Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2022 February 10

= February 10 =

Robert Irving Barrow


Can we conform that Robert Irving Barrow, uncle of Charles Dickens, "an artist and engraver" (per "Dickens's Theatrical Cousins", Long, William F. The Dickensian; London Vol. 117, Iss. 513, (Spring 2021): 38-48), is the same person as the artist whose works are in c:Category:Robert Irving Barrow? Can we find any other details about him? Were he and Dickens close, and did they ever work together? Andy Mabbett ( Pigsonthewing ); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 09:58, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
 * Some of his works are attributed to R. J. Barrow - note in particular the print shown here, and the label on its reverse. (It would be good to find the 1992 Telegraph article referred to there; I'll ask on WP:REX.) A person of that name exhibited at the RA in 1834; giving two addresses; one as "Liverpool" and, in London, "84 Abingdon-street" (per ). Andy Mabbett ( Pigsonthewing ); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 11:56, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
 * Article found, but not helpful in this regard. Andy Mabbett ( Pigsonthewing ); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 14:08, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
 * You might try The letters of Charles Dickens. Vol. 10, 1862-1864, p. 452 and Vol. 9, p. 391. R. I. is also listed as collaborating with an F. Long.. fiveby(zero) 14:17, 10 February 2022 (UTC)
 * Useful, thank you. I think we have enough to say they're the same person. Andy Mabbett ( Pigsonthewing ); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 16:55, 10 February 2022 (UTC)

What is this instrument?
It kicks in at 0:33 on the track "Doctor Eleven" from the Station Eleven soundtrack by Dan Romer. The entire song reminds me of something I can't put my finger on and it's driving me up the wall. Not sure if the ref desk has an external link deletion policy, but if not, here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj9-hx4Pgzg — Preceding unsigned comment added by 60.241.88.155 (talk) 12:25, 10 February 2022 (UTC)


 * There's an acoustic guitar (maybe a 12 string) but also something more metallic. Hard to tell, given how it's mixed. The Dan Romer article says he plays the mandolin, but it could be a banjo, or maybe something hammered like a hammered dulcimer or zither. I think someone would have to find a "making of" to really know. There is one for Romer's work on the Beasts of No Nation soundtrack here, and there he's using all kinds of unconventional sound sources and then munging them through the DAW so heavily that it would really be impossible to figure it out without knowing. -- Finlay McWalter··–·Talk 22:44, 10 February 2022 (UTC)


 * Thanks for a much more comprehensive answer than I could've hoped for, even if inconclusive! I guess what I'm really wondering is the broader question "what precisely does this remind me of," which only I can (or rather, can't) answer. Since it very vaguely reminds me of something I listened to a lot around 2010 I guess I can just be glad the answer isn't "a mandolin, you're thinking of Mumford and Sons, dummy." (In fact something about it reminds me of something, somewhere, in Darren Hayman's Thankful Villages albums. Or perhaps not... 60.241.88.155 (talk) 12:14, 15 February 2022 (UTC)