Fake politics

What are we to make of Silvio Berlusconi, the billionaire variously operating as media magnate, financier, real estate tycoon, owner of A. C. Milan, miscellaneous entrepreneur, frequent Prime Minister and probable future President (once he gets the rules changed, Putin-style) of the Italian Republic?
For the more incurious sort of British observer, it’s safe to embrace [...]

Of MPs, moats and the levelling tendency

Barendina Smedley contemplates the current row over MPs’ expenses, and finds moats a more attractive option than envy.

Dilapidated or just complicated? ‘The Roman Forum’ by David Watkin

A few sentences into David Watkin’s The Roman Forum, notice is served that this will be no ordinary guidebook. The first paragraph establishes a tone that will persist throughout:
“The Roman Forum is one of the most famous of all historic sites, the heart of the ancient city, the hub of the Roman empire, the goal [...]

Jacobinical hyenas, we’re watching you

“The ricks burnt around Shoreham, within sight of Palmer’s house, under the moons that he had painted broad and full. The moons charmed away neither fire nor reform, and on June 4th, 1832, the Reform Bill was passed the House of Lords. The anti-Reformers still saw some last hope in the General Election which followed [...]

The Empire Strikes Back: Byzantium 330-1453 at the Royal Academy

Bunny Smedley sails away to ‘Byzantium 330-1453′ at the Royal Academy, where she is overwhelmed by this major account of a fascinating if much-misunderstood civilisation.

Listening to Byzantium

Bunny Smedley finds an evening of Byzantine psalmody, organised by the Royal Academy in conjunction with its magnificent ‘Byzantium’ exhibition, more illuminating than she expected. And she writes about Rameau, too.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

From the Gospel according to John, Chapter 20:
1: The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
2: Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, [...]

Why do the people imagine a vain thing? The Archbishop versus the media

Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness … (Penitential Sentence from the Morning Prayer, Saturday 9 February 2008, as given in the Book of Common Prayer)
There are, now and then, non-stories which, through accident or mischief-making, [...]

Samuel Palmer: Vision and Landscape at the British Museum

[This article originally appeared on the website of the Social Affairs Unit.]
Every now and then — probably no more than a handful of times in anyone’s life — one stumbles over the sort of art exhibition to which the proper response isn’t so much respect, or admiration, or polite enthusiasm even, as something far more [...]

The Westminster Retable at the National Gallery

[This article was written for the website of the Social Affairs Unit.]
The British people do not love their own visual culture as much as they might. All the clichés of our national identity tell us to look elsewhere for Britain’s greatness. Ask a thousand people what it is that Britain has historically done as well [...]