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Re: BIG


On Mon, 9 Oct 2000, Rod Fleming wrote:

> ----- Original Message ----- >
> > Who he? European spelling of "Degas"?
> 
> Yea, dear, that was his name. "De" as in "of"  "Gas"  family name. (And it's
> not pronounced "daygass" either.) However I think it's pretty telling that
> you, a person who accused me of "contumely", should stoop to insult over a
> disputed spelling.

Now I see your problem, Rod -- you're too defensive. What "insult"? I was
wondering if *I* had missed something and asked politely if that's how
Degas is spelled in Europe. You didn't say, so I turned to my (next) most
authoritative source -- catalog for the 1988-9 Degas show, published by
Metropolitan Museum and National Gallery of Canada, written by 5 curators
from 3 countries. All "Degas" all the time -- in fact many times on each
page (all 650 of them).

Close relatives did go by name "De Gas" (tho note that's two words, with a
space between "De and "Gas"). But Degas signed his art either "Degas" or
"degas," and I see no reason to override his own choice (let alone that of
5 august curators).

At same time, my eye fell on note that Degas's "career began officially"
in 1853 with "clear signs of the modernism that would soon be his domain."  
Modernism hardly sprang full blown as from the brow of Zeus,in either 1839
or 1853. It evolved & no doubt had various roots -- as do most human and
cultural phenomena. But a fellow of your erudition must also be aware of
what anthropologists call "cultural lag" (which could be reason digital
dominance takes so much longer to arrive than predicted). That is, delay
proves diddle.

But don't expect any more help from me. You're too rude -- and for some
reason spoiling for a fight.

Judy