Still Doubting

The piano quintet that G plays with every week are giving a lunchtime recital in Bangor Cathedral today. I go along with him and listen to their rehearsal before the actual concert - and they’re really rather good! All amateurs who play just for pleasure, but they sound very professional as they perform works by Schumann, Elgar and a couple of pieces composed by the cellist. 

While listening to their rehearsal, I wander round this ancient place of worship that dates back to the 6th century - though most of the current building was built in the 1500s. 

Two paintings catch my eye - beautiful oil paintings, which look at first glance to be the work of Italian or Dutch Old Masters.  On closer inspection, however, the subjects are in modern dress. These, I discover, are works by an Anglesey artist - John Granville Gregory, and are modern renderings of Caravaggio’s paintings. Intensely realistic and using chiaroscuro brilliantly, they are simply wonderful.  

My main today is ‘Still Doubting’ based on Caravaggio’s ‘The Incredulity of Saint Thomas’, and in extras is Gregory’s Entombment of Christ painted by Gregory and based on Caravaggio’s original - though my photos really don’t do the originals justice! 

Many thanks for your congratulations and good wishes yesterday - we’re obviously thrilled with the news!