The nature of portraits & pictures (was Re: Dumbledore)

[Christopher Nehren]

No: HPFGUIDX 116530


On Tue, Oct 26, 2004 at 14:43:50 EDT, Chancie scribbled these
curious markings (which I've properly wrapped because they're longer
than 72 characters):
> 
> Chancie:
> Actually if I remember corectly, Picture people, can travel without 
> being in a picture.  Do you remember in PoA, when the Trio are trying 
> to find Divination for the first time?  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> And he [Sir Cadogan] ran, clanking loudly , into the left side ot the 
> frame and out of sight.   They hurried after him along the corridor, 
> following the sound of his armor.  Every now and then they spotted 
> him running through a picture ahead

Technically speaking, they're portraits -- they're properly framed, hung
on walls, and presumably not taken with a camera or similar "instant",
"quantised" mechanism. It can be argued that the length of time and
effort taken to create a portrait somehow captures the essence of the
person. This is something similar to the beliefs of the Amish with
regards to having their photographs taken. Of course, this is just a
theory. As is the usual, there's far more questions than answers. I'm
really looking forward to this possible HP Encyclopedia which JKR had
mentioned that she may be creating.

Christopher

-- 
I abhor a system designed for the "user", if that word is a coded
pejorative meaning "stupid and unsophisticated".  -- Ken Thompson
-
Unix is user friendly. However, it isn't idiot friendly.