Walking

Lots of people were out and about today.  The canal towpath is difficult for social distancing.  I followed broader paths, through the centre of Littleborough and then around Hollingworth Lake, which was having a clear afternoon.

Some prog rock, with a first listen to Gentle Giant's In a Glass House (1973) - naturally, for that era, this is a "concept album" - the songs all on the theme of "people who live in glass houses should not throw stones." I am sure we can all get behind that sentiment.  My favourite track was the title song.

In 1819, French Romantic artist Théodore Géricault painted an enormous, dramatic canvas of The Raft of the Medusa  as his entry for the prestigious Salon that year. The picture shows a true story from 1816 - the aftermath of the wreck, through incompetent seamanship, of the frigate Medusa which was taking 400 people to re-establish French rule over Senegal after England had "handed back" the colony.

Following the wreck, the insufficient number of lifeboats were taken by the ship's officers and most eminent passengers. The remaining 150 people, mostly poor sailors and soldiers, had to cram themselves on to a makeshift raft, just 8 metres by 15 metres. Most of those died, or were killed, as just 15 survived for 13 days before being rescued by the Argus.  It is thought cannibalism aided the survivors.

The tragedy caused a great scandal for the French Government, just two years after the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy following the defeat of Napoleon. Attempted cover-ups were exposed in the press, resulting in the dismissal of the minister responsible and 200 naval officers. Three years later, Géricault stirred it all up again, with his monumental painting - in which the raft, crammed with survivors and some corpses, has a strong, pyramid shape.  The rescuing ship can just be seem - a tiny speck on the horizon.