Brian Sewell - Standing up for Anthony Blunt (71/90)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 19 вер 2017
- To listen to more of Brian Sewell’s stories, go to the playlist: • Brian Sewell - John Si...
Born in Britain, art critic Brian Sewell (1931-2015) wrote for the "London Evening Standard" and made numerous television appearances throughout his distinguished media career. He was known for his outspoken and erudite reviews of art. [Listener: Christopher Sykes]
TRANSCRIPT: I’ve been accused by many people of taking advantage of the Blunt affair. The Blunt affair, in the end, the unlikelihood of anyone not knowing what it was is very simply, there was Anthony Blunt, who was head of The Courtauld Institute, and also Keeper of the Queen’s Pictures, suddenly unveiled as a communist spy during the later '30s and throughout the '40s and possibly the '50s. And all hell broke loose, politically. Mrs Thatcher got up on her hind legs and had her say in it. And the exposure pretty well destroyed him. He had already retired, he was a very sick man. He was too frail to endure this kind of assault, right at the end, not only of his academic life, but at the end of his physical life. It happened in 1979 and I think Anthony died in 1972, maybe '71, '72? I think '72 [sic]... of a stroke, or a heart attack.
And I think there were four Courtauld students who… or we may have been five, who openly stood up for him. There were two letters in “The Times”. One was from me and the other was from the four others. The Courtauld itself sort of absolutely shuddered and turned away and said, it’s nothing to do with us. You know... hasn’t been director for years and hasn’t taught anybody for years, and he was an elitist. And, you know, The Institute has changed now. And I listened to these people on the BBC, and thought, you shits. You know, you are not acknowledging how much you owe to Anthony. You wouldn’t be there if Anthony had not preceded you as director. And then The Institute told him that he could no longer use the library. Then they told me that I could no longer use the library. You know, as though I were in some way associated with his espionage. And that left a great deal of bitterness behind it, from which I really have not recovered, because, well, you know, it was so unnecessary.
There were people… there was one member of the staff at The Courtauld, Michael Kitson, who remained loyal to Anthony and who took him food and shopping. Anita Brookner, who had been on the staff before she became a great novelist, she started going to the library and getting Anthony’s books out for him and then taking them back and so on. So the library bar was broken without their knowing it. I took him food and drink and took him to the doctor and encouraged him to move out into his old life. - Розваги
Bizarre to view a man responsible for sending people to their deaths as hard done by.
He means '82 not '72. Blunt died in early '83.
Such a shame it offends your delicate sensitivities Brian to see a man condemned for blatantly betraying his country. I'm trying to see a reason behind it and l am concluding there may have been some romantic interest there.
The Cambridge five have been treated like, ''caesar's wife," by the academic toff set they were no more than, '' Two bit punks in three piece suits''.
Actually , there were 6 of them. Not much good ever did come out Cambridge - no wonder they’re referred to as they are.
Poor baby. He was too ill to receive any due punishment for betraying those fighting for freedom.
I've always rather liked Brian Sewell, but perhaps he should reflect on the effect his hero's actions had on the many British agents who were executed as a result of his oh-so-clear conscience - and on their families.
This really is nonsense that rattles around the place. Blunt passed on Bletchley Park material including the German order of battle at Kursk, but there's never been any evidence that he passed on anything relating to British agents' identities, neither would he have handled such material. Philby is a different matter...
Interesting…
@@tadghosullivan Not Blunt but Don McClean passed the information on from Bletchley to the Russians , regarding the position of the German tank divisions.
@@tadghosullivanBut he did influence the fate of Central Europe by passing secret British documents concerning this region to the USSR before Yalta Conference. Because of that Soviets knew what to expect from the British and how to outmanouver them during the conference. This in large part caused the region to fall under Soviet influence and cost thousands of lives.
Can anyone tell me the make of Brian`s umbrella ? .....I know it is from London .
Educated guess - but I'd say Brigg & Co.
I'm reading guy burgess book and Anthony blunt was a c.nt im a poet 🎉..
Is anyone in England not an old queen?
or a Soviet spy?
No, they all are
Brian sewell was in fact, as some Americans would discribe themselves, Irish. You get two Irish Queens for the price of one, if you add Oscar Wild to the mix. Most Irish are depicted in comic culture as having ginger (red) hair. In English common parlance, ginger beer is a term denoting 'a queer'. Gay leprechauns spring to mind. Pat on your back?
No. We have some young ones too
Yes. The Queen.
ASF Gow
British aristocracy at its finest.
3:32"...your not acknowledging how much you own to Anthony..." Mr. Sewell :An example of one whose lived a long time & learned nothing! He's spouting the "White Man's Burden" rhetoric... same can be said for Govt upper echelons who wouldn't believe until too late Cambridge 'lads' would never be traitors..just not cricket...laughable & tragic.