history ... out with the old ! ...

although it took me a month to get to page 573,

i wish i could have read this wonderful book in 1984 when it was first published

and it is a mystery why the labour government never got around to honouring the lady

... even though there is no mention in the text of the saltonstall wives depicted on the cover

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonia_Fraser

a burning issue ... trumble's reputation tied to the stake

i really am enjoying angus trumble's new book, "the finger"

BUT

having rejoiced when discovering therein lay a chapter on gloves, my hopes of finally finding a cogent exegesis of david des granges' enigmatic 1636-ish group portrait of "the saltonstall family" were disappointed

http://thenewemotionalblackmailershandbook.blogspot.com/search?q=saltonstall

botheration !

now i'll have to beg admission to the national art library and do my own bleedin' research

'ow vexatious !

i'm still perplexed by this painting, a multiple portrait of the saltonstall family

second wife is sitting at the right holding the new baby, detached, expressionless

first wife, deceased, lays on the bed with eyes open holding out her hand

the tate gallery say she is gesturing towards her children

but every time i look at the painting, i think he is about to drop that glove into the palm of her hand

and if he was, then what did the glove or the action signify ?

the artist, thought to have been david des granges, left no explanation

the tate gallery website carries two descriptions of the work ...

http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=999999968&workid=3821&searchid=15051

https://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=999999961&workid=3821&searchid=10739&roomid=false&tabview=text&texttype=9

Maybe this item on the symbolism of gloves in Freemasonry offers a clue:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/mas/sof/sof22.htm

... and this one by a glovemaker ...

http://www.glove.org/gallery/mirianna.php

Etc., etc.

So I've reached a point where I'm prepared to believe that both ladies are dressed in white to show their innocence before their "Maker", and that the glove itself may possibly symbolize the honest and legal transfer of their property when the ownership of various estates was changed by marriage.

Much, much later ... THINKS: possibly, the dead lady is gesturing a request that he continue to care for their children after his second marriage, and maybe  the white glove signifies his honourable assent.