.


Teddy

Is this the face of a sleuth? Actually, it is the face of an intelligent and observant woman, with a sense of humor


Jessica Fletcher, who would rather be writing
her books than solving murders.
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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The World's Most Beautiful Golf Courses

The Golfers
By: Charles Lees (1800-1880)
Painted 1847
Oil on Canvas
National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh

From the National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh:

This large painting shows a match being played on the Old Course at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, St Andrews. The centre of everybody's attention is a decisive moment in a match between Sir David Baird and Sir Ralph Anstruther against Major Hugh Lyon Playfair and John Campbell of Glen Saddel. Lee carefully composed this complex scene, which includes over fifty individual portraits, using photographs of some of the golfers to help him.

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Tiger Woods was trying to make a come-back at The Players Championship at Sawgrass, Florida. While watching some of the news footage, I realized what how beautiful golf courses are. There is a refined cultivation of the elements - sea, woods, and of course hilly meadows (or lawns), which the golfers and spectators enjoy. It is still a wonder that Woods has stayed so long in the sport. He cannot enjoy it much. He is into showdowns and public scenes. This last tournament was no exception.


Tiger Woods at The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Does Woods even enjoy the intricacies of golf? Or is it just some testosterone inducing walloping of a ball with a stick? Golf is the gentleman's game par excellence. A quiet, unperturbed demeanor is part of it [See article below: Etiquette of Golf - A Gentleman’s Game].

At the same time, golf's aesthetics go beyond the style of the game. The surrounding course is as important as the game itself. Elaborate landscapes are designed from grass, trees, water and rock, to create miles of terrain.

All sport is grueling and competitive, but it also needs an element of beauty, like the smooth and strong strokes of the racket by a tennis player, or the leap of a save of a goal keeper in soccer. Even football can be beautiful, as I wrote here (although we would be hard pressed to find that now). Golf is no less competitive, and requires as well-prepared an athlete as any. But there must be something that lifts the spirit of athletes when they participate surrounded by environments of superior aesthetic design.

Below are photos of golf courses from the Pebble Beach, California resorts:


Del Monte Golf Course


Pebble Beach Golf Course


Spyglass Hill Golf Course


Spanish Bay Golf Course

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Etiquette of Golf - A Gentleman’s Game
Tom Swanston
January 11, 2013
A Perfect Gentleman

Throughout its history, golf has retained a few basic tenets. Without referees, golf requires players to be self-governing. Even the top professionals govern themselves unless they need advice on a ruling, in which case they can call for a marshal or rules official.

The rules of golf are inextricably linked to the game’s etiquette. Each player must show consideration for the game, the course, and other players. Those who do not abide by these unwritten rules, often find themselves shunned and unable to find a game, with no other golfers willing to play with them. Being brandished as a cheat can tarnish a player’s reputation for his entire career.

Goldfinger, the infamous Bond villain, is the perfect example of a man who knows and understands the rules and etiquette of golf, but is willing to bend and break these in any way that will help him to win. Winning by any and all means is the antithesis of what it means to be a true golfer.

Let’s take a closer look at the infamous Bond scene, filmed at Stoke Park Golf Club (named Stoke Poges at the time of filming). Bond makes the first faux pas when he stands too close to Goldfinger as he is putting. He compounds this by asking Goldfinger a question as he is about to make the putt. Players should be given ample room to make their shot and their fellow players should remain quiet before and throughout the stroke. But Goldfinger returns the favour on the next tee, by asking Bond a question just as he reaches the top of his back swing.

When Goldfinger loses his ball in the rough he blatantly breaks the rules by placing another ball down and pretending he has found the first one.

A rule of golf is that the ball furthest from the hole should be played first. On the next green Goldfinger is due to putt (being further from the hole), but Bond politely asks if he would like him to mark or play his own ball. This is because the ball nearer the hole can be a distraction, or even directly in the way, for the player further from the hole. This is the sort of situation where the players can agree to break the rules in favour of being gentlemanly toward one another.

On the next tee, Goldfinger strides up to play his shot, but Bond’s caddy exclaims: “It’s your honour, sir!” The player who won the previous hole should play first on the next hole i.e. it is his ‘honour’. Goldfinger is playing out of turn. However, the rules state that there is no automatic penalty for playing out of turn, unless the opposing player wishes to impose one, in which case he can ask the other player to replay the shot. Bond choses not to do this. This is a classic example of how the rules and etiquette merge, and it is left to the discretion of the players to implement as they see fit.

The rules of golf, as stipulated by the Royal & Ancient Golf Society and the US Golf Association, are fairly hefty tomes, and only appointed rules officials need know them all by heart. However, one of the joys of the game is that, if you play it in a gentlemanly manner you are more than likely to abide by the rules.

Professional golfer Brian Davis gained international favour when he had the chance to win the Verizon Heritage at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, but on the final hole he called a penalty on himself for a rules infringement that no one else saw and could only be seen by the cameras with an extreme close-up replayed in slow motion.

As top golfer Phil Mickleson so eloquently put it: “The object of golf is not just to win. It is to play like a Gentleman, and win.”
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat
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The Seriousness of Sport

Harold J. “Hal” English (American, 1910-2008)
Untitled
Oil on canvas, 24" x 18"

[Note: If anyone has any information on Hal English, please email me, or post it in the comments]

I cannot find much on Harold J. "Hal" English artistic work, except for these black and white works attributed to him on ebay (here and here).





Here is a long biography on him from 2011, but with no references to his art. In our era, the works of illustrators and sign makers are not as important as "regular" artists (i.e. painters and photographers). But that is a testimony to our times.

It takes skill to produce an illustration that will satisfy a myriad of people, which includes advertisers who are less interested in "art" and more in how the attractive graphics will help them sell their material.

Here is some praise for English from the Buffalo News art critic Richard Huntington on his 1995 retrospective show:

In reviewing a 1995 retrospective show, the Buffalo News Art critic Richard Huntington cited Hal for his, “workmanlike style--a blend of `40’s and `50’s illustration and an Edward Hopper-ish kind of solid realism.”

It is a testimony to bygone years that mere illustrators took care to provide high quality material.Their culture and society also demanded it of them, including their football players.

In English's illustration, we see a wiry man using his wits and his will, and his speed and skill, to get that ball to the touchdown.

These days, we watch spoilt, over-weight "sportsmen" on the football field ram into each other causing each other concussions and serious injuries. And these same spoilt, overweight, and overpaid "sportsmen" appear on ugly television commercials selling us the latest in unbuyable goods.
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Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat