Nice painting, but I’m commenting to say first, that I’m pleased that you’re back with your fascinating blog, and second, that I’m glad you put that delightful cartoon back in the masthead above. Pray tell, where is it from.

Cheers,

Irving Douglas Estella

I second that. Welcome back to the masthead.

Don’t let your boiled egg get cold!

What means…
(a.u.c. MMDCCLVII)
Rome ?

Mr. Estella, the cartoon is by Gluyas Williams, who did much work for The New Yorker in its early days, and depicts Robert Benchley. Benchley, I’ll admit, looks nothing like me, but I think you’ll agree it’s a charming little image.

I’ve toyed with the idea of commissioning an illustrator to basically copy the cartoon but make it of myself (in which case it definitely would not depict an egg being consumed for breakfast, as I do not enjoy eggs), but that remains only an idea for now.

Other Andrew, “a.u.c.” stands for “ab urbe condita”, the dating from the foundation of Rome. (At St Andrews, in the traditional Latin formula for “raisin receipts”, a.u.c. stands for “ab universitate condita”, but it is more often written out to avoid confusion with the usual meaning of the acronym).

A charming little image it is! Thank you, Mr.Cusack, for your thoughtful response.