Achieving Escapism In London

Despite the fact that I have been in Europe since October 6th, the news from Israel haunts me daily. Every morning starts with opening the news, hoping for some good news, and no matter what I’m doing, it is always somewhere in the back of my mind.

Even in London, my favorite place in the world, I still can’t help but consume myself with thinking about the situation back home. I assume this is a very natural state of mind, given the circumstances.

In search of an escape from the terrible reality back home, I have been going on various visits to my favorite places in London. Among them, of course, is the National Gallery.

The National Gallery is the museum that I’ve visited more than any other museum. It is always the first or second place that I see whenever I have some free time in London. Given the circumstances, a few paintings stuck out.

(The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, Paul Delaroche, 1833)

“The Execution of Lady Jane Grey” is one of the most striking pictures in the gallery. In its grand size (246 cm × 297 cm) and crystal-clear style, it depicts a terrible scene. The execution of a young and beautiful queen, Lady Jane Grey, was executed essentially because she was a protestant, and her cousin Mary wanted to take power and bring back Catholicism to England.

Jane was a young girl who was a pawn in the ambitions of powerful men around her. Delaroshe depicts her as a saint. With her pale skin and white dress, it is undeniable that she did not have it coming. She is held by a man who looks compassionate. It seems like he is trying to help her as much as he can. The executioner on the right also doesn’t seem very keen to perform this job. The two girls on the left are sobbing; everything about this scene is sad.

When looking at this momentous painting, I couldn’t help but think about those completely innocent children who lost their lives in the October 7th massacre in Israel. They were as pure and innocent as Jane here.

(The Infant Saint John with the Lamb, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1660-1665)

Another painting that caught my eye on the subject of children’s innocence is “The Infant Saint John with the Lamb.” Despite having a religious theme, Murillo is able to communicate a timeless picture that captures the very essence of a child’s innocence.

Again, I couldn’t help but think about those children who lost their lives to such brutality. This painting makes one think of a child’s curiosity and love of life, the eagerness to learn, their desire to encounter nature, and their natural interest in making sense of it. All of this great human potential has been forever lost by monsters.

(Belshazzar's Feast, Rembrandt, 1635-1638)

To end on a more positive note, I picked the glorious “Belshazzar's Feast”. It is a depiction of the scene from the book of Daniel where God reveals himself via letters to the evil king Belshazzar, who realizes that his time on this earth has now been radically shortened.

The details on the king’s outfit and the gold jewelry are astoundingly beautiful. The horror on the king’s face, alongside his cronies, is truly delightful. This painting depicts exactly how this Israel situation should end with the demise of all the Hamas people and their enablers and helpers.

You may notice from reading this post that I haven’t really managed to achieve any sense of escape. Well, not entirely so. After my brief visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum, I ventured to a beautiful vintage boutique.

(“Hornets”, Kensington, London)

If you know me, you know that I am deeply passionate about classic menswear. Indeed, few things bring me more pleasure than the experience of acquiring and enjoying these great objects of beauty.

My time at that shop was as if I had gone off to a different planet.

One object caught my immediate attention. It was a beautiful 1980 bespoke tuxedo from Savile Row.

When I wore this tuxedo, I could dream of wearing it on a cloudy London evening. Or perhaps to a waltz concert in Vienna.

But the place I would like to wear it the most will be the great victory party in Tel Aviv.

Hopefully, this day will come sooner rather than later.

To victory.