Ride. Knit. Read.

Required Reading

• G. E. Lessing. Laocoon: An Essay on the Limits of Poetry and Painting, E. McCormick, trans. (Johns Hopkins, 1984)
• L. Marin. To Destroy Painting, M. Hjort, trans. (Chicago, 1994)
• O. Wilde. The Picture of Dorian Gray (Modern Library, 1998)
• R. Barthes. Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography, R. Howard, trans. (Hill & Wang, 1982)
• W. G. Sebald. Austerlitz, A. Bell, trans. (Modern Library, 2002)

Lessing, Laocoon, chap. 1 – 15
Laocoon, chap. 16 – 29

Genesis, 1 – 2*

Plato, “The Allegory of the Cave” (Republic 7.514a-521b)*

Philo of Alexandria, De opificio mundi (excerpt)*

Plotinus, Enneads, 5.8.6*

Porphyry, Against the Christians (excerpt)*

Tertullian, On Idolatry (excerpt)*

John of Damascus, On Divine Images (excerpt)*

Examples of Byzantine Iconography:
• The “Paris Gregory”
• The “Theodore Psalter”

Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (excerpt)*

M. Gheerhaerts, Allegory of Iconoclasm*

Horapollo, Hieroglyphica (excerpts)*

Alciato, Emblematum liber (excerpts)*

M. Scève, Délie (excerpts)*

H. Peacham, Minerva Britanna (excerpts)*

M. Maier, Atalanta fugiens (excerpt)*

C. Ripa, Iconologia (excerpts)*

W. Benjamin, Origin of German Trauerspiel (excerpt)*

C. Buci-Glucksmann, Baroque Reason (excerpt)*

L. Marin, To Destroy Painting

O. Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

E. Cassirer, Philosophy of Symbolic Forms (excerpts)*

A. Warburg, Mnemosyne-Atlas (selections)*

E. Panofsky, Idea (excerpt)*

J. Lacan, “The Mirror Stage”*

R. Barthes, Camera Lucida

W. G. Sebald, Austerlitz*

Relief

Good News Patrol:

I passed my course from last semester! I start another class with the same professor tonight "Literature & the Visual Arts: Iconophilia & Inconoclasm."

Byron News:

Byron's thyroid panel came back conclusively hyperthyroid so he will start on daily meds tonight. He will have his blood redrawn in three weeks. At that appointment we'll decide whether or not to biopsy his skin (in case it was related to the thyroid problems) and schedule an ultrasound for his kidneys. He's eating much more as of yesterday, which hopefully means he'll put some of his weight back on. The big guy was down to 12.6 pounds on Saturday (usually keeps an average of 18 pounds).

If any one has suggestions on diet modifications that have helped your renal compromised cats or those with thick intestinal walls, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm pretty categorically opposed to prescription foods (science diet...) because of the byproducts and preservatives but will hear you out even if they are included in your suggestions.

Poetic Fury & Other Notions

I've started a class this semester "Poetic Fury: Madness, Genius, Inspiration." It's an interesting survey of western lit. I *love* being back in school. I feel good about moving towards the degree and have clarity that I want to pursue teaching.

So much so, that I  jumped at a limited edition color sportweight sock called "chalkboard" at the new shop-on-the-block: Sknitches. I was customer #8. Woohoo. This is nice yarn! I finished sock #1 last weekend and will finish #2 this weekend while I am at the Cyclocross Grand Prix in Gloucester.

The Central Park Hoodie now has a hood and edging on one side. I've been sick all week but felt well enough last night to knit, so Hoodie should be assembled shortly.