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Brexit? Britain has already voted to stay. Just look in its galleries Brexit? Britain has already voted to stay. Just look in its galleries
(6 months later)
Boris Johnson is no philistine. He has written about the ancient world and eloquently protested the destruction of Palmyra. In his recent declaration of British independence in the Telegraph, he evidently wanted to make it clear that leaving the EU implies no disdain for European art, literature, music, architecture or, of course, that glorious food. Right at the top of his article, he praises Europe as “the home of the greatest and richest culture in the world, to which Britain is and will be an eternal contributor”.Boris Johnson is no philistine. He has written about the ancient world and eloquently protested the destruction of Palmyra. In his recent declaration of British independence in the Telegraph, he evidently wanted to make it clear that leaving the EU implies no disdain for European art, literature, music, architecture or, of course, that glorious food. Right at the top of his article, he praises Europe as “the home of the greatest and richest culture in the world, to which Britain is and will be an eternal contributor”.
Loving Europe’s culture, claims Johnson, has nothing to do with accepting what he sees as the anti-democratic ambitions of the EU: rejecting Brussels does not imply any kind of narrow-minded suspicion of foreigners or their art.Loving Europe’s culture, claims Johnson, has nothing to do with accepting what he sees as the anti-democratic ambitions of the EU: rejecting Brussels does not imply any kind of narrow-minded suspicion of foreigners or their art.
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Johnson’s doublethink is totally unconvincing. How can a vote to leave Europe be a declaration of love for its culture? All that wonderful European cultural heritage has to be paid for. Those statues and temples cost a lot to look after, and the EU helps its member states, especially in southern Europe, to do that. If we walk away, we will be rejecting our share of responsibility for maintaining Europe’s precious cultural heritage.Johnson’s doublethink is totally unconvincing. How can a vote to leave Europe be a declaration of love for its culture? All that wonderful European cultural heritage has to be paid for. Those statues and temples cost a lot to look after, and the EU helps its member states, especially in southern Europe, to do that. If we walk away, we will be rejecting our share of responsibility for maintaining Europe’s precious cultural heritage.
An extraordinary example of how the EU supports European cultural glories is its massive investment in the Acropolis Museum in Athens. This state-of-the-art museum, with glass walls that give glorious views of the Parthenon temple above while you explore a superb display of Greek art, has transformed the experience of visiting one of Europe’s greatest artistic treasures. The EU – and that still means us – contributed nearly €25m to this spectacular project.An extraordinary example of how the EU supports European cultural glories is its massive investment in the Acropolis Museum in Athens. This state-of-the-art museum, with glass walls that give glorious views of the Parthenon temple above while you explore a superb display of Greek art, has transformed the experience of visiting one of Europe’s greatest artistic treasures. The EU – and that still means us – contributed nearly €25m to this spectacular project.
All that wonderful European cultural heritage has to be paid for. Those statues and temples cost a lot to look afterAll that wonderful European cultural heritage has to be paid for. Those statues and temples cost a lot to look after
Surely it is obvious why. The columns of the 5th century BC Parthenon, rising on a vast rock over modern Athens, perfectly symbolise our common European cultural heritage. The ancient Greeks created a civilisation copied by the Roman empire, revived in the Renaissance, and revered ever since; it is the backbone of Europe’s common culture. Our membership of the EU means we pay our share to preserve these treasures that Boris Johnson says he loves so much.Surely it is obvious why. The columns of the 5th century BC Parthenon, rising on a vast rock over modern Athens, perfectly symbolise our common European cultural heritage. The ancient Greeks created a civilisation copied by the Roman empire, revived in the Renaissance, and revered ever since; it is the backbone of Europe’s common culture. Our membership of the EU means we pay our share to preserve these treasures that Boris Johnson says he loves so much.
The decision to leave or stay is not just about money; it’s about who we are. The Leave camp is telling a lie about British identity; Boris is being naive about some of his allies. The Nigel Farage line on culture is clear and crass: we are Brits; we like beer, not wine, and pubs, not Italian restaurants! A vote to leave is to declare that Britain is an island, not just physically but culturally.The decision to leave or stay is not just about money; it’s about who we are. The Leave camp is telling a lie about British identity; Boris is being naive about some of his allies. The Nigel Farage line on culture is clear and crass: we are Brits; we like beer, not wine, and pubs, not Italian restaurants! A vote to leave is to declare that Britain is an island, not just physically but culturally.
Our debt to European art is one of the many reasons this is a lie. The Stay camp needs to start playing the art card. For centuries, Britain has been grateful to share the glittering artistic heritage of continental Europe. Some of the greatest artists who worked in Britain were, to put it plainly, migrant workers from the continent.Our debt to European art is one of the many reasons this is a lie. The Stay camp needs to start playing the art card. For centuries, Britain has been grateful to share the glittering artistic heritage of continental Europe. Some of the greatest artists who worked in Britain were, to put it plainly, migrant workers from the continent.
In the reign of Henry VIII, the German painter Hans Holbein created hypnotically precise, ghostly court portraits. The Florentine sculptor Pietro Torrigiano – exiled for breaking Michelangelo’s nose – also served Henry. Charles I brought an even more stellar company of Europeans to work in Britain: Rubens, Van Dyck, Orazio Gentileschi and his gifted daughter Artemisia all painted here.In the reign of Henry VIII, the German painter Hans Holbein created hypnotically precise, ghostly court portraits. The Florentine sculptor Pietro Torrigiano – exiled for breaking Michelangelo’s nose – also served Henry. Charles I brought an even more stellar company of Europeans to work in Britain: Rubens, Van Dyck, Orazio Gentileschi and his gifted daughter Artemisia all painted here.
Great works of art also made the journey. Shakespeare almost certainly got the idea for his poem Venus and Adonis from Titian’s painting, which visited Tudor Britain – an amazing example of how even our greatest cultural figure was plugged into Europe. British art collectors have lavished money on bringing Europe’s art here: the greatest collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings anywhere has been owned by Britain’s monarchs since the 17th century.Great works of art also made the journey. Shakespeare almost certainly got the idea for his poem Venus and Adonis from Titian’s painting, which visited Tudor Britain – an amazing example of how even our greatest cultural figure was plugged into Europe. British art collectors have lavished money on bringing Europe’s art here: the greatest collection of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings anywhere has been owned by Britain’s monarchs since the 17th century.
When our National Gallery was founded in 1824, its creators did not fill it with British artists. Instead they created a stupendous collection of European painting with masterpieces by Leonardo, Botticelli, Velazquez, Caravaggio, Degas, Cézanne … and a few choice Brits.When our National Gallery was founded in 1824, its creators did not fill it with British artists. Instead they created a stupendous collection of European painting with masterpieces by Leonardo, Botticelli, Velazquez, Caravaggio, Degas, Cézanne … and a few choice Brits.
When the V&A was founded, it paid even more slavish homage to the art of continental Europe. Two huge galleries were (and still are) filled with plaster casts of European masterpieces, including all of Michelangelo’s statues.When the V&A was founded, it paid even more slavish homage to the art of continental Europe. Two huge galleries were (and still are) filled with plaster casts of European masterpieces, including all of Michelangelo’s statues.
To visit the V&A cast courts is to relive a time when travelling to Europe was an exotic and wonderful encounter with a world beyond our island confines. Before you cast your vote in June, go there. It’s a haunted gallery of Europe’s cultural grandeur and Britain’s obsession with it. A vote to stay in the EU is a vote to help maintain that grandeur – and accept how it has shaped us.To visit the V&A cast courts is to relive a time when travelling to Europe was an exotic and wonderful encounter with a world beyond our island confines. Before you cast your vote in June, go there. It’s a haunted gallery of Europe’s cultural grandeur and Britain’s obsession with it. A vote to stay in the EU is a vote to help maintain that grandeur – and accept how it has shaped us.