Tuesday, February 16, 2010

arabesques

x marks the spot

twice

Gray is still touring round Spain. He sends me the above photos (of the Alhambra), tells me that he went to a Visigothic mass at the cathedral of Toledo and provides the following explanation:

The Visigothic mass (also known as the Toledan or Mozarabic rite) is the old Spanish form of the Catholic mass, used by the Mozarabic Christians of Toledo under Muslim rule. In 1085, when the Christians reconquered Toledo, they had to choose whether to switch to the standard Roman mass or continue the traditional Mozarabic one. They put the issue to a trial by fire.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia: “The two books were thrown into a fire. By the time the Roman book was consumed, the Toledan was little damaged. No one who has seen a Mozarabic manuscript, with its extraordinarily solid vellum, will adopt any hypothesis of Divine interposition here.”


Sometimes Gray is so like me that I wonder if I somehow accidentally cloned myself.

10 comments:

JW Moxie said...

Everything from his style of photography to his profound, but dry, sarcastic wit is so like you that had you not told me it was Gray's work, I would have thought it was yours.

I figured the photos were Gray's based on the architecture, but before I scrolled down to read the post I was half expecting you to tell us that you took a quick excursion off to Spain to visit with him for a few days and you'd taken the pictures yourself.

areyoukiddingme said...

How do we know you didn't clone yourself?

areyoukiddingme said...

Although, um, working that y chromosome in is a pretty good clue...

Anonymous said...

I second Kymberly, my thoughts exactly. Gray seems to have quite an interesting time inbetween beer-bongs and cathedrals. I wonder what's next... ;)

Amelie said...

I am so like my father.
Also, I'm going to see the Alhambra soon, which I'm looking forward to very much.

Tash said...

Funny, I thought the same thing about Bella the other night when she jammed a piece of chocolate in her mouth and asked me to tape women's speed skating.

Beautiful pictures. I've never been, and would so love to go.

after iris said...

He's ever so bright, Niobe. You must be extremely proud of him.

Eden Riley said...

I'm actually commenting on your post below .... I love that photo so much! It's very Niobe-esque, one of my favourites ever.

Jacinta said...

I don't know about the cloning project Niobe, but I love the photo. I came upon the Alhambra many years ago and it is truly incredible. Toledo is a great town also, I'm picturing it and imagining Gray being one of those cute young American students hanging out in the town square.
Does he wear white socks with his birkenstocks?

S said...

good. the world needs more of you (and him).