Prudence

Today I was in town, for a meeting and found myself an hour early (well who expects the trains to run to time!), so as I was in the Trafalgar Square vicinity, I wandered into the National Gallery in search of enlightenment and a double espresso (not necessarily in that order).

The main exhibition du jour was Titian (Renaissance Venetian artist) where they were exhibiting "Diana and Actaeon" which they hope to purchase/save for the princely sum of £50m, yes it was big and beautiful but £50m.... If they don't manage to raise the funds it will be a loss to our nation.... How much would £50m save in people's lives, homes, health, etc. I like art but there must be reason, I'd rather look at a Banksy (free) and use the money as his art suggests...

[Rant on]

Ironically just around the corner from "Diana and Actaeon" is another much smaller painting by Titian called "An allegory on Prudence" with the motto;

EX PRAETERITO PRAESENS PRUDENTER AGIT NE FUTURA ACTIONẼ DETURPET

translated as;

"From [the experience of] the past, the present acts prudently, lest it spoil future actions".

Oh that they take the artists own advice, perhaps we all should, rather than bailing out a failed economy with methods that got us into this mess in the first place. Why do we persist in borrowing from our children's future only to feed our own greed and leaving it to them to clear it up?

[Rant off]

Picture (top) the Allegory on Prudence by Titian.

Picture (bottom) There is always hope by Banksy.