iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 17h

Can you ladies just get on with it and let me read my book in peace?

A painting in which a group of women attend a new born infant (probably the virgin) while a bloke sits with a book staring out at us the viewers

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Cat hammock outside a Venetian restaurant for #Caturday. (This was two years ago - sadly this year the hammock is still there, but the cat is no longer keen to use it. Maybe one beer too many )

A tabby cat lying sleepily in a little hammock on a table. Next to the hammock is an empty pint glass

1245

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Most Last Suppers usually have everyone sitting sedately, while Judas looks on. Tintoretto had other ideas.

A painting of the Last Supper full of movement. Jesus is standing and seems to be keeping two disciples apart from each other as if breaking up a fight. But he's also sharing bread with them. San Polo Venice.

Another Last Supper full of movement. One disciple is leaning down backwards swap his wine glass. Others are slumped on the table or engaging in discussion. A dog is climbing the steps to the table and a little boy is playing with a cat. Santo Stefano Venice

030

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Just your average fifteenth century hospital interior. L'Ospedale Civile SS Giovanni e Paolo in Venice, and one of its very plump feral cats. I bet the staff spend their breaks in the garden having a quick bit of fur time.

Hospital reception area - a grand hall with renaissance carved stone pillars and a red and gold Venetian flag with the winged lion of San Marco

A pretty cloister within the hospital building, with grass and trees. In the background is the dome of SS Giovanni e Paolo church (Zanipolo in Venetian dialect)

A plump tabby cat looking up at me to ask why I've stopped stroking him or her

A view through a doorway to the oyster. Above it is a red sign to the emergency department (where patients arrive by boat) and a blue sign to all wards and departments

290

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Ooh look, here he is in S Francesco delle vigne, Venice, with the lion helping hold up the bible

A white marble sculpture of St Jerome in cardinal's hat and robes, holding a church and a bible. His little lion friend is standing on his hind legs, using his front paws to support the open bible

000

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A rather lovely St Jerome fresco from San Nicolò Church, Treviso. Admittedly the lion looks a little more like a scruffy black cat

A fresco on a church pillar showing a bearded St Jerome in his cardinal's robes and hat sitting in his study. On his lap is one Bible, and he points to a second on the desk next to him, perhaps indicating his role as a translator

110

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

We've just been to Homo Faber today, absolutely mesmerising. My favourite was A Great Turning in the Palladian cloister, but also the paper birds of A Luminous Ark

120

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Yes, dodging the big tour parties is itself an art form. Though we were also commenting on how much the lighting has been improved since the old days. And the crucifixion, which was in restauro last time we were here, is now magnificent

Tintoretto's crucifixion, a huge and extraordinary depiction. Christ is already on the cross with a weeping group below, while the two thieves are still being raised or nailed to their crosses

110

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

This Annunciation by Tintoretto at the Scuola di San Rocco has to be one of the best in the world. The raw humanity of the Virgin living In a tumbledown cottage (next to a carpentry yard?) with a stool that is falling apart gets me every time

An angel appears round a crumbling brick and plaster wall to the Virgin, who is sitting in a tiny scruffy room. There is a small woven rush stool which is falling apart. The left hand side of the picture is a stack of pieces of wood

251

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Have a timeline cleanse. The chapter house of San Nicolò in Treviso has a series of portraits of Dominicans by Tomaso da Modena dated 1352. All real individuals, including Hugh of Provence wearing spectacles, the first time they were represented in Western art.

Portraits of four Dominicans reading books at their monastic desks. One is Hugh of Provence, wearing a cardinal's hat and glasses. Next to him is someone looking rather bored, leaning on his hand and looking out at us rather than at his book

A whole wall of 10 portraits of Dominicans with their books, all in different poses. One is sharpening his quill nib ready to write.

0132

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

We used to use a cattery in Piddington, run by the lovely Mr Holmes. My recollection of the village is mostly 1950s semis rather than pretty cottages and Range Rovers. Not wealthy-looking by Oxfordshire standards. But if you look on Google maps you do get this...

A screenshot of streetview in Piddington featuring a brick cottage and a Range Rover

020

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Lucky us. We tried to register for free tickets for this, failed, but stood in line anyway to grab any spare seats - and just squeezed in. Ikumi Nakagawa was an outstanding Suor Angelica, one to watch for the future. Wonderful voice, and hugely moving stage presence even for a concert performance. 😭

A programme for a concert performance of Puccini's short opera Suor Angelica at La Fenice, Venice opera house. A nun in a white habit weeps against a beige background. No plot spoilers but it's devastatingly sad, and has an all-female cast

030

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Rat graffiti from Venice. Dated 1644, if true

A stone pillar with a carving of a rather sweet rat with a long wiggly tail. Above him or her the pillar is decorated with a small repeating pyramid design

050

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I can't believe this guy set up stall in Cornmarket, Oxford. Two rather glum onlookers to the left. Apparently he said "imagine someone knocks on your door, you open it and they march straight upstairs". I hope most people just ignored him. Oxford is #Antifascist

A man sitting under a blue gazebo with writing saying 'Mass immigration is destroying Brirain. Prove me wrong.' Sponsored by Freedom Watch GB.

6133

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

The University of Padua celebrates three professors who led anti-fascist resistance. In the main courtyard they have deliberately placed an installation of raggedy wood opposite the severe stone uniformity of Mussolini-era architecture, to represent an anarchic challenge to fascist orthodoxy 2/2

A wall of diverse and battered wooden planks of various colours and sizes, beneath a set of pale, more uniform wooden planks

Classic Mussolini-era white stone building, adopting severe and unornamented Roman-style arches. A large white relief sculpture shows students in combat, with an inscription in Latin which says 'Here live, here thrive, here the souls of so many wars find new life for all times.'

000

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Back from a day in Padua, where we saw this in the university. A creative project led by designers with autism to use old Lego bricks to build access ramps. 'It demonstrates that overcoming architectural, social and interpersonal barriers requires a collective effort from all of us' 1/2

A ramp up a stone step built of multiple colourful legs bricks

223

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Oxford - please join another unity march against the far right. 12pm Manzil Way, Sat 17th October. It's really important that we show them 'there are many many more of us than you'. The first unity march last autumn was a really joyful event, music, drums and a positive welcome all along Cowley Rd

Poster saying Oxford Unites against the far right, march and rally, 12pm Saturday 17th October. Assemble Manzil Way. Also showing the logos of many supporting g organisations, unions and charities

13423

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Living with a cat with chronic pancreatitis is a roller coaster of flares and recoveries. But he's worth it. #Caturday

Me with my Siamese cat who is lying on me and stretching a loving paw up my shouldet

Me with my Siamese cat who is gazing up at me and touching my face with a loving paw

2221

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I love volunteering at Oxford City Farm and hanging out with my goat friends, but today I just can't shake off the smell of goat. I blame Big Billy, not the sweet little guys like this one.

Me in a green volunteer jacket behind the goat feeding station. In front of me a woman in a wheelchair is feeding a banana to one of the baby goats who is poking his head through the fence, and a photographer is capturing the scene

150

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I see it's been raining back home, which is of course welcome. But meanwhile we won the West of Scotland weather lottery again for our holiday on Mull. How lucky are we? Farewell, Tobermory ❤️

Colourful houses along the pretty harbour of Tobermory in sunshine with a deep blue sky reflected in the water

1170

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

An example of Smasher Dowsing's 'work' from Blythburgh. Thank goodness the roof angels survived.

A wooden carved pew decoration of a man with his hands chained. His face has been sliced off

A painted wooden ceiling decorated with angles with wings outstretched

020

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Wonderful pew decorations in Earl Soham church, Suffolk. Most are restorations, because puritan 'Smasher Dowsing defaced or destroyed them. But a few are mediaeval survivals.

A cat and a dog on either side of a pew end

251

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Red Kites are the new seagulls, apparently

A sign with a drawing of a red kite saying 'BEWARE Thieves operate in this area! Red Kites can swoop down and steal food or keys from your table. Please be careful!'

022

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

My first Swift SOS taxi job, taking a little house martin nestling to Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue. Fingers crossed for it

A tiny baby house martin in a box with kitchen towel

3161

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Calling all mediaevalists! The Digital Image Archive of Mediaeval Music are having to remainder the Ferrell-Vogüé MS of Guillaume de Machaut. Shortly available only for collection from Oxford before copies get pulped 😭. Please share, I can give more details. www.diamm.ac.uk/publications...

145

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Oxford people! The Medley summer pop-up bar and pizza restaurant by the Thames in Port Meadow says on its website it's only open from 4pm on weekdays. Don't be misled! They're open from 11 and lunch from 12. With a view.

A river with a red footbridge and a view towards horses and cows grazing (as best they can) on a very dry water meadow

040

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Oh true. But there's a lot of rubbish in amongst the nicer bits. For several years I had an office in this little beauty while working at Oxford.

040

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Er...here's an Oxford tower for you. The engineering dept. Not much 'ivory' in evidence 🤣

150

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

I was sceptical about these cooling mats for pets during heatwaves. And I fully expected my cat to be contrary and refuse to go near it. But it turns out it's his new favourite place.

Siamese cat lying sprawled happily on a grey cooling mat with a pattern of white cats and stars

0151

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Good turnout for the #MarchForGreyhounds to get greyhound racing banned in England. Some of the posters below @animalaid.org.uk @leagueacs.bsky.social

1 dog killed every 2-3 days while being raced on UK dog tracks

Pets not bets. For Trigger and Gem, two greyhounds whose drawings appear on the poster with a heart each

A warning sign saying 'Danger of Death. Above, in a warning triangle, is a drawing of an injured greyhound lying on its back with its legs in the air

191

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

I missed your run over news. How miserable! This, seen recently in Galway, might help cheer you.

A blackboard outside Freddy's restaurant in Galway, saying 'all children left unattended will be given an espresso and a free kitten', with a cartoon cat with a very big nose and spiky fur

172

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Got to love a good Palladian interior. Castletown House, County Kildare.

The entrance hall. All white with two layers of classical columns

The long gallery, pale blue with Pompeian style decorations and white busts, a murano glass chandelier and a ceiling in blue, red and gold

050

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I knew Newgrange was an amazing Neolithic site in Ireland, but I had no idea about Knowth, in many ways more stunning. So much stone art, and numerous smaller satellite tombs.

Spiral art carved into one of the kerb stones surrounding Knowth passage tomb

A wonderful photographic montage of details from stone art at Knowth - squeals, circles and undulating lines which may represent the River Boyne

The massive mound tomb at Knowth, with one of the satellite tombs in front

3173

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Cheeky hooded crow and his friend hoping someone might drop a chip at a pub in Maynooth.

A hooded crow sitting on top of a sun umbrella outside a white pub. In front sits a black crow, and a sign says no pets allowed

Closer shot of the hooded crow sitting on top of the unbrella

010

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

But please no more tiebreaks, they do my head in

Extract from a set of fake headlines put together by my kids
"Son's amateur tennis career took years off my life", sobs beleaguered woman

100

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

First shift at Oxford City Farm. Goat social time.

A young brown and white goat with long floppy ears standing on a pile of logs

A young cream-coloured goal with long floppy ears looking up at me

030

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Marsh Baldon has an annunciation by Battoni (1708-1787), which was originally in Corpus Christi College chapel (where we sing in the choir) till Corpus acquired a Rubens altarpiece and evidently decided Battoni was a bit passé. (I prefer the Battoni. Not a great Rubens fan. Too much flesh) 3/3

A fairly dark but dramatic picture of the Angel Gabriel appearing to Mary

120

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

The churches of Marsh Baldon and Toot Baldon 2/3

A liw plastered Church with a strange polygonal stone tower

Toot Baldon stone church has no tower, just a couple of bells on top of the gable. What it does have is magnificent views across golden fields

110

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Today's retirement outing to the Baldons (Marsh and Toot). I do love the use of thatch finials, in this case a little family of ducks. 1/3

A timbered and thatched cottage in March Baldon with a thatch finial sculpture on the roof of a mother duck follower by four ducklings

271

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

There's nothing quite like a sunny mid summer evening, is there?

A lush summer garden in evening sunshine, with roses, purple toadflax, yellow loosestrifeand a huge cedar tree against a cloudless blue sky

0100

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Today's retirement outing. Mediaeval wall paintings in North Stoke near Wallingford

Rather indistinct wall paintings. Below is the last supper, and above scenes of Christ's betrayal and trial

One of these paintings portrays the murder of Thomas à Becket. Apparently.

130

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Mercifully cooler but still too hot if you have fur. #caturday

Siamese cat lying with his legs stretched out trying to get cooler

080

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Great #BridgeArt on the Thames in Oxford. Goose liberation. "The crime is great in man or woman who steals a goose from a common; but surely 'tis a worse abuse to steal the common from the goose."

Part of a mural with geese against a blue background, one of whom is looking after her egg on the nest. On an orange banner there is a poem: "The crime is great in man or woman who steals a goose from a common; but surely tis a worse abuse to steal the common from the goose"

A mural of geese honking, dancing, playing guitar. They hold placards saying vote goose, flock off and have a gander.

Geese on a mural honking round a sign saying no moorings, on which inns has been crossed out and hens written in, so it reads no moorhens. One goose wears a purple top hat, waistcoat and bow tie

120

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Today is also our wedding anniversary 40 years ago today - were we ever really that young??

Me and my newly-minted husband outside the church door on our wedding day

Us laughing at something during the speeches at our wedding

9260

Louise, Prof/Dr @louiselocock.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Lovely to talk to this guy, who did French and German at Oxford 13 years before me. My 'Je suis désolée' EU t-shirt often prompts linguist conversations ♥️ #MarchForRejoin

Man holding a placard with pictures of Johnson, Gove, Farage and Rees Mogg, saying "Economic criminals! You owe us £110 billion for brexit. Long term loss = 4% of GDP"

095