The Eye Of The Beholder

The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings. #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/FBlQNNUmvV

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024

Ohhhhh it’s the Feast of Dionysus, not the Last Supper. Somehow I imagine they’ll remain offended. Not sure why people are so surprised at the flamboyance of the French. pic.twitter.com/htXgAXbolc

— Amanda Kruel 💨🐿🌵 (@skweeds) July 27, 2024

Yeah, I’m trotting that out one more time.

People sitting at a long table eating is not always a reference to Da Vinci’s painting.  I have memories of my mother’s family gathered at a long table for Thanksgiving. Had we moved everyone to one side for a photo, would we be invoking Da Vinci? Or just trying to get everyone in the picture?

Besides, Da Vinci’s painting has a lot less to do with the Olympics than a Greek god does. I’m not too concerned about the protests of a few French bishops, either. I should think they would be more outspoken about the plight of the poor, tbh. Besides, none of these sanctimonious people seem to have been bothered by this:

In one of the other striking moments of the ceremony, a woman holding a bloodied severed head and intended to be executed French queen Marie-Antoinette appeared in a window of the Conciergerie, a building where she was imprisoned after the 1789 French Revolution.

A blue Dionysus at a feast table is offensive, but “a bloodied severed head” is just good, clean entertainment? 

I’ll retire to Bedlam.