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Shisen-dō (詩仙堂) is a Buddhist temple of the Sōtō Zen sect in Sakyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. It is registered as a historic site of Japan. It stands on the grounds of its founder, the Edo period intellectual Ishikawa Jōzan (1583–1672), who established the temple in 1641.
A room in the main temple displays portraits of thirty-six Chinese poets. The selection of the poets was based on the opinion of Hayashi Razan. The portraits were executed by Kanō Tan'yū. This and some other parts of the building date to the time of Ishikawa Jōzan.
The temple's gardens are considered masterworks of Japanese gardens.[1] One of them includes a device called a sōzu, a type of shishi-odoshi designed to scare away wild animals such as deer by making a loud noise. Water trickles into a bamboo tube, and when it reaches a certain level, it upsets the balance of the tube. The tube tips over on a pivot, discharging the water, and turns upright, striking a rock and emitting a loud clapping noise.
La Cattedrale o Duomo di Massa Marittima è uno degli edifici religiosi più belli d'Italia ed è ubicata a Massa Marittima, provincia di Grosseto, essendo dedicata a San Cerbone.
Essa venne edificata tra la fine del XII e la prima metà del XIII secolo sul luogo in cui era posta una chiesa pre-esistente. La facciata si sviluppa su tre ordini sovrapposti mentre il campanile è stato ricostruito nel XX secolo.
L'interno dell'edificio è suddiviso in tre navate sorrette da colonne con capitelli intagliati ornati da elementi vegetali o animali. Il rosone di facciata ospita una vetrata policroma datata alla metà del XIV secolo e raffigurante San Cerbone davanti al papa Vigilio.
Numerose opere d'arte sono conservate all'interno del Duomo di Massa Marittima. Tra queste, il fonte battesimale, situato all'inizio della navata destra, eseguito in un unico blocco di travertino nel 1267 da Giroldo da Como e decorato da rilievi con Storie del Battista. Nel centro della vasca si eleva un tabernacolo marmoreo con piccole figure scolpite di Patriarchi e Profeti del 1447. Dietro all'altare maggiore del Duomo si conserva il monumento marmoreo dedicato al santo titolare della chiesa, l'Arca di San Cerbone.
The Cathedral or Dome of Massa Marittima is one of Italy's most beautiful religious buildings and is located in Massa Marittima, province of Grosseto, being dedicated to St Cerbone.
It was built between the late twelfth and the first half of the thirteenth century on the location where it had placed a pre-existing church. The facade consists of three overlapped orders while the bell tower was rebuilt in the twentieth century.
The interior of the building is divided into three naves supported by columns with carved capitals decorated with elements of vegetable or animal. The rose window of the facade features a stained-glass window dated to the mid-fourteenth century and depicting St Cerbone in front of Pope Vigilius.
Several works of art are kept inside the Cathedral of Massa Marittima. Among these, the baptismal font, located at the top of the right aisle, executed in a single block of travertine in 1267 by Giroldo da Como and decorated with reliefs Stories of John the Baptist. In the center of the basin stands a marble tabernacle with small carved figures of the Patriarchs and Prophets of 1447 Behind the main altar of the Cathedral is the marble monument dedicated to the patron saint of the church, the Ark of San Cerbone.
This image on Explore October 15th, 2014
© Riccardo Senis, All Rights Reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, republished, edited, downloaded, displayed, modified, transmitted, licensed, transferred, sold, distributed or uploaded in any way without my prior written permission.
Type of Item: New Release! Item Details: Kate Set comes with top, shorts and hud w/22 solid colors & 12 dot colors! Release Date: December 25, 2021!
The Torre del Mangia is a tower in Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Built in 1338-1348, it is located in the Piazza del Campo, Siena's main square, next to the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall). When built it was one of the tallest secular towers in medieval Italy. At 102 m it is second tallest after Cremona's Torrazzo (112 m (367 ft)), the Asinelli tower in Bologna at 97 m being It emulates Islamic architecture with its square minaret design, pointed arches and striking height. The tower was built to be exactly the same height as Siena Cathedral as a sign that the church and the state had equal power.
The name refers to its first bellringer, Giovanni di Balduccio, nicknamed Mangiaguadagni (‘Profit eater’) either for his spendthrift tendency, idleness or gluttony.
The tower has visually distinct levels, from the top:
a short pale-gray upper loggia
a marble (uppermost) structure.
a stone section that flares out slightly
a long red brick shaft
A marble loggia at the base of the tower where it meets the Piazza del Campo, known as the Cappella di Piazza, was added in 1352 to fulfil a vow to the Holy Virgin by Sienese survivors of the Black Death. The corner pilasters attained their current form in 1378, the sculptures decorating them being executed in 1378-1382 by Mariano d'Angelo Romanelli e Bartolomeo di Tommé. The simple wooden ceiling once covering the loggia was replaced by the current Renaissance marble vault in 1461-1468 by Antonio Federighi, also responsible for the bizarre decorations of the coronation. In 1537-1539 Il Sodoma painted a fresco above the altar, now housed in the town museum in the Palazzo Pubblico.
The upper-middle part in stone was built by Agostino di Giovanni to the design of one Mastro Lippo pittore, probably identifiable with Lippo Memmi. It consists of a parapet resting on corbels. The pronounced petal-like arches between the corbels have led writers to describe the structure as a tulip or lily.
The clock on the lower part of the shaft was added in 1360. There are three bells, the largest one is called the "Sunto" - an abbreviation of assunto, a reference to the assumption of the Virgin. The bell plays a notable role in the celebrations of the Palio.
The walls of the tower are approximately 3 m (9.8 ft) thick on each side.
English Queens, nobles and a trio of unfortunate Scottish soldiers are amongst the names commemorated on a new permanent memorial, unveiled at the Tower of London on September 4 2006.
Designed by British artist Brian Catling, the circular memorial focuses on the ten executions that have taken place on Tower Green, within the Royal castle’s walls. It is intended to remember all those executed over the years at the Tower - providing a focal point for contemplation, reflection and remembrance.
Mid-February 1696 a plot was to have been executed to kill the King by Jacobites vehemently opposed to the Glorious Revolution (1688) which had brought the Dutch stadtholder and his wife to the English Throne as William III (1650-1702) and Mary II (1677-1694). The plans were discovered, Orange prevailed, and the would-be assassins were made to feel the force of the law.
Mary had sadly died in 1694, so she probably wouldn't have seen these pretty Orange Canary Bell-Flowers which are attested for the gardens of their palace, Hampton Court in 1696.
Today our Bell-Flower is much beloved by gardeners around the Globe. But as endemic wild plants on the Canary Islands they are endangered. Environmental measures are being taken to protect them. William of Orange survived that plot by six years; it is hoped these Bell-Flowers have a longer wild future.
A Dark Beauty from the Southern Sky
This deep image captures the stunning dark nebulae and reflection clouds of the Corona Australis molecular complex, one of the nearest and most visually striking star-forming regions in the sky. Located roughly 420 light-years away, this region is a dramatic mix of dark dust filaments, blue reflection nebulae, and scattered young stars.
Prominently featured is NGC 6729, a blue reflection/emission nebula surrounding young variable stars R CrA and T CrA, which are still in the early stages of stellar evolution. The intricate brownish dust lanes weaving across the frame obscure background starlight and trace the structure of cold molecular gas, a raw material for future star formation. Nearby lies the globular cluster NGC 6723, providing a striking contrast to the dusty clouds.
The Corona Australis molecular cloud complex lies only ~420 light-years away, making it one of the nearest regions of low-mass star formation. NGC 6729, near R CrA, is home to several Herbig-Haro objects (HH 96, HH 97, HH 100, etc.), an energetic jets and outflows from newborn stars colliding with surrounding gas and dust. These shocks are key indicators of ongoing accretion and stellar birth.
NGC 6723 is a globular cluster consisting of tens of thousands of ancient stars gravitationally bound in a spherical halo. It likely formed during the earliest stages of the Milky Way’s assembly, making it more than 30 times older than the young stars in the Corona Australis cloud just a few degrees away on the sky.
Although the cluster visually appears embedded in the same dusty field, NGC 6723 lies much farther in the background, behind the Corona Australis dark cloud, it lies ~28,400 light-years aways.
Captured remotely from the southern skies using Martin Pugh’s observatory in Australia. Fully remote operation via N.I.N.A., managed as part of our SkyFlux Team rental.
This project reflects the power of remote astrophotography, planned, executed, and processed from thousands of kilometers away. The depth and detail of this image were made possible by combining meticulous planning with access to a dark southern site and using advanced PixInsight workflow.
4-panel mosaic
Each panel: 120x300s (10 Hours)
Equipment: SharpStar AP140PH, 10Micro HPS1000, ASI 6200 OSC
Control & Acquisition: Remote operation via N.I.N.A. (SkyFlux Team)
Entirely processed in PixInsight.
Processing & copyright: Leo Shatz
Plön: vue sur l'église Saint-Jean depuis une fenêtre du Musée du district, l'ancien palais des veuves ducales.
Die Stadtverwaltung der Plöner Neustadt – bis 1847 eine eigenständige Stadt – ließ im Auftrag des Herzogs Hans Adolf 1685 für die Bediensteten und Handwerker am Hof sowie für Glaubensflüchtlinge ein eigenes Kirchengebäude errichten. Das barocke Haus entstand im damals verbreiteten Fachwerkstil. Die Westwand musste jedoch wegen starker Verwitterung im 19. Jahrhundert erneuert werden. Die Kirchengemeinde entschied sich für eine Mauer aus Backsteinen. Außerdem wurde 1861 das Innere durch den Einbau neuer Spitzbogenfenster im Stile der Neugotik verändert. Dieser Umgestaltung folgte 1910 auch das übrige Innere, darunter besonders der Chorraum. Trotzdem blieben ursprüngliche Farbgebungen über die Jahre hindurch im Wesentlichen erhalten. Auguste Viktoria, die letzte deutsche Kaiserin, hielt sich mit ihren Kindern am Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts in Plön auf und stiftete für jeden ihrer sechs Söhne, für ihre Tochter und sich selbst je einen aus Messing gefertigten Wandleuchter (Blaker). Die Namen der Familie und die Daten ihres Aufenthalts sind im oberen Teil der Wandleuchter eingraviert. Die Kirchengemeinden Plön-Altstadt und Plön-Neustadt wurden 1934 vereinigt.
Kanzel, Altar und Orgel bilden eine bauliche und gestalterische Einheit, die „als Ausdruck der gemeinsamen Verantwortung für die Verkündigung des Evangeliums im Abendmahl (Altar), durch den Predigtdienst (Kanzel) und die ‚musica sacra‘ (Orgel)“ gilt. Bemerkenswert sind das hölzerne geschnitzte Altarkreuz, im Stil der Ahrensböker Astkreuze ausgeführt sowie der Körper des Taufbeckens, mit Akanthus-Schnitzerei verziert, der eine Distel darstellt. Kruzifix und Taufe gehörten zur Erstausstattung des Gotteshauses. Eine der bedeutendsten Persönlichkeiten aus der Gründungszeit der Johanniskirche ist der "Schwarze Trompeter" Christian Gottlieb. Der einstige Sklave aus Zentralafrika war nach christlicher Erziehung und Taufe unter der Schirmherrschaft des Grafen von Rantzau auf Ascheberg zum "Hof- und Feldtrompeter" des Herzogs Hans Adolf aufgestiegen. Der als tapfer, klug und wirtschaftlich erfolgreich bekannte "Plöner Mohr", hatte nach Überwindung größerer Schwierigkeiten die Tochter des Plöner Ratsherrn Radeleff geheiratet. Nach nur wenigen glücklichen Ehejahren starb er im Jahr 1690 und ist als erster in der damals fünf Jahre alten Kirche bestattet worden.
Der Original-Grabstein ist vor wenigen Jahren an der östlichen Außenmauer aufgestellt worden.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johanniskirche_(Pl%C3%B6n), und die Details zur Geschichte des "Schwarzen Trompeters" stammen von www.johanniskirche-ploen.de/der-schwarze-trompeter.html
The town council of Plön Neustadt - an independent town until 1847 - commissioned on behalf of Duke Hans Adolf the building of a church of its own in 1685 for the servants and craftsmen at court as well as for religious refugees. The Baroque church was built in the half-timbered style common at the time. However, the west wall had to be replaced in the 19th century due to severe weathering. The parish decided in favour of a brick wall. In addition, the interior was remodelled in 1861 by installing new pointed arch windows in the Gothic Revival style. This remodelling was followed in 1910 by the rest of the interior, especially the choir. Despite this, the original colour scheme has largely been retained over the years. Auguste Viktoria, the last German empress, stayed in Plön with her children at the end of the 19th century and donated a brass sconce for each of her six sons, for her daughter and for herself. The names of the family and the dates of their stay are engraved in the upper part of the sconces. The parishes of Plön-Altstadt and Plön-Neustadt (Plön Olt Town and Plön New Town) were united in 1934.
The pulpit, altar and organ form a structural and design unit that is ‘an expression of the joint responsibility for the proclamation of the Gospel in the Lord's Supper (altar), through the preaching service (pulpit) and the “musica sacra” (organ)’. The carved wooden altar cross, executed in the style of the Ahrensbök branch crosses, and the body of the baptismal font, decorated with acanthus carving depicting a thistle, are noteworthy. The crucifix and baptismal font were part of the original furnishings of the church. One of the most important personalities at the time the church was built was the "Black Trumpeter" of Plön, Hans Gottlieb. After a Christian upbringing and baptism, the former slave from Central Africa had risen to become Duke Hans Adolf's ‘’Court and Field Trumpeter‘’ under the patronage of Count von Rantzau on Ascheberg. The ‘Plön Moor’, known as brave, clever and economically successful, had married the daughter of the Plön councillor Radeleff after overcoming major difficulties. After only a few happy years of marriage, he died in 1690 and was the first person to be buried in the church, which was five years old at the time. The original gravestone was erected on the eastern outer wall a few years ago.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johanniskirche_(Pl%C3%B6n), and the details of the history of the "Black Trumpeter" were taken from www.johanniskirche-ploen.de/der-schwarze-trompeter.html
sand dunes in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
The Midland Camera club planned and executed a wonderful trip to the Jordan Valley and Leelanau peninsula in pursuit of Fall colors, landscapes, farms, sand dunes, Lake Michigan. lighthouses, and a vast assortment of interesting subjects to photograph. All the members came home with a nice collection of photographs and much joy in the adventure spent together. Visit our viewing site to see the work of the members.
www.flickr.com/groups/3021281@N20/
216d 10 - TAC_5826 - lr-ps
The Coronation of the Virgin is a painting by the Italian early Renaissance master Fra Angelico, executed around 1434–1435 in Fiesole (Florence). It is now in the Musée du Louvre of Paris, France. The artist executed another Coronation of the Virgin (c. 1432), now in the Uffizi in Florence.
The work is not thought to have originally been painted around 1434 (a few years after the similar painting in the Uffizi) for the convent of San Domenico of Fiesole, near Florence, where Fra Angelico was a Dominican friar and for which he painted also the Fiesole Altarpiece (1424-1425) and the Annunciation now at the Museo del Prado. Some art historians, such as John Pope-Hennessy, date it instead to Angelico's visit to Rome (1450).
The painting was brought to France as a result of the pillages of the Napoleonic Wars. Like several other artworks, it was not given back with the excuse of its large size.
The work shows several differences from the earlier Coronation now at the Uffizi. The gilded background has disappeared, replaced by a more realistic light blue sky. The composition is more advanced, perhaps inspired to the innovation introduced by Masaccio. Angelico here depicts a rich cyborium with Gothic triple mullions, supported by a series of polychrome marble steps, as the set of the Incoronation. Elements such as the twisted columns show similarities with the tabernacles painted in the frescoes of the Niccoline Chapel in Rome.
Such as in the Florence painting, the angels and the saints form the audience at the side of the central scene, but the figures are more defined and some are shown from back, and the pavement's tiles are painted according to geometrical perspective. Pope-Hennessy supposed that the angels were influenced by those in the San Brizio Chapel of Orvieto Cathedral (1447).
The work was executed with the extensive help of assistants, especially in the right side: for example, St. Catherine's wheel is painted approximatively, and some of the saints in this side have less expressive faces.
The painting has a predella with scenes portraying the Miracles of St. Dominic and, in the middle, the Resurrection of Christ. Such as in other Angelico's work, the predella scenes show an extensive use of geometrical perspective, enhanced by the use of alternatively empty and full architectures.
A very well executed US Specification Healy Fiesta rep with few giveaways of it being a replica other than the RHD set-up.
Modifications from GL include:
Federal bumpers
US spec rear lights (red turn signals!)
Escort MK2 Ghia front lamps
1.6 XR2 engine
US spec fuel filler cap and expansion tank
Custom steel front lower valance and arch extensions
Irving R. Bacon (1875-1962)
Pen and ink with graphite on paper
Executed during Bacon’s Munich period of study at the Royal Academy.
Irving Roscoe Bacon was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts on November 29, 1875.
Bacon studied with Wm Chase, F. Luis Mora, and at the Royal Academy in Munich. He spent most of his career in Michigan where he was personal artist for Henry Ford.
He died in El Cajon, CA on Nov. 21, 1962.
Exhibits:
Royal Academy, 1909 (medal)
National Academy of Design (New York City), 1910-12
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1911, 1912
Art Institute of Chicago, 1911, 1912
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Examples of Bacon's paintings can be seen here: www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-col...(Irving%20Reuben),%201875-1962&years=0-0&perPage=10&pageNum=1&sortBy=relevance
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FROM THE WEBSITE OF THE HENRY FORD:
Irving R. Bacon worked for Henry Ford as an artist. His work ranged from cartoons in the Ford Times to paintings of artifacts and events at the Edison Institute. His papers include photographs, drawings, and correspondence related to his career with Ford Motor Company and the Edison Institute.
Biographical / Historical Note
Born in 1875 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Irving Bacon received his early art training from Joseph Gies at the Art School of the Detroit Museum of Art.
Much of his early work concentrated on illustrations and cartoons, and often his artwork reflected the influence of his travels to the American West.
From 1894 to 1900 he worked as an illustrator at the Detroit Evening News and the Detroit Free Press. He first met Henry Ford through a mutual acquaintance in 1898, when he rode to Royal Oak and back to Detroit on Woodward Avenue in Henry's new automobile.
In 1902 he went to New York City to study at the Chase School of Art and to illustrate for Harper's Weekly and McClure's.
In 1906 he went to the Royal Academy in Munich and studied under Heinrich von Zugel, a noted animal painter. It was there where Bacon acquired his talent for painting landscapes and portraits.
After returning to Detroit in 1910, he once again met Henry Ford, who by this time was a millionaire. Henry became interested in art largely due to the interest and talent of his own son, Edsel.
He purchased a landscape scene from Bacon-a painting, which, according to Bacon, was "certainly not a masterpiece." It was after this meeting that Bacon gained permission from Henry to utilize his large estate for landscape paintings.
In 1913 he received a generous gift of money from his friend Harold Wills (a Ford executive), and once again returned to Munich for further study. His stay was cut short, however, due to the start of World War I.
Upon returning to Detroit, he realized the need for a steady salary in order to adequately support his wife and six children, so he met again with Henry Ford and soon became an employee of the Ford Motor Company, drawing cartoons for the Ford Times and later, illustrations for The Dearborn Independent.
Henry loved Bacon's cartoons, an area of work which Bacon wanted to discontinue. According to Bacon, "That class of work seemed to conflict with my high aims of art. Little did I realize at the time that I was beginning a thirty three year stretch of work for Henry Ford and his great organization that eventually would wean me away from the art world."
Working for Henry at the Ford Motor Company, and later the Edison Institute, Bacon's tasks included painting scenes and portraits that were of great interest to Henry Ford and his Museum and Village. These included portraits of Ford's family and friends, Noah Webster, Luther Burbank, Mark Twain, Dr. George Washington Carver, Stephen Foster, John Burroughs, and others.
He was also responsible for creating paintings of the artifacts located at the institute, and he also acted as stage designer for the Museum's theater.
His interest in photography and motion pictures led him to become the head of the Photographic Department for several years. Bacon retired from the Edison Institute in 1948, and moved to Miami with his second wife. He died in 1962 at the age of 86.
This collection is mainly composed of photographs, drawings, and some correspondence related to Bacon's career with the Ford Motor Company and the Edison Institute. The series within this collection are accordingly arranged to the different aspects involved with the work of Henry Bacon.
There are five series in the collection, the Golden Jubilee painting, Irving Bacon personal materials, Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum, Henry Ford related work, and Dearborn Independent.
Series I, Golden Jubilee painting: This series is comprised of pamphlets, notes, lists, correspondence, and photographs related Bacon’s painting entitled "Celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Invention of the Incandescent Electric Light" also known as the "The Dedication of the Edison Institute of Technology." The Golden Jubilee occurred on October 21, 1929. It is arranged by the sub-series Printed material (1929), Correspondence (1936-1937), and Photographs (dates unknown, but assumed to be between 1920-1938). The photographs, which are mainly portraits of the individuals who attended the events of October 21, 1929, were obtained by Bacon in the years 1936-1938, for the purpose of recreating the dinner scene, some seven to nine years previous. Over 400 individuals attended this dinner, ranging from Henry Ford's personal friends to contemporary world business and political leaders. The number of dinner guests eventually included in Bacon's painting numbered 266. The filing arrangement for the Photographs subseries was left in much the same way that Bacon had organized it, which was by seating arrangements. He categorized his filing system according to "Tables," "Arches," and "Individuals Standing" e.g., Table 1, Arch 1, etc.
Series II, Irving Bacon personal materials: In this series are various materials (1907-1957) which apparently were kept for the personal use and interest of Mr. Bacon. A large portion of this series, theater interests, contains materials on early theater and film actors/actresses. The majority of the materials within this series are photographs, unless otherwise noted.
Series III, Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum: This series is an assortment of photographs, mixed with notes and sketches related to subjects found at Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum. Bacon collected photographs of the various subjects in order to study them and eventually create a likeness within his own paintings.
Series IV, Henry Ford related work: This series is an example of yet another type of work that Bacon undertook as an employee of Henry Ford. It reflects the personal interests of Henry Ford. Included are miscellaneous printed materials, photographs, sketches, and maps (photographed). The folders have retained the original titles given by Bacon himself.
Series V, Dearborn Independent: Irving Bacon's artwork created for the Dearborn Independent is found within this series (approximately 1925-1935). These oversized materials consist mainly of sketches, prints, and color drawings.
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Collection Details
Object ID: 84.1.1657.0
Creator: Bacon, Irving R. (Irving Reuben), 1875-1962
Inclusive Dates: 1863-1957
Size: 4.4 cubic ft. and 4 oversize boxes 7.8 cubic ft. (17 boxes) [Collection Survey]
Language: English
From the website of The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-col...
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From the website of The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-col...
Truth Unveiled by Time is a marble sculpture by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the foremost sculptors of the Italian Baroque. Executed between 1645 and 1652, Bernini intended to show Truth allegorically as a naked young woman being unveiled by a figure of Time above her, but the figure of Time was never executed.
Upon his election to the papacy in 1623, Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini took the name Pope Urban VIII and appointed Bernini as the principal artist for the papal court in Rome. According to Bernini's biographer Baldinucci, Maffeo had 'scarcely ascended the sacred throne' when he summoned Bernini and told him:
"It is your great fortune to see Cardinal Maffeo Barberini Pope, but our fortune is far greater in that Cavalier Bernini lives during our pontificate."
Bernini enjoyed great success during his time as the principal artist for the papal court but, after Urban's death in 1644, he was removed by the incoming pope, Innocent X. The new pope had more conservative tastes and favored Bernini's rival Algardi. Despite the fall from favor this did not stop Bernini from occasionally working for the new pope - One of his most famous works, the Fountain of the Four Rivers, was one of the projects done for Innocent. He still maintained his position as the architect of St. Peter's despite his removal from the papal court and, after Innocent's death in 1655, was immediately given two major commissions at St. Peter's: decorating the Cathedra Petri and building a colonnade round the piazza.
Bernini's rationale for creating Truth Unveiled by Time was, according to his son Domenico, as a sculptural retort to attacks from opponents criticizing his failed project to build two towers onto the front of St. Peter's Basilica. While this is certainly plausible, historians are unsure of the validity of Domenico's claims relating to his father's reasoning. Cracks had appeared in the facade due to the inability of the foundations to support the towers and Bernini's architectural expansion received the blame. What many fail to mention is that most of the blame lies with Carlo Maderno, the previous architect who built weak foundations for the monumental task being requested, and Pope Urban VIII, who kept pressuring Bernini for heavier, more elaborate bell towers.
During the difficult time after Urban's death, Bernini was able to find peace and serenity in his overwhelming confidence that one day he would be vindicated. So strong was this conviction that he created Truth Unveiled by Time to express this confidence in his eventual vindication. Despite this conviction, the sculpture of Father Time was never begun and the project remained incomplete. It has been suggested by historian Franco Mormando that Bernini's return to public favor after Innocent's death might have made the sculptural piece lose the emotional urgency it had previously possessed, which would make sense considering he had been reinstated to his previous place in the upper echelons of society.
This was a test for finding some behaviors of the magic donkey (interestingness algorithm), which executed as a black-box test, with tuning inputs and evaluationg outputs.
You can check the experience results here.
The following is original description of this photo, before publishing the results:
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سلام رفيق
ميخواستم اگر پررويي نباشه، خودم هديه تولدم رو بگم چي باشه
اگه عيبي نداره، اين عكس رو به فوورايتهات اضافه كن
(به خاطر محدوديت تعداد تگ، اين قسمت حذف شد، تگهاي دوستاني كه لطف كرده بودند و اسمشون رو اضافه كرده بودند هم به خاطر حفظ عدالت حذف شد)
(اگر مثل من توي فو كردن خسيسي، كافيه اين رو اد كني و 10 روز ديگه برش داري)
ميخوام ببينم اگه همه دوستام يه عكي رو فو كنن، چه رتبهاي پيدا ميكنه
All my dear friends,
I want to ask you for a birthday gift!
I would be appreciated if you please add this photo to your favorites.
(Because of tags limitation, I removed this part of my request. I also removed all your kindly added tags just because of respecting those who couldn't add a tag!)
(For those who are scrimpy in fave-ing (like me), you can add it to your list, and remove it after 10 days)
I just want to check if all flickr members who like my photos fave this, what rank it should gain in Explore ;)
So please do not add this photo as a favorite if you don't know me or I'm not a contact of you. I mean if you want to fave this just because of itself, please do not do that. I want to count my friends ;)
Of course you will be appreciated as a new friend, if you fave this..
I won't post this photo to any set or group for ten days!
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I started a discussion thread in FlickrCentral about this shot and my test:
A hack, or a test? "Interestingness"!
And another better discussion on hep forum:
Strange action of "interestingness" algorithm
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Last hours of day 2:
- Seems visits and faves are almost finished.
- Now I want to add it to "iranian" group and a set just for evaluating the result.
First hours of day 3:
- Interestingness rank of this shot in my own photostream increased from 56 to 38 after adding to Iranian group!
- I'll try 1-2-3 style groups now
Day 3, 5 o'clock:
- It is #28 now
- I'm going to remove from all 123 style groups
End of day 3:
- #21
Day 8:
- Not yet in Explore
- #17 in my stream
Test is over!
Executed in the Beaux Arts style, the stations
won Gold Medal of the Paris Exposition of 1888.
Each station is more or less 5ft x5ft excluding the base,
the most beautiful Via Crusis I have seen so far.
Take note of the huge amount of red pigments on the stained
glass. Gold is used to create the red.
Gorgeous Adele Exquisite is here, and she is beautiful doll.
I wasn't expecting to like the colour red much, but the suits looks great, and so well executed. The pants have pockets, yay!
I thought the cape had arm holes, so not sure how
it will stay in place.
I hope her hair can stay in place too.
Five days ago the whole game changed. Argento, long time leader of the insurgents was executed by the Chinese General Wuhan. Upon speaking with, now Chancellor Armani he expressed relief upon hearing one of our issues was solved.
I see things differently, our enemy is currently handling two apposing forces and just killed off ones leader, it's only a matter of time before they come for us, so naturally I phoned a friend for a new playbook.
-Director Colt
- - - - - - - -
Genreral Shepard - Gentelmen thank you for bringing me aboard
Condor - No thank you sir, your reputation proceeds you.
General Shepard - Lets get down to business, now there's dragon and his army attempting to rip apart this country, quite simply we must cut the head off the dragon.
Tiger - Now theres an idea I can get behind
General Shepard - I thought you'd like that idea son. To do that we need intel and lots of it, bases, defenses, schedules, and so forth. Get me that and we'll have a sure fire way of taking out General Wuhan.
Condor - No problem there sir, we'll get you that intel
Noble - No sacrifice to great.
Tiger - Goddamn right.
- - - - - - - -
Right off the bat I've changed a couple things with the SOD team, I did away with the olive as I just wasn't feeling it anymore and plus its not at all my factions color scheme. Which on that I'll be posting pics of the updated SOD/UIC so be on the look out for that.
Secondly I brought in a bit of a loud easter egg, General Shepard from the well known Modern Warfare franchise. Big disclaimer, this isn't going to go exactly like MW2 so just know that. Theres a lot of twists and turns ahead.
Peep my buddy icon while your at it, I think it came out super bad ass :3
-Christian
KIRBY MUXLOE CASTLE, KNOWN ALSO AS KIRBY CASTLE IS AN UNFINISHED 15TH CENTURY FORTIFIED MANOR HOUSE IN KIRBY MUXLOE, LEICESTERSHIRE. THE MANSION WAS LEFT UNFINISHED WHEN ITS OWNER WAS EXECUTED FOR TREASON. THE OWNER WAS WILLIAM, LORD HASTINGS, WHO BEGAN WORK ON KIRBY MUXLOE CASTLE IN 1480, CREATING A FORTIFIED HOUSE OF RED BRICK SURROUNDED BY A WIDE MOAT. THERE WAS ALREADY A 14TH CENTURY HOUSE ON THE SITE, BUILT BY THE PAKEMAN FAMILY, WHEN HASTINGS BEGAN HIS CASTLE. FOUNDATIONS OF THAT FIRST HOUSE CAN BE SEEN WITHIN THE CASTLE ENCLOSURE. THE HASTINGS FAMILY GAINED OWNERSHIP OF THE KIRBY MUXLOE ESTATE IN 1460, AND LORD HASTINGS DEMOLISHED MUCH OF THE EARLIER HOUSE IN ORDER TO USE THE STONE TO BUILD HIS NEW CASTLE.
WORK HAD ONLY BEEN GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS WHEN LORD HASTINGS WAS CAUGHT UP IN THE TRANSITION OF POWER FROM EDWARD IV TO RICHARD III. HASTINGS HAD BEEN A FIRM A FAVOURITE OF EDWARD, AND ACTUALLY SUPPORTED RICHARD'S CLAIM TO THE THRONE. SO IT CAME AS SOME SURPRISE WHEN, IN JUNE 1483, RICHARD HAD HASTINGS SUDDENLY SEIZED, CHARGED WITH TREASON, AND SUMMARILY EXECUTED. ONE THEORY IS THAT HASTINGS REFUSED TO SUPPORT RICHARD'S PLANS TO KILL HIS YOUNG NEPHEWS, THE SO-CALLED PRINCES IN THE TOWER. WHILE WE WILL PROBABLY NEVER KNOW THE TRUE REASONS FOR HASTING'S EXECUTION, THE EFFECT ON KIRBY MUXLOE CASTLE WAS DRAMATIC. WORK DID NOT CEASE IMMEDIATELY, FOR LADY HASTINGS CONTINUED CONSTRUCTION FOR A BRIEF TIME, BUT ACTIVITY PETERED OUT AFTER 1484 AND ONLY SPORADIC WORK WAS EVER DONE AFTER THAT POINT, AND EVENTUALLY THE SITE WAS ABANDONED.
THE CASTLE SITE IS ENTERED BY WAY OF AN IMPOSING GATEHOUSE, AND A STRONG THREE STORY TOWER STANDS SILENT WATCH OVER THE MOAT. THE MOAT ENCLOSES A SITE 110 METRES LONG AND 90 METRES WIDE, WHILE THE ISLAND UPON WHICH THE CASTLE STANDS IS 80 METRES BY 60 METRES. THE GATEHOUSE AND WEST TOWER ARE IN RED BRICK DRESSED WITH STONE, MAKING THIS ONE OF THE FIRST GROUPS OF BRICK BUILDINGS IN THE MIDLANDS. HARDER WEARING STONE IS USED FOR BOTH DOOR AND WINDOW SURROUNDS, HOWEVER.
THE GATEHOUSE IS VERY STRIKING; IT IS ONE OF THE FIRST IN ENGLAND TO HAVE GUNPORTS FOR FIRING AT ATTACKERS. SEVERAL OF THE GUNPORTS ARE BELOW THE WATERLINE, OUT OF SIGHT TO MODERN VISITORS. WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING GUNPORTS UNDER WATER? PRESUMABLY THEY WERE INTENDED FOR USE WHEN WATER LEVELS IN THE MOAT WERE LOW. THERE IS A LARGE, EMPTY PANEL OVER THE ENTRANCE ARCHWAY, PREPARED FOR LORD HASTINGS COAT OF ARMS, BUT THE CARVINGS WERE NEVER ADDED BEFORE THE OWNER'S DEATH LED TO BUILDING WORK BEING ABANDONED. THE GATEHOUSE IS REACHED BY A DRAWBRIDGE OVER THE MOAT, AND THE GATEWAY PASSAGE IS FURTHER DEFENDED BY A PORTCULLIS AND TWO SETS OF GATES.
THE SITE IS A ROUGH OBLONG, RATHER THAN A SQUARE PLAN LIKE ASHBY CASTLE. ONE PART OF THE CASTLE THAT WAS COMPLETE IS THE LOVELY CORNER TOWER, STANDING THREE STOREYS HIGH, WITH A SPIRAL STAIR RISING TO A CRENELLATED PARAPET WALK. THE STAIR IS MADE OF BRICK; ONE OF THE EARLIEST AND MOST IMPRESSIVE USE OF BRICK FOR A STAIRCASE IN ENGLAND.
Fifth picture of the series Canes & Mud.
(For this time a Self-portrait, evoking ancient past fishermen. A very difficult picture to execute as it got very windy and I had to remain immobile for 30 seconds of exposure)
Magical sunrise in this beautiful place that is the Albufera of Valencia.
The image title is because during the photoshoot, surrounded by all this beauty, calm water, boat, reeds, mud, tranquility, flying birds ... every moment reminded me a lot to the great novel "Cañas y Barro" of the great Valencian writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, set in rural Valencia (Albufera) of the early twentieth century, the novel observes and portrays the social reality of the time and place with absolute precision.
Would like to thank this picture to my friend Javier Girbés, which helped me a lot with the location and encouraged me to know this magnificent spot.
On the technical side, say that I only used a screwed ten steps filter combined with a neutral gradient three steps filter.
I hope you like it. Have a nice Wednesday. :)
My galleries:
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/112711738@N06/
500px: www.500px.com/dasanes77
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dasanes77
© Copyright: The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained herein for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
Irving R. Bacon (1875-1962)
Pen and ink with graphite on paper
Executed during Bacon’s Munich period of study at the Royal Academy.
Irving Roscoe Bacon was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts on November 29, 1875.
Bacon studied with Wm Chase, F. Luis Mora, and at the Royal Academy in Munich. He spent most of his career in Michigan where he was personal artist for Henry Ford.
He died in El Cajon, CA on Nov. 21, 1962.
Exhibits:
Royal Academy, 1909 (medal)
National Academy of Design (New York City), 1910-12
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1911, 1912
Art Institute of Chicago, 1911, 1912
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Examples of Bacon's paintings can be seen here: www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-col...(Irving%20Reuben),%201875-1962&years=0-0&perPage=10&pageNum=1&sortBy=relevance
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FROM THE WEBSITE OF THE HENRY FORD:
Irving R. Bacon worked for Henry Ford as an artist. His work ranged from cartoons in the Ford Times to paintings of artifacts and events at the Edison Institute. His papers include photographs, drawings, and correspondence related to his career with Ford Motor Company and the Edison Institute.
Biographical / Historical Note
Born in 1875 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Irving Bacon received his early art training from Joseph Gies at the Art School of the Detroit Museum of Art.
Much of his early work concentrated on illustrations and cartoons, and often his artwork reflected the influence of his travels to the American West.
From 1894 to 1900 he worked as an illustrator at the Detroit Evening News and the Detroit Free Press. He first met Henry Ford through a mutual acquaintance in 1898, when he rode to Royal Oak and back to Detroit on Woodward Avenue in Henry's new automobile.
In 1902 he went to New York City to study at the Chase School of Art and to illustrate for Harper's Weekly and McClure's.
In 1906 he went to the Royal Academy in Munich and studied under Heinrich von Zugel, a noted animal painter. It was there where Bacon acquired his talent for painting landscapes and portraits.
After returning to Detroit in 1910, he once again met Henry Ford, who by this time was a millionaire. Henry became interested in art largely due to the interest and talent of his own son, Edsel.
He purchased a landscape scene from Bacon-a painting, which, according to Bacon, was "certainly not a masterpiece." It was after this meeting that Bacon gained permission from Henry to utilize his large estate for landscape paintings.
In 1913 he received a generous gift of money from his friend Harold Wills (a Ford executive), and once again returned to Munich for further study. His stay was cut short, however, due to the start of World War I.
Upon returning to Detroit, he realized the need for a steady salary in order to adequately support his wife and six children, so he met again with Henry Ford and soon became an employee of the Ford Motor Company, drawing cartoons for the Ford Times and later, illustrations for The Dearborn Independent.
Henry loved Bacon's cartoons, an area of work which Bacon wanted to discontinue. According to Bacon, "That class of work seemed to conflict with my high aims of art. Little did I realize at the time that I was beginning a thirty three year stretch of work for Henry Ford and his great organization that eventually would wean me away from the art world."
Working for Henry at the Ford Motor Company, and later the Edison Institute, Bacon's tasks included painting scenes and portraits that were of great interest to Henry Ford and his Museum and Village. These included portraits of Ford's family and friends, Noah Webster, Luther Burbank, Mark Twain, Dr. George Washington Carver, Stephen Foster, John Burroughs, and others.
He was also responsible for creating paintings of the artifacts located at the institute, and he also acted as stage designer for the Museum's theater.
His interest in photography and motion pictures led him to become the head of the Photographic Department for several years. Bacon retired from the Edison Institute in 1948, and moved to Miami with his second wife. He died in 1962 at the age of 86.
This collection is mainly composed of photographs, drawings, and some correspondence related to Bacon's career with the Ford Motor Company and the Edison Institute. The series within this collection are accordingly arranged to the different aspects involved with the work of Henry Bacon.
There are five series in the collection, the Golden Jubilee painting, Irving Bacon personal materials, Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum, Henry Ford related work, and Dearborn Independent.
Series I, Golden Jubilee painting: This series is comprised of pamphlets, notes, lists, correspondence, and photographs related Bacon’s painting entitled "Celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Invention of the Incandescent Electric Light" also known as the "The Dedication of the Edison Institute of Technology." The Golden Jubilee occurred on October 21, 1929. It is arranged by the sub-series Printed material (1929), Correspondence (1936-1937), and Photographs (dates unknown, but assumed to be between 1920-1938). The photographs, which are mainly portraits of the individuals who attended the events of October 21, 1929, were obtained by Bacon in the years 1936-1938, for the purpose of recreating the dinner scene, some seven to nine years previous. Over 400 individuals attended this dinner, ranging from Henry Ford's personal friends to contemporary world business and political leaders. The number of dinner guests eventually included in Bacon's painting numbered 266. The filing arrangement for the Photographs subseries was left in much the same way that Bacon had organized it, which was by seating arrangements. He categorized his filing system according to "Tables," "Arches," and "Individuals Standing" e.g., Table 1, Arch 1, etc.
Series II, Irving Bacon personal materials: In this series are various materials (1907-1957) which apparently were kept for the personal use and interest of Mr. Bacon. A large portion of this series, theater interests, contains materials on early theater and film actors/actresses. The majority of the materials within this series are photographs, unless otherwise noted.
Series III, Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum: This series is an assortment of photographs, mixed with notes and sketches related to subjects found at Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum. Bacon collected photographs of the various subjects in order to study them and eventually create a likeness within his own paintings.
Series IV, Henry Ford related work: This series is an example of yet another type of work that Bacon undertook as an employee of Henry Ford. It reflects the personal interests of Henry Ford. Included are miscellaneous printed materials, photographs, sketches, and maps (photographed). The folders have retained the original titles given by Bacon himself.
Series V, Dearborn Independent: Irving Bacon's artwork created for the Dearborn Independent is found within this series (approximately 1925-1935). These oversized materials consist mainly of sketches, prints, and color drawings.
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Collection Details
Object ID: 84.1.1657.0
Creator: Bacon, Irving R. (Irving Reuben), 1875-1962
Inclusive Dates: 1863-1957
Size: 4.4 cubic ft. and 4 oversize boxes 7.8 cubic ft. (17 boxes) [Collection Survey]
Language: English
From the website of The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-col...
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From the website of The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-col...
After executing single-ship takeoffs in rapid-fire fashion, the 10 "Ponies" of Italy's Frecce Tricolor aerobatic team have joined their Delta Formation for their opening pass at the Rochester, NY International Airport. In the lead, Major Pierluigi Raspa drives the formation in from behind the crowd as Italy's beautiful national anthem "Il Canto degli Italiani" plays on the PA system. The national pride of Italy is about to go on display for a very receptive American audience.
shot executed by pinhole Auloma Magnificat 4x5 with filter Aulomacolor deep red 130x170, negative scanned by Canon EOS 1100D
This bodypainting was executed with khidab. Khidab is a Gall ink which is employed in Yemen mainly in the mountainous regions around the capital Sanaa instead of henna. For an account how it is made you can download an article:
Yemeni Women’s Body Painting with Black Gall Ink Khidab, Production Methods,
from my colleage Dr. Hanne Schönig at www.henna-und-mehr.de/pdf/Khidabartikel_eu.pdf; (Englisch)
or www.henna-und-mehr.de/pdf/schoenig_deutsch.pdf (German)
If you like to see original Yeminite bodypaintings with this ink visit: www.henna-und-mehr.de/de/khidabslide.html (German) or
Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.
Tonight however, we are at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand*, near Covent Garden and the theatre district of London’s West End. Here, amidst the thoroughly English surrounds of wooden panelling, beautifully executed watercolours of British landscapes and floral arrangements in muted colours, men in white waistcoats and women a-glitter with jewels are ushered into the dining room where they are seated in high backed chairs around tables dressed in crisp white tablecloths and set with sparkling silver and gilt china. The large room is very heavily populated with theatre patrons enjoying a meal before a show and therefore it is full of vociferous conversation, boisterous laughter, the clink of glasses and the scrape of cutlery against crockery as the diners enjoy the traditional English repast that Simpson’s is famous for. Seated at a table for two along the periphery of the main dining room, Lettice and Selwyn are served their roast beef dinner by a carver. Lettice is being taken to dinner by Selwyn to celebrate the successful completion of his very first architectural commission: a modest house built in the northern London suburb of Highgate built for a merchant and his wife. Lettice has her own reason to celebrate too, but has yet to elaborate upon it with Selwyn.
“I do so like Simpson’s.” Lettice remarks as the carver places a plate of steaming roast beef and vegetables in front of her. Glancing around her, she admires the two watercolours on the wall behind her and the jolly arrangement of yellow asters and purple and yellow pansies on the small console to her right.
“I’m glad you approve.” Selwyn laughs, smiling at his companion.
“I’m always put in mind of Mr. Wilcox whenever it’s mentioned, or I come here.”
“Who is Mr. Wilcox?” Selwyn asks, his handsome features showing the signs of deep thought.
“Oh,” Lettice laughs and flaps her hand, the jewels on her fingers winking gaily in the light. “No-one. Well, no one real, that is.” she clarifies. “Mr. Wilcox is a character in E. M. Forster’s novel, ‘Howard’s End’**, who thoroughly approves of Simpson’s because it is so thoroughly English and respectable, just like him.”
“I can’t say I’ve read that novel, or anything by him.” Selwyn admits as the carver places his serving of roast beef and vegetables before him. “My head has been too buried in books on architecture.” Selwyn reaches into the breast pocket of his white dinner vest and takes out a few coins which he slips discreetly to the man in the crisp white uniform and chef’s hat.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” the carver says, tapping the brim of his hat in deference to the Duke of Walmsford’s son before placing the roast beef, selection of vegetables in tureens and gravy onto the crisp white linen tabletop, and then wheeling his carving trolley away.
Lettice giggles as she picks up the gravy boat and pours steaming thick and rich dark reddish brown gravy over her dinner.
“Well, what’s so funny, my Angel?” Selwyn asks with a querying look as he accepts the gravy boat from Lettice’s outstretched hands and pours some on his own meal.
“Oh you are just like Mr. Wilcox.”
“You know,” He picks up his silver cutlery. “And please pardon me for saying this, but I didn’t take you for reading much more than romance novels.”
“Oh!” Lettice laughs in mild outrage. “Thank you very much, Selwyn!”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Selwyn defends himself, dropping his knife and fork with a clatter onto the fluted gilt edged white dinner plate.
“Then what do you mean?” Lettice asks, trying to remain serious as she looks into the worried face of her dinner companion, which makes her want to reach out and stroke his cheek affectionately and smile.
“I… I merely meant that most ladies of your background have had very little education, or inclination to want to read anything more than romance novels.”
“Well,” Lettice admits. “I must confess that I do quite enjoy romance novels, and I wouldn’t be as well read if it weren’t for Margot.”
“Aha!” Selwyn laughs, popping some carrots smeared in gravy into his mouth.
“But,” Lettice quickly adds in her defence. “I’ll have you know that my father is a great believer in the education of ladies, and so was my grandfather, and I applied myself when I studied, and I enjoyed it.”
“It shows my Angel,” Selwyn assures her. “You are far more interesting than any other lady I’ve met in polite society, most of whom haven’t an original thought in their heads.”
“I take after my Aunt Egg, who learned Greek amongst other languages, which served her well when she decided to go there to study ancient art. Although Mater insisted that I not go to a girl’s school, so I would not become a bluestocking*** and thereby spoil my marriage prospects by demonstrating…”
“That’s what I was implying,” Selwyn interrupts in desperate defence of his incorrect assumptions about Lettice. “Most girls I have met either feign a lack of intelligence, or more often genuinely are dim witted. Admittedly, it’s not really their fault. With mothers like yours, who believe that the only position for a girl of good breeding is that of marriage, they seldom get educated well, and their brains sit idle.”
“Well, I have a brain, and I know how to use it. Pater and Aunt Egg drummed into me the importance of intelligence as well as good manners and looks in women of society.”
“Well, there are a great many ladies whom I have met who could take a leaf out of your book. I know you have a mind of your own, my Angel,” Selwyn purrs. “And that’s one of the many attributes about you that I like. Having a conversation with you about art, or my passion of architecture, is so refreshing in comparison to speaking about floral arrangements or the weather, as I shall soon have to when I start escorting my cousin Pamela for the London Season.”
Lettice cannot help but shudder silently at the mention of Selwyn’s cousin, Pamela Fox-Chavers, for she is immediately reminded of what Sir John Nettleford-Hughes said to her at the society wedding of her friend Priscilla Kitson-Fahey to American Georgie Carter in November. He pointed out to her that Selwyn’s mother, Lady Zinnia, plans to match Selwyn and Pamela. From his point of view, it was already a fait accompli.
“I like my cousin,” Selwyn carries on, not noticing the bristle pulsating through Lettice. “But like so many of the other debutantes of 1923, she is lacking interests beyond the marriage market and social gossip and intrigues. You, on the other hand, my Angel, are well informed, and have your own opinions.”
“Well, you can thank Pater for instilling that in me. He hired some very intelligent governesses to school my sister and I in far more than embroidery, floral arranging and polite conversation.”
“And I’m jolly glad of it, my darling.”
“And Aunt Egg told me that I should never be afraid to express my opinion, however different, so long as it is artfully couched.”
“I like the sound of your Aunt Egg.”
“I don’t think your mother would approve of her, nor of me having a brain, Selwyn. Would she? I’m sure she would prefer you to marry one of those twittering and decorous debutantes.” She tries her luck. “Like your cousin Pamela, perhaps?”
“Oh, come now, Lettice darling!” Selwyn replies. If she has thrown a bone, he isn’t taking it as he rests the heels of his hands on the edge of the white linen tablecloth, clutching his cutlery. He chews his mouthful of roast beef before continuing. “That isn’t fair, even to Zinnia. She’s a very intelligent woman herself, with quite a capacity for witty conversation about all manner of topics, and she reads voraciously on many subjects.”
“I was talking to Leslie about what his impressions of your mother were when I went down to Glynes**** for his wedding in November.”
“Were you now?” Selwyn’s eyebrows arch with surprise over his widening eyes.
“Yes,” Lettice smirks, taking a mouthful of roast potato drizzled in gravy which falls apart on her tongue. Chewing her food, she feels emboldened, and sighs contentedly as she wonders whether Sir John was just spitting sour grapes because she prefers Selwyn’s company rather than his. Finishing her mouthful she elucidates, “Leslie is a few years older than us, and of course, I only remember her as that angry woman in black who pulled you away after we’d played in the hedgerows.”
“Well, she obviously left a lasting impression on you!” Selwyn chortles.
“But it isn’t a fair one, is it?” she asks rhetorically. “So, I asked Leslie what he remembered of her from time they spent together in the drawing room whilst you and I were tucked up in bed in the nursery.”
“And what was Leslie’s impression of Zinnia?”
“That, as you say, she is a witty woman, and that she liked to hold men in her thrall with her beauty, wit and intelligence.”
“Well, he’s quite right about that.”
“But that she didn’t much like other ladies for company, especially intelligent ones who might draw the gentlemen’s attention away from her glittering orbit.”
Selwyn chews his mouthful of dinner and concentrates on his dinner plate with downcast, contemplative eyes. He swallows but remains silent for a moment longer as he mulls over his own thoughts.
After a few moments of silence, Lettice airs an unspoken thought that has been ruminating about her head ever since Selwyn mentioned her. “You know, I’d love to meet Zinnia.”
Selwyn chuckles but looks down darkly into his glass of red wine. “But you have met her, Lettice darling. You just said so yourself. She was that angry woman yelling at you as I was dragged from the hedgerows of your father’s estate.”
“I know, but that doesn’t count! We were children. No, I’ve heard of her certainly over the years, but now that I’ve become reacquainted with you as an adult, and now that we are being serious with one another.” She pauses. “We are being serious with one another, aren’t we Selwyn?”
“Of course we are, Lettice.” Selwyn replies, unable to keep his irritation at her question out of his voice. “You know we are.” Falling back into silence, he runs his tongue around the inside of his cheek as he retreats back into his own inner most thoughts.
“Then I’d so very much like to meet her. You have met my toadying mother. Why shouldn’t I meet yours?”
“Be careful what you wish for, my Angel.” he cautions.
“What do you mean, Selwyn darling?”
Selwyn doesn’t answer straight away. He absently fiddles with the silver salt shaker from the cruet set in front of him, rolling its bulbous form about in his palm, as if considering whether it will give him an answer of some kind.
“Selwyn?” Lettice asks, leaning over and putting a hand on her companion’s broad shoulder.
“Just that you may not like her when you meet her.” He shrugs. “That’s all. Toadying is certainly not a word I would associate with Zinnia on any given day, that’s for certain.”
“Or you might be implying she might not like me.” Lettice remarks downheartedly. “Is that it?”
Softening his tone, Selwyn assures her, “I like you, and I’m sure she will too. You will get to meet her soon enough, Lettice darling. I promise. But not yet.” He suddenly snaps out of his contemplations and starts to cut a piece off his roast beef, slicing into the juicy flesh with sharp jabs of his knife. “We have plenty of time for all that. Let’s just enjoy us for now, and be content with that.”
“Oh of course, Selwyn darling,” Lettice stammers. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean, now.”
“I know you didn’t may angel.” He sees the look of concern she is giving him as she stiffens and sits back in her straight backed chair, afraid that she has offended him. “I just like it being just us for now, without the complication of Zinnia.”
“Is she complicated?”
“More than you’ll ever know, my angel. Aren’t most mothers?”
“I suppose.”
“Anyway, enough about Zinnia! I don’t want this evening to be about Zinnia! I want it to be about us. So not another word about her. Alright?” When Lettice nods shallowly, he continues, “I’m here to celebrate the success of Mr. and Mrs. Musgrave of Highgate being happy with their newly completed home.”
“Oh yes! Your first architectural commission completed and received with great success!” Lettice enthuses. “Let’s raise a toast to that.” She picks up her glass of red wine, which gleams under the diffused light of the chandeliers in Simpson’s dining room. “Cheers to you Selwyn, and your ongoing success.”
Their glasses clink cheerily.
“And what of Bruton?”
“Oh, Gerald is doing very well!” Lettice assures Selwyn, returning her glass to the tabletop. “His couture business is really starting to flourish.”
“It’s a bit of rum business*****, a chap making frocks for ladies, isn’t it?” Selwyn screws up his nose in a mixture of a lack of comprehension and distaste.
“It’s what he’s good at,” Lettice tugs at the peacock blue ruched satin sleeve of her evening gown as proof, feeling proud to wear one of her friend’s designs. “And he’s hardly the first couturier who’s a man, is he, Selwyn Darling?”
“I suppose not. Zinnia does buy frocks from the house of Worth******, and he was a man.”
“Exactly.” Lettice soothes. “And who would know what suits a lady better than a man?”
“Yes, and I must say,” Selwyn says, looking his companion up and down appreciatively in her shimmering evening gown covered in matching peacock blue bugle beads. “You do look positively ravishing in his creation.”
“Thank you, Selwyn.” Lettice murmurs, her face flushing at the compliment.
“We never see him at the club any more. I think the last time I saw him was the night I met you at your parents’ Hunt Ball, and that was almost a year ago.”
“Oh well,” Lettice blusters awkwardly, thinking quickly as to what excuse she can give for her dearest friend. She knows how dire Gerald’s finances are, partially as a result of his father’s pecuniary restraints, and she suspects that this fact is likely the reason why Gerald doesn’t attend his club any longer, even if he is still a member. Even small outlays at his club could tilt him the wrong way financially. However she also knows that this is a fact not widely known, and it would embarrass him so much were it to become public knowledge, especially courtesy of her, his best friend. “Running a business, especially in its infancy like Gerald’s and mine, can take time, a great deal of time as a matter of fact.”
“But you have time, my Angel, to spend time with me.” He eyes her. “Are you covering for Bruton?”
Lettice’s face suddenly drains of colour at Selwyn’s question. “No… no, I.”
Lowering his voice again, Selwyn asks, “He hasn’t taken after his brother and found himself an unsuitable girl, has he?”
Lettice releases the breath she has held momentarily in her chest and sighs.
“I know Gerald wouldn’t go for a local publican’s daughter, like Roland did, but being artistic like he is, I could imagine him with a chorus girl, and I know if news of that ever got back to Old Man Bruton, there would be fireworks, and it would be a bloody******* time for Bruton. Poor chap!”
“No, no, Selwyn darling!” Lettice replies with genuine relief. “I can assure you,” And as she puts her hand to her thumping heart, she knows she speaks the truth. “Gerald hasn’t taken up with a chorus girl. He genuinely is busy with his couture business. Establishing oneself, as you know only too well, isn’t easy, even for a duke’s son, much less a lower member of the aristocracy without the social profile. And my business is ticking along quite nicely now, so I don’t need to put in as much effort as Gerald does.”
“But how selfish of me, my Angel!” Selwyn exclaims, putting his glass down abruptly and looking to his companion. “What a prig I’m being, aggrandising myself and bringing up Bruton, when you said that you had something to celebrate tonight too. What is it?”
“Oh, it’s nothing like you’ve done, by finishing a house for someone.” Lettice says, flapping her hand dismissively.
“Well, what is it, Lettice darling?” Selwyn insists. “Tell me!”
Lettice looks down at her plate for a moment and then remarks rather offhandedly, “It was only that I had a telephone call from Henry Tipping******** the other day, and received confirmation that my interior for Dickie and Margot Channon’s Cornwall house ‘Chi an Treth’ will be featured in an upcoming edition of Country Life.”
“Oh may Angel!” Selwyn exclaims. “That’s wonderful!” He leans over and kisses her affectionately, albeit with the reserve that is expected between two unmarried people whilst dining in a public place, but with no less genuine delight for her. “That’s certainly more than nothing, and is something also worth celebrating!” I say, let’s raise a toast to you.” He picks up his glass of red wine again. “Cheers to you Lettice, and may the article bring you lots of recognition and new business.”
The pair clink glasses yet again and smile at one another.
*After a modest start in 1828 as a smoking room and soon afterwards as a coffee house, Simpson's-in-the-Strand achieved a dual fame, around 1850, for its traditional English food, particularly roast meats, and also as the most important venue in Britain for chess in the Nineteenth Century. Chess ceased to be a feature after Simpson's was bought by the Savoy Hotel group of companies at the end of the Nineteenth Century, but as a purveyor of traditional English food, Simpson's has remained a celebrated dining venue throughout the Twentieth Century and into the Twenty-First Century. P.G. Wodehouse called it "a restful temple of food"
**Howards End is a novel by E. M. Forster, first published in 1910, about social conventions, codes of conduct and relationships in turn-of-the-century England. Howards End is considered by many to be Forster's masterpiece. The book was conceived in June 1908 and worked on throughout the following year; it was completed in July 1910
***The term bluestocking was applied to any of a group of women who in mid Eighteenth Century England held “conversations” to which they invited men of letters and members of the aristocracy with literary interests. The word over the passing centuries has come to be applied derisively to a woman who affects literary or learned interests.
****Glynes is the grand Georgian family seat of the Chetwynds in Wiltshire, and the home of Lettice’s parents, the presiding Viscount and Countess of Wrexham and the heir, their eldest son Leslie.
*****Rum is a British slang word that means odd (in a negative way) or disreputable.
******Charles Frederick Worth was an English fashion designer who founded the House of Worth, one of the foremost fashion houses of the Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries. He is considered by many fashion historians to be the father of haute couture. Worth is also credited with revolutionising the business of fashion. Established in Paris in 1858, his fashion salon soon attracted European royalty, and where they led monied society followed. An innovative designer, he adapted 19th-century dress to make it more suited to everyday life, with some changes said to be at the request of his most prestigious client Empress Eugénie. He was the first to replace the fashion dolls with live models in order to promote his garments to clients, and to sew branded labels into his clothing; almost all clients visited his salon for a consultation and fitting – thereby turning the House of Worth into a society meeting point. By the end of his career, his fashion house employed 1,200 people and its impact on fashion taste was far-reaching.
*******The old fashioned British term “looking bloody” was a way of indicating how dour or serious a person or occasion looks.
********Henry Tipping (1855 – 1933) was a French-born British writer on country houses and gardens, garden designer in his own right, and Architectural Editor of the British periodical Country Life for seventeen years between 1907 and 1910 and 1916 and 1933. After his appointment to that position in 1907, he became recognised as one of the leading authorities on the history, architecture, furnishings and gardens of country houses in Britain. In 1927, he became a member of the first committee of the Gardens of England and Wales Scheme, later known as the National Gardens Scheme.
Comfortable, cosy and terribly English, the interior of Simpson’s-in-the-Strand may look real to you, but it is in fact made up of pieces from my 1:12 miniatures collection, including pieces from my childhood.
The dining table is correctly set for a four course Edwardian dinner partially ended, with the first course already concluded using cutlery, from Beautifully Handmade Miniatures in Kettering in the United Kingdom. The delicious looking roast dinner on the dinner plates, the bowls of vegetables, roast potatoes, boat of gravy and Yorkshire puddings and on the tabletop have been made in England by hand from clay by former chef turned miniature artisan, Frances Knight. Her work is incredibly detailed and realistic, and she says that she draws her inspiration from her years as a chef and her imagination. The red wine glasses bought them from a miniatures stockist on E-Bay. Each glass is hand blown using real glass. The silver cruet set in the middle of the table has been made with great attention to detail, and comes from Warwick Miniatures in Ireland, who are well known for the quality and detail applied to their pieces. The silver meat cover you can just see in the background to the left of the photo also comes from Warwick Miniatures.
The table on which all these items stand is a Queen Anne lamp table which I was given for my seventh birthday. It is one of the very first miniature pieces of furniture I was ever given as a child. The Queen Anne dining chairs were all given to me as a Christmas present when I was around the same age.
The vase of flowers in the background I acquired from Kathleen Knight’s Dolls House Miniatures in the United Kingdom.
The wood panelling in the background is real, as I shot this scene on the wood panelled mantle of my drawing room. The paintings hanging from the wooden panels come from an online stockist on E-Bay.
Executed in the last years of his life, The Shadow testifies to Magritte's continuing commitment to Surrealism. Decades after giving the teasing title to his most famous painting, a Surrealist still life inscribed "this is not a pipe"
Magritte here revisits the iconography of his best-known work. The same modest, masculine identified object hovers ominously in The Shadows, inspired by what the artist would term the "logic" dreams. Trasnscending the bounds of the phenomenal world, the painter has enlarged the image of the pipe to the scale of a tree. While the latter occupies a relatively believable space within the composition, the focus of the work is the synthesis of the pipe and the tree, and the paradox of the conflicting ideas about reality they represent.
This meticulously executed preparatory drawing documents the initial conception of a dramatic and monumental composition, now at the Louvre, that would become a seminal work in the artist’s oeuvre. Although Girodet would go on to produce numerous figurative studies, the Gallery’s recently rediscovered sheet is one of three compositional sketches for this painting and, as far as we know, the only preparatory work for A Deluge Scene outside of France.
Welcome distinguished spectators! Gather around and stick your necks out to catch a glimpse of these fine axes... and of course these fine craftsmen excelling in the art of death. They are the sharp blade of justice sending the guilty on their final journey, so we might live in peace and prosperity. And while the next sinner steps up to the chopping block, you may choose your favorite executioner to do the honor. And then step back a little... justice is a bloody business!
At Pastor Charles Calvin's house, there is much preparation for the Thanksgiving meal. Before the guests begin arriving, Pastor Calvin seizes a moment to be alone with God, in His Word.
"The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation, The God who executes vengeance for me, And subdues peoples under me. He delivers me from my enemies; Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord, And I will sing praises to Your name." Psalm 18:46-49
"Lord, I thank You for Your kind protection. Here we are, about to celebrate another Thanksgiving, another day set aside to acknowledge our express gratitude to You, and You alone.
Father, this old chest beside me. It has things in it that are special to us in this life and, though it is old now, it has faithfully kept the contents secure.
How much more, Father, have you protected us? Not only have you secured us for this life, but in Your salvation through Christ Jesus, for all eternity. And that is the far greater. You have protected us thus far and whatever dangers You allow to come our way in the future, and whatever may befall, I thank you that the greater has been done, and our souls are safe.
Lord, we cannot number the protections we know, and then the ways You have protected from things we do not know are greater still. Thank you, Father, for Your gracious protection on me and my family."
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Because of man’s sin and the subsequent curse that poisoned the perfection of God’s creation, the world is often a dangerous place. People suffer every day from natural disasters, crime, car accidents, poor health, and more. It’s natural to seek protection from the pain and sorrow of life. Does the Bible promise us the protection of God when we become part of His eternal family?
There are many verses in God’s Word that seem to promise God’s physical protection. For example, Psalm 121:3 says, “He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber.” In verse 7 the psalmist declares, “The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life.” As Israel entered the Promised Land, God promised them that He would never leave or forsake them (Deuteronomy 31:6).
At first glance, it does seem that God promises to protect His children from harm. But if that were the case, why do so many Christians around the world struggle with persecution, illness, loss, accidents, and injuries? We all know Christians whose “foot” has “slipped.” Is God breaking His promise, or are we missing something?
First of all, we should interpret the Old Testament promises of physical safety in the context of the Mosaic Covenant. As the children of Israel were obedient to the covenant, God promised them various material and physical blessings—on their crops, livestock, children, etc. (Deuteronomy 28). The Old Covenant was very much concerned with earthly blessings, and physical protection was among them. This was the basis for Hezekiah’s prayer when he was smitten with a fatal illness (2 Kings 20:1–6). Throughout the Old Testament, we see God protecting His people in order to bring His plans to pass (e.g., Exodus 1:22—2:10; 1 Kings 17:1–6; Jonah 1).
It is important to understand that we are under the New Covenant, not the Old. God does not promise to keep believers in Christ from all physical harm. There are certainly times when He does mercifully shield us from situations where we would sustain injury or loss. Paul and Luke’s survival of the shipwreck in Acts 27 and Paul’s imperviousness to the snakebite in Acts 28 are cases in point. Today, however, God’s promises to believers usually refer to spiritual protection.
When we believe in Jesus Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit immediately enters our lives. We are sealed for eternity and brought under God’s spiritual protection from that moment on. This means that, regardless of our future sins or the schemes of Satan, we will never lose the salvation God has granted (2 Timothy 1:12). There is nothing that can ever separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38–39). In addition, we are given freedom from the dominion of sin—we are no longer slaves to sinful thoughts, desires, and actions, but are born into a new life of holiness (Romans 6:22).
Throughout our lives, God will continue to “guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7), providing the strength, peace, and perseverance we need to make it through any test or trial. His Spirit grows in us fruit that will strengthen our Christian walk (Galatians 5:22–23), and He provides us with powerful tools with which we can fend off the enemy’s spiritual attacks (Ephesians 6:10–17).
There is nothing wrong with asking for physical protection from God, as long as we realize He does not always see fit to grant it. He knows we are strengthened by the trials that come our way, and in each physical trial, we are assured of His spiritual protection. So, rather than seeking complete physical protection from God, we can agree with James when he says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2–3).
- From the article:
"How Can I Receive The Protection of God?"
Got Questions dot Org
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Happy Thanksgiving 2022 as we at Paprihaven celebrate gratitude through God through the Psalms!
Previous Thanksgiving at Paprihaven!
2015:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/23317280855/
2016:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/31221411415/
2017:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/38546538356/
2018:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/30990317087/
2019:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49121920807/
2020:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50630434036/
2021:
shot executed by pinhole Auloma Superpanorama 6x17, Filter auloma ND4, negative scanned by Canon EOS 1100D, 120 film Kodak ektar 100
I think that trying to execute a photo and have it come out right is one of my favorite processes to photography. Just the prep work of finding a book then folding the pages (in the center of the book) and then getting all my colored lights out and trying to balance the exposure of how bright they are and then adding in composition and attempt #1 begins --shot-then replace --shoot again --move lights fix composition --re-shoot and keep setting up lights that fall and adjusting exposure and somewhere in between all of that this is what happened. Theres a lot of other patterns in this photo like how all the 5 pages almost make up a flower shape and as well if you just look at the green and blue pages its a shape of a heart as well as some of the other pages like the purple and blue ones to. So this was day 141 and i had fun setting up this image and glad it came out like how i had in my head ----Specs below
Specs and Strobist
Book was on table with the pages folded inwards and each page has colored light at the back of the page lighting from the inside, except the yellow light is actually a yellow gel held in front of my iphone flashlight and turned on for a second to get the yellow I also had a sb-800 paper towel diffused and fired that on manual mode from camera right (snooted with my hand) for a touch of normal colored fill on the book pages and after that i lit the front of the bottom of the book with another mini light.
Total exposure was 13 seconds for the red, green blu and purple lights and the yellow was an off and on fast i phone gelled light.
sooc
History
Early Life
Mera was born to King Ryus and his wife in the kingdom of Xebel, one of the seven Atlantean kingdoms of old which had split off from the main Atlantis during the event that swallowed the continent into the deep.
When Mera was young her mother died, and her father was left alone to raise her. One night Ryus took Mera out of the kingdom to see their ancient enemy Atlantis up close, where she was disgusted by its beauty, believing it didn't deserve such luxury.
Mera was incredibly close with her grandmother - Lammia, who trained the sea beasts used in Xebelian wars. Mera was forged into the perfect warrior over years of her life by her father's chief taskmaster- Leron. and was taught the royal secret of hydrokinesis.
Meeting Aquaman
As a young adult, Mera was promised to be wed to the military chief Nereus by her father. Ryus believed that vengeance should be exacted on Atlantis, and so tasked Mera with finding and assassinating the King of Atlantis, after returning from her job she was to marry Nereus.
Before she left, Mera was given a Shell of Sounds by her father, this device contained a message for Mera from her mother which she was to open after making it to the surface. With fury and hatred in her heart, Mera set out to find and execute the King of Atlantis.
Upon reaching the surface she asked a group of sailors where she could find the King of Atlantis. The sailors showed Mera a newspaper article of the supposed King of Atlantis - Arthur Curry/Aquaman, whom Mera learnt was a hero instead of a tyrant.
Eventually she found him rescuing wounded whales and was completely taken aback by his kindness. Impressed by her hydrokinesis powers, Arthur asked Mera to join him for lunch, which she agreed to. Arthur asked her what the shell around her neck meant, making her realize she hadn't listened to her mother's message yet.
In the message, her mother told Mera that she should make her own path in life instead of following the demands of her kingdom. Taking this advice to heart, Mera gave up on killing Aquaman and instead fell in love with the hero.
The Trench
Having decided to completely abandon Xebel to pursue a life on land with Arthur, Mera helped defend Amnesty Bay when it was attacked by a carnivorous underwater species called The Trench.
Mera and Aquaman followed the Trench, which had taken hostages to the Marianas Trench. There they discovered the predators dying out and desperately trying to feed their children in the remnants of an Atlantean craft.
Mera and Arthur saved the captives, and Aquaman reluctantly caused the Trenches' extinction by pushing a tectonic plate over the Trenches' lair to prevent further loss of human life. After this incident, Arthur and Mera adopted one of the victim's dog and named him Aquadog.
Shortly after, Mera was arrested while buying dog food when she broke the arm of a man who grossly harassed her. Although she initially struggled, Mera willingly gave herself up when she heard police chatter of a hostage situation she thought she could stop.
When the police got to the crime scene, Mera broke out, apprehended the criminal, and fled the scene. Later, a woman named Jennifer Posey, who had seen Mera get arrested, visited the hero and volunteered to get Mera supplies whenever necessary, as she knew what had really happened at the store and supported her.
Atlantean Invasion
While Mera and Aquaman were investigating some abnormal undersea activity with Batman in Gotham City, a giant wave began to emerge and threaten the city. Arthur believed that the wave was his brother's doing, following the Atlantean War plans against the surface.
Mera attempted to keep the wave back but was overwhelmed by its size. Arthur went to meet his brother the Ocean Master, who ordered war upon the surface due to a U.S. submarine firing on Atlantis. Ocean Master banished Aquaman and several other members of the Justice League to the Marianas Trench for opposing him, forcing Mera and Cyborg to rescue them.
After the heroes were saved, the Justice League unleashed the Trench to hold back the invading Atlantean army and stop Ocean Master's plot.
With Ocean Master captured and Aquaman restored to the throne, Arthur and Mera realized that the real person behind the war was Arthur's personal advisor and mentor Vulko, who hoped that the incident would incite Aquaman to return to his rightful place in Atlantis.
Return of the Dead King
Sometime after the invasion, Mera resided in Amnesty Bay, as she knew a princess of Xebel would not be welcomed in the kingdom of Atlantis. However, she was discovered and arrested for her previous assault charge. Mera fled from the police but encountered a mysterious man, who used ice manipulation to knock her unconscious.
Mera later woke up on a boat outside the Bermuda Triangle. Her kidnapper told her that he was the man who designed the imprisonment of Xebel, as he was Atlan the first King of Atlantis. Atlan wanted to use Mera to bypass Xebel's security. However, she escaped and attempted to warn the underwater city's inhabitants of the impending threat.
Upon getting to the bottom of Xebel she was greeted by Nereus, her former fiance, who asked her where she had been all those years.
Mera was deemed a traitor by Nereus after she told him about what had happened during her time on the surface. Before Mera could be arrested, Atlan broke through the barrier and froze all the people in Xebel including Mera.
Aquaman soon broke Mera out of her ice prison and began fighting Atlan while Mera began freeing the soldiers of Xebel. However, despite all this, the Xebelians sided with Atlan anyway as they saw him as their true king, forcing Aquaman and Mera to leave Xebel. Arthur and Mera attempted to warn Atlantis of the villainous king's return, but Aquaman was sent into a coma during a coincidental separate attack by the Scavenger. With their hero incapacitated and without a leader, Atlantis fell to Atlan.
Mera was imprisoned for six months, often going days without water as punishment for her escape attempts. Eventually Arthur returned and, together, he and Mera led a revolt and freed all of the imprisoned Atlanteans. Arthur forced Atlan into a lava bed where the old king melted away.
With their master defeated, Nereus and the Xebelians fled back to Xebel. As the threat was averted, Mera returned to Amnesty Bay to live her life of isolation but soon decided to rule alongside her partner, believing she could rise above the prejudice.
However, as she expected, she faced opposition. She would later survive an assassination attempt by xenophobic assailants loyal to Ocean Master and eventually brought them to justice.
Siren and the Coven
While investigating a collection of mysterious structures that appeared to kill anything they touched, Mera was kidnapped and held hostage by her sister Hila A.K.A. the Siren, and the Coven of Thule, who were behind the structures' sudden appearances.
The Coven were Atlantean warlocks who split Atlantis into two dimensions, where they could prepare for an invasion. Siren stole Mera's appearance using magic and ruled Atlantis for several months while she was captured, weakening it for the invasion.
However, eventually, Mera was able to break free and defeat her sister with the help of Garth, Tula, Swatt and Murk. With the help of their allies Mera and Arthur were able to destroy the Coven, ending their invasion.
Relations Collapse
Some time afterwards, Arthur asked Mera to be the face of the political campaign between Atlantis and the Surface World, which she accepted. Mera decided to fully embrace her new role as she donned the same Atlantean Chainmail as Arthur and began calling herself "Aquawoman", but this moniker was short lived.
While Wally West, the original Kid Flash, was escaping the Speed Force in what could be described as his "rebirth", Mera was brought to Paradise Island where Arthur proposed to her and the two became engaged.
Knowing of their engagement, Aquaman's arch nemesis Black Manta attempted to kill Mera to hurt Arthur. Arthur was able to defeat Manta, however the entire situation caused Spindrift - the facility where their fight was held - to lose its status as an embassy.
Due to this Mera and Aquaman traveled to the White House to discuss the problem with the President. Upon arrival, Arthur was arrested due to an American ship called the Pontchartrain being attacked by a group of "Atlanteans".
As tensions grew worse between Atlantis and the Surface World, Mera broke Arthur out of prison against his wishes. The pair fought off an entire U.S. battalion until Superman arrived on behalf of the government to stop them. Aquaman and Mera retreated into the water, but not before Superman encouraged them to fix the mess that had been created.
Arthur Usurped
At some point, it became clear that the people of Atlantis were displeased with Arthur and were planning a revolution to replace him with Corum Rath. After the coup started, Mera witnessed Arthur being seemingly killed by Atlantean soldiers and, for a period of time after this, went into a phase of mourning at the Curry lighthouse.
However this was short lived as Tula told her Arthur was possibly alive. Upon hearing this, Mera traveled to Atlantis where she used her powers for days, attempting to break through the Crown of Thorns, the invisible, magical barrier that had been placed around Atlantis.
Mera and the Justice League
Mera, while attempting to shatter the dome keeping her from her fiancé, was confronted by the Justice League due to the massive tidal waves she had unintentionally caused by her attacking the Crown of Thorns. After a lengthy battle between herself and the team, she eventually calmed down after hearing that her actions threatened millions of civilians.
Impressed by the extent of Mera's hydrokinetic abilities and her excellent skills in combat, Batman invited Mera to join the League as a temporary replacement for Aquaman until they could find a way to help him.
While working as a member of the League, Mera had a number of adventures on the surface world. She joined them in battle with Shirak, and also faced the time-displaced descendants of the Justice League. This undertaking led to Mera's encounter with her daughter from a possible future, Serenity.
The descendants of the League traveled back to the past in order to prevent the uprising of The Sovereign who had ravaged their futures.
Returning to rescuing Aquaman from the man who usurped their kingdom, Mera approached Garth - the former Aqualad - and pleaded with him to use his potent magical abilities against the Crown of Thorns. Knowing what was at stake, Garth agreed to help Mera bring down the Crown.
Mera successfully infiltrated Atlantis using a magic necklace Garth gave her, but the the item had an unexpected side effect that permanently removed her ability to breathe underwater, forcing her to flee to the surface.
During the invasion of the Dark Knights of the Dark Multiverse, Mera and the rest of Atlantis were changed into fish monsters known as Dead Water by the Drowned. She was returned to normal when the Dark Knights were defeated by the Justice League, with Aquaman, alive, among them.
Reclaiming the Throne
Mera survived another assassination attempted, this time by the villainous Eel. The assassin was hired by Corum Rath, the current ruler of Atlantis, who was threatened by the former queen's attempt to depose him.
Mera Queen of Atlantis
Mera also lost a fight to Ocean Master, having returned from his multi-year absence and declared that instead he would depose Corum Rath and take his rightful place as Atlantis' ruler.
After some level-headed discussion, the enemies decided to team up against their common foe.
Mera and Orm worked together to convince Nereus, Mera's ex-fiance and head of the Xebelian military, to aid them in deposing Rath. Nereus reluctantly agreed to help, but only if Orm was assured to get the throne, since he did not trust Mera.
In an attempt to show her worth through combat, Mera challenged Orm to a fight in a Xebelian arena where, by the skin of her teeth, using everything she had, managed to best the Ocean Master and become the true heir to the Atlantean throne.
In the months since Mera's departure Atlantis grew worse. Corum Rath had been corrupted by the Abyssal Dark, a foul magic which helped build Atlantis.
The dark transformed Corum into a hideous creature hell-bent on the destruction of Atlantis as he believed Atlantis could only be great again if it were reborn in the ashes of tradition.
Aquaman, working as a freedom fighter, led a last resort attack against the mad king in which his trident was shattered by the dictator.
When all seemed lost Mera arrived with the war hosts of Xebel to even the fight against Rath and his forces. In the final fight, Rath was defeated and his magic corrupted, turning him into a fish. Taking pity on him, Aquaman used his powers to commanded him to leave Atlantis and continue his new life among the other fish.
While celebrating their victory, all of a sudden the ground began to shake and Atlantis began to rise. Arthur told Mera that during his fight with the Dark Multiverse invaders he had worn a set of the reality-altering Tenth Metal armor and made a wish.
He had wished for a place that existed between the two worlds of land and sea, a place where he could live his life happily. Arthur's wish had been granted in the worst possible way, Atlantis had risen out of the water and onto the land.
The Suicide Squad Strikes
Sitting directly in the middle of Europe and the United States, Atlantis was immediately viewed with caution by the surface dwellers, many nations preparing for war.
Determined to prove that Atlantis meant no harm, Mera invited the Secretary of the United States to attend her coronation as Queen.
After her coronation, Queen Mera spent no time sitting idly in her throne waiting for her problems to sort themselves out, immediately scheduling a private meeting with U.S. ambassadors in order to quell the fear and distrust felt by many on the surface world. She also tasked many of her laborers to rebuild the parts of Atlantis destroyed during the civil war.
During the coronation, a secret penal black-ops team known as the Suicide Squad was sent by American xenophobic extremist Admiral Meddinghouse to destroy the kingdom.
Fortunately, Aquaman caught wind of this and led his former Undercurrent forces against the Squad. Disgusted that a member of the U.S. Government was attempting to destroy her city, Mera rose the water levels around America's coasts, threatening to sink America into the deep if they did not back down.
Fortunately Aquaman was able to stop the Squad and, in the aftermath, America and Atlantis returned to their fragile state of alliance. Admiral Meddinghouse was swiftly arrested on charges of high treason for sanctioning the mission.
Drowned Earth
Sometime after Mera's coronation as queen, the waters began to rise once again. However anyone who touched the water was turned into an aggressive sea beast hellbent on destruction.
Mera evacuated the civilians into the upper part of the city while Murk and the Drift attempted to hold off the infected. Ondine informed Mera that the oceans were rising all across the globe, with both humans and Atlanteans facing extinction.
After comforting some civilians, Mera contacted the Hall of Justice to see who of Earth's heroes remained alive. After a moment Batman answered her call and told her that Arthur had gone missing during a mission to the Arctic six hours prior and that the current crisis was probably alien in nature.
Mera held back the water from Atlantis as much as she could but failed to contain it all, and most of Atlantis' citizens were transformed into sea beasts. Out of options and time, Mera headed to the highest spire of Atlantis where Orm was kept locked away. Breaking through the wall of his cell she asked him for help, when he agreed she gave the Ocean Master his trident back and the two formed another uneasy alliance.
Mera and Orm began fighting their way outside of the city, eventually making it to the memorial to the dead kings of Atlantis. There, a man named Captain Gall introduced himself as an alien sea god and one of the three leaders of the invasion known as the Triumvirate of Sea Gods.
Gall instantly overwhelmed the pair, forcing Orm to transform into one of the sea-changed before Mera escaped.
Mera traveled across the globe until she found Superman and the Flash being chased by sea-changed heroes. After saving the pair from the clutches of Swamp Thing, she used a magical crown she acquired to teleport them to the location of an Atlantean weapon that could stop the invasion.
Discovering they were too late, Mera, Flash and Superman were met by Black Manta, who revealed that it was him and his allies in the Legion of Doom who had summoned the Triumvirate to Earth.
Mother Shark
When Mother Shark restores Arthur Curry's memories, it is revealed that Arthur actually survived the alien invasion and returned to Mera. However, they kept it a secret from the rest of Atlantis.
Mera stops them from being romantic to talk about the politics of Atlantis and how the Widowhood wants her to marry. Arthur confesses his love for Mera once again, again proposing they get married, but Mera is hesitant with all the drama they've endured. However, she then reveals she's pregnant.
Arthur affirms that he loves both Mera and their unborn child but, afraid that he won't be able to give his child the life it deserves, asks to go home and think. Mera, unhappy that she and her love don't seem to be on the same page, loses control, attacks Arthur, and is later found by the Widowhood and Atlantean guards.
Amnesty,Finale: Xebel's Daughter
As Mera's pregnancy progressed, Arthur returned to life and Amnesty Bay, however, he did not go to Mera nor she to him. Arthur's nemesis Black Manta destroyed an ancient Atlantean historical site to draw Mera to the surface, where she and Aquaman met and wordlessly reconciled.
Manta attacked the pair with Mecha Manta, provided by Lex Luthor. Mera and Arthur's new sidekick Jackson Hyde destroyed Mecha Manta with a giant electrified hydrokinetic construct of her, but the huge amounts of power she was forced to use put her in a coma.
She was rushed to an Atlantean hospital and gave birth shortly afterwards to a baby girl, who was named Andy.
The Wedding
Mera reawakens after 10 months in a coma. With the ruse of a fake wedding to Vulko she calls to Atlantis the leaders of the 7 underwater kingdoms. Prior to the wedding, she has the entire widowhood arrested.
Once all 7 kingdoms are assembled, to their surprise, Mera announces that she was dissolving the Atlantean monarchy and that she intended to hand power to the people. Orm attempts to take power for himself, however, Orm and his forces are stopped by Aquaman, assisted by the Justice league and the Sea gods.
Following this, Mera finally embraces her daughter, as she and Arthur settle down in Amnesty Bay. Soon afterwards Mera and Arthur marry in the presence of their family and friends, in what was originally planned as a welcome back party for her.
Following the abolition of the monarchy, Arthur and Mera intended to hold themselves apart from Atlantis to allow the city to govern itself, but they were forced to intervene when the Frost King's forces attacked the city during what was intended to be their honeymoon.
Arthur journeyed into the city's heating vents to meet with the Fire Tolls who lived in the tunnels below Atlantis, hoping they could be an ally against the Frost King. Originally Mera agreed to stay behind to guard Andy but quickly followed him, arriving in time to save Arthur from a Fire Troll with a hydrokinetic attack.
The Trolls were in awe of this and swore loyalty to her. With her army of Fire Trolls, Mera and Arthur defeated the ice creatures attacking Atlantis.
Aquamen
After abdicating the throne, Mera devoted herself to promoting democracy within Xebel and encouraging unification with Atlantis.
She had some success but was unable to get the Xebelian Guard to end the conscription of children. She also helped Jackson's mother Lucia, a refugee from Xebel, sneak Xebelians out of the city and secretly settled them in Amnesty Bay without Arthur's knowledge.
Mera was scheduled to speak at a peace conference in Xebel while Arthur was away on a mission to Mars. Jackson was framed for a terrorist attack and Mera helped him escape the city. Mera attended the conference as planned, which was attacked by a Xebelian terrorist group called the Xebelian Liberation Front.
She and the other delegates were saved by Jackson, Lucia and Lucia's secret daughter Delilah, but Lucia was critically injured and left in a coma. Mera gave an impassioned speech saying that they owed it to future generations to try to make a better world.
Orm attacked the United Nations Building but was foiled and captured by Arthur and Jackson. Shortly afterward, Jackson called Mera and told her that Arthur was secretly working with Black Manta and he needed to speak to the entire Aquaman Family.
He also asked her to bring an expert in Atlantean biology, so brought Stephen Shin in to consult. Jackson had brought the dead body of a man that Black Manta had supposedly killed and subsequently autopsied in Paris, and told them that when he had tried to arrest Manta for murder, Arthur had stopped him.
Garth and Tula believed that Arthur was trying to trick Black Manta somehow, but Mera admitted that Arthur had been acting strangely ever since he returned from Mars.
Doctor Shin examined the body and determined that the man had been born Atlantean but had been modified to be half-human, allowing him to survive on land without dehydrating.
He also had a transceiver installed in his brain, and they realized that the dead man had been some kind of deep-cover Atlantean agent. Suddenly Tula received a call from the surface that a house in Ohio had blown up and carbon had been left in the ground. The carvings were ancient Atlantean glyphs which read "Atlantis remembers" and the date of an oil spill which killed seven Atlanteans.
Mera realized there was more going on than they realized and went to Mars to speak with Frankenstein, who Arthur claimed to have been with while he was away, but Frankenstein told her that Arthur had been on Mars for only three hours and left again, despite being away from home for days.
When she returned home, one of her agents in the Atlantean Guard told her that Arthur and Manta had been spotted on the outskirts of Atlantis. She also learned that Jackson had gone to Orm's cell and tortured him for information, believing that he was behind the Atlantean sleeper agents.
Mera was concerned about Jackson's unusually aggressive and reckless behavior since Lucia was hurt, and called him to try and talk about it, but he would only tell her that he was in Gotham chasing down a lead.
She tracked down Arthur and Manta and demanded to know what was going on. Arthur admitted the truth to her: during his first reign many years ago, an Atlantean general named Mako took him to a hidden vault full of weapons developed for a potential war against the surface, and revealed that he had placed sleeper agents on the surface to retaliate in case the surface ever attacked Atlantis. Arthur had believed he shut the program down, but the sleepers had somehow been activated anyway.
Arthur met with the entire Aquaman Family and told them the truth about everything, including that he was working with Black Manta to stop the sleepers.
During the meeting Arthur revealed that he had lost some of his memories when he died and they had only just started returning, and Tula realized that Mera had been the one who killed him. Arthur told them all that he and Black Manta planned to use Manta's Orichalcum trident to deactivate the sleepers, but to do so they would need a broadcast tower.
Mera brought in Mister Terrific to design the tower, which she and Jackson would create from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean itself.
Mera and Jackson created the tower and began to broadcast the signal, although even with the two of them holding up such a huge construct was a great strain. Black Manta accidentally crashed into the tower while battling Orm's henchman Scavenger and knocked the trident out of position.
This forced Jackson to carry the trident back to the top of the tower and hold it in place, while Mera held up the tower alone. She eventually could no longer do it and the tower collapsed, but they managed to send the deactivation signal.
With the threat of the sleepers neutralized, Arthur gave Mera control over General Mako's vault and told her she could use or destroy the weapons inside as she saw fit. Mera was still angry with him for keeping secrets and lying to her, but before they could talk about it Arthur was called away by the Justice League on an emergency.
He left, promising they would talk when he got back. In the vault, Mera found a gauntlet which she discovered allowed her to use her hydrokinesis to heal.
The surface governments began debating a response to the attacks by the sleepers. Mera listened in on the meeting with hidden bugs, but just as they were about to vote to attack Atlantis, the world leaders all simultaneously received reports that the entire Justice League, including Arthur, were dead. Mera went to the dock outside the Curry Lighthouse to grieve, and Jackson came to comfort her.
Powers and abilities
As a Xebellian (a sub-race of Atlanteans from Xebel), she shares the common abilities of superhuman strength, speed, durability, and possesses the ability to breathe underwater. While on dry land, she possesses more acute senses that including limited night vision from her enhanced sight and more acute hearing compared to ordinary humans. In addition to her natural physical abilities, she possesses powerful hydrokinetic powers (called aquakinesis), allowing her to control bodies of water, create "hard water" constructs, and drawing water from other forms, including human beings. Her hydrokinetic powers also allow her to sense bodies of water, including what's in them. According to Corum Rath, she is considered perhaps the most powerful high-functioning aqua-kinetic ever recorded in the history of Atlantis.
In addition to her natural and hydrokinetic abilities, Mera is also an extremely proficient warrior; she is an expert in Atlantean-related martial arts and use of weaponry,[40] being skilled enough to battle Ocean Master in single combat. Mera was also trained in assassination and is considered a natural, proficient leader.
Weaknesses
As a natural-born Atlantean, Mera is prone to dehydration at a faster rate compared to ordinary human beings while on the surface. Powerful artifacts and strong users of telekinetic-related abilities (i.e. cryokinesis) can also resist and even negate her aquakinetic powers. Due to her abilities working through telekinetic connections, material that negates telepathic connections also disrupts her hydrokinetic powers. Earlier stories also placed some limits on her abilities such as susceptibility to lead.
⚡ Happy 🎯 Heroclix 💫 Friday! 👽
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A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Notable aliases: Aquawoman
Dead Water
Princess of Xebel
Queen of Atlantis
Publisher: DC
First appearance: Aquaman #11 (September 1963)
Created by: Jack Miller (Writer)
Nick Cardy (Artist)
Mera last seen in BP 2021 Day 32!
Today on June 10, 1692, Bridget Bishop was the first person executed for witchcraft during the Salem witch trials of 1692. She was a landowner and a woman who spoke her mind...yeah, she's a witch. Puritans!
I know one of her descendents. Rest well, Bridget.
Salem Witch Trial Memorial, Old Burying Point.
Dunstanburgh Castle was built in the second decade of the 14th century by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster (died 1322), the wealthiest nobleman in England and leader of the baronial opposition to his cousin Edward II and successive royal favourites.The castle was built on an impractically massive scale, particularly its great south gatehouse, but much of the area inside its curtain walls was always empty and unoccupied.
Earl Thomas was later executed for his role in the barons’ rebellion against Edward II and the castle’s next main building phase consisted of an intense period of modernisation in the 1380s under John of Gaunt (who died in 1399). At the end of the Middle Ages, the castle fell into disrepair and became ever more ruinous as stone was removed for use elsewhere.
Executed between 1929 and 1931 for the Palais des Colonies by Alfred Janniot – assisted by his collaborators Gabriel Forestier and Charles Barberis and 30 specialist workers. This is only the eastern half of the front of the building. The bas-relief covers a surface area of 1,130 m², a height of 13 metres and a length of 90 metres. Described as the world’s biggest bas-relief, it covers the entire façade of the Palais de la Porte Dorée. It features a series of allegories in the midst of abundant fauna and lush flora. It was intended as an illustration of the economic contributions made by the colonies to metropolitan France. Normally the view of the bas-relief is partially obscured by the columns holding up the front of the building but I've stitched together (as best I can) a lot of photos from various angles to get rid of the columns.
monument.palais-portedoree.fr/en/the-decors/janniot-s-bas...
In 1931, the historic square took its name to commemorate the martyrs executed there under Ottoman rule. In the 1950s the square became a popular venue for cinemas and coffee-houses. During the Lebanese Civil War, it formed the demarcation line that divided the city in half.
Initially Sahat al-Burj, the square underwent a lot of transformations until 1931, where it took the name of Martyrs' Square in commemoration of the martyrs executed there under Ottoman rule. The Municipality of Beirut modernized the square in 1878 as the main meeting place of the city. Beshara Effendi designed a garden with fountain and kiosks, overlooked by the Petit Serail - the seat of Beirut’s governor general – as well as public buildings and souks. In 1950, the Petit Serail was demolished. The new Rivoli cinema blocked the link between the square and the harbor. Martyrs’ Square became Beirut’s bus and taxi terminus and a popular venue for cinemas, coffee-houses, modest hotels and the red-light district. During the Civil War (1975-1990), Martyrs’ Square formed the demarcation line that divided the city in half. In 2005, an international competition was launched for the design of a new square with its axis open to the sea, reestablishing Martyrs’ Square as Beirut’s premier public space and heart of the capital.
shot executed by pinhole Auloma Panorama 6x12, negative scanned by Canon EOS 1100D, film Fomapan 400
NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft completed its 1.2 billion-mile (2 billion-kilometer) journey to arrive at the asteroid Bennu Monday. The spacecraft executed a maneuver that transitioned it from flying toward Bennu to operating around the asteroid.
Now, at about 11.8 miles (19 kilometers) from Bennu’s Sun-facing surface, OSIRIS-REx will begin a preliminary survey of the asteroid. The spacecraft will commence flyovers of Bennu’s north pole, equatorial region, and south pole, getting as close as nearly 4 miles (7 kilometers) above Bennu during each flyover.
The primary science goals of this survey are to refine estimates of Bennu’s mass and spin rate, and to generate a more precise model of its shape. The data will help determine potential sites for later sample collection.
This image of Bennu was taken by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from a distance of around 50 miles (80 km).
Image credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona
Studio portrait, executed with strobist technic, using two flashes and Rembrandt lighting setup. It was used one 60cm lightbox with flash in TTL mode and another flash in manual mode for background, using yellow gel.
Canon 60d
Canon EF 24-105 f/4 L IS USM
Canon 580EXII
Yongnuo YN-565EXII
Yongnuo YN-622C TX + 2 YN 622C LI
In 1614, a Tupinambá Indian was executed, with the consent of religious from the Catholic Church on a mission in Brazil, because of his sexual orientation. Known as Tibira do Maranhão — tibira is a term used by indigenous people to refer to a homosexual — his case is the first record of death from homophobia in Brazil. LGBT activists want the character to be recognized as a martyr and campaign to spread the word.