Hunters of Dune - Entry #7

     The Van Gogh painting, Thatched Cottages at Cordeville, that Sheeana took from Odrade's quarters just before stealing away from Chapterhouse on the no-ship is periodically mentioned in Hunters of Dune.  The painting had apparently "survived the atomic destruction of Earth ages ago, the Butlerian Jihad and ensuing dark ages, then Muad'Dib's Jihad, thirty-five hundred years of the Tyrant's rule, the Famine Times, and the Scattering" (Hunters of Dune, pp. 201 - 202).  But seriously, that is so unlikely.  There are little hints as to why it is an important artifact.  On page 202, we learn that an Ixian had "restored and enhanced the original" but had also added "interactive simulations" that showed the observer how the painting was created, stroke by stroke.  Sheeana thinks to herself "even if she'd made a perfect copy, it wouldn't have been the same as the original" (Hunters of Dune, p. 202).  Since I already know how the epic ends, I know more about this painting's origin and how it connects to the story's end.

     A seriously unlikely story line that, unfortunately, doesn't have solid footing is Sheeana discovering Serena Butler in her Other Memory.  I just don't understand why this is happening and I find it hard to believe that this was in Frank Herbert's outline of Dune 7.  Other Memory was always from mother to daughter until the Sisterhood figured out how to Share which came much, much later.  Serena died childless, as best as we can tell, considering that the Butlerian Jihad was ignited by Serena when Erasmus killed Manion, her young son by Xavier Harkonnen.  I will be looking for missed clues as to why Brian Herbert put this in to the story.

     Note: Thatched Cottages at Cordeville is in the collection at Musee d'Orsay.  The following link goes to information about the painting: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/collections/works-in-focus/painting/commentaire_id/thatched-cottages-at-cordeville-18199.html?cHash=5fa6b59f9b