tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441164155286448763.post4202108086310580536..comments2024-03-25T18:27:37.374+00:00Comments on The Kissed Mouth: If They Are So Clever, Why Are They Dead?Kirsty Stonell Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08342964877965021654noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441164155286448763.post-57801167796507225782016-11-27T16:24:54.184+00:002016-11-27T16:24:54.184+00:00Thank you everyone for your support. You will pro...Thank you everyone for your support. You will probably be unsurprised to learn that I am quite regularly the receiver of online scholarly bullying, mainly because people who spend time being focused on their research can be equally as focused on quashing those who invade their area of interest. Plus yes, I'm easy to contact and fairly approachable. What swung it for me in this case was the claimed relationship to the artist. I absolutely agree that all they have achieved is having one less piece on their relative who may well slip into oblivion if all the researchers are thus pursued. However I think I have met quite a few researchers who would be happy if they had their subject all to themselves. <br /><br />If you are ever the subject of online bullying and want a sympathetic ear, I'm always available for a natter and advice. People are terrible, I'm glad we're not people.Kirsty Stonell Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08342964877965021654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441164155286448763.post-21466919617524968302016-11-27T15:48:41.433+00:002016-11-27T15:48:41.433+00:00I'm wondering if your angry critic is being th...I'm wondering if your angry critic is being this tenacious with the sources you used or if they focused their ire on you because you (as a blogger) were easy to contact. Their success in getting you to take down your post just silences you. It doesn't change the original sources. Your "about" page clearly says, "My posts on The Kissed Mouth are a way of exploring all manner of Pre-Raphaelite and Victorian subjects in though-provoking and humorous ways," and I find it disturbing somehow that an artist's descendant would badger you like this. Surely these issues can be discussed reasonably with respect and an eye towards understanding. What a shame.Divers and Sundryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01759655568104782267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441164155286448763.post-12887207909523604682016-11-01T06:49:28.869+00:002016-11-01T06:49:28.869+00:00I suppose it is the fact that there are so many &q...I suppose it is the fact that there are so many "grey areas" that makes a biographers task so difficult. At least they can use phrases like "it may be that..." or that wonderful word "possibly" to indicate when they are speculating rather than stating established and attested facts. I have more of a problem with biographical or historical drama/film/fiction where these grey areas are often very much presented as fact; eg Mike Leigh's Mr Turner, which portrayed the artist, on very little evidence, as an uncultured, uncouth yob who sexually molested his domestic staff. Sometimes it's not just grey areas but downright untruths - directors and screenwriters actually manipulating and changing the facts in order to make the story more interesting (The Edge of Love, the film about Dylan Thomas comes to mind as an example of this where you come out thinking what an awful person Thomas must have been - except for the fact that it didn't actually happen!). "The Tudors" drama series (that well known high brow and scholarly work) showed Henry's sister murdering her old husband, and more seriously, turns the very much disputed speculation about Anne Boleyn's alleged affairs into fact. WoofWoofhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14142792485921452481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441164155286448763.post-80335161817937894172016-10-30T11:35:27.840+00:002016-10-30T11:35:27.840+00:00Thank you for this great statement. Thank you for this great statement. Tina Anderlinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14855862415141446398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1441164155286448763.post-25226535916110963382016-10-30T11:07:23.476+00:002016-10-30T11:07:23.476+00:00Dear Kirsty
It is an absolute minefield, but I wou...Dear Kirsty<br />It is an absolute minefield, but I would prefer to know the truth, if possible. Yes, it needs to be substantiated, but if it is, then I feel it would be difficult to complain, even if it could destroy some long-held belief about someone famous, or someone in your family. However, it is easy for me to say that - as far as I know, I don't have any famous artists in the family. I am reading about Ellen Ternan at the moment, who was completely airbrushed out of Dickens' life because having a mistress and not being a perfect family man wasn't the image Dickens wanted to project. As we have seen recently, people in the public eye can have many different facets, including ones they would not want their adoring public to know about. I agree about the respect and understanding, but I also think it is important to know the facts and without researchers like you, we would be left with untruths, family stories, airbrushed histories and would be much worse off.<br />I am sorry the person wasn't able to enter into a reasoned and rational discussion with you, as that may have been valuable. <br />Best wishes<br />EllieEllie Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12437259693600577503noreply@blogger.com