My motorbike...
August 28 2012
... is called 'Anthony', which came from my new invention; art historical rhyming slang - 'Anthony Van Dyck, bike'. Geddit? (Tragic, I know, and on so many levels...) The thing is, I have recently acquired another bike, and it too needs a name. Can any readers recommend a suitable art historical one?
Update - a reader writes:
How about 'Vincent' (as in 'Vincent Van Gogh, I'm off'...) - Vincent is also the name of a Classic Bike - but you probably knew that - & my Dad had one. Or
the 'Duc-arti'
Sorry! Terrible I know, but I'll keep thinking…
Another reader writes:
Shame you didn't buy a foot-powered boat; 'Tiziano Vecellio, pedalo'.
More, more!
Further update - a reader writes:
I always find that when it comes to naming automobiles, they should be as feminine as possible or at least masculine but very funny or very catchy. I don’t think ‘I’m off to ride Anthony’ sounds quite right. Perhaps you should have called it simply the Dyck Bike (removing the Van as it might mislead people who don’t catch the ‘Bike’ bit).
None of this sounds quite right of course, but it's way too late for that... Mind you, there was a female portraitist in England in the 18th Century called Mary Moser (1744-1819). So, 'Mary Moser, motor' might work better?
And another - a reader writes:
- Edward Hopper - chopper
- Antonio Pollaiuolo - motociclo
- Carlo Maratta - motocicletta
OK, last two a bit of a stretch! I like the approach - I name my bicycles after Shakespearean characters, and my cats after communists (Lenin, Trotsky, Jessica Mitford - AKA Decca).
The first one is excellent - enough to make me want to buy a chopper. In fact, I fear I must have two choppers, one called Edward, as suggested above, and the other John, after John Hoppner...
More come in - I like this one, it doesn't rhyme, but:
'Triumph of Venus?'
At least its gender is clear.
And in case anyone out there wants a name for their scooter:
If you ever buy a "Piaggio" you can call it "Caravaggio".
Finally, for anyone with a Triumph Bonneville:
'Triumph Bonnardville'
