Frank Brangwyn

I have noticed, in the last several of my blogs an alarming tendency to didactics. It recalls the old saying, 'You can take the girl out of teaching, but you can't take teaching out of the girl.' Really, just because I do love historical facts about the background of processions, the history of buildings etc, can it be acceptable to foist this on others? Discuss! Obviously, I am aware of this but even so there is a 'royalty of inward happiness' when I do discover the history of a place and even more when I can disgorge this interesting information for others. The quote above is from a beautiful prayer by Thomas More, a copy of which was given to me last week at the English Convent. It is short but has some arresting phrases in it; the last line talks of 'the infection of good courage', another felicitous phrase. What a multi-gifted man Thomas was! And his gifts went down the family line; witness Mother Mary Augustina More, Prioress of the English Convent in Brugge, and her brother, Thomas More [1722-95] the English Jesuits' Provincial Superior. Both were either the eighth or the ninth [according to the reference used] generation of descendants of Henry V111s ill-fated Lord Chancellor. They were, of course, the last.

What have I done this week? Saturday last to Liss

-ewege with my son and his wife, to see the sculptures exhibition at Ter Doest, around a mile outside Lissewege, [het Witte Dorp; the white village] and inside the village itself,  in the street and the enormous church. I had been once but loved the chance to see it all again and incidentally show off the enormous and wonderful Abbey barn at Ter Doest and the cathedral-like Knights Templar church in the small village to my visitors as if it were All My Own Work. Both are very important cultural structures and in impressively good condition. The Roman Catholic church in Belgium maintains its buildings in splendid shape even when they are, like the Lissewege church, in a context wholly out of proportion to their size. The barn had a major renovation about thirty years ago and retains the majestic, ancestral feel of centuries.

Portrait of Frank Brangwyn, 1931
by Joseph Simpson

To celebrate the ever-smoother walking, I decided to re-visit my joint favourite museum, the Arendtshuis, which houses the works of art given by Frank Brangwyn in 1936, to Brugge, city of his birth. Brangwyn was a polymath; a water colourist, graphic artist, illustrator, designer of furniture and carpets, erstwhile apprentice to William Morris. He donated 400 of his works to the city in return for which, Bruges conferred on Brangwyn the distinction of making him Citoyen d'Honneur de Bruges, only the third such award ever given. Parts of his prodigious output, estimated at more than 12,000 works, are in many galleries in the UK and Europe including the British Museum.



 Yoshijiro Urushibara

I re-visited the Bruges museum admiring the forceful, robust lithographs and the many dramatic paintings and one, which I had admired before, caught my eye. I loved its ethereal grace but knew immediately that it couldn't be by Brangwyn. It is by Yoshijiro Urushibara, 1888-1953, a Japanese print-maker and illustrator who worked over many years with Brangwyn, as well as with other artists. They produced 'Bruges' together in 1919 and in 1924, 'Ten Woodcuts by Yoshijiro Urushibara after Designs by Frank Brangwyn'.

Frank Brangwyn

A rather robust descent here, from the sublime art of Brangwyn and Urushibaraa to the less elevated topic of cleaning; apartment cleaning and my search to find a willing girl to do mine. Nearly 18 months ago, I entered  the massed ranks of Belgians and joined a Mutualiteit, not only for health cover, but for the services of said cleaner. First, a young man who said he wouldn't come again as there was too much work. A replacement was offered with similar terms to the first; four hours every two weeks with no negotiation over timing. I was in a Dutch class at the time specified, so this refusal placed me on the waiting list. Eventually I found a fellow student willing to earn 'black' money and she came every week until March of this year, when she stopped for family reasons. Despite robust efforts, I have found no one to replace her outside the Mutualiteit/Agency system till, out of the blue, in late July, an email from the Mutualiteit informed me that Katrien could start on August 1st. Much rejoicing, after a cleaner-free four months. Katrien was super but she had refused my offer of moving her car into the parking for this building but said she would do that next time. Result was, apparently not having paid the parking fee in the square outside, she had a fine of 30 euros. Phone call two days ago; Katrien would not be coming again. BUT a Thai girl would be here on  August 29th. Yesterday, a sad email to say she had tennis elbow and will not be fit for some weeks; earliest, mid to late September! Really, the only memento I ever wanted to bring from Wye, apart from furniture, clothes, etc, was Kim my cleaner! She is much missed.
 

The living room; can you see the dust?.