San Bozo

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San Bozo (2021)

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Here is my completed portrait of Boris Johnson, aka Bozo. Inspired by “Charles Borromeo intercedes during the plague; painted by Jacob Jordaens (1655). During the Covid 19 pandemic, Boris looks to the sky in hope (Jesus has abandoned him) and casts dice in the air. Butterflies emerge. He sits atop a nest of words connected to the Plague of San Carlo, Milan (1576), whilst making comparisons to the Covid-19 pandemic. The words are painted as scrawling from the back of public toilet doors. Throughout the pandemic, Boris’ policies have been widely criticised as if decisions were made at the throw of a dice.

The average Butterfly has a life span of less than two weeks. During the pandemic, we all celebrated the beauty of life, but at times it appeared that government policy accelerated the brevity of it.

Crux Pectoralis: Bozo wears his pectoral cross underneath his cappa magna (great cape). He keeps his true faith hidden from view. Only popes, archbishops, bishops and cardinals are allowed to wear theirs in plain sight anyway.

During Boris’ leadership campaign and subsequent election, he used rhetoric in which he appeared to crave his ‘Churchill’ moment, the opportunity to have books written about him. Brexit appeared to be that opportunity. He got the double whammy of Brexit and Covid and strode headfirst into both, fostering the ‘spirit of Dunkirk’ (whatever that means). For his self-acclaimed saint status, I have provided him with a halo. Will his actions be written about for decades to come? Well done, San Bozo, you got your book deal. I’m also a sucker for Renaissance allegorical metaphors.

In absolute contrast here’s a historical tale to warm your cockles:

Towards the end of the Renaissance Charles Borromeo (San Carlo) was created cardinal by his uncle Pope Pius IV and later, in 1564, became Archbishop of Milan. It was during this time that plague engulfed much of Lombardy, killing at least 30,000 people (sound familiar?) As many of the city leaders fled, Borromeo returned to the city on horseback and chose to remain and help. With his quick and selfless actions, he initiated the first recorded lockdown and, in doing so saved thousands of lives and the further spread. Famine spread through the city and Carlo used his own personal finances to feed the 70,000 hungry, plunging himself into debt. Borromeo introduced outdoor worship and visited the sick in their homes “He fears nothing,” said a Capuchin who knew him. “It is useless trying to frighten him.” Borromeo was credited with the strict reformation of Catholicism in Milan opened the first Sunday Schools, and is credited with the introduction of the confessional box to limit sexual deviance from priests upon their clergy. It also encouraged the Milanese to ‘grass’ on their neighbours’ unholy behaviours. He is largely accredited for the founding of seminaries for the education of priests. San Carlo has his own feast day on November 4th.
I wonder if history will remember our own San Bozo with such vigour.

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