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Reply to QUERY: puzzle in Laughter in the Dark
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------------------ I am not a Nabokov scholar, but rather a visual
artist who is pursuing a writing project for the magazine Cabinet, and
this is my first posting to Nabokov-L. My query concerns what seems to
me to be a puzzle planted in the text of Laughter in the Dark: at the
very beginning of the novel Albinus has a "beautiful idea"-- that a
hand-drawn animated film could be made in which a famous painting,
"preferably of the Dutch school," is brought to life, its actors moving
gradually into position through the implicit landscape of the painting.
It is in trying to realize this idea that Albinus meets his future
"friend" Axel Rex.
At the end of Laughter, after Margot shoots Albinus, Nabokov's
description of the murder scene is a rather forensic set of "stage
directions": "Chair--lying close by dead body of man in a purplish
brown suit and felt slippers. Automatic pistol not visable. It is
under him." And etc.
It occurs to me that the final crime scene description might be, in some
perversely dark manner, the realization of Albinus' "beautiful idea."
In other words, the entire novel might take the form of a tableau vivant
which leads up to all the objects in the scene finding their precise
position. Noting also that the gun is not visible, it seems that much
more likely that the tableau might be based on a painting of an earlier
age--if not the Dutch school, perhaps something more recent (the
original novel, Kamera Obscura as well as the two English translations
were done in the 1930's.)
I have not yet found a painting with the required characteristics, but
am beginning to search through the Nabokov literature for clues. Any
helpful comments will be much appreciated. First and foremost: has this
puzzle been explored elsewhere?
Thank you,
David B. Brody
----- End forwarded message -----
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_________________________________________________________
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incomplete transmission of the information in this e-mail or for any delay in
its receipt.
This message shall not constitute any obligations.
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delete its content.
_________________________________________________________
----- End forwarded message -----
artist who is pursuing a writing project for the magazine Cabinet, and
this is my first posting to Nabokov-L. My query concerns what seems to
me to be a puzzle planted in the text of Laughter in the Dark: at the
very beginning of the novel Albinus has a "beautiful idea"-- that a
hand-drawn animated film could be made in which a famous painting,
"preferably of the Dutch school," is brought to life, its actors moving
gradually into position through the implicit landscape of the painting.
It is in trying to realize this idea that Albinus meets his future
"friend" Axel Rex.
At the end of Laughter, after Margot shoots Albinus, Nabokov's
description of the murder scene is a rather forensic set of "stage
directions": "Chair--lying close by dead body of man in a purplish
brown suit and felt slippers. Automatic pistol not visable. It is
under him." And etc.
It occurs to me that the final crime scene description might be, in some
perversely dark manner, the realization of Albinus' "beautiful idea."
In other words, the entire novel might take the form of a tableau vivant
which leads up to all the objects in the scene finding their precise
position. Noting also that the gun is not visible, it seems that much
more likely that the tableau might be based on a painting of an earlier
age--if not the Dutch school, perhaps something more recent (the
original novel, Kamera Obscura as well as the two English translations
were done in the 1930's.)
I have not yet found a painting with the required characteristics, but
am beginning to search through the Nabokov literature for clues. Any
helpful comments will be much appreciated. First and foremost: has this
puzzle been explored elsewhere?
Thank you,
David B. Brody
----- End forwarded message -----
_________________________________________________________
Het ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid sluit elke aansprakelijkheid
uit in verband met het niet juist, onvolledig of niet tijdig overkomen van de
informatie in deze e-mail.
Aan dit bericht kunnen geen rechten worden ontleend.
Dit bericht is alleen bestemd voor de geadresseerde. Indien dit bericht niet
voor u bestemd is, verzoeken wij u dit onmiddellijk aan ons te melden en de
inhoud van dit bericht te vernietigen.
_________________________________________________________
The ministry of Social Affairs and Employment is not liable for any incorrect or
incomplete transmission of the information in this e-mail or for any delay in
its receipt.
This message shall not constitute any obligations.
This message is intended solely for the addressee.
If you have received this message in error, please inform us immediately and
delete its content.
_________________________________________________________
----- End forwarded message -----