Finite

‘A Clump of Trees in the Wind’ (circa 1605).

Pen and brown ink on cream paper by Jacob (Jacques) de Gheyn II (Dutch, 1565–1629).

• Many, many cups of 𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒓𝒋 (of course, the coffee grounds at the bottom of the cup are used for fortune telling).

• Messy notes written in Armenian (your hand chains softly chime as you write).

• Reading Vahan Terian's poetry when its autumn or when you feel lovesick.

• Quietly humming Armenian lullabies (𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒓...𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒓) as you browse around a second-hand bookshop.

• Wearing layers of intricate silver jewellery over a simple linen shirt.

• Long, dark hair in a messy up-do.

• Snacking on 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒓 (dried fruit) or sliced apricots as you study.

• Thick eyebrows.

• Learning to play 𝑵𝒐. 5 𝑺𝒉𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒌𝒊 𝒐𝒇 𝑽𝒂𝒈𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒕 (Komitas, 7 Folk Dances) on piano.

• Covering the wall above your desk with prints of artworks by great Armenian painters (Martiros Saryan, Minas Avetisyan, Arshile Gorky, Ivan Aivazovsky, Mariam Aslamazyan etc.)

• Listening to 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒛 (Aram Khachaturian, Masquerade) at 3am.

The Disrobing of Christ, 1579, El Greco

Cupid’s Hunting Fields, Sir Edward Burne-Jones (English, 1833–1898), 1885