The Messiah

Posted by Wayne (Melbourne, Australia) on 7 May 2008 in Art & Design.

This is the Messiah. Of all of Antonio Stradivari's violins...there is none that is more impeccable and in perfect condition than this. I mention this because the current location of the Messiah Stradivari is at the Ashmolean Museum which is in Oxford...which is the place I'm going to study at over the Australian winter. I'm looking forward to the course itself (on international human rights law) but I am really looking forward to visiting the Ashmolean in my free time.

I'm very drawn to the fact that a condition of the donation through which the Ashmolean received the Messiah was that it will never be played....it affords me the possibility, one that I would like to indulge myself in, of being linked in a direct and linear fashion to a world nearly 300 years back in time. Besides...it is a thing of beauty...and things of beauty can never be ignored. And its a violin...that most special of instruments =) so human like in its moods, depth and mysteries.

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Comments (5)

Tricia from Melbourne, Australia

you've FINALLY updated after yonkkkkksss.

7 May 2008 1:20am

@Tricia: If I speak rarely its only because there is rarely anything worth speaking on =)

aLv|N from Melbourne, Australia

i know! but when are u leaving man?

7 May 2008 9:25am

@aLv|N: I'm departing hopefully on the 26th of June...quick stop over for a couple of days in Singapore and then its a hop to Ireland to link up with my sister before heading back down to Oxford to begin my course.
I get back to Melbourne on the 8th ish...hopefully in time to celebrate National Day (for Singapore) in Australia.

Winnie Lau from Australia

Cool... museum of art & archaeology. I wish I can go there too.
I haven't heard of Asmolean Museum but I've always wanted to visit the London Museum and the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
Hehe you sparked my interest for museums that I had since childhood. =)

7 May 2008 9:42am

@Winnie Lau: the Tate? yeah I'm hoping to take a quick trip down there...I'll send you the pictures if i can.

Yea I love museums...they're worlds away

Tse Min from Melbourne, Australia

wayne has made a come back!!!

yeah, go ahead and enjoy ur oxford, while people like us, who are working, are left behind, friendless...

7 May 2008 6:11pm

Grace from Singapore

you know, there's something kind of sad about a violin that can never be played. it may be in pristine condition forever but what's the point of being when it can never fulfill it's purpose? i have to confess that there was much mocking going on at the dinner about you going to see a violin - there is also a nice river at oxford, and we are Quite Sure it is older than the violin.

9 May 2008 11:52am

@Grace: grrr mocking eh......its a nice violin and we'll leave it at that okay?
seriously people...i mean...rivers are alright...I'm bringing my squash racquet to take advantage of the college I'm staying at and I'm going to be taking my running gear with me but seriously...its the violin of violins...you ain't never gonna get that elsewhere ...

but yes I totally agree with you that it is rather sad and somewhat depressing...but I think its something that can be appreciate for the principle of it all

I'm in town tentatively from the 26th of june...dinner lunch breakfast?

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