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Fw: TRIVIA: A Van by any other name
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----- Original Message -----
From: "john.rea" <john.rea@gateway.net>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@listserv.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 3:53 PM
Subject: TRIVIA: A Van by any other name
----------------- Message requiring your approval (15
lines) ------------------
Boyd has pointed out that Van's "real" name is Ivan, and
Nabokov used that form as well as Juan with its various
Don Juan vibrations. Those of you who have access in your
library to the _Enciclopedia Universal Ilustrada_ published
in Barcelona by Espasa, will enjoy looking in volume 28
page 2956 (entry "JUAN") for a cut of El Greco's portrait
representing St John. So we would know who this was, the
artist has in the upper left hand corner put the Saint's
name in Roman capital letters. Of course, Roman "capitals"
based on Trajan's column, had no letter "J", and no "U",
which former was a later variant of "I" and the latter a
later form of "V". and so it is that the name reads, loud
and clear, "IVAN".
John A. Rea
From: "john.rea" <john.rea@gateway.net>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@listserv.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 3:53 PM
Subject: TRIVIA: A Van by any other name
----------------- Message requiring your approval (15
lines) ------------------
Boyd has pointed out that Van's "real" name is Ivan, and
Nabokov used that form as well as Juan with its various
Don Juan vibrations. Those of you who have access in your
library to the _Enciclopedia Universal Ilustrada_ published
in Barcelona by Espasa, will enjoy looking in volume 28
page 2956 (entry "JUAN") for a cut of El Greco's portrait
representing St John. So we would know who this was, the
artist has in the upper left hand corner put the Saint's
name in Roman capital letters. Of course, Roman "capitals"
based on Trajan's column, had no letter "J", and no "U",
which former was a later variant of "I" and the latter a
later form of "V". and so it is that the name reads, loud
and clear, "IVAN".
John A. Rea