Very very soothing paintings this week, in what is going to be a crucial week in British politics and for all us Brits. As Simon Kuper pointed out in the Financial Times on January 10th: before the referendum few people cared about the EU. ‘Brexiters won by attaching Brexit to two issues that voters did care about: immigration and the NHS. But Brexit, if binned [which he thinks is ‘quite likely’] could fade back into marginality.’ Then, as he says, we must make every effort to achieve social peace, and he wisely suggests using Mandela’s approach as our model. So, here is the first of five soothing flower paintings by women. This is Still Life with Fruit by Nora Cundell (1889-1948). Look at it and breathe deeply.