June 15 - Miniature scene of the Port-Mahon palace in the Balearic islands (sculpted by a quarry worker who'd been held prisoner across from this scene for years and who sculpted it from memory, 1777-82), in the quarries or 'catacombes' under Paris
"'Port-Mahon sculptures' - Models representing the Port-Mahon palace in the main city on Minorca [Maó-Mahón, sometimes written in English as Mahon] in the Balearic Islands. Made from 1777 - 1782, they were sculpted by memory by one of the first workers in the quarry inspections, Decure ['dit Beausejour'], who was imprisoned in the fort opposite the palace for a long time. He was killed from a cave-in while trying to build an access stairway at this location." (plaque). Wow.
- This harbour was "one of the most strategically important in the western Mediterranean... Menorca was captured in 1708 by a joint British-Dutch force on behalf of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, during the War of the Spanish Succession. The British saw the island's potential as a naval base and sought to take full control. Its status as a British possession was confirmed by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. During the island's years as a British dependency, the capital was moved from Ciutadella de Menorca to Maó-Mahón, which then served as residence for the governor...
The island was lost to the French in 1756 following the naval Battle of Minorca and the final Siege of Fort St Philip, which took place several miles from the town. After their defeat in the 7 years' war, France returned the island to the British in 1763." (Wikipedia). The islands have belonged to Spain since 1802.
- Could this be the site of that palace today? www.cruiseportatlas.com/Ports/MHN-Images/MHN-Altstadt_Hen... (From a site advertising cruises: "Mahon [sometimes called Port Mahon] is a city with a strong 18th cent. British character, including many Georgian buildings in its old center, a Gin distillery, and an impressive English fortress.")
- So this quarry worker had been a prisoner of the Brits, trapped for years with a view of this scene through the bars of his cell-window, and was trapped forever near this, his creation, when he died in that cave-in.
June 15 - Miniature scene of the Port-Mahon palace in the Balearic islands (sculpted by a quarry worker who'd been held prisoner across from this scene for years and who sculpted it from memory, 1777-82), in the quarries or 'catacombes' under Paris
"'Port-Mahon sculptures' - Models representing the Port-Mahon palace in the main city on Minorca [Maó-Mahón, sometimes written in English as Mahon] in the Balearic Islands. Made from 1777 - 1782, they were sculpted by memory by one of the first workers in the quarry inspections, Decure ['dit Beausejour'], who was imprisoned in the fort opposite the palace for a long time. He was killed from a cave-in while trying to build an access stairway at this location." (plaque). Wow.
- This harbour was "one of the most strategically important in the western Mediterranean... Menorca was captured in 1708 by a joint British-Dutch force on behalf of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, during the War of the Spanish Succession. The British saw the island's potential as a naval base and sought to take full control. Its status as a British possession was confirmed by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. During the island's years as a British dependency, the capital was moved from Ciutadella de Menorca to Maó-Mahón, which then served as residence for the governor...
The island was lost to the French in 1756 following the naval Battle of Minorca and the final Siege of Fort St Philip, which took place several miles from the town. After their defeat in the 7 years' war, France returned the island to the British in 1763." (Wikipedia). The islands have belonged to Spain since 1802.
- Could this be the site of that palace today? www.cruiseportatlas.com/Ports/MHN-Images/MHN-Altstadt_Hen... (From a site advertising cruises: "Mahon [sometimes called Port Mahon] is a city with a strong 18th cent. British character, including many Georgian buildings in its old center, a Gin distillery, and an impressive English fortress.")
- So this quarry worker had been a prisoner of the Brits, trapped for years with a view of this scene through the bars of his cell-window, and was trapped forever near this, his creation, when he died in that cave-in.