 |
| Potter's shop, Rethymnon |
Edward
Lear visited Crete in 1864. His journal notes were unpublished in his
lifetime. He did not manage to complete their revision before he died
- the writing up, editing and expanding process that would turn them
into the flowing, witty and often amusing prose that characterized
his other ‘Journals of a Landscape Painter’ in various parts of
the world. But a surprise delight was in store for me when I came
across Edward Lear The Cretan Journal – in a bookshop in
Rethymnon.
 |
| Cafe by the mosque, Rethymnon |
 |
| Street in Rethymnon's old town |
The
book contains Lear's unedited notes and many of the drawings he made
while in Crete. Just because these journals are raw and unedited,
they give us a glimpse of Lear’s state of mind, his very immediate
feelings and reactions, as well as his formidable dedication to his
work. He would regularly rise about 4 or 5 in the morning and set off
early, hoping to find good views for his drawings.
 |
| Lear's Rethymnon |
He
was beset by many difficulties, only one of them being the lack of
those good views - partly because of the bad weather, rain or cloud
obscuring what he wanted to draw.
I
initially became interested in Lear’s writings because he was one
of the few western Europeans in the 19th century who had
spent time in Albania and had written about it. His quirky often amusing
writing was and is a delight, and his drawings and paintings of the
landscape, superb. So I read more of his journals, and Vivien Noakes’
biography of him. I’ve also written about his connection with Corfu.
When
he visited Crete, the great 20th century excavations of Minoan sites, such as Knossos and Phaistos, had not yet taken place
and so were still unknown. He did visit Gortyn however, where there
are Roman remains. Nowadays, it is a fenced off heritage site where you pay an entry fee, but in
his time, the ruins were just lying around.
(quotes from Lear in italics)
‘..all
the plain is covered with great or small masses of ruins: masses of
Roman rubble, and brickwork and columns, etc.
 |
| Roman remains, Gortyn |
At
the theatre, several portions of which are standing, I drew till six:
the view of the plain is beautiful thence, and greatly pleased me.
But it began to rain(!) for the morning is very cloudy: and earwigs
and fleas provoked me.
 |
| Theatre, Gortyn |
So
I went on to the ruined Cathedral of St Titus ....
 |
| Cathedral of St Titus |
....I
drew.... till 7.15. Stopped
by heavier rain showers. Desolate yet beautiful spot!’
But Gortyn’s fame reaches back into mythic times. According to the guidebook, "Zeus, in the form of a bull, brought the princess Europa to Gortyn, in southern Crete, and beneath this plane tree, their sacred marriage was contracted."
Surely a very significant spot for Europe, not just in
ancient times, but for the present day too. And – this has to be a
good sign - the plane tree is still here!
 | ||
| The plane tree, Gortyn |
 |
| Katholiko Akrotiri, Crete - by Edward Lear |
(images of Lear’s work from wikigallery)
Comments
Ruth - Lear's paintings capture so well the places he visited - he worked so hard too, walking many miles every day. And his pictures show these places as they were then, mid-nineteenth century, so it's fascinating to see how they have changed since then.
Caroline - the fleas seem to have been endemic in the 19th century but fortunately, not so much now!
Your text is a perfect travel narrative, illuminated with beautiful pictures.
Gortyn, Saint Titus...