View allAll Photos Tagged Complexion
Garza real
Ardea cinerea
Familia: Ardeidos – Ardeidae
Aspecto: Garza grande, de complexión robusta, predominantemente de color gris, con un pico recto, fuerte, en forma de daga. Las garzas pueden diferenciarse de las grullas durante el vuelo, y a menudo también cuando están de pie, por la forma en que encorvan su cuello.
Tamaño: Largo 84-102 cm, envergadura alar 155-175 cm, peso 930-1.150 g.
Nido: Una gran pila desarreglada de ramas, generalmente construido muy alto en un abeto o pino. Las aves pueden usar el mismo nido durante muchos años.
Reproducción: Pone 6 huevos en mayo, incubados de forma alternada por los padres, en 4 a 6 períodos, durante 25 a 28 días. Las aves jóvenes aprenden a volar aproximadamente a los 50 días. Muchas garzas reales anidan en colonias.
Distribución: Ave migratoria de verano que se reproduce poco en Finlandia (solo hay alrededor de 100 parejas). En los últimos años, los avistamientos de invierno se han vuelto más comunes.
Migración: Pasa el invierno en el oeste y sur de Europa. La migración de otoño puede tener lugar entre mediados de agosto y principios de noviembre, y las aves regresan de marzo a mayo.
Alimentación: Acecha inmóvil a lo largo de costas, lista para emboscar, en espera de que peces y animales acuáticos pequeños estén a su alcance.
Sonidos: Un chillido fuerte, molesto, similar al llamado de la pagaza piquirroja.
La garza real tiene partes superiores de color gris claro, y partes inferiores de color blanco grisáceo. Su cabeza es mayormente blanca, excepto por una raya negra que se extiende desde encima de sus ojos hasta la parte posterior de su cuello, donde algunas de sus plumas se alargan para formar una cresta. Los adultos con plumaje de apareamiento pueden tener un color rosáceo a los lados del cuello, y algunas filas de rayas oscuras en el cuello y el pecho. La garza real tiene el pico de color amarillo o naranja amarillento, patas de color marrón opaco e iris amarillo.
Las aves inmaduras generalmente se parecen a las adultas, pero su capuchón y su cuello son más grises (y el cuello no tiene color rosáceo). Su pico es más pardusco y el iris es blanco.
From The Encyclopædia Britannica:A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature And General Information, 11th edition, published in 29 volumes, 1910-1911 [public domain]:
[Cont. from Lincoln 6]
Lincoln being at the time on a visit to the army, entered Richmond the day after its surrender. Returning to Washington, he made his last public address on the evening of the 11th of April, devoted mainly to the question of reconstructing loyal governments in the conquered states. On the evening of the 14th of April he attended Ford’s theatre in Washington. While seated with his family and friends absorbed in the play, John Wilkes Booth, an actor, who with others had prepared a plot to assassinate the several heads of government, went into the little corridor leading to the upper stage-box, and secured it against ingress by a wooden bar. Then stealthily entering the box, he discharged a pistol at the head of the president from behind, the ball penetrating the brain. Brandishing a huge knife, with which he wounded Colonel Rathbone who attempted to hold him, the assassin rushed through the stage-box to the front and leaped down upon the stage, escaping behind the scenes and from the rear of the building, but was pursued, and twelve days afterwards shot in a barn where he had concealed himself. The wounded president was borne to a house across the street, where he breathed his last at 7 a.m. on the 15th of April 1865.
President Lincoln was of unusual stature, 6 ft. 4 in., and of spare but muscular build; he had been in youth remarkably strong and skilful in the athletic games of the frontier, where, however, his popularity and recognized impartiality oftener made him an umpire than a champion. He had regular and prepossessing features, dark complexion, broad high forehead, prominent cheek bones, grey deep-set eyes, and bushy black hair, turning to grey at the time of his death. Abstemious in his habits, he possessed great physical endurance. He was almost as tender-hearted as a woman. “I have not willingly planted a thorn in any man’s bosom,” he was able to say. His patience was inexhaustible. He had naturally a most cheerful and sunny temper, was highly social and sympathetic, loved pleasant conversation, wit, anecdote and laughter. Beneath this, however, ran an undercurrent of sadness; he was occasionally subject to hours of deep silence and introspection that approached a condition of trance. In manner he was simple, direct, void of the least affectation, and entirely free from awkwardness, oddity or eccentricity. His mental qualities were—a quick analytic perception, strong logical powers, a tenacious memory, a liberal estimate and tolerance of the opinions of others, ready intuition of human nature; and perhaps his most valuable faculty was rare ability to divest himself of all feeling or passion in weighing motives of persons or problems of state. His speech and diction were plain, terse, forcible. Relating anecdotes with appreciative humour and fascinating dramatic skill, he used them freely and effectively in conversation and argument. He loved manliness, truth and justice. He despised all trickery and selfish greed. In arguments at the bar he was so fair to his opponent that he frequently appeared to concede away his client’s case. He was ever ready to take blame on himself and bestow praise on others. “I claim not to have controlled events,” he said, “but confess plainly that events have controlled me.” The Declaration of Independence was his political chart and inspiration. He acknowledged a universal equality of human rights. “Certainly the negro is not our equal in colour,” he said, “perhaps not in many other respects; still, in the right to put into his mouth the bread that his own hands have earned, he is the equal of every other man white or black.” He had unchanging faith in self-government. “The people,” he said, “are the rightful masters of both congresses and courts, not to overthrow the constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the constitution.” Yielding and accommodating in non-essentials, he was inflexibly firm in a principle or position deliberately taken. “Let us have faith that right makes might,” he said, “and in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we understand it.” The emancipation proclamation once issued, he reiterated his purpose never to retract or modify it. “There have been men base enough,” he said, “to propose to me to return to slavery our black warriors of Port Hudson and Olustee, and thus win the respect of the masters they fought. Should I do so I should deserve to be damned in time and eternity. Come what will, I will keep my faith with friend and foe.” Benevolence and forgiveness were the very basis of his character; his world-wide humanity is aptly embodied in a phrase of his second inaugural: “With malice toward none, with charity for all.” His nature was deeply religious, but he belonged to no denomination.
Lincoln married in Springfield on the 4th of November 1842, Mary Todd (1818-1882), also a native of Kentucky, who bore him four sons, of whom the only one to grow up was the eldest, Robert Todd Lincoln (b. 1843), who graduated at Harvard in 1864, served as a captain on the staff of General Grant in 1865, was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1867, was secretary of war in the cabinets of Presidents Garfield and Arthur in 1881-1885, and United States Minister to Great Britain in 1889-1893, and was prominently connected with many large corporations, becoming in 1897 president of the Pullman Co.
Of the many statues of President Lincoln in American cities, the best known is that, in Chicago, by St Gaudens. Among the 710 others are two by Thomas Ball, one in statuary hall in the Capitol at Washington, and one in Boston; two—one in Rochester, N.Y., and one in Springfield, Ill.—by Leonard W. Volk, who made a life-mask and a bust of Lincoln in 1860; and one by J. Q. A. Ward, in Lincoln Park, Washington. Francis B. Carpenter painted in 1864 “Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation,” now in the Capitol at Washington.
See The Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln (12 vols., New York, 1906-1907; enlarged from the 2-volume edition of 1894 by John G. Nicolay and John Hay). There are various editions of the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858; perhaps the best is that edited by E. E. Sparks (1908). There are numerous biographies, and biographical studies, including: John G. Nicolay and John Hay, Abraham Lincoln: A History (10 vols., New York, 1890), a monumental work by his private secretaries who treat primarily his official life; John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln (New York, 1904), condensed from the preceding; John T. Morse, Jr., Abraham Lincoln (2 vols., Boston, 1896), in the “American Statesmen” series, an excellent brief biography, dealing chiefly with Lincoln’s political career; Ida M. Tarbell, The Early Life of Lincoln (New York, 1896) and Life of Abraham Lincoln (2 vols., New York, 1900), containing new material to which too great prominence and credence is sometimes given; Carl Schurz, Abraham Lincoln: An Essay (Boston, 1891), a remarkably able estimate; Ward H. Lamon, The Life of Abraham Lincoln from his Birth to his Inauguration as President (Boston, 1872), supplemented by Recollections of Abraham Lincoln 1847-1865 (Chicago, 1895), compiled by Dorothy Lamon, valuable for some personal recollections, but tactless, uncritical, and marred by the effort of the writer, who as marshal of the District of Columbia, knew Lincoln intimately, to prove that Lincoln’s melancholy was due to his lack of religious belief of the orthodox sort; William H. Herndon and Jesse W. Weik, Abraham Lincoln, the True Story of a Great Life (3 vols., Chicago, 1889; revised, 2 vols., New York, 1892), an intimate and ill-proportioned biography by Lincoln’s law partner who exaggerates the importance of the petty incidents of his youth and young manhood; Isaac N. Arnold, History of Abraham Lincoln and the Overthrow of Slavery (Chicago, 1867), revised and enlarged as Life of Abraham Lincoln (Chicago, 1885), valuable for personal reminiscences; Gideon Welles, Lincoln and Seward (New York, 1874), the reply of Lincoln’s secretary of the navy to Charles Francis Adams’s eulogy (delivered in Albany in April 1873) on Lincoln’s secretary of state, W. H. Seward, in which Adams claimed that Seward was the premier of Lincoln’s administration; F. B. Carpenter, Six Months in the White House (New York, 1866), an excellent account of Lincoln’s daily life while president; Robert T. Hill, Lincoln the Lawyer (New York, 1906); A. Rothschild, Lincoln, the Master of Men (Boston, 1906); J. Eaton and E. O. Mason, Grant, Lincoln, and the Freedmen (New York, 1907); R. W. Gilder, Lincoln, the Leader, and Lincoln’s Genius for Expression (New York, 1909); M. L. Learned, Abraham Lincoln: An American Migration (Philadelphia, 1909), a careful study of the Lincoln family in America; W. P. Pickett, The Negro Problem: Abraham Lincoln’s Solution (New York, 1909); James H. Lea and J. R. Hutchinson, The Ancestry of Abraham Lincoln (Boston, 1909), a careful genealogical monograph; and C. H. McCarthy, Lincoln’s Plan of Reconstruction (New York, 1901). For an excellent account of Lincoln as president see J. F. Rhodes, History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850 (7 vols., 1893-1906).
(J. G. N.; C. C. W.)
1 Lincoln’s birthday is a legal holiday in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
2 Samuel Lincoln (c. 1619-1690), the president’s first American ancestor, son of Edward Lincoln, gent., of Hingham, Norfolk, emigrated to Massachusetts in 1637 as apprentice to a weaver and settled with two older brothers in Hingham, Mass. His son and grandson were iron founders; the grandson Mordecai (1686-1736) moved to Chester county, Pennsylvania. Mordecai’s son John (1711-c. 1773), a weaver, settled in what is now Rockingham county, Va., and was the president’s great-grandfather.
3 Douglas and Lincoln first met in public debate (four on a side) in Springfield in December 1839. They met repeatedly in the campaign of 1840. In 1852 Lincoln attempted with little success to reply to a speech made by Douglas in Richmond. On the 4th of October 1854 in Springfield, in reply to a speech on the Nebraska question by Douglas delivered the day before, Lincoln made a remarkable speech four hours long, to which Douglas replied on the next day; and in the fortnight immediately following Lincoln attacked Douglas’s record again at Bloomington and at Peoria. On the 26th of June 1857 Lincoln in a speech at Springfield answered Douglas’s speech of the 12th in which he made over his doctrine of popular sovereignty to suit the Dred Scott decision. Before the actual debate in 1858 Douglas made a speech in Chicago on the 9th of July, to which Lincoln replied the next day; Douglas spoke at Bloomington on the 16th of July and Lincoln answered him in Springfield on the 17th.
4 Without Lincoln’s knowledge or consent, the managers of his candidacy before the convention bargained for Cameron’s votes by promising to Cameron a place in Lincoln’s cabinet, should Lincoln be elected. Cameron became Lincoln’s first secretary of war.
5 In November 1861 the president drafted a bill providing (1) that all slaves more than thirty-five years old in the state of Delaware should immediately become free; (2) that all children of slave parentage born after the passage of the act should be free; (3) that all others should be free on attaining the age of thirty-five or after the 1st of January 1893, except for terms of apprenticeship; and (4) that the national government should pay to the state of Delaware $23,200 a year for twenty-one years. But this bill, which Lincoln had hoped would introduce a system of “compensated emancipation,” was not approved by the legislature of Delaware, which considered it in February 1862.
6 It is to be noted that slavery in the border slave states was not affected by the proclamation. The parts of Virginia and Louisiana not affected were those then considered to be under Federal jurisdiction; in Virginia 55 counties were excepted (including the 48 which became the separate state of West Virginia), and in Louisiana 13 parishes (including the parish of Orleans). As the Federal Government did not, at the time, actually have jurisdiction over the rest of the territory of the Confederate States, that really affected, some writers have questioned whether the proclamation really emancipated any slaves when it was issued. The proclamation had the most important political effect in the North of rallying more than ever to the support of the administration the large anti-slavery element. The adoption of the 13th amendment to the Federal Constitution in 1865 rendered unnecessary any decision of the U.S. Supreme Court upon the validity of the proclamation.
[end of article]
Pub sign of the "Paxton’s Head" in London’s Knightsbridge area, London, England
Some background information:
The "Paxton’s Head" is located alongside the south end of Hyde Park, on the main road towards Kensington. The pub is a superb example of a Grade II listed Victorian tavern in the Knightsbridge area of London. It has kept its original appearance since it was last rebuilt between 1900 and 1902 by the architect George Dennis Martin as part of the seven-storey Park Mansions development.
However, licensed premise has occupied the site since at least 1632 when the pub was known as the "King's Head". From the 1760s it became known as the "Granby's Head" and later as the "Marquis of Granby's Head". When the pub was rebuilt between 1851 and 1853 for the first time, it took its present name. The building is highly unusual in that it has retained its ancient usage within a large modern development. Its interior is still a fine example of an ornate pub of around 1900 which has retained its island servery and many of its other contemporary fittings.
The "Paxton’s Head" is set on three floors. On the ground floor is the pub with its original oak panels, etched mirrors and an authentic Irish bar. Below, there is a traditional lounge bar and upstairs is a modern restaurant with 43 covers. The clientele of the pub is a mixture of business people, advertising agents and shoppers, with many people being regulars who work nearby. The pub offers not only a wide selection of real ales and bottled drinks, but also freshly cooked British pub food.
At the time, we were there (in 2013), the "Paxton’s Head" was still operating under the brand "Taylor Walker", owned by the Spirit Pub Company plc. But today it is owned by Greene King, the UK's largest pub retailer and brewer, based in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The Greene King brewery currently operates about 3,100 pubs, restaurants and hotels in all of Great Britain.
The name of the pub refers to Sir Joseph Paxton, who lived from 1803 to 1865. He was an English gardener, architect and Member of Parliament, best known for designing the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and for cultivating the Cavendish banana, the most consumed banana in the Western world.
In his early years, the 20-year-old Paxton had already become the head gardener at Chatsworth House, which was considered to have one of the finest landscaped gardens of the time. Paxton redesigned the garden around the new north wing of the house, became skilled in moving mature trees and expanded Chatsworth's collection of conifers into a 40-acre (160,000 square metres) arboretum which still exists. But he also built the Emperor Fountain in 1844 that was twice the height of Nelson's Column and required the creation of a feeder lake on the hill above the gardens.
Paxton developed an interest in greenhouses too. Constant experimentation over a number of years led him to devise the glasshouse design that inspired the Crystal Palace. After the Great Exhibiton of 1851, the Palace was relocated to Penge Common, an area of South London. Unfortunately it was destructed by a fire in November 1936. However, the nearby residential area was renamed Crystal Palace after the landmark of glass, designed and built by Joseph Paxton.
In 1850, Paxton was commissioned by Baron Mayer de Rothschild to design Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire, which was to be one of the greatest country houses built during the Victorian Era. Following the completion of Mentmore, Paxton also designed Château de Ferrières near Paris, France, the stately home of Baron James de Rothschild.
Paxton was honoured by being a member of the Kew Commission which was to suggest improvements for Royal Botanic Gardens, and by being considered for the post of Head Gardener at Windsor Castle. However, he became affluent, not so much through his Chatsworth employment, but by successful speculation in the railway industry.
He retired from Chatsworth when William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, died in 1858 but carried on working at various projects such as the Thames Graving Dock. In 1865, Paxton died at his home at Rockhills, Sydenham, and was buried on the Chatsworth Estate in St Peter's Churchyard, Edensor. His wife Sarah remained at their house on the Chatsworth Estate until her death in 1871.
So delighted to have another beauty from Sharon Avital to join my ever growing family! Previously, she had been named named Asia , but I felt her personality evoked an earthy connection with nature that Dakota suited her perfectly.
I also tried my hand at blushing a PN body that would match her Sunshine Holiday complexion. Dang, you should see her body without the clothes but we are trying to be more discriminate here as for she is making her debut after all!
Well, I am thrilled to have her and I am so proud to be sharing one of my lovely girls with you on Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day to you all!!
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN STAR!
Written by PHILIP LEIBFRIED
Her complexion was described as "a rose blushing through old ivory;" she was beautiful, tall (5'7"), slender, and Chinese-American. The last fact kept her from attaining the highest echelon among Hollywood's pantheon of stars, but it did not affect her popularity, nor keep her from becoming a household name. She was Anna May Wong, nee Wong Liu Tsong, a name which translates to "Frosted Yellow Willows," and she was born, appropriately enough, on Flower Street in Los Angeles' Chinatown on 3 January 1905, above her father's laundry. Anna May Wong's contribution to show business is a unique one; she was the first Asian female to become a star, achieving that stardom at a time when bias against her race was crushing. With determination and talent allied to her exotic beauty, she remained the only Asian female star throughout her forty-year career, never fully overcoming all prejudices in maintaining that position. Perhaps the rediscovery of her art will elevate her star to the pantheon of great performers and serve as a guiding light to Asian performers who still struggle to find their rightful place. Anna May Wong's life and career is something that is important for all who value greatly the Asian / Asian Pacific American communities' many artists and what we can all contribute!
Excerpt from : That Old Feeling: Anna May Wong
Part II of Richard Corliss' tribute to the pioneer Chinese-American star.
Daughter of the Dragon. Paramount 1931.
Based on a Fu Manchu novel by Sax Rohmer.
Daughter of the Dragon extended the curse sworn by Dr. Fu on the Petrie family to the next generation. Fu Manchu (Warner Oland), long ago injured and exiled in an attempt on Petrie Sr., returns to London and confronts the father: "In the 20 years I have fought to live," he says in his florid maleficence, "the thought of killing you and your son has been my dearest nurse." He kills the father, is mortally wounded himself and, on his deathbed, reveals his identity to his daughter Ling Moy (Wong) and elicits her vow that she will "cancel the debt" to the Fu family honor and murder the son, Ronald (Bramwell Fletcher)... who, dash it all, is madly infatuated with Ling Moy. Ronald has seen "Princess Ling Moy Celebrated Oriental Dancer" perform, and the vision has made him woozy. "I wish I could find a word to describe her," this calf-man effuses. "Exotic that's the word! And she's intriguing, if you know what I mean." In a near-clinch, Ling Moy wonders if a Chinese woman can appeal to a British toff. When he begs her to "chuck everything and stay," she asks him, "If I stayed, would my hair ever become golden curls, and my skin ivory, like Ronald's?" But the lure of the exotic is hard to shake. "Strange," he says, "I prefer yours. I shall never forget your hair and your eyes." They almost kiss ... when an off-camera scream shakes him out of his dream. It is from his girlfriend Joan (Frances Dade), and the societal message is as clear and shrill: white woman alerting white man to treachery of yellow woman. Ling Moy, a nice girl, previously unaware of her lineage, might be expected to struggle, at least briefly, with the shock of her identity and the dreadful deed her father obliges her to perform. But Wong makes an instant transformation, hissing, "The blood is mine. The hatred is mine. The vengeance shall be mine." Just before his death, Fu mourns that he has no son to kill Ronald. But, in a good full-throated reading, Wong vows: "Father, father, I will be your son. I will be your son!" The audience then has the fun of watching her stoke Ronald's ardor while plotting his death. When she is with him, pleading and salesmanship radiate from her bigeyes. But when an ally asks her why she keeps encouraging the lad, she sneers and says, "I am giving him a beautiful illusion. Which I shall crush." As a villainess, she is just getting started. Revealing her mission to Ronald, she tells him she plans to kill Joan "Because you must have a thousand bitter tastes of death before you die." (The ripe dialogue is by Hollywood neophyte Sidney Buchman, whose distinguished list of credits would include Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Here Comes Mr Jordan and The Talk of the Town.) She soon ascends on a geyser of madness as she decides on a new torture: "My vengeance is inspired tonight. You will first have the torture of seeing her beauty eaten slowly away by this hungry acid." An aide holds a hose gadget over Joan's soon-to-be-corroded face, and Ronald cries for Ling Moy to stop. Very well she says. "Ling Moy is merciful." She barks at Ronald: "Kill her!" He must decide if his favorite white girl is to be etched with acid or stabbed to death. Great stuff! Melodrama is the art of knowing how precisely too far to goThe film is a triangle: not so much of Ling Moy, Ronald and Joan as of Ling Moy, Ronald and a Chinese detective, Ah Kee, played by Sessue Hayakawa, the Japanese actor who in the teens was Hollywood's first Asian male star. He's not plausibly Chinese here, and he is in a constant, losing battle with spoken English. But he is a part of movie history, in the only studio film of the Golden Age to star two ethnically Asian actors. And he gives his emotive all to such lines as "It is the triumph of irony that the only woman I have ever deeply loved should be born of the blood that I loathe." And in the inevitable double-death finale neither the villainess nor the noble detective can survive the machinations of Hollywood justice he gently caresses the long hair of the lady he would love to have loved. "Flower Ling Moy," he says, a moment before expiring. "A flower need not love, but only be loved. As Ah Kee loved you."
The Personal Anna May Wong
This 5'7 beauty loved to study and could speak in an English accent, as well as being fluent in German and French with more than a passing knowledge of other tongues including Italian and Yiddish. For exercise she rode horses, played golf, and tennis. She liked to cook and regaled her guests with succulent Chinese dishes at frequent dinner parties. She preferred casual clothes, wearing slacks and sweaters at home, but cultivated an oriental motif in her very smart formal wardrobe. She studied singing with Welsh tenor Parry Jones before she participated in the film Limehouse Blues as George Raft's mistress. Anna loved to dance to contemporary music. Anna was quoted as saying, "I think I got my first chance because they thought I was peculiar. But, now I like to believe that the public are fond of me because they think I'm nice."
The story of Anna May Wong’s life traced the arc of triumph and tragedy that marked so many of her films. Wong's youthful ambition and screen appeal got her farther than anyone else of her race. But her race, or rather Hollywood's and America's fear of giving Chinese and other non-whites the same chance as European Americans, kept her from reaching the Golden Mountaintop. We can be startled and impressed by the success she, alone, attained. And still weask: Who knows what Anna May Wong could have been allowed to achieve if she
had been Anna May White?
Anna May Wong passed away on Feb. 3rd 1961 she was 56 years old.
Filmography:
The Red Lantern. Metro 1919. The First Born. Robertson Cole 1921.
Shame. Fox 1921. Bits of Life. Assoc. First National 1921.
The First Born. Robertson Cole 1921. Thundering Dawn. Universal 1923
The Toll of the Sea. Metro 1922 Drifting. Universal 1923 Fifth Avenue. PRC 1926.
Lillies of the Field. Assoc. First National 1924. The Thief of Bagdad. United Artists 1924
The Fortieth Door. Pathé serial 1924. The Alaskan. Paramount 1924.
Peter Pan. Paramount 1924. Forty Winks. Paramount 1925.
The Silk Bouquet/The Dragon Horse. Hi Mark Prod. 1926 The Desert's Toll. MGM 1926.
A Trip to Chinatown. Fox 1926. The Chinese Parrot. Universal. 1927.
Driven from Home. Chadwick 1927. Mr. Wu. MGM 1927.
Old San Francisco. Warner Bros. 1927. Why Girls Love Sailors. Pathé short 1927.
The Devil Dancer. United Artists 1927. Streets of Shanghai. Tiffany 1927.
Across to Singapore. MGM 1928. Pavement Butterfly (aka City Butterfly).
The City Butterfly. German 1929. Across to Singapore. MGM 1928.
The Crimson City. Warner Bros. 1928. Song. German 1928
Chinatown Charlie. First National 1928. Piccadilly, British International 1929.
Elstree Calling. British International 1930. The Flame of Love. British International 1930.
Hay Tang. German 1930. L'Amour Maitre Des Choses. French 1930.
Daughter of the Dragon. Paramount 1931. Shanghai Express. Paramount 1932.
A Study in Scarlet. World Wide 1933. Tiger Bay. Associated British 1933.
Chu Chin Chow. Gaumont 1934. Java Head. Associated British 1934.
Limehouse Blues. Paramount 1934. Daughter of Shanghai. Paramount 1937.
Hollywood Party. MGM short subject 1937. Dangerous to Know. Paramount 1938.
The Toll of the Sea. Metro 1922. The Thief of Bagdad 1924
Shanghai Express 1932
I met Sierra at a local festival. I thought her highly textured braids, warm mocha complexion, and especially her bewitching eyes would all make for an effective portrait. I knew immediately that I wanted Sierra centered (horizontally) within the frame and posed square to the camera. I felt this was the way to emphasize the impact of her eyes. We were in a big open park with no structures to use as a backdrop. I decided to position her in front of a tall grassy embankment thinking a shallow DOF would create essentially a plain blurry back ground. (Later during processing, the realization that the grass was the only green in the image allowed me to easily make adjustments to the hue and the lightness/darkness of the BG.) I had Sierra hold a reflector at her waist, and then we got on with the shoot.
Fast forward…..
I always put thought into the crop of any image, but once I sat down to process this portrait I found myself entirely confounded. I tried several crop iterations from an extreme close-up to a wide landscape sort of aspect ratio. Nothing was really working. Then I started narrowing the crop. Of course I have done many portraits with a vertical orientation, but never this extreme of a vertical ratio. I recalled the work of some other 100 Stranger photographers that I admire who have worked tall & skinny. Among my favorites is Agrazzi, who has recently been producing some wonderful compositions with vertical frames (www.flickr.com/photos/agrazi/29065722025/in/pool-100stran...). Another is from Andrew the Professor, whose lady with the pink hair portrait has stuck in my mind for nearly two years now (www.flickr.com/photos/andrewtheprofessor/15773874847/in/d... ). When viewing these other photographers’ shots, I had told myself that at some point I should experiment with a narrow aspect ratio. Therefore, I proceeded to tighten the crop from the sides, and the thinner the image got, the more I liked it. It was finally time to act upon the inspiration these, and other, photographers have provided me and produce my own skinny-crop portrait.
I must admit that looking at this final, the narrow aspect ratio still feels foreign to me. The fact that I positioned her eyes vertically centered within the frame feels a little unusual to me as well (almost all head & shoulder shots have the eyes positioned about one third of the way down from the top). That said, I am pleased with this final rendering as I think the narrow vertical orientation does lend itself to magnifying the impact of the image.
Check out the rest of the stranger street portraits in my project at Paco's 100 Strangers Project and find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group pagee impact of the image.
For Inti
Request For:
Warm yellow or peach based complexion.
Up to my discretion
no freckles. Not goth. Eyebrows should not be too long, too short, too thin, too thick, too dark or too light. -___-
Another instruction I got for all the dolls is not to use cheap lashes and to make sure they show up and don't fall off....I have to say my lash application is fairly sturdy. Just dont dunk in water or pull hard on them.
I had several thoughts here. I do a lot of natural looking faceups and so I like to play around a bit if I have the chance. At first I wanted to do a light eyeshadow with classic red lip look but Inti wasn't too keen on that so I went more natural with a warm gold/brown/green eyeshadow look and pearlescent peachy gold lips.
I kind of love her lol.
Eyelashes used are from ForMyDoll Eyelash AA in brown but it is customized by adding individual hairs for a lusher more natural look. Until I find lashes that suit the look I want, this is the method I use and it's very time consuming. Formydoll lashes are $2.50 and the extra customization cost $10. (as i said, very time consuming.)
Eyes: 12mm eyes with small irises from C.I.G.
Phryne before the Areopagus 1861
Hamburg Kunsthalle
Jean-Léon Gérôme
Phryne was a famous hetaera (courtesan) of Ancient Greece (4th century BC).
Her real name was Mnesarete (Ancient Greek Μνησαρετή (commemorating virtue)), but owing to her yellowish complexion she was called Phryne (toad), a name given to other courtesans. She was born at Thespiae in Boeotia, but seems to have lived at Athens. She acquired so much wealth by her extraordinary beauty that she offered to rebuild the walls of Thebes, which had been destroyed by Alexander the Great (336 BC), on condition that the words destroyed by Alexander, restored by Phryne the courtesan, were inscribed upon them. The authorities turned down her offer.
She was famously beautiful. On the occasion of a festival of Poseidon at Eleusis, she laid aside her garments, let down her hair, and stepped nude into the sea in the sight of the people, thus suggesting to the painter Apelles his great picture of Aphrodite Anadyomene (also portrayed at times as this Venus Anadyomene), for which Phryne herself sat as model, and other works of art from the period are alleged to be modeled after Phryne.
Due to her beauty, she also inspired the much later painting by artist Jean-Léon Gérôme, Phryné devant l'Areopage, (Phryne before the Areopagus, 1861) as well as other works of art throughout history. She was also (according to some) the model for the statue of the Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles.
In literary world, Charles Baudelaire in his poems Lesbos and La beauté and Rainer Maria Rilke in his poem Die Flamingos were inspired by beauty and fame of Phryne.
From a musical point of view, Phryné was the subject of an opera by Camille Saint-Saëns: Phryné (1893).
Her story was also made into an ancient civilization episode for the Discovery Channel, which was entitled "The Greeks."
When accused of profaning the Eleusinian mysteries, she was defended by the orator Hypereides, one of her lovers. The speech for the prosecution, according to Diodorus Periegetes, quoted by Athenaeus XIII.591e, was written by Anaximenes of Lampsacus. When it seemed as if the verdict would be unfavourable, Hypereides tore open her robe and displayed her breasts, which so moved her judges that they acquitted her. According to others, she herself removed her clothing. The judges' change of heart was not simply because they were overcome by the beauty of her nude body, but because physical beauty was often seen as a facet of divinity or a mark of divine favor during those times.
The Christian cross and damage in nose and eyes are ancient vandalism to discredit pagan gods.A statue of Phryne, the work of Praxiteles, was placed in a temple at Thespiae by the side of a statue of Aphrodite by the same artist. Diogenes Laertius narrates a failed attempt Phryne made on the virtue of the philosopher Xenocrates.
Dimitris Varos, modern Greek poet and writer, wrote a book called Phryne. Witold Jabłoński, Polish fantasy writer, also wrote a book called Phryne the Hetaera.
Creator: Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866-1939)
Location: Queensland.
Description: The first advertisement is for player pianos at Palings and features a young woman playing the pianola while people dance. The second advertisement is for mercolized wax, a skin beautifying cream and features a portrait of the ballerina Anna Pavlova. Copied and digitised from an image appearing in The Queenslander, 6 December 1928, p. [69]
View the original image at the State Library of Queensland: hdl.handle.net/10462/deriv/224764
Information about State Library of Queensland’s collection: www.slq.qld.gov.au/resources/picture-queensland
You are free to use this image without permission. Please attribute State Library of Queensland.
Pears’ English Complexion Soap, two-color advertisement, 1885, featuring the three quarter portrait of “internationally renowned songstress” Madame Adelina Patti, and including additional testimonial of "Prof. Sir Erasmus Wilson, F.R.S., Pres. of the Royal Col. of Surgeons, England."
SET 3 – HLT Remodel: 4-20-2023
As we see in this shot, the longtime neighbor of the now-relocated entertainment and electronics departments – health and beauty – remains stalwart along the front perimeter wall (for now), in a bit of a state of flux with new paint on the wall already (including some significantly darker gray than we’ve seen elsewhere in the salesfloor so far!), but the old floor tile and red stripe still remaining. Some more of those vacuums from the shelves in the picture two clicks back are visible here, too.
(c) 2024 Retail Retell
These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)
Model: Lucy-Anne (Mayhem #284670)
Strobist info:
A large octagon above high. Triggered with Profoto Air Remote.
Shot at Adrian Pini's Studio, London
Colour adjustment and post edited with Adobe Lightroom and CS5.
Copyright KROP!
Making full use of the shade - I don't think his light complexion could take a lot of sun (without sun screen).
This is one of the "new homeless". Notice his shoes and pants aren't showing street wear and he doesn't have the weathered complexion yet.
Summertime is just THE best time for new dresses. Is this shade too hot for me? Not sure my complexion is up to it!
The statue's original carver is an anonymous Mexican carpenter, and the image arrived in the archipelago by galleon from Acapulco, Mexico. Folk tradition attributes the colour of the Black Nazarene to a fire on the ship carrying it, charring the image from its original fair tone into its present dark complexion.
The image was brought to the Philippines by the Augustinian Recollect Missionaries on May 31, 1606. It was initially enshrined in the first Recollect church in Bagumbayan (now part of Rizal Park). On September 10, 1606, the church was inaugurated and placed under the patronage of St. John the Baptist. In 1608, the image was transferred to the second bigger Recollect church of San Nicolas de Tolentino built in Intramuros. Between 1767 and 1790, the Archbishop of Manila, Basilio Sancho de Santas Justa y Rufina, ordered the transfer of the Black Nazarene to its present location within the Quiapo church.
Today, the image borne in procession consists of the original body of the Black Nazarene connected to a replica of the head, while the original head portion of the statue remains on a replica of the body enshrined within the high altar of the basilica. An exception to this setup was during the 2007 feast, where both the original head and the body were combined in celebration of the Black Nazarene's 400 year history.
Two major and two minor processions are held annually to honour the Black Nazarene, namely one on the feast day itself and another on Good Friday. The procession during the January 9 feast commemorates the Traslacion, or the transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo.[citation needed]
The Black Nazarene is carried into the streets for procession in an andas or shoulder-borne carriage. The estimated millions of devotees wear the colour maroon, associated with the image, and go barefoot in imitation of Jesus on his way to Mount Calvary. Traditionally, men are the only ones permitted to hold the ropes pulling the image's carriage, but in recent years female devotees also participate in the procession. People who have touched the Black Nazarene are reported to have been cured of their diseases, and Catholics come from all over Manila to touch the image in the hopes of a miracle. Towels or handkerchiefs are hurled to the marshals guarding the Black Nazarene with requests to wipe these on the statue in hopes of the miraculous powers attributed to it "rubbing off" on the cloth articles.
The procession held on the feast day is notorious for the annual casualties that result from the jostling and congestion of the crowds engaged in pulling the carriage. The injuries and even deaths of devotees are brought upon by one or a combination of heat, fatigue, or being trampled upon by other devotees.
He actually does have a ruddy complexion so I'm not too far off with the colour on this one…for a change.
_MG_1627_tonemapped 2 copy.psd
Two years ago, I scattered teasle seeds at the bottom of my garden ( much to the horror of the woman next door who is a fanatical gardener).I did this purposely for the goldfinches.Also I planted Sunflowers and various wildflower seeds to encourage Bees and other insects and I am glad to say , it is now a riot of colour. The womans face next door shows a rather different complexion.....titter!.
Close up portrait of attractive young woman looking at camera. Head and shoulders view of female fashion model.
Alondra totovía
(Lullula arborea)
Aláudido rechoncho, de distribución restringida a Europa, Oriente Próximo y el noroeste de África. Está ampliamente repartido por toda la Península Ibérica, aunque escasea o falta en algunas zonas cantábricas, la depresión del Ebro y el sureste. Ocupa medios abiertos con árboles o arbustos dispersos, y posee buenas densidades en dehesas y bosques aclarados.
Descripción y Clasificación
Orden Passeriformes; familia Alaudidae
Longitud 15 cm. Envergadura 27-30 cm.
Identificación
Presenta un aspecto similar al de otros aláudidos, con una coloración de tonos pardos crípticos. De complexión rechoncha, tiene moño pequeño, cola corta y oscura, y rectrices externas blancas. Su diseño facial es muy contrastado (dibujo 1), y posee una característica mancha blanquinegra en el borde anterior del ala. Exhibe un vuelo rápido de fuertes batidos, con pronunciadas ascensiones y descensos.
Canto
Resulta muy característico y está constituido por una estrofa larga, que comienza de manera relativamente lenta, pero avanza con rapidez, acelerándose y haciéndose progresivamente más grave.
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
The dragon-fly is dancing/Is on the water glancing/She flits about with nimble wing/The flickering, fluttering, restless thing./Besotted chafers all admire/Her light-blue, gauze-like, neat attire/They laud her blue complexion/And think her shape perfection…
Don Quijote, de complexión delgada, rostro enjuto y luengas barbas, limpió los arreos y las armas de su bisabuelo, de finales del XV, y, a la usanza de los caballeros de los tiempos de la guerra de Granada, se alistó según los reglamentos mencionados en la literatura caballeresca.
Presentación • Mi galeria • Lo mas interesante • Mis expos • Fluidr
Copyright © Guijo Córdoba 2012 All Rights Reserved.
Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. A breach of copyright has legal consequences.
1 of 4 Steampunk Wonderland Customs - Also I swapped her faceplates with a different girl so she has more of a pale complexion now instead of translucent.
Out of all the Liccas I have, only about four of them have truly black (black as a raven) hair, and because it looks so gorgeous on her and really stands out against her complexion, I got another black-haired Licca the other day. :o)
She's a Castle Licca with beautiful straight bangs and long hair that reaches her thighs and ends in a layered shaggy cut. Her lips are more of a natural pale pink, a color I love, and her eyes are brown.
I don't know why but I sense an air of melancholy around her, as if she's wiser and older than she looks, and as if she's seen things and been through a few hardships in her life, and that makes her even more interesting to me.
That's why I've dressed her as a street kid, to make her stand out from the rest of my Liccas, and to let her be her own character. Most of my dolly wardrobe is girlier rather than tomboy-ish, so I don't have lots of cool clothes for her right now. She needs some jeans and jackets and more hats of awesomeness. :D
Hat is from a playline Licca and the jersey tee is Momoko. Background is a skateboard from the 80's I used to have as a kid LOLZ.
Vishnu (/ˈvɪʃnuː/; Sanskrit: Viṣṇu) is a popular Hindu deity, the Supreme God of Vaishnavism (one of the three principal denominations of Hinduism) and one of the three supreme deities (Trimurti) of Hinduism. He is also known as Lord Narayana and Lord Hari. As one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta tradition, He is conceived as "the Preserver or the Protector" within the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the divinity.
In Hindu sacred texts, Vishnu is usually described as having dark complexion of water-filled clouds and as having four arms. He is depicted as a blue being, holding a padma (lotus flower) in the lower left hand, the Kaumodaki gada (mace) in the lower right hand, the Panchajanya shankha (conch) in the upper left hand and the discus weapon Sudarshana Chakra in the upper right hand.
Adherents of Hinduism believe Vishnu's eternal and supreme abode beyond the material universe is called Vaikuntha, which is also known as Paramdhama, the realm of eternal bliss and happiness and the final or highest place for liberated souls who have attained Moksha. Vaikuntha is situated beyond the material universe and hence, cannot be perceived or measured by material science or logic. Vishnu's other abode within the material universe is Ksheera Sagara (the ocean of milk), where he reclines and rests on Ananta Shesha, (the king of the serpent deities, commonly shown with a thousand heads). In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatars, the most famous of whom are Rama and Krishna.
The Puranabharati, an ancient text, describes these as the dashavatara, or the ten avatars of Vishnu. Among the ten described, nine have occurred in the past and one will take place in the future as Lord Kalki, at the end of Kali Yuga, (the fourth and final stage in the cycle of yugas that the world goes through). These incarnations take place in all Yugas in cosmic scales; the avatars and their stories show that gods are indeed unimaginable, unthinkable and inconceivable. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose as being to rejuvenate Dharma, to vanquish those negative forces of evil that threaten dharma, and also to display His divine nature in front of all souls.
The Trimurti (three forms) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, preserver or protector and Shiva the destroyer or transformer." These three deities have also been called "the Hindu triad" or the "Great Trinity", all having the same meaning of three in One. They are the different forms or manifestation of One person the Supreme Being or Narayana/Svayam Bhagavan.
Vishnu is also venerated as Mukunda, which means God who is the giver of mukti or moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirths) to his devotees or the worthy ones who deserve salvation from the material world.
ETYMOLOGY
The traditional explanation of the name Vishnu involves the root viś, meaning "to settle" (cognate with Latin vicus, English -wich "village," Slavic: vas -ves), or also (in the Rigveda) "to enter into, to pervade," glossing the name as "the All-Pervading One". Yaska, an early commentator on the Vedas, in his Nirukta, (etymological interpretation), defines Vishnu as viṣṇur viṣvater vā vyaśnoter vā, "one who enters everywhere". He also writes, atha yad viṣito bhavati tad viṣnurbhavati, "that which is free from fetters and bondages is Vishnu".
Adi Shankara in his commentary on the Sahasranama states derivation from viś, with a meaning "presence everywhere" ("As he pervades everything, vevesti, he is called Vishnu"). Adi Shankara states (regarding Vishnu Purana, 3.1.45): "The Power of the Supreme Being has entered within the universe. The root viś means 'enter into'." Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu Sahasranama further elaborates on that verse: "The root vis means to enter. The entire world of things and beings is pervaded by Him and the Upanishad emphatically insists in its mantra 'whatever that is there is the world of change.' Hence, it means that He is not limited by space, time or substance. Chinmayananda states that, that which pervades everything is Vishnu."
SACRET TEXTS - SHRUTI & SMRITI
Shruti is considered to be solely of divine origin. It is preserved as a whole, instead of verse by verse. It includes the four Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda) the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads with commentaries on them.
Smṛti refers to all the knowledge derived and inculcated after Shruti had been received. Smrti is not 'divine' in origin, but was 'remembered' by later Rishis (sages by insight, who were the scribes) by transcendental means and passed down through their followers. It includes the Bhagavata Purana and the Vishnu Purana which are Sattva Puranas. These both declare Vishnu as Para Brahman Supreme Lord who creates unlimited universes and enters each one of them as Lord of Universe.
SHRUTI
VAISHNAVA CANON
The Vaishnava canon presents Vishnu as the supreme being, rather than another name for the Sun God, who also bore the name Suryanarayana and is considered only as a form of Vishnu.
VEDAS
In the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Aranyaka (10-13-1), Narayana suktam, Lord Narayana is mentioned as the supreme being. The first verse of Narayana Suktam mentions the words "paramam padam", which literally mean "highest post" and may be understood as the "supreme abode for all souls". This is also known as Param Dhama, Paramapadam, or Vaikuntha. Rig Veda 1:22:20a also mentions the same "paramam padam". This special status is not given to any deity in the Vedas apart from Lord Vishnu/Narayana.[citation needed] Narayana is one of the thousand names of Vishnu as mentioned in the Vishnu Sahasranama. It describes Vishnu as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of - and beyond - the past, present and future, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within. This illustrates the omnipresent characteristic of Vishnu. Vishnu governs the aspect of preservation and sustenance of the universe, so he is called "Preserver of the universe".
Vishnu is the Supreme God who takes manifest forms or avatars across various ages or periods to save humanity from evil beings, demons or Asuras. According to the extant Hindu texts and traditions, Lord Vishnu is considered to be resident in the direction of the "Makara Rashi" (the "Shravana Nakshatra"), which is about coincident with the Capricorn constellation. In some of the extant Puranas, and Vaishnava traditions, Vishnu's eye is considered to be situated at the infinitely distant Southern Celestial Pole.
Following the defeat of Indra and his displacement as the Lord of Heaven or Swarga, Indra asks Lord Vishnu for help and thus Lord Vishnu takes his incarnations or avatars to Earth to save mankind, thus showing his position as Supreme God to all of creation.
In the Puranas, Indra frequently appears proud and haughty. These bad qualities are temporarily removed when Brahma and/or Shiva give boons to Asuras or Rakshasas such as Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu and Ravana, who are then able to defeat Indra in wars between Devas and Asuras. The received boons often made Asuras virtually indestructible.
Indra has no option but to seek help from Vishnu. Indra prays before Vishnu for protection and the Supreme Lord obliges him by taking avatars and generating himself on Earth in various forms, first as a water-dweller (Matsya, fish), then as an amphibious creature (Kurma avatar or Tortoise), then as a half-man-half-animal (Varaha the pig-faced, human-bodied Lord, and Narasimha the Lord with lion's face and claws and a human body). Later, Vishnu appears as human beings (Vamana the short-heighted person), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and finally as Kalki for performing his task of protecting his devotees from demons and anti-religious entities.
Vishnu's supremacy is attested by his victories over those very powerful entities. It is further attested by the accepted iconography and sculptures of Vishnu in reclining position as producing Brahma emerging from his navel. Brahma the creator is thus created in turn by Vishnu out of his own person. Instead Vishnu takes various avatars to slay or defeat those demons. But it is to be noted that Vishnu also provided boons to Akupresura, a bear faced demon who was destroyed by Lord Shiva.
Vishnu's actions lowered Indra's ranking among Hindu deities and led to the ascendancy of Vishnu.
Few temples are dedicated to the Sun or Suryanarayana, nor indeed Indra, nor does Indra figure largely in the Hindu religion.
Indra is almost completely absent from the deities considered as the chief or most important deity.
RIGVEDA
In the Rigveda, Vishnu is mentioned 93 times. He is frequently invoked alongside other deities, especially Indra, whom he helps in killing Vritra and with whom he drinks Soma. His distinguishing characteristic in the Vedas is his association with light. Two Rigvedic hymns in Mandala 7 are dedicated to Vishnu. In 7.99, Vishnu is addressed as the god who separates heaven and earth, a characteristic he shares with Indra.
The Rig Veda describes Vishnu as younger brother to Indra as Vamana. In Vaishnava canon the 'Vishnu' who is younger brother to Indra is identified as Vamana, Avatar of Vishnu, hence referred to as Vishnu by Vaishnavites. Vishnu is the Supreme God who lives in the highest celestial region, contrasted against those who live in the atmospheric or terrestrial regions. Vishnu is content with mere prayer, unlike almost all of the other gods who receive sacrificial offerings such as Havis, which is given using clarified butter, or Soma. Later foreign translators have view that Vedas place Indra in a superior position to Vishnu's Avatar of Vamana but in fact Vamana helps Indra by restoring his Kingdom.
An alternate translation is provided by Wilson according to Sayana:
When Thy (younger brother) Viṣṇu (Vamana) by (his) strength stepped his three paces, then verily thy beloved horses bore thee. (Rigveda 8:12:27)
Wilson mentions Griffith's possible translation as a footnote. However the following verse from Rigveda renders the above translation by Wilson more probable.
Him whose three places that are filled with sweetness, imperishable, joy as it may list them, Who verily alone upholds the threefold, the earth, the heaven, and all living creatures. (Rig veda 1:154:4)
Wilson offers an alternate translation for Rigveda 10:113:2:
Viṣṇu offering the portion of Soma, glorifies by his own vigor that greatness of his. Indra, the lord of heaven, with the associated gods having slain Vritra, became deserving of honour. (Rigveda 10:113:2)
This verse sees Vishnu as one who is glorified by his own strength, while Indra became deserving of honor after having slain Vritra only in association with other gods.
However Vishnu's praise for other gods does not imply worship. Wilson translates:
Viṣṇu, the mighty giver of dwellings praises thee, and Mitra and Varuna; the company of Maruts imitates thee in exhilaration. (Rigveda 8:15:9) (page 280)
The following verses show categorically Vishnu as distinguished from other gods in Rigveda.
He who presents (offering) to Viṣṇu, the ancient, the creator, the recent, the self-born; he who celebrates the great birth of that mighty one; he verily possessed of abundance, attains (the station) that is to be sought (by all). (Rigveda 1:156:2) (page 98)
No being that is or that has been born, divine Viṣṇu, has attained the utmost limit of thy magnitude, by which thou hast upheld the vast and beautiful heaven, and sustained the eastern horizon of Earth.(Rigveda 7:99:2) (page 196)
The divine Viṣṇu, the best of the doers of good deeds, who came to the pious instituter of rite (Indra), to assist (at its celebration), knowing (the desires of the worshiper), and present at the three connected period (of worship), shows favor to the Arya, and admits the author of the ceremony to a share of the sacrifice. (Rigveda 1:156:5) (page 99)
Jan Gonda, the late Indologist, states that Vishnu, although remaining in the background of Indra's exploits, contributes by his presence, or is key to Indra's success. Vishnu is more than a mere companion, equal in rank or power to Indra, or sometime the one who made Indra's success possible.
Descriptions of Vishnu as younger to Indra are found in only the hymns to Indra, but in a kathenotheism religion like that of the Rigveda, each god, for a time, is supreme in the mind of the devotee.
In the Rig Vedic texts, the deity or god referred to as Vishnu is the Sun God, who also bears the name 'Suryanarayana'. By contrast, the 'Vishnu' referred to in 'Vishnu Purana', 'Vishnu Sahasranamam' and 'Purusha Sooktham' is Lord Narayana, the Consort of Lakshmi. Vaishnavites make a further distinction by extolling the qualities of Vishnu by highlighting his differences from other deities such as Shiva,[citation needed] Brahma or Surya.
THREE STEPS
Hymn 7.100 refers to the celebrated 'three steps' of Vishnu (as Trivikrama) by which he strode over the universe and in three places planted his step. The 'Vishnu Suktam' (RV 1.154) says that the first and second of Vishnu's strides (those encompassing the earth and air) are visible to men and the third is in the heights of heaven (sky). This last place is described as Vishnu's supreme abode in RV 1.22.20:
The princes evermore behold / that loftiest place where Vishnu is / Laid as it were an eye in heaven.(trans. Griffith)
Griffith's "princes" are the sūri, either "inciters" or lords of a sacrifice, or priests charged with pressing the Soma. The verse is quoted as expressing Vishnu's supremacy by Vaishnavites.
Though such solar aspects have been associated with Vishnu by tradition as well as modern-scholarship, he was not just the representation of the sun, as he moves both vertically and horizontally.
In hymns 1.22.17, 1.154.3, 1.154.4 he strides across the earth with three steps, in 6.49.13, 7.100.3 strides across the earth three times and in 1.154.1, 1.155.5,7.29.7 he strides vertically, with the final step in the heavens. The same Veda also says he strode wide and created space in the cosmos for Indra to fight Vritra. By his stride he made dwelling for men possible, the three forming a symbolic representation of the dwelling's all-encompassing nature. This nature and benevolence to men were Vishnu's enduring attributes. As the triple-strider he is known as Trivikrama and as Urukrama, for the strides were wide.
BRAHMANAS
The Brahmanas are commentaries on the Vedas and form part of the Shruti literature. They are concerned with the detail of the proper performance of rituals. In the Rigveda, Shakala Shakha: Aitareya Brahmana Verse 1 declares: agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus, tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā - Agni is the lowest or youngest god and Vishnu is the greatest and the highest God.
The Brahmanas assert the supremacy of Lord Vishnu, addressing him as "Gajapati", the one whom all sacrifices are meant to please. Lord Vishnu accepts all sacrifices to the demigods and allots the respective fruits to the performer In one incident, a demonic person performs a sacrifice by abducting the Rishis (sages), who meditate by constantly chanting God's name. The sacrifice is meant to destroy Indra. But the rishis, who worship Indra as a demigod, alter one pronunciation of the Veda Mantra, reversing the purpose of the sacrifice. When the fruit of the sacrifice is given and the demon is on the verge of dying, he calls to Vishnu, whom he addresses as Supreme Godhead and "the father of all living entities including himself".
Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 mentions Vishnu as the Supreme God. But in the Vaishnava canon, in different ages, with Vishnu in different avatars, his relationship with the asuras or demons, was always adversarial. The asuras always caused harm, while the sages and devas or celestial beings, did penance and called to Vishnu for protection. Vishnu always obliged by taking an avatar to vanquish the asuras. In the Vaishnava canon, Vishnu never gave or granted any boons to the asuras, distinguishing him from the gods Shiva and Brahma, who did. He is the only God called upon to save good beings by defeating or killing the asuras.
Sayana writes that in Aitareya Brahmana 1:1:1 the declaration agnir vai devānām ava mo viṣṇuḥ paramus,tadantareṇa sarvā anyā devatā does not indicate any hierarchy among gods. Even in Rigveda Samhita, avama and parama are not applied to denote rank and dignity, but only to mark place and locality.
In Rigveda 1:108:9,: yadindrāghnī avamasyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ madhyamasyāṃ paramasyāmuta sthaḥ | i.e., in the lowest place, the middle (place), and the highest (place). Agni, the fire, has, among the gods, the lowest place; for he resides with man on the earth; while the other gods are either in the air, or in the sky. Vishnu occupies the highest place. The words avama and parama are understood as 'First' and 'Last' respectively. To support this claim, Sayana adduces the mantra (1,4. As'val. Sr. S. 4, 2), agnir mukham prathamo devathanam samathanam uttamo vishnur asit, i.e., Agni was the first of the deities assembled, (and) Vishnu the last.
In the Kausitaki Brahmana (7.1) Agni is called Aaradhya (instead of avama), and Visnu parardha(instead of parama),i.e., belonging to the lower and higher halves (or forming the lower and higher halves). The Vishnu Purana gives tremendous importance to the worship of Vishnu and mentions that sacrifices are to begin only with both the lighting of fire or 'Agni', pouring of sacrificial offerings to Vishnu in 'Agni' so that those offerings reach and are accepted by Vishnu. Worship of Vishnu through Yajnas (or Homams) and other rituals, will not achieve the desired result if Agni's role is neglected.
Muller says "Although the gods are sometimes distinctly invoked as the great and the small, the young and the old (Rig veda 1:27:13), this is only an attempt to find the most comprehensive expression for the divine powers, and nowhere is any of the gods represented as the subordinate to others. It would be easy to find, in the numerous hymns of the Veda, passages in which almost every single god is represented as supreme and absolute."
However this notion is not completely correct as per the following verses, which shows Rigveda describe one or more gods as subject to other god(s).
Him whose high law not Varuna nor Indra, not Mitra, Aryaman, nor Rudra breaketh, Nor evil-hearted fiends, here for my welfare him I invoke, God Savitar, with worship. (Rigveda 2.038.09)
I invite to this place, with reverential salutations, for my good, that divine Savita, whose functions neither Indra, nor Varun.a, nor Mitra nor Aryaman nor Rudra nor the enemies (of the gods), impede. (Rigveda 2.038.09)
SMRITI
VISHNU SMRITI
The Vishnu Smṛti, is one of the later books of the Dharmashastra tradition of Hinduism and the only one that focuses on the bhakti tradition and the required daily puja to Vishnu, rather than the means of knowing dharma. It is also known for its handling of the controversial subject of the practice of sati (self-immolation of a widow on her husband's funeral pyre). The text was composed by an individual or group. The author(s) created a collection of the commonly known legal maxims that were attributed to Vishnu into one book, as Indian oral culture began to be recorded more formally.
BHAGAVATA PURANA
Vishnu is the only Bhagavan as declared in the Bhagavata 1:2:11 in the verse: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate, translated as "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this non-dual substance as Brahman, Paramātma and Bhagavan."
VISHNU PURANA
In the Vishnu Purana (6:5:79) the personality named Parashara Rishi defines six bhagas:
aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣannāḥ bhaga itīṇganā
Jiva Gosvami explains the verse in Gopala Champu (Pūrva 15:73) and Bhagavata Sandarbha 46:10:
jñāna-śakti-balaiśvarya-vīrya-tejām.sy aśeṣataḥ
bhagavac-chabda-vācyāni vinā heyair guṇādibhiḥ
"The substantives of the word bhagavat (bhagavat-śabda-vācyāni) are unlimited (aśeṣataḥ) knowledge (jñāna), energies (śakti), strength (bala), opulence (aiśvarya), heroism (vīrya), splendor (tejas), without (vinā) objectionable (heyair) qualities (guṇādibhiḥ)."
SANGAM LITERATURE
Tamil Sangam literature (300BCE to 500CE) mentions mAyOn, or the dark one, as the supreme deity who creates, sustains and destroys the universe. Paripadal 3 describes the glory of Thirumal in the most superlative terms.
Paripadal by kaduvan iLaveyinanAr:
"thIyinuL theRal nI poovinuL naaRRa nI kallinuL maNiyu nI sollinuL vaaymai aRaththinuL anbu nI maRaththinuL mainthu nI vEthaththu maRai nI boothaththu madhalu nI vencudar oLiyu nI thingaLuL aLiyu nI anaiththu nI anaiththinut poruLu nI"
The last line states that Lord Vishnu is the supreme deity who is the inner controller (Antaryamin) of the entire universe. This is one of the Lord's glories, which is first mentioned in Vedas and later propounded by Alwars in Prabhandams and Sri Vaishnavaite Acharyas in various commentaries
The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Vishnu, Lakshmi is mentioned in Tamil works of literature of the Sangam era, including the epic Silapadikaram (book 11, lines 35–40):
āyiram viritteḻu talaiyuṭai aruntiṟaṟ
pāyaṟ paḷḷip palartoḻu tētta viritiraik kāviri viyaṉperu turuttit tiruvamar mārpaṉ kiṭanta vaṇṇamum
On a magnificent cot having a thousand heads spread out, worshipped and praised by many, in an islet surrounded by Kaveri with bellowing waves, is the lying posture of the one who has Lakshmi sitting in his chest.
THEOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES
The actual number of Vishnu's auspicious qualities is countless, although his six most-important "divine glories" are:
Jnana (Omniscience); defined as the power to know about all beings simultaneously;
Aishvarya (Sovereignty), derived from the word Ishvara which means unchallenged rule over all;
Shakti (Power or Energy), the capacity to make the impossible possible;
Bala (Strength), the capacity to support everything by will and without any fatigue;
Virya (Vigour), the power to retain immateriality as the Supreme Spirit or Being in spite of being the material cause of mutable creations;
Tejas (Splendor), which expresses self-sufficiency and the capacity to overpower everything by spiritual effulgence.
Other important qualities attributed to Vishnu are Gambhirya (inestimatable grandeur), Audarya (generosity), and Karunya (compassion). Natya Shastra lists Vishnu as the presiding deity of the Sṛngara rasa.
The Rigveda says: Vishnu can travel in three strides. The first stride is the Earth. The second stride is the visible sky. The third stride cannot be seen by men and is the heaven where the gods and the righteous dead live. (This feature of three strides also appears in the story of his avatar Vamana/Trivikrama.) The Sanskrit for "to stride" is the root kram; its reduplicated perfect is chakram (guņa grade) or chakra (zero-grade), and in the Rigveda he is called by epithets such as vi-chakra-māņas = "he who has made 3 strides". The Sanskrit word chakra also means "wheel". That may have suggested the idea of Vishnu carrying a chakra.
FIVE FORMS
In Shree Vaishnavism, another school dating from around the 10th century AD, Vishnu assumes five forms:
In the Para Form, Para is the highest form of Vishnu found only in Sri Vaikunta also called Moksha, along with his consort Lakshmi, (and Bhumi Devi and Nila devi, avatars of Lakshmi) and surrounded by liberated souls like Ananta, Garuda, and a host of Muktas (liberated souls).
In the Vyuha form, Vishnu assumes four forms, which exercise different cosmic functions and controls activities of living beings.
In the Vibhava form, Vishnu assumes various manifestations, called Vibhavas, more popularly known as Avataras from time to time, to protect the virtuous, punish evil-doers and re-establish righteousness.
In the Antaryami; "Dwelling within" or "Suksma Vasudeva" form, Vishnu exists within the souls of all living beings and in every substance.
In the Arcavatara or Image manifestation, Vishnu is visible and therefore easily approachable by devotees since Para, Vyuha, Vibhava and Antaryami forms can only be imagined or meditated upon because they are beyond our reach. Such images can be
Revealed by Vishnu, for example, a self-manifested (Swayambhu) icon (murti), e.g. The Mahavishnu Temple at Tirunelli, The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, The Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple, etc.; or
Installed by Devas or celestial beings such as such as Guruvayur Temple installed by Vayu; or
Installed by humans, and consecrated according to Vaishnava Agama shastras or scriptures such as Lord Jagannatha of Jagannath Temple (Puri) at Puri.
RELATIONS WITH OTHER DEITIES
SHIVA
The three gods of the Trimurti clan are inseparable and in harmony in view of their common vision and universal good. They are perfectly ideal in all respects.
Both Asuras and Devas played supportive roles in this story by keeping company with Vishnu in his incarnated forms. Hanuman is a vanara who is completely dedicated to Rama. He gives Vishnu company and obeys his command, while playing an important part in Rama's life. He is regarded in Vaishnava canon because it is through blessings that Hanuman is born. Thus, Hanuman, Vishnu's constant companion, with his idol appearing temples of Rama, Krishna and Narasimha, i.e. all of Vishnu's avatars, is considered by Vaishnavas.
Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.
LAKSHMI
Vishnu's consort is Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth (also known as Maya). The Samvit (the primary intelligence/dark matter) of the universe is Vishnu, while the other five attributes emerge from this samvit and hence Maya or dark energy of the universe is Lakshmee is his ahamata, activity, or Vishnu's Power. This power of God, Maya or Shakti, is personified and has multiple names: Shree, Lakshmi, Maya, Vishnumaya or Mahamaya. She is said to manifest as Kriyashakti, (Creative Activity) and Bhutishakti (Creation). This world requires Vishnu's creativity. He therefore needs Lakshmi to always be with Him. Her various avatars as Lord Vishnu's consorts are Varahavatar (Bhoodevi) or Bhoomi, Ramavatar Seeta, Krishnavatar Rukmini)
SARASWATI & GANGA
According to Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Lord Vishnu had three wives Lakshmi, Saraswati and Ganga. Due to their constant quarrelsome nature among them. Once Ganga tried to be close with Vishnu, this rebuked Saraswati but Lakshmi tried to pacify them but faced a curse rather. As per the curse, Lakshmi to appear as Tulasi. Sarawati cursed Ganga to run as a river in the world and Saraswati was cursed to run as a river in the netherworld. After this, Lord Vishnu transformed and became Brahma and Shiva to pacify Saraswati and Ganga.
GARUDA
Vishnu's mount (Vahana) is Garuda, the eagle. Vishnu is commonly depicted as riding on his shoulders.
ICONOGRAPHY
According to various Puranas, Vishnu is the ultimate omnipresent reality and is shapeless and omnipresent. However, a strict iconography governs his representation, whether in pictures, icons, or idols:
He has four arms and is male: The four arms indicate his all-powerful and all-pervasive nature. His physical existence is represented by the two arms in the front, while the two arms at the back represent his presence in the spiritual world. The Upanishad Gopal Uttartapani describes the four arms.
The Shreevatsa mark is on his chest, symbolizing his consort Lakshmi.
He wears the auspicious "Kaustubha" jewel around his neck and a garland of vaijayanti flowers (Vanamala). Lakshmi dwells in this jewel, on Vishnu's chest.
A crown adorns his head: The crown symbolizes his supreme authority. This crown sometimes includes a peacock feather, borrowing from his Krishna-avatar.
He wears two earrings: The earrings represent inherent opposites in creation — knowledge and ignorance; happiness and unhappiness; pleasure and pain.
He rests on Ananta, the immortal and infinite snake.
Vishnu is always to be depicted holding four attributes:
A conch shell or Shankha, named Panchajanya, is held by the upper left hand. It represents Vishnu's power to create and maintain the universe. Panchajanya represents the five elements or Panchabhoota – water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. It also represents the five airs or Pranas that are within the body and mind. The conch symbolizes that Vishnu is the primeval Divine sound of creation and continuity. It also represented as Om. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna avatara states that of sound vibrations, 'He is Om'.
The Chakra, a sharp, spinning, discus-like weapon, named "Sudarshana", is held by the upper right hand. It symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. The name Sudarshana is derived from two words – Su, which means good, superior, and Darshana, which means vision or sight; together. The Chakra represents destruction of ego in the awakening and realization of the soul's original nature and god, burning away spiritual ignorance and illusion, and developing higher spiritual vision and insight to realize god.
A mace or Gada, named "Kaumodaki", is held by the lower right hand. It symbolizes that Vishnu's divine power is the source of all spiritual, mental and physical strength. It also signifies Vishnu's power to destroy materialistic or demonic tendencies (Anarthas) that prevent people from reaching god. Vishnu's mace is the power of the Divine within us to spiritually purify and uplift us from our materialistic bonds.
A lotus flower or Padma is held by the lower left hand. It represents spiritual liberation, Divine perfection, purity and the unfolding of Spiritual consciousness within the individual. The lotus opening its petals in the light of the Sun is indicative of the expansion and awakening of our long dormant, original spiritual consciousness in the light of god. The lotus symbolizes that god is the power and source from which the universe and the individual soul emerges. It also represents Divine Truth or Satya, the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma, and Divine Vedic knowledge or Jnana. The lotus also symbolizes that Vishnu is the embodiment of spiritual perfection and purity and that He is the wellspring of these qualities and that the individual soul must seek to awaken these intrinsic Divine qualities from Vishnu by surrendering to and linking with Him.
To this may be added, conventionally, the vanamaala flower garland, Vishnu's bow (Shaarnga/Kodand) and his sword Nandaka. A verse of the Vishnu Sahasranama stotram states;vanamālī gadhī shārngī shanki chakri cha nandaki / shrīmān nārāyaņo vişņo vāsudevo abhirakşatu//; translation: Protect us Oh Lord Narayana who wears the forest garland,who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel. And who is called Vishnu and the Vasudeva.
In general, Vishnu's body is depicted in one of the following three ways:
Standing on a lotus flower, often with Lakshmi, his consort, beside him on a similar pedestal.
Reclining on the coiled-up thousand-hooded Shesha Naga, with Lakshmi seated at his feet; the assemblage rests on the "Kshira Sagar" (ocean of milk). In this representation, Brahma is depicted as sitting on a lotus that grows out of Vishnu's navel.
Riding on the back of his eagle mount, known as Garuda. Another name for Garuda is "Veda atma"; Soul of the Vedas. The flapping of his wings symbolizes the power of the Divine Truth of Vedic wisdom. Also the eagle represents the soul. Garuda carrying Vishnu symbolizes the soul or jiva atma carrying the Super soul or Param atma within it.
AVATARS
Ten avatars (dashavatara) of Vishnu are the most prominent: Apart from the most prominent incarnations there are believed to more.
The most commonly believed incarnations of Vishnu are:
Matsya, the fish that kills Damanaka to save the vedas and also saves Manu from a great flood that submerges the entire Earth.
Kurma, the turtle that helps the Devas and Asuras churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality.
Varaha, the boar that rescues the Earth and kills Hiranyaksha.
Narasimha, the half-lion half human, who defeats the demon Hiranyakashipu.
Vamana, the dwarf that grows into a giant to save the world from King Bali.
Parashurama, "Rama of the battle axe", a sage who appeared in the Treta Yuga. He killed Kartavirya Arjuna's army and clan and then killed all the kshatriyas 21 times.
Rama, the prince and king of Ayodhya who killed the Demon King Raavan.
Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu, who takes part in the Mahabharata epic. Krishna is worshipped as the Supreme Avatar of Vishnu (Supreme Personality of Godhead) in Gaudiya-Vaishnava philosophy.
Buddha, the ninth avatar of Vishnu.
Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu and said to be the harbinger of the end Kali Yuga. This avatar of Vishnu is yet to come.
Some versions of the above list include Hayagreeva among the Dashavataras while some include Buddha as ninth avatar of Vishnu. Another 22 avatars are given in Chapter 3, Canto 1 of the Bhagavata Purana, although it states that "the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water".
BEYOND HINDUISM
SIKHISM
Guru Granth Sahib of Sikhism mentions Vishnu, one verse goes:
The true Vaishnaav, the devotee of Vishnu, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased. He dwells apart from Maya. Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a Vaishnaav; he has no desire for the fruits of his labors. He is absorbed in devotional worship and the singing of Kirtan, the songs of the Lords Glory. Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe. He is kind to all creatures. He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the supreme status.
BUDDHISM
While some Hindus consider Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu, Buddhists in Sri Lanka venerate Vishnu as the custodian deity of Sri Lanka and protector of Buddhism. Lord Vishnu is also known as upulvan, or uthpala varna, meaning "Blue Lotus coloured". Some postulates that Uthpala varna was a local deity who later merged with Vishnu while another belief is that Uthpala Varna was an early form of Vishnu before he became a supreme deity in Puranic Hinduism. According to Chronicles "Mahawamsa", "Chulawamsa" and folklore in Sri Lanka, Buddha himself handed over the custodianship to Vishnu. Others believe that Buddha entrusted this task to Sakra(Indra) and Sakra delegated this task of custodianship to god Vishnu. In contrary to vedic Hinduism, in assimilation of Hindu god Vishnu into Sinhalese Buddhism, Vishnu becomes a mortal being and a Bodhisattva aspiring Buddhahood. Additionally, Vishnu is considered as the god of home and hearth representing mercy, goodness, order and stability. Many Buddhist and Hindu shrines are dedicated to Vishnu in Sri Lanka. In addition to specific Vishnu "Kovils" or "devalayas", all Buddhist temples necessarily house shrine rooms (Devalayas) closer to the main Buddhist shrine dedicated to Vishnu. John Holt in his groundbreaking study examines the assimilation, transformation, and subordination of the Hindu deity Vishnu within the contexts of Sri Lankan history and Sinhala Buddhist religious culture. He then explores the role and rationale of medieval Sinhala kings in assimilating Visnu into Sinhala Buddhism. According to Holt the veneration of Vishnu in Sri Lanka is evidence of a remarkable ability, over many centuries, to reiterate and reinvent culture as other ethnicities have been absorbed into their own. Though the Vishnu cult in Ceylon was formally endorsed by Kandyan kings in early 1700s, Holt states that vishnu images and shrines are among conspicuous ruins in the medieval capital Polonnaruwa. In Buddhist mythology, when Vishnu failed to traverse the universe in three steps, he was given the title "Ardha Vishnu (Half-Vishnu)" and when Vishnu banished demons from the Vaishali (Vishala)in India, he became "Mulu Vishnu or Whole Vishnu". The extreme significance of god Vishnu in Sinhala society is reflected in recitals of the traditional "Offerings to dwarfs and crossing the door frame (bahirwayanta dola pideem saha uluwahu peneema)" that starts with Sri Vishnu invocation.In the recitals,mentioning of the aspiring Buddhahood of Vishnu which is of prime importance to Buddhists and wishes for him to live five thousand and more years highlight the central role of Vishnu in the psyche of Sri Lankan Buddhists.
OTHERS
James Freeman Clarke, Richard Leviton, James Cowles Prichard, and others have noted the similarities between Vishnu and Ancient Egyptian God Horus.
During an excavation in an abandoned village of Russia in the Volga region, archaeologist Alexander Kozhevin excavated an ancient idol of Vishnu. The idol dates from between the 7th and 10th centuries. In the interview Kozhevin, stated that, "We may consider it incredible, but we have ground to assert that Middle-Volga region was the original land of Ancient Rus. This is a hypothesis, but a hypothesis, which requires thorough research"
THOUSAND NAMES OF VISHNU
Vishnu's many names and followers are collected in the Vishnu Sahasranama, (Vishnu's thousand names) from within the larger work Mahabharata. The character Bheeshma recites the names before Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, praising him (Vishnu) as the supreme god. These Sahasranama are regarded as the essence of all Vedas by followers of Vaishnavism, who believe sincere chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama results in spiritual well-being and a greater awareness of God.
The names are generally derived from the Anantakalyanagunas (meaning: infinite auspicious attributes).
According to the Siddhartha-samhita there are twenty-four forms of Lord Vishnu. The twenty-four forms are
Vasudeva
Sankarshana
Pradyumna
Anirudha
Keshava
Narayana
Madhava
Govinda
Vishnu
Madhusudana
Trivikrama
Vamana
Sridhara
Hrishikesha
Padmanabha
Damodara
Purushottama
Achyuta
Narasimha
Janardana
Hari
Krishna
Adhokshaja
Upulvan, Uthpala Varna - In Sri Lanka, Vishnu is also referred to as Upulvan ( Blue Lotus Coloured)
WIKIPEDIA
Thought I'd throw a selfie up. Nothin' too special...
No offense, Greg-0, but the iPhone doesn't help with your complexion.
Amongst the gathering of Great War era military graves in Section 25 of the Earlham Cemetery in Norwich there is also this one.
In loving memory of
SGT. FRANK S. TANN.
1st NORFOLK REGT.
Who departed this life
JANy 9th 1910.
Aged 35 years.
Had he asked us, well we know,
We would cry, O, spare the blow,
Yes with streaming tears we pray
Lord we love him, let him stay.
There are surviving serving records for Frank Samuel Tann of the Norfolk Regiment in the National Archives WO 97 series – viewable on the likes of Ancestry, FindMyPast and Genes Reunited.
Frank Samuel Tann, born North Heigham, Norwich and then aged 19 years and 9 months, enlisted at Norwich on the 29th August 1894. An unmarried man, he was working as a Clicker in the Boot trade. He signed up for 7 years in the colours and 5 in the reserves.
Frank had previously in the Militia Norfolk Regiment of Artillery, but had obtained his discharge via purchase.
He was recorded as 5 feet 7 and a half inches tall, weighed 133lbs and had Brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He had no distinguishing marks.
His next of kin was initially his father, Ransome Bransby Tann, of 81 Philadelphia Lane, Norwich and his younger brothers Harry Tann, (Royal Marines) and George Tann, (2nd Norfolk Regiment). This was changed at some point to a wife, Mrs. E.E. Tann, of 2 King Edward Street, Rose Valley, Brentwood.
He was issued with service number 4058 and reported to the depot. From there he was posted to the 2nd Battalion at Warley on the 31st August 1894.
He passed his 3rd Class Certificate of Education on the 14th February 1895 and his 2nd Class one on the 14th June 1895.
Appointed Lance Corporal on the 27th April 1896, he was transferred to the 1st Battalion on the 10th November 1896. (He would have reverted to Private at that point – Lance ranks were appointments, not permanent promotions). On the same day he is shown as being in India, but I suspect that is the date he sailed from the UK. (He would remain there until the 25th February 1904, although again that might be the date he sailed from India or the date he returned to the UK).
He was appointed paid Lance-Corporal with his new Battalion on the 11th September 1897 with a promotion to Corporal following on the 18th September 1899.
On the 25th September 1900 he passed his 1st Class Certificate of Education.
On the 28th September 1901 he opted to extend his service in the colours to the full 12 years. A month later he was appointed unpaid Lance Sergeant. This was converted to a paid appointment on the 1st December 1901.
On the 6th July 1903 he was promoted to Sergeant.
While at Bareilly, India, with the 1st Battalion, on the 8th December 1903 he opted to extend his service to complete 21 years with the colours.
He was shown as being in the UK from the 26th February 1904 to the 14th January 1905 on “furlo” – although some of that may have been the journey back and possibly the journey out to his next posting.
He was shown as being stationed in South Africa from the 15th January 1905 to the 16th February 1907. While there he qualified in the Ordinary & Advance Course at the exam held at the School of Musketry, Blomfontein on the 27th March 1905. He returned to the UK in 1907 and did not go overseas again.
He was posted to the Depot on the 18th February 1908.
On the 14th September 1908 at Brentwood he married an Ellen Ethel Emily Overy, (Spinster). No children are noted in the records.
He died at Norwich on the 9th January 1910 of a “Malignant new growth.”
1874 / 1875 – Birth……………………………….
The birth of a Frank Samuel Tann, mothers’ maiden name Sayer, was registered in the Norwich District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1875. Then, as now, you had 42 days after the event to register the birth, so potentially a child registered at the start of Q1 could actually have been born as early as the middle of the preceding November. Something like that would make his age at the time of enlistment correct. The published indexes were by quarter registered, which isn’t necessarily the same as quarter born.
The most likely marriage of his parents was recorded in the Norwich District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1874. This was when a Ransome Bransby Tann married a Hannah Sayer.
The marriage actually took place at St Peter Hungate, Norwich, on the 6th April 1874, Ransome Bransby Tann, aged 20 and a Bachelor from Outside the Parish, worked as an Upholsterer. His father was Samuel Wiseman Tann, also an Upholsterer. Hannah Sayer was a 21 year old spinster. Her father, William Sayer, was a Shoemaker. Witnesses were Frank Tann and Elizabeth Browne.
www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58183b21e93790eb7f69958...
1881 Census of England and Wales………………..
The 6 year old Frank Tann, born Norwich, was recorded living at a dwelling on Gildengate Street, in the parish of St George Colegate, Norwich. This was the household of his maternal grandparents, Henry Sayer, (aged 51, a General Shopkeeper, born Norwich), and Hannah Sayer, (aged 50, born Norwich).
His parents were recorded living at Gildencroft, St Augustines, Norwich. Ransome B., (26, Upholsterer, born Norwich) and Hannah, (27, Boot Machinist, born Norwich), live there with three of their children, (Harry,4, George, 2, and Emily, 11 months – all born Norwich) and Ransomes’ brother Frank H., (aged 23, an Upholsterer, born Norwich).
The birth of a Henry Tann, mothers’ maiden name Sayer, was recorded in the Norwich District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1877.
The birth of a George Tann, mothers’ maiden name Sayer, was recorded in the Norwich District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1879.
Franks’ future wife, Ellen Ethel E. Overy was registered as born in the Mile End Old Town District of London in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1883.
1891 Census of England & Wales……………………
Frank Tann, (16, Shoemaker) and his grandparents Henry, (63, Shoemaker) and Harriet Sayer, (62), were now recorded living at 75 Middle Street, which was also in the parish of St George Colegate, Norwich.
His parents has also moved and were now recorded at 49 Esdelle Street, Norwich. Ransome, (36, Upholsterer) and Hannah, (37) are living there with their children Harry, (14, Cabinet Maker), George, (13, Errand Boy), Emily, (11), Florence, (9), Arthur, (4) and Alice, (3 months). All the family members are shown as born Norwich.
Franks’ future wife, the 7 year old Ellen E., born Bow, London, was to be found living at 11 Trellis Street, Bow, London. This was the household of her parents Richard, (50, Labourer, born Bethnal Green) and Ellen, (42, born Lambeth). The couple have two other children living with them.
12th October 1893 – brother Henry joins the Royal Marines
Henry seems to have added a couple of years to his age when he joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry at Norwich on the 12th October 1893. A cabinet maker and the son of Ransome Tann, he gave his date of birth as the 28th April 1875 and his place of birth as St Benedicts, Norwich. Ransome was stated then to be living at Drakes Court, St Georges, Middle Street, Norwich.
On enlistment he was described as 5 feet 6 and six tenth inches tall, (on discharge he was 5 feet 9 and a half), with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a dark complexion. He had no distinguishing marks.
His service number was Z/613 in the Chatham Division. He was stationed on HMS Torch from the 11th January 1897 to the 2nd September 1898, being promoted Corporal on the 23rd October 1897.
HMS Torch (1894).
HMS Torch was an Alert-class sloop of the Royal Navy, built at Sheerness Dockyard and launched in 1894. Torch joined the Australian Station in February 1897, serving in New Zealand waters in 1898 and 1899.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Torch_(1894)
He was brought home aboard S.S. Origaba and discharged as an Invalid on the 9th November 1898. His General Character was rated Very Good and he was discharged to an address of 45 Adam & Eve Row, East Road, Cambridge.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7767041
1895 – Brother George joins the Norfolk Regiment – possibly?
The service record for Frank shows he has a younger brother George serving in the 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. I couldn’t find any likely surviving service records, but in the 1899 to 1902 Anglo-Boer War Medal Roll for the Norfolk Regiment there is a Sergeant 4368 G. Tann.
A check of nearby services numbers shows that 4342 enlisted 23rd July 1895 and 4501 joined on the 27th January 1896.
armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2009/07/norfolk-regiment-...
On the 1911 Census of England & Wales there was a 32 year old married Colour Sergeant George Tann, born Norwich, who was recorded in Barracks at Belgaum, India with the 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment.
And going forward to the Great War there is a Medal Index Card for Regimental Serjeant Major 4368 George Tann, Norfolk Regiment, later 63825 Royal Defence Corps. The card itself shows he went overseas with the 7th Battalion, landing in France on the 30th May 1915 when that Battalion first deployed abroad.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D5477680
It looks like Ancestry potentially have some Pension records for him so seems likely he survived the war.
1901 Census of England & Wales…………………………
There is no obvious match for the Frank Tann shown above, but this is to be expected if he was the man who joined the Army in 1894. The service records for that individual shows him in India at that time. Members of the Army stationed overseas would only be included in the scope of the census from 1911 onwards.
His parents had by now moved to Cambridge and were to be found living at 45 Adam + Eve Street. As well Ransome B., (46, Upholsterer, born Norwich) and Hannah, (47, born Norwich), they also had living with them their two youngest children from the previous census, Arthur, (14, Errand Boy) and Alice, (10) – both born Norwich.
His grandfather, the 72 year old widower Harry Sayer, a working Shoemaker, was recorded boarding at 72 St Augustines Street, Norwich. The householder was a Licensed Victualler, so I suspect the address is probably a public house.
His future wife, the 17 year old Ellen E. Overy, a Laundress born Mile End, London, was recorded living at 4 Victoria Road, Southweald, Essex. She is recorded as the sister of the head of the household who is a 26 year old publishers clerk, Alfred Hyatt, born Finchley, Middlesex. Also in the household is Alfreds’ married mother, Ellen Ovey, aged “50” and born Lambeth. Alfred is presumably a child from a previous relationship.
No obvious match for brother Harry Tann on this Census.
14th September 1908 – marriage…………………
On the 14th September 1908 at Brentwood Frank married an Ellen Ethel Emily Overy, (Spinster). – sourced from his service record.
The marriage of a Frank Samuel Tann to an Ellen Ethel Overy was recorded in the Billericay District of Essex in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1908.
On the day………………….
As can be seen in his service record, Frank died of a malignant new growth on the 9th January 1910. I can only assume that was cancerous.
Postscript…………………………..
Parents Ransome and Hannah were back in Norwich by the time of the 1911 Census of England & Wales. Married 38 years, they state the marriage has produced 8 children, of which sadly only 4 were then still alive. Ransome would pass away in Norwich in 1918 at the age of 64. Hannah possibly died in the Epping District of Essex in 1942, aged 89.
Maternal grandfather Henry Sayer, (83), formerly a shoemaker, was an inmate in the Great Hospital, Bishopgate Street, Norwich. This was an Alms House for the distressed elderly. The death of a Henry Sayer, aged 83, was recorded in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1911 – the census was taken on the 2nd April.
Franks’ widow, the 27 year old Ellen Tann, born Bow, London, was recorded among the live in nursing staff at the Essex Lunatic Asylum at Brentwood, Essex. The death of the 72 year old Ethel E.E. Tann was recorded in the Brentwood District of Essex in Q2 1956.
Whatever caused his brother Harry to be discharged from the Royal Marine Light Infantry in 1898, it didn’t stop him joining the Royal Marine Reserve on the 25th June 1910. Looks like his number was Chatham A/538. After a basic weeks drill he would go on to do another week in 1911, 1912 and 1913 before taking part in the Test Mobilisation in July 1914. On the 2nd August 1914 he was embodied as a full time marine. After various home postings, he was discharged again on the 15th February 1916 on the grounds of ill-health. His discharge address was 54 Boundary Road, Merton Surrey.
Following his Great War Service it looks like George may have followed many a career soldier and sailors dream – he became a Pub Landlord, taking the Licence of The Ship Inn, Foulsham, on the 9th September 1926.
www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkf/foulsham/foulsh.htm
Unfortunately the death of a George Tann, aged 54, was recorded in the Aylsham District of Norfolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1933. The 1934 Probate Calendar records that George Tann, of The Ship Inn, Foulsham, Norfolk, died on the 22nd December 1933. Probate was granted at the Norwich Court on the 23rd January 1934 to Elizabeth Tann, widow. probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Tann&ye...
Elizabeth would relinquish the licence on the Ship Inn by the end of March 1934 – see the Norfolk Pubs webpage.
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed,
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,
Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
Snow White and her Prince have now been fully deboxed. They are posed standing, supported by the built-in doll stands in the base of the display case.
This regular version of the Snow White and the Prince Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Doll Set has the same two base dolls as the D23 special edition dolls that I reviewed earlier. That is the dolls themselves are identical in every way (except for the serial numbers on the back of the Prince dolls). They also have outfits of almost identical designs, but made of different materials and with differing colors. So the dolls have different looks, especially the Snow Whites.
Snow White has the body of a 2012 Disney Store Classic Princess doll. That is, she has hard plastic legs, with hinged knee joints and ball jointed ankles. She is missing the usual manufacturer's marks printed on Disney limited edition dolls, including the part number and her edition size and serial number. She is also missing the twist waist joint of the previous Designer Princess and Designer Villain dolls. She has a pale complexion, the same as the 2012 Snow White, with whom she shares the same body. However, her neck joint has more freedom of movement, especially downward, and her painted on panties are deep golden yellow, much darker than the 2012 Snow White.
Her face mold appears to be the same as the 2012 and 2013 Classic Snow White, but with a considerably different face paint than either of them. She has large dark brown eyes that are glancing to her left, with four short thick lashes over each eye and four very short and thin lashes under each eye. Over her eyes is gold eyeshadow, and thin black eyebrows gently following the curve of her eyes. She also had short rooted eyelashes that are just barely curving upwards, and are even in length. She has a small button nose, a small mouth with blood red lips forming a charming open mouth smile. She has light pink rouge over most of her cheeks, and a round face with small chin. She is a very beautiful and faithful representation of the sweet and charming movie character.
Her hair is a considerable departure from the traditional short flip hairdo. Her jet black hair is parted to the left of her head, and pulled tightly over her head into a medium length braided ponytail that tapers down to a point and is secured by black rubberband, and is sewn to her collar on her right side. There is a small amount of hair product applied just above her forehead, to a thin strip of her hair. In my doll, that strip keeps on separating from the rest of her hair. I haven't been able to integrate it with the rest of her hair; perhaps I will have to apply more hair product to keep it place. There is a thin bright red satin ribbon around the top of her head that ends in a small bow at left side of her head.
Her outfit is a take on her traditional Princess gown. Her bodice and skirt are separate pieces. The bodice is dark blue velvet with gold piping and elaborate gold embroidery, and decorated with a bow made of metallic gold thread. The floral design is similar to the D23 doll, but differs in its details. She has puffy sleeves of the same dark blue velvet, with separate ribbons of bright red satin that float over the velvet. The sleeves have black lace cuffs decorated with gold hearts, and the oversized collar is pure white lace folded in a fan-like manner behind her neck and head. Her skirt is dark golden taffeta with gold embroidering incorporating fleur-de-lis, flowers and hearts. The embroidery in the skirt is identical to that of the D23 doll. The taffeta gives the skirt has a wrinkled, antique appearance. It has a thin pale tan satin lining. There are golden rhinestones scattered throughout the bodice and skirt of her dress. Under her dress is a floor length white satin slip with the lacey pattern at the hem showing below her skirt. It is sewn to her skirt at two spots at the hem, which I chose to leave alone for now. It is also sewn to the waist band of the skirt, so it is a permanent part of the skirt. She is wearing golden tan flat shoes (or slippers), the same as the D23 doll. It is a beautifully designed and beautifully made outfit that is a darker and more ornated version of the Princess outfit of the movie character.
The Prince appears to have the standard Disney Store Prince body, with articulation at the neck, shoulders, hinge jointed elbows, ball jointed hips, and internal knee joints with limited movement. His hands and feet are large, but his head is disproportionately small compared to Snow White. His face has a neutral expression, with small, narrow deep blue eyes, wide mouth and a straight nose. His molded dark brown hair looks okay. His face doesn't look that movie accurate to me; I actually prefer the playline Classic Prince. As with all Disney Prince dolls, he is sturdily built, and can free stand fairly stably. But for safe keeping, it is best to put him up in the included doll stand, which has a wide C-clamp that goes around his waist very snuggly.
The Prince's outfit is very well made and fitted to his body. It consists of a dark blue faux leather vest, a bright red velvet and satin cape with gold piping permanently attached at the shoulders of the vest, a dark blue faux leather belt with a gold metal buckle and a short black faux leather scabbard attached, white satin shirt, black pants and black boots with a worn look and creases. In the scabbard is a steel gray sword with a brown handle. The sword is thin and very flexible. It was slightly bent out of the box, but was easily bent back into shape. The D23 Prince's vest is much thicker, and feels much more like real leather than this Prince doll. But this Prince has an outfit that is much closer in color to the movie character. He looks great in his outfit, and very dashing, but I wish his expression had more emotion, and was more cheerful.
Snow White and the Prince - Limited Edition Doll Set
Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
US Disney Store
Released and purchased in store on August 20, 2013.
Released online August 21, 2013.
$129.95 US
#558 of 6000
First Look
I will photograph the set boxed, during the deboxing, and fully deboxed. I will also pose the dolls next to comparable dolls, for instance the Gold D23 Snow White doll set.
Product information from the US Disney Store website:
Snow White and the Prince Doll Set - Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
$129.95
Item No. 6070040900883P
Fairest two of all
With lips red as the rose and skin as white as snow, the Princess has never looked fairer. Paired with her handsome Prince, this stunning set of Disney Fairytale Designer Collection dolls will be cherished happily ever after.
Magic in the details...
Please Note: Each Guest will be limited to ordering a maximum of one of this item per order.
As part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection this pair of Snow White and Prince dolls were carefully crafted by artists inspired by Walt Disney's 1937 classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The original Disney Princess and her Prince have been reimagined in exquisite detail with these limited edition dolls. Brought to life with thoughtful attention, they uniquely capture the essence of the fairytale couple, creating a one of a kind set that will be a treasured keepsake of collectors, Disney fans and every princess at heart.
•Global Limited Editon of 6000
•Includes Certificate of Authenticity
•Romantic side-swept hair
•Dramatic lace collar
•Elaborately embroidered velvet bodice with puff sleeves with red satin detailing
•Layered gown ornately decorated with golden gemstones, taffeta, lace, and embroidered foliage
•Dramatic make-up and rooted eyelashes
•Red bow headband
•Prince features velvet cape
•Satin shirt with faux leather waistcoat and belt
•Boots and sword
•Dolls sold in a special keepsake display case with intricate details on the base, including a golden plate with the name of Snow White and the Prince
•Includes special Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Gift Bag
•Part of the Disney Fairytale Designer Collection
* Intended for adult collectors -- Not a child's toy.
The bare necessities
•Plastic / polyester
•Snow White: 11 1/2''
•Prince: 12'' H
•Imported
Beauty standards (white complexion and big black eyes of the houris), jewels and fabrics worn by the people of paradise (rubis, coral, silk, brocade), perfumes that embalm the gardens of Eden (musc, amber), food and food in abundance, correspond to this horizon. The Muslim tradition is full of details about the physical features and customs of the inhabitants of paradise. Basically: beautiful, radiant, 33 years old (all men and women, without exception), they do not know sleep or fatigue and will never have children, because procreation is impossible in paradise. According to this description, the elected and blessed will all speak Arabic. In addition to being the language of the Koran, Arabic will also be the language of paradise. The palaces reserved for the inhabitants of paradise are carved out of precious stones and constructed of gold, ruby and musk, and are spread out over tens of kilometers and their ceilings are hundreds of meters high. Excessive dimensions that will make the poet Bashar Ibn Bord's teasing spirit say that it must be very cold during the month of December in such spacious and tall residences.
“Satisfaction is the greatest gate of God and the paradise of this world.” Know that the servant will not approach being satisfied with God". In addition to other descriptions of Jannah (heaven), Islamic tradition describes heaven as having eight "doors" or "gates." Each one has a name, describing the types of people who will be admitted through it. Some scholars interpret that these doors are found inside Jannah, after one enters the main gate. The exact nature of these doors is unknown, but they were mentioned in the Quran and their names were given by the Prophet Muhammad.Most of the Qur' anic verses evoking the resurrection, paradise and hell have been revealed in Mecca. During the first thirteen years of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad was to conquer the hearts and minds of the men and women who would make up the first Muslim community. This period spent in Mecca was a time of fragility, hardship and endurance for the prophet of Islam. The rich and powerful chiefs of the Qurayche tribe saw no point in believing and following the message of a destitute orphan, protected by an aging uncle and supported by "the weak and slaves". Mohammed then described the spiritual and moral aspects of his revelation, and described life here on earth as a passage, a transition, a trial course, where only submission to God and the fulfillment of good deeds counted. Wealth, prestige, noble belonging and titles had no interest or usefulness after death. The verses revealed to Mecca abound in descriptions that depict the future life, where the pious, rich or poor, will be rewarded, while the arrogant, the ungodly and the unbelievers will be promised to the torment and torment of hell. The description of paradise in these verses is sensual, taking up the aspects of luxury, opulence and comfort that were prevalent at the time among the wealthy inhabitants of Mecca. As pointed out by Sheikh Soubhi El-Saleh, author of a reference book on the subject (The Future Life According to the Qur' an, Vrin Edition, 1986), the highly materialistic nature of life in Mecca explains the use of this sensual description. A thriving centre of commerce, a meeting place for Arab tribes, Mecca was dominated by the cult of wealth, lush and affluence. The Qur' an should then present a description of the delights of paradise and the afflictions of hell close to the mental and cultural horizon of the inhabitants of Mecca.
To those who reject Our signs and treat them with arrogance, no opening will there be of the gates of heaven, nor will they enter the garden, until the camel can pass through the eye of the needle. Such is Our reward for those in sin. (Quran 7:40)
And those who feared their Lord will be led to the Garden in crowds, until behold, they arrive there. Its gates will be opened, and its keepers will say: 'Peace be upon you! You have done well! Enter here, to dwell therein.' (Quran 39:73)
Ubadah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad said: "If anyone testifies that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone Who has no partners, and that Muhammad is his slave and His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allah's slave and His Apostle and His word which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise through any of its eight gates he likes."
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said: "Whoever spends two things in the way of Allah will be called from the gates of Paradise and will be addressed, 'O slave of Allah, here is prosperity!' So whoever was among the people who used to offer their prayers will be called from the gate of prayer; and whoever was among the people who used to participate in jihad will be called from the gate of jihad; and whoever was among those who used to observe fasts will be called from the gate of ar-Rayyaan; and whoever was among those who used to give in charity will be called from the gate of charity."
It is natural to wonder: What will happen to those people who have earned the privilege to enter Jannah through more than one gate? Abu Bakr had the same question, and he eagerly asked the Prophet Muhammad: "Will there be anyone who will be called from all these gates?" The Prophet answered him, "Yes. And I hope you will be one of them."
The most commonly-cited list of the eight doors of Jannah includes:
Baab As-Salaat: Those who were punctual and focused in their prayers (salaat) will be granted entry through this door.
Baab Al-Jihad: Those who have died in the defense of Islam (jihad) will be granted entry through this door. Note that the Quran calls upon Muslims to solve issues by peaceful means, and only engage in defensive battles. "Let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression" (Quran 2:193).
Baab As-Sadaqah: Those who frequently give away in charity (sadaqah) will be admitted into Jannah through this door.
Baab Ar-Rayyaan
The people who constantly observed fasting (especially during Ramadan) will be granted entry through this door.
Baab Al-Hajj: Those who observe the Hajj pilgrimage will be admitted through this door.
Baab Al-Kaazimeen Al-Ghaiz Wal Aafina Anin Naas: This door is reserved for those who control their anger and forgive others.
Baab Al-Iman: This door is reserved for the entry of such people who have sincere faith and trust in Allah, and who strive to follow the commands of Allah.
Baab Al-Dhikr: Those who constantly remembered Allah (dhikr) will be admitted through this door.
Whether one believes that these "gates" of heaven are metaphorical or literal, it helps one to see where the core values of Islam lie. The names of the gates each describe a spiritual practice that one should strive to incorporate into one's life.
“There are eight gates for Paradise and seven gates for the Fire.” said the Prophet (pbuh).
The saying of praise for Allah, “Al-Hamdu Lil-lahi,” has eight alphabets*; the number of the gates of Paradise is also eight, therefore he who recites these eight alphabets out of purity of heart does deserve (the opening of) the eight gates of Paradise. Know that indeed there are eight gates for Paradise, and in the rank that you reach after reciting, “I take refuge in Allah from Shaytan the outcast…” one gate of the eight gates of Paradise opens for you; that is the gate of Ma’refa (Divine Gnosis).
A second gate is that of al-Dhikr (Remembrance) as you are reciting ‘Bismil-lahir Rahmanir Rahim’.
The third gate is that of Shukr (Gratitude) after reciting ‘Al-Hamdu Lil-Lahi Rabbil Alamin’.
The fourth gate is that of Hope when you recite ‘Ar-Rahanir Rahimi’.
The fifth gate is that of Fear when you recite ‘Maliki Yaumid-Din’.
The sixth gate is that of Purity born out of the Ma’refa (Divine Gnosis) of ‘Ubudiat (Servitude) and Rububiat (Divinity) in your reciting ‘Iyyaka Na’budu Wa Iyyaka Nasta’inu’.
The seventh gate is that of Du’a (Invocation) in your reciting ‘Ihdinas Siratal Mustaqim’.
The eighth gate is that of ‘Iqtidā’ (emulation or following the example) of the good and pure souls, and of seeking guidance through their Nur (Divine Light) and that is in your reciting of ‘Siratal La-Dhina…’
Now you know the secrets of the Eight Gates of Paradise and what is referred to in 38:50. ‘The Gardens of Eden with opened gates for them’. For the Gardens of Divine Gnosis have been opened by these spiritual keys, and this does point to what happens during the Prayer of Spiritual Ascension, like that of the Prophet (pbuh) to the Heavens.
– From the Tasfir al-Kabir (The Great Commentary), al-Fatiha, verse 7, by Fahkr al-Din al-Razi (his exegesis on the Quran), also named the Mafatih al-Ghayb (The Keys to the Unknown).
The transition to Medina and the creation of the Islamic state marked a new trend in the description of the afterlife. The Qur' anic verses revealed to Medina, depicting heaven and hell, are more spiritual, less picturesque, and the notion of "divine satisfaction" (or Ridwan) is placed above any divine reward or reward. It is obvious that this evolution of spiritual thought is in Medina where the prophet has become the spiritual guide of the new community. It is precisely this period of great importance for the future of Islam that puts an end to the Paradise description,"notes Sheikh Sobhi El-Saleh, a former president of the Lebanese Ulema League and a member of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco.
It should be noted, however, that the Qur' an remains concise and sober in the description of heaven, hell and life after death. It is the Hadith and Muslim tradition that provide the most detailed and exuberant accounts of the afterlife.The resurrection and the day of the judgment are the subject of a Dantean and terrifying narrative in Muslim religious texts. According to a verse of the Qur' an, the resurrection (Al Qiyama) is announced by a trumpet blow (Al Nafkh fi Sour). All creatures will then find life and recover their bodies, souls and spirits. Harboured and stunned by their resurrection, human beings realize what happens to them and prefer to return to their graves rather than face the day of the final judgment. They are then placed in a long and unbearable wait, in a state of nudity and anguish, which will make the most selfish reflexes of the human being reappear: the mothers will forget their own children and everyone will be concerned about their own fate. In his masterpiece Al Foutouhat Al Makkiya, the mystical Andalusian master Ibn Arabi speaks of 50 stops along the way from resurrection to heaven or hell. According to Ibn Arabi, each stopping place is equivalent to a thousand years of waiting, and at each station (Mawqif), the different actions of human beings will be scrutinized. The good accomplished and the evil done by each one will be weighed and evaluated, before the faithful join paradise and the ungodly rushed into hell. The Hadith and Muslim tradition provide a colourful and very ceremonial description of the arrival in paradise. Thus, after having passed through the trials of judgment, the blessed ones will arrive before the eight immense gates of paradise. Each door has a name that designates it according to the benefits and virtues of the faithful: a door of prayer, jihad, fasting, repentance, almsgiving, submission to God, control of anger, and a last door reserved for those who will enter heaven without judgment. According to the Muslim tradition, the first person to enter heaven is the prophet Muhammad, followed by members of the Muslim community, the poor first, then the rich and the affluent. This discrimination is a way of "rewarding" the poor, slaves and wretched who were the first to believe in the message of the prophet of Islam. After the Muslim community, it is the turn of Christians, guided by Jesus, to reach heaven. The other communities will follow in their footsteps, led by their respective prophets. Noah and those who followed him after the flood will close this long procession to heaven. The arrival in front of the seven gates of hell is described in a more terrifying way. The damned doomed to hell will arrive in seven groups, depending on the seriousness of the sins committed. Each door will be assigned to a group and sinners belonging to the Muslim community will move towards the door where torments are the least cruel. Honoured, humiliated, carrying heavy weight, the condemned to hell are watched over by an incalculable number of guards endowed with an incomparable strength and an indescribable cruelty. As the ungodly and unbelievers approached, hell roared and spit out its flames, and a rain of fire, ropes and chains fell upon the future tenants of hell. At the sight of this frightening spectacle, the latter retreat from fear and fear, cry, cry, scream, but relentless angels will follow them and precipitate them into hell, and their fall will spread over several years (70 years according to some accounts) before reaching the bottom. The Muslim tradition is inexhaustible of details and imagination in the description of paradise, perceived as a place of rest, bliss and eternal enjoyment. The disproportionate dimensions, the abundance of goods and delicacies, the extremely sensual nature of the narratives that depict paradise, have prompted rational theologians and Sufis to put a dose of relativity and even doubt in this description. According to the Muslim tradition, which includes Hadith and comments from the Qur' an, heaven is placed in the seventh heaven below God's throne, to mark the closeness of the blessed mansion to God's dwelling-place. However, paradise does contain levels according to the degree of piety, faith and actions accomplished here below. The chosen ones, i. e. the most faithful prophets and believers, placed on higher floors, will appear to the other tenants of paradise as "the rays of the stars and stars". The alleys of paradise are inlaid with precious stones and rubies and the ground is covered with musk and saffron, and heady scents embellish the atmosphere. Rivers of honey, milk and wine flow through paradise and water its people with their unalterable taste. According to this description, the bodies of the inhabitants of paradise do not know sickness, decay or death. Moreover, a hadith explains that death will be incarnated in the form of a ram, brought back by angels, and slain before the people of heaven and hell, to signify to them the eternal character of life in the afterlife and the end of the fear of death that haunts humans.
The exuberant, picturesque and luxurious description of paradise has prompted a number of Muslim theologians and mystics to react, who wanted to give a more spiritual, rational or symbolic aspect to the catalogue of pleasures promised to the blessed in paradise. For Al Ghazali, the famous 11th century theologian, no human being is able to grasp or describe life perfectly in heaven or hell. Al Ghazali defines paradise and its pleasures in the words of a hadith:"Paradise is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and which has never passed through the heart of a human being". The description of paradise thus has the value of illustration and example. According to this vision of Al Ghazali, the delights of paradise are therefore nothing more than a theatre of shadows and a presentation close to the material meaning that humans give to the notion of pleasure. God has revealed only a figuration of paradise and not its essence nor its true and real nature, which is known only to him.
Much closer to us, Sheikh Mohamed Abdou, the great Egyptian religious reformer, is sceptical and sometimes critical of the material and overly detailed description of life in paradise, and the afterlife in general. While accepting the concrete and sensual nature of paradise, Sheikh Mohamed Abdou considers spiritual retribution to be more important than the material pleasures of paradise. The Egyptian reformer, aware of the role of tradition in amplifying stories about the afterlife, only admits to these questions the Motawatar hadiths, i. e. those with a high degree of authenticity and whose number is very small. The method allows this great figure of reformist and rational Salafism to give a sober description of paradise, closer to reason and understanding than the overly detailed narratives of which the Muslim tradition abounds. Like Al Ghazali, Mohamed Abdou also reminds us of this hadith, which presents paradise as belonging to the domain of the indescribable and the inexpressible. Sufism, on the other hand, provides an original vision of paradise and the relationship that Muslims must establish with the afterlife. For the masters of Muslim mysticism, God must be worshipped for himself and not out of fear of his hell or the desire to reach his paradise. Rabia Al Adaouia expresses this vision best when she explained to one of her visitors:"I did not worship God, like the evil slave, out of fear of his hell or desire for his paradise, but I loved him out of love for him and by inclination towards him". Rabia Al Adaouia did not dispute the existence of paradise and its nature, but felt that all these pleasures are incomparable with God's closeness and contemplation. As Orientalist Louis Massignon notes, the Iraqi mystic was looking for the neighbour (God) first, rather than the dwelling place (the paradise). Other mystics, such as Al Halaj or Al Nifari, considered paradise as a veil stretched to hide the essential. The pleasures of paradise are displayed as a kind of divine ruse that places the chosen ones in waiting, like the beloved one making his lover languish, before appearing and revealing himself to him.
www.thoughtco.com/doors-of-jannah-2004342
Taken, with thanks to Brother Dara, from the Untiredwithloving website.