Drawing of the Day: Plants and Insects, 1680

Page of Watercolors
Alexander Marshal
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Images Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Alexander Marshal (c. 1620-82), the gentleman horticulturalist, was not a trained artist, but managed to produce, over thirty years, an impressive tome—his “florilegium” (flower book) which, in the end, contained 154 folios recording interesting and rare plants growing in the English gardens of his friends.

Here’s another page from Marshal’s Florilegium which was acquired by King George IV in the 1820s. This page shows Marshal’s watercolor sketches of four plants and two insects: a grasshopper and a silk worm. The plants depicted are carnations, fennel and damsons. 

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 184

Chapter 184
Come Back to Life 

The theatrics of the thunder and lightning finally gave way to the more practical rain which beat down upon the heads of Punch, Robert and Charles as they rushed toward the sound of Gamilla’s screams. Though the rain had fallen sporadically all morning, this particular rainfall was almost biblical in its force. The deluge was comprised of large, sharp drops which stung the tender skin of the three men as their legs ripped through the growing depths of mud surrounding Grange Molliner.

Mr. Punch could see immediately how distressed Gamilla was—her gown clinging to her shivering body as she screamed toward the well.

“What’s happened?” Punch panted.

“It’s Finlay!” Gamilla yelled.

“Did he hurt ya?” Punch asked.

“No.” Gamilla replied. “He done threw himself in the well.”

“How?” Robert snorted.

“He broke free from me. See, he’d tricked me. Got out of the vault, but I followed him and got my hands into his hair. Thought I had a good grip, but he pulled free, unafraid of the pain. Just ran toward the well and fell over the side. Threw himself. Done it on purpose. He wanted to be dead.”

Mr. Punch nodded. Robert and Charles quietly walked to the well and examined it as Punch stayed by Gamilla’s side.

Finally, Robert and Charles walked back.

“If he wanted to die, he did a very fine job of it.” Robert said slowly.

“You see ‘im in there?” Punch asked.

“No, Your Grace.” Charles replied. “It’s too dark and the rain is too thick. There’s no sign of him. With the way the water is rising and knowing how deep that well is, he probably died the minute he hit the bottom.”

“I didn’t want for him to die.” Gamilla whispered.

“I did.” Mr. Punch said. “At first.”

“I jus’ wanted him to know the kind o’ pain he done gave others.”

“This isn’t your doing, Gamilla.” Charles said quickly. “He realized what he’d done and he was too much of a coward to live with it. Only a coward would do what Finlay just did.”

“Charles is right.” Robert added. “You certainly can’t blame yourself for the cowardice of the man.”

“I done drove him to it.”

“No.” Punch interrupted. “Does the sun shine because you notice it? Is this rain fallin’ because we feel the wetness. No. Gamilla, the man died because of what he done. All you did was made him see his sins. It were his sins what made him a coward, not you. If you point to a man and say ‘you’re yellow,’ he’s only yellow after he paints his own self, not because you say it.”

“His Grace is correct.” Robert nodded. “Now, we must get you out of this rain.”

“Are we to leave him there?” Gamilla asked, pointing to the well.

“We can’t very well get him out now. Not in this weather.” Charles replied practically.

Gamilla nodded.

“Come on, then.” Mr. Punch said gently. “Let’s get ya back inside. You must change outta them wet clothes and warm yourself. Gerard needs ya, Gamilla, and it won’t do to have you catch your death of cold. It ain’t only Gerard what needs ya. It’s our Colin and, me and Dr. Halifax, well…and all of us. Everyone needs ya. So, leave Finlay to his own self. He done made his bed. Come back to life, Gamilla.”

“Yes, Your Grace.” Gamilla smiled.

The four of them hurried back to Grange Molliner.

When they were out of sight, Johnny Donnan stepped out from the spot behinds the mulberry thicket where he’d been hiding. The rain poured down his leathery, bearded face, streaking through the layer of grime and dust which always caked upon his skin. Those rivulets were the closest thing to tears that would ever pass over Johnny’s face. However, though he didn’t weep for his dead son, he did feel something. Like most of Johnny’s emotions, the ultimate effect, however, was rage, and he knew that the trembling energy in his fists would need to find something to stop it.

And--in Johnny’s mind—that something was Gamilla.



Did you miss Chapters 1-183 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 185.

Painting of the Day: Jonah Under his Gourd, 1561

Jonah Under His Gourd
Marten van Hemmskerck, 1561
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
This Image and the detail below are
 Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Marten van Heemskerck (1498-1574) created this work of oil on panel in around 1561. The biblical-themed piece was purchased by King Charles II from William Frizell in 1662 for 250 florins.

The painting depicts a moment from the story of Jonah (of Whale fame). The story recounts a time when Jonah was doing prophet-y stuff and warned the filthy, dirty, sinful citizens of Nineveh about an impending punishment because of their dirty, filthy, sinful ways. Well, the people got their act together and God said, “Eh, it’s okay. I won’t smite you today.” Well, good for Nineveh, but not so good for Jonah who just looked a fool and was very embarrassed about the whole thing. After all, he said there’d be smiting and no smiting occurred. And, so, it goes something like this:

‘And the Lord God prepared a gourd,’ the story continues, ‘and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief...But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day and it smote the gourd that it withered. And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die’. (Jonah 4: 6-8)

And, so, you see. When the gourd tree was taken away or eaten by big bible worms or whatever the hell, Jonah realized it had value. So, shouldn’t he also see the value of the citizens of the city? Well, yes. So, Jonah learned that he was wrong to wish the city destroyed just so he wouldn’t be embarrassed. 

Van Heemskerck shows us the very moment “when the morning rose the next day.” He’s done a fine job of showing the time of day. The scene has a nifty misty quality to it—a characteristic of an early morning which will die to a hot, day. The artist sets a scene, however, of Sixteenth Century Rome as opposed to ancient Nineveh. This, however, was not uncommon for Renaissance artists who found that putting Biblical tales in contemporary settings helped communicate the story more clearly to those whose only encounters with these themes came from viewing such pieces of art.

Object of the Day: Dr. Jacques German Worm Cakes

What have we here? A mother and child—they’re being visited by a fashionable lady who seems to be offering something to them. Soap, perhaps? Or is it a German Worm Cake? After all, they never fail.

Why would this healthy-looking young lady need worm cakes? She seems to be okay, maybe a little tired. Her ENORMOUS baby seems hearty enough. But, then…who can tell when worms might attack? They come from candy, you know? What? You didn’t know? Well, I didn’t either, but that’s what the reverse of the card tells us. Candy and good health bring worms. Poor health and over-eating brings worms. Water and air bring worms. Everything brings worms! Worms, worms, worms! You need vermifuge! You need it now! 

Read on and be afraid…

DR. JACQUES' 
German Worm Cakes, 
The Most Efficient Remedy Discovered

     These Worm Cakes have had the most wonderful suc-
cess, and have proved to be the very best, safest and
most efficient Worm Remedy ever placed within reach of
the people. They are a safe medicine and easily admin-
istered, as children will readily take them, and their
efficiency is remarkable. Nearly all children are at some
time affected with worms, and worms in the system are
more dangerous than is generally supposed , as they de-
prive the children of the benefit of the food they eat,
thus reducing them to a constant state of emaciation and
debility, and also lay the foundation of many serious dis-
eases. The origin of worms in the human body is very
obscure. However, it is certain that children of scrof-
ulous tendency and generally depraved health are most
apt to be affected with them, although they are also
quite generally found in children who are in robust
health. Certain causes are well known to be exceedingly
favorable to their growth, such as excessive indulgence
in food, excessive indulgence in candy and confectionery,
impure water, etc. Worms are most abundant in moist
countries or during a long prevalence of warm, damp
weather. Children after weaning, are more frequently
affected than very young infants, and Convulsions or
Spasms are often caused by worms in the system. Be
sure to ask for Dr. Jacques’ German Worm Cakes.

                           Prepared by the
EMMERT PROPRIETARY CO.,    --    Chicago, Ill. 
                          PRESENTED BY… 


NO ONE.

Let's translate the above, shall we?

So, whether you’re strong or weak, whether you eat well or poorly, whether you’re a grown up or a baby…WORMS ARE GONNA GET YA. So, you might as well eat these German Worm Cakes. We don’t tell you what they are or what’s in them. Are they also made of worms? We’ll never tell. Just know that worms are going to get you and make your baby have spasms and be depraved. And, you’ll never know where they came from!

Mastery of Design: The Grundy Tiara, c. 1850

Click on image for a larger size.
Tiara
Gold and Garnets
England, 1850
The British Museum

Dating to about 1850, this beautiful gold tiara is set with round and leaf-shaped cabochon garnets in the form of a half-circlet of flowers and foliage. Made in England, the tiara shows the sort of requisite ornament worn by aristocratic English ladies at important functions. Similarly, it’s wholly demonstrative of the jewelry designs of the 1850s—designs which relied on natural ornament and motifs based on the beauty of the English garden.

Figure of the Day: An Actor, 2nd C. BC

An Actor
Etruscan, Second Century B.C.
The British Museum

Made in Italy in the Second Century B.C., this terracotta figure depicts a comic actor. As was the theatrical style of the time, the actor has donned a mask. This mask is a broad representation of a bald slave. He carries something in his hand, but what? Is it a purse? We’re unsure. The figure was found in Carino, Italy and is an excellent representation of the figural work of our Etruscan forebears.

Gifts of Grandeur: A Carnelian Intaglio

Hardstone Intaglio
The British Museum

Of unknown origin and date, this handsome intaglio of jasper comes to us from The British Museum. Common sense tells us that the piece is of ancient origins, possibly Roman. Ancient Roman gem carvers set the standard for intaglio and hardstone work for centuries to come. This piece is especially interesting. The red jasper has been carved with a double mask. One shows a youthful visage while the other shows an aged and bald countenance—no doubt, a reminder of the passage of time and its effect on all of us.