Elf Heaven
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The castle Rheinsberg is actually a Renaissance castle, though little can tell that tale from just looking at the exterior, or the park - it was all greatly remodeled in the 18th century. One of its most influential inhabitants was prince Henry of Prussia (1726-1802) who lived there after his marriage to Wilhelmine von Hessen-Kassel (who mostly lived in Berlin). He is buried in the park.
The Power of Light floods through our lives on a daily basis. It is present in so many forms and is arguably the most influential force on how we perceive and connect with the world around us. We live, communicate and celebrate in all of its mediums. Light has the power to give life and save life. It plays with our emotions and considerably affects the way we feel.
We interact with this magical and intangible substance, whether natural or artificial, but often overlook or realise the significance or impact it has on us or the spaces we use. Its influence is frequently taken for granted and many underestimate the authority it has on us.
Light is one of the most powerful symbols that we know of. It’s a symbol for life regardless of your religious, spiritual, cultural, or scientific views and is one of the few things in life that the majority of the population can agree on.
It’s often agreed that without light, there would be no life.
Light is also symbolic of wisdom, divinity, hope, good, and truth and these powerful meanings show how central light is to our everyday life and should not go unnoticed.
Chartres Cathedral,
is a Catholic church in Chartres, France, about 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Paris.
Mostly constructed between 1194 and 1220, it stands on the site of at least five cathedrals that have occupied the site since the Diocese of Chartres was formed as an episcopal see in the 4th century.
It is one of the best-known and most influential examples of High Gothic and Classic Gothic architecture, It stands on Romanesque basements, while its north spire is more recent (1507–1513) and is built in the more ornate Flamboyant style.[
@Wikipedia
Stowe is one of the most Well known house and gardens in Georgian England. Created by Viscount Cobham in the grounds of his family home from 1717, it reflected a programme of ideas based on Cobham’s hugely influential network of political connections .
The completely moated castle, which is therefore a Wasserburg, consists of the main building and an L-shaped outer bailey (Vorburg).
The name of the castle can be explained as loam brook, muddy brook; the castle is located in a naturally swampy area. The castle dates from the 13th century, but in 1170 there was already a keep on the site of the current castle.
Schloss Lembeck has been the residence of influential noblemen who, in the service of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster, performed ministerial administrative tasks in the region. In the 17th and 18th centuries they controlled the Heerlijkheid Lembeck. Until 1960, the castle was inhabited by members of noble families.
Collective 52 Photo Project -Influential Photographers 1/12
André Kertész
Among his later pieces the artist used a SX70 Polaroid and made many images of small items in his home. This is based on one such photograph and is a loose interpretation of his style during this period. The addition of the second shadow is also seen in other pieces.
This stately mansion was built for J. Russell Jones, an influential Civil War patriot who later would become a U.S. Marshall, steamship owner, chairman of the Republican Party, and Minister Resident to Belgium during the Administration of his friend, President Ulysses S. Grant. Built in 1857, the Italianate style Jones House, now known as the Belvedere Mansion, is the largest mansion in Galena. Completely restored, Belvedere Mansion is open for tours.
The mansion is a contributing structure in the Galena Historic District. The district encompasses 85 percent of the City of Galena and includes more than 800 properties. The Galena Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, with modifications in 2013.
Galena is the seat of Jo Daviess County in the northwest corner of Illinois. This is the unglaciated area of northwestern Illinois. The rolling hills, history and abundant 19th century architecture draws visitors from throughout the country. The population of Galena at the 2020 census was 3,101.
Stars the most influential symbol in our hierographic system. From authorities to praise, we are indoctrinated with stars from the nursery rhymes and up to death. Shine it on Star Bright, from rising star to Shooting star to falling star. The star is deeply embedded in everyone's mind.
Stowe is one of the most Well known house and gardens in Georgian England. Created by Viscount Cobham in the grounds of his family home from 1717, it reflected a programme of ideas based on Cobham’s hugely influential network of political connections .
An influential photographer I once heard said 'If you want to take more interesting images, point your lens at more interesting subjects.'
That explains a lot of my failures. I am often pointing my lens at mundane everyday objects, interested in some detail or pattern or texture, or some abstract thought. Normal people, among whom I walk, are bemused - why on earth do I think that justifies a permanent record? I have no answer...
But I like it :)
Thank you for taking the time to look. I hope you enjoy the image.
[Much mangled using Affinity on the iPad.
The bulk of the look came from creating two copies of the image layer, adding a box blur to the lower copy and blending the top copy with Multiply blend mode. The lower layer also had some diffusion blur, and the upper layer some colour enhancement using Curves in LAB mode - just increasing the gradient of the lines for the colour channels A and B - and a fair whack of High Pass sharpening. There was no selective work though with masking - just a vignette.]
This stately mansion was built for J. Russell Jones, a influential Civil War patriot who later would become a U.S. Marshall, steamship owner, chairman of the Republican Party, and Minister Resident to Belgium during the Administration of his friend, President Ulysses S. Grant. Built in 1857, the Italianate style Jones House, now known as the Belvedere Mansion, is the largest mansion in Galena. Completely restored, Belvedere Mansion is open for tours.
The mansion is a contributing structure in the Galena Historic District. The district encompasses 85 percent of the City of Galena and includes more than 800 properties. The Galena Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, with modifications in 2013.
Galena is the seat of Jo Daviess County in the northwest corner of Illinois. This is the unglaciated area of northwestern Illinois. The rolling hills, history and abundant 19th century architecture draws visitors from throughout the country. The estimated population of Galena in 2019 was 3,158.
Stars the most influential symbol in our hierographic system. From money to sweets, from authorities to praise, we are indoctrinated with stars from the nursery rhymes and up to death. Shine it on Star Bright.
This mansion was built for J. Russell Jones, a influential Civil War patriot who later would become a U.S. Marshall, steamship owner, chairman of the Republican Party, and Minister Resident to Belgium during the Administration of his friend, President Ulysses S. Grant. Built in 1857, the Italianate style Jones House, now known as the Belvedere Mansion, is the largest mansion in Galena. Completely restored, Belvedere Mansion is open for tours.
The mansion is a contributing structure in the Galena Historic District. The district encompasses 85 percent of the City of Galena and includes more than 800 properties. The Galena Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, with modifications in 2013.
Galena is the seat of Jo Daviess County in the northwest corner of Illinois. This is the unglaciated area of northwestern Illinois. The rolling hills, history and abundant 19th century architecture draws visitors from throughout the country. The estimated population of Galena in 2019 was 3,158.
Stowe is one of the most Well known house and gardens in Georgian England. Created by Viscount Cobham in the grounds of his family home from 1717, it reflected a programme of ideas based on Cobham’s hugely influential network of political connections .
Brutalist architecture is an influential and polarizing architectural style that emerged in the mid-20th century. It is characterized by its raw, robust, and utilitarian aesthetic, often featuring large, exposed concrete structures. Brutalist buildings display a sense of monumentality and solidity, with bold geometric forms and a distinct lack of decorative embellishments. The style prioritizes functionality and the honest expression of materials, focusing on the inherent qualities of concrete. While some consider Brutalism to be visually austere, proponents of the style appreciate its uncompromising honesty, the sculptural qualities of its forms, and its ability to evoke a sense of awe and timelessness.
St. Leonards Centre
Crows Nest
June, 2023
The Herengracht is considered to be the most important canal in the city. In the 17th century, the richest merchants and the most influential regents and mayors of the city lived on this canal. It is part of Amsterdam’s historic Canal Ring (Dutch: Grachtengordel), a beautiful 17th-century water network through the city. Print Size 13x19 inches.
Happy Fence Friday
Matö རྨ་སྟོད། county
This county ,also known as Machukha མ་ ཆུ་ཁ་ , contains the source of the Ma chu རྨ་ཆུ་ ( Yellow River),and lies north of the Bayankala watershed. There are a few small Nyingma shrines and monasteries, of which the largest and most influential is Horkor Gon. Area: 25.263 sq km. www.footprinttravelguides.com/c/2848/tibet/&Action=pr...
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart[a] (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791), was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period.
Born in Salzburg, in the Holy Roman Empire, Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty. At 17, Mozart was engaged as a musician at the Salzburg court but grew restless and travelled in search of a better position. During his final years in Vienna, he composed many of his best-known symphonies, concertos, and operas, and portions of the Requiem, which was largely unfinished at the time of his early death at the age of 35. The circumstances of his death have been much mythologized.
He composed more than 600 works, many of which are acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, operatic, and choral music. He is considered among the greatest classical composers of all time, and his influence on Western music is profound. Ludwig van Beethoven composed his early works in the shadow of Mozart, and Joseph Haydn wrote: "posterity will not see such a talent again in 100 years".
He lived in Paris in 1778. (from Wikipedia)
Happy 265th Birthday, Wolfie!
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Salzburgo, 27 de enero de 1756-Viena, 5 de diciembre de 1791) fue un compositor, pianista, director de orquesta y profesor del antiguo Arzobispado de Salzburgo, actualmente parte de Austria, maestro del Clasicismo, considerado como uno de los músicos más influyentes y destacados de la historia.
La obra mozartiana abarca todos los géneros musicales de su época e incluye más de seiscientas creaciones, en su mayoría reconocidas como obras maestras de la música sinfónica, concertante, de cámara, para fortepiano, operística y coral, logrando una popularidad y difusión internacional.
Mozart vivió en Paris en 1778. (tomado de Wikipedia).
Feliz Cumpleaños 265, Wolfie!
The Symphony No. 31 in D major, K. 297/300a, better known as the Paris Symphony, is one of the most famous symphonies by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The work was composed in 1778 during Mozart's unsuccessful job-hunting sojourn in Paris. The composer was then 22 years old. "Mozart's Paris Symphony is quite noisy. It has vigorous, stirring tuttis, with a lively violin line and an active line for the basses, lending the music extra animation. The actual thematic matter is relatively conventional, more a matter of figures than melodies, but there is not development as such, and most of the working-out of ideas comes at their presentation."
Charles, the Prince of Wales and future King of England, wrote an influential book called "Harmony". In it he outlined his vision for a balanced way of life, being completely sensitive to the requirements of a sustainable environment, and also maintaining a productive life. This is a vision worth striving for. Balance and harmony are two words that we desperately need to rediscover in our fractured world.
After retiring from the Australian senate in 2012, Dr Bob Brown decided to gift "Oura Oura" to the Australian people. He did this through entrusting it to the care of Bush Heritage Australia.
Bush Heritage Australia is an independent not-for-profit that buys and manages land, and also partners with Aboriginal people, to conserve our magnificent landscapes and irreplaceable native species forever.
Nature, harmony and a balanced lifestyle. That's what we need today.
As I approached the magnificent Chenonceau Palace on that cloudy day, I couldn't help but marvel at its enchanting beauty. The palace stood proudly over the gently flowing river, its graceful arches and intricate details casting a spell on anyone who laid eyes on it.
The muted sunlight struggled to break through the thick blanket of clouds, giving the palace an ethereal aura. The river, usually vibrant and lively, appeared subdued, its waters diminished, trickling lazily along its course. It was as if the river sympathized with the somber mood of the day, reflecting the melancholic sky above.
As I stood on the riverbank, gazing at the palace, I was struck by its unique design. Chenonceau's iconic arches extended gracefully over the water, creating a harmonious connection between the palace and the river. The architectural masterpiece seemed to defy the passage of time, standing as a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of those who built it centuries ago.
The palace itself, with its symmetrical wings and delicate embellishments, exuded elegance and grandeur. Despite the muted colors of the day, the stone facade retained a regal allure, seemingly untouched by the weather. Vines crawled up the walls, adding a touch of nature's whimsy to the imposing structure.
The surrounding gardens, although not in full bloom, still possessed an undeniable charm. The neatly trimmed hedges and meticulously arranged flower beds hinted at the magnificence that awaited during the vibrant seasons. Even in their slumber, the gardens radiated a tranquil beauty, inviting visitors to wander through their pathways and explore their hidden corners.
As I continued my contemplation of the palace, I imagined the rich history and the stories it held within its walls. It served as a stage for both triumph and tragedy, witnessing the lives of noble families and influential figures throughout the years. The palatial halls, once filled with laughter and music, now stood in silence, their secrets locked away.
The combination of the overcast sky, the diminished river, and the stoic presence of Chenonceau Palace created a melancholic atmosphere that somehow added to the allure of this historic gem. It was a sight to behold, a moment frozen in time, and I couldn't help but feel privileged to witness the palace's quiet grandeur on that cloudy day.
20220420_RX_07741_TOURS
This little room presents three of the most influential figures of the Australian art world. On the left is a portrait of the late Dr Joseph Brown (probably the most prolific collector and donor of art in the country). We’ll return to this fabulous portrait tomorrow. On the right is the portrait of Georges Mora which we saw in my first post today. But we’ll focus on the wonderfully colourful Matisse-like portrait directly ahead of the camera.
It is the work of Vicki Varvaressos and was entered in the Archibald Prize in 1980. Unfortunately this was one of only two years (1964 was the other one) where the judges withheld making an award. It is a strikingly bright and cheerful portrait of art dealer Frank Watters (1934-2020).
www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/artboards/archie-100/the-art-wo...
“A portrait is not made in a camera, but on either side of it.” - Edward Steichen (influential Luxembourgish American photographer, painter, and curator).
When it was my fortieth birthday, some many moons ago, as a gift to myself I commissioned a portrait of myself by a well-known and highly regarded society painter. I decided to wear a theatre jacket I had designed myself, made of Japanese silver and white brocade featuring a pattern of chrysanthemums in hexagons which I wore to a charity ball earlier that year, and I am holding one of my Great Grandmother’s tortoiseshell handled dyed ostrich feather Court fans from 1923. I sat for the artist in three separate day sittings, and she also took photographs of me. I asked her to pay particular attention to my costume, which I am very proud of, and also my jewellery, as I was wearing a mixture of inherited antique family rings and gifts from family for significant birthdays. The rings included an Art Deco cocktail ring of garnets and pearls, several gold and diamond rings, including my Great Grandmother’s engagement ring from the end of the Nineteenth Century, and an Art Deco diamond and sapphire ring set in platinum from Vienna. Not only did the portrait capture my likeness well, it is beautiful, and she has authentically captured the details of my costume and my jewellery.
The theme for "Looking Close on Friday" the 22nd of August is "details of a painting" which requires me to photograph things people may miss unless you get up close to it; not the entire painting. When I read the theme, I immediately thought of my fortieth birthday portrait. Although I have several other portraits painted for significant years of my life, this is by far the biggest and hangs just inside the entrance to my house, welcoming guests across the threshold. Being the biggest, it is the one where one could potentially miss those fine details, and because I was especially pleased with the artist’s reproduction of my costume and my jewellery, I have decided to focus on them for this week’s theme. I hope you like my choice, and that it makes you smile!
The Herengracht is considered to be the most important canal in the city. In the 17th century, the richest merchants and the most influential regents and mayors of the city lived on this canal. It is part of Amsterdam’s historic Canal Ring (Dutch: Grachtengordel), one of the world’s most unique urban landscapes and a and beautiful 17th-century water network through the city. Print Size 13x19 inches.
Graham Fagen is one of the most influential artists working in Scotland today. Throughout his career as an artist, Fagen has regularly incorporated elements of his own national, cultural and social identity within his work. Often using the artifice of theatre for the development of a narrative, Fagen uses the 16th century Venetian palace as an historic backdrop for his presentation, choreographing a new body of work across four rooms of the palazzo to create a path through which visitors can effectively become performers within the piece.
Drawing on his long-term commitment to collaboration across multiple art forms and disciplines, Fagen brought together internationally renowned composer Sally Beamish, the musicians of Scottish Ensemble, reggae singer and musician Ghetto Priest and music producer Adrian Sherwood to realise an ambitious installation. Sound that draws on very different musical traditions – Scottish folk songs, classical music and reggae – pervaded the rooms of Palazzo Fontana, creating a melancholic and ambiguous body of work within the surroundings of one of the world’s most prestigious visual art exhibitions.
BlackbirdLace
Leandra-Outfit-By-Blackbird-Lace
Sizes:
REBORN
LEGACY /PERKY
MAITREYA
GEN X CURVY/CLASIC
all info in the blog
An "It Girl" is a young woman who possesses an undefinable, magnetic charm—the "It"—that makes her incredibly popular, stylish, and influential, often drawing intense media attention regardless of specific achievements. The original It Girl was silent film star Clara Bow in the 1920s, with the term coined by author Elinor Glyn to describe irresistible charisma of her character in her book "It" which wads then made into the film starring Clara Bow.
This "It Girl" arrived at my home yesterday. She is a beautiful German half-doll with jet black hair, and even a coquettish black beauty spot on her greamy white cheek. Most half-dolls feature the upper half of a young woman, but in the 1920s, ones featuring just the girl's head and neck were also created. This beautifully painted German example is modish (for the 1920s) with her bobbed and Marcel waved black tresses framing her peaches and cream face, and large bulbous red droplet earrings. When she arrived, she charmed me with her silent film starlet elegance The shade of her jewellery and cupid's bow applied lipstick perfectly matches some of the shapes that make up the geometric pattern of the Art Deco fabric that I have set her upon. The fabric also features stars in the pattern. It rather reminded me of the carpets you find in most cinemas these days. The lady's Jazz Age Art Deco scarf is a piece of vintage embroidered ribbon from the 1920s from my collection of haberdashery and notions that I keep for photography.
The "half-doll" is a dainty porcelain or bisque figurine, fashionable in the early Twentieth Century with an upper body, head, arms, but usually no legs. These dolls were produced in the thousands at the height of their popularity by German factories such as Dressel and Kister, Heubach, Goebel and Kestner. Later they were produced in France, America and later still, in Japan. They commonly served as handles and toppers for fabric covers made for powder boxes on ladies’ dressing tables and small brushes, however they were also made for jewellery boxes, pincushions, tea cosies and other covers. In this case, my German half-doll I imagine would have been made as a pincushion (I have seen several of her like before) or for a lady’s boudoir, and if so, was most likely the topper for a powder bowl or even a powder puff. She has been hand painted.
La Fontaine Zsolnay - József Nádor Square
La manufacture de porcelaine Zsolnay est une société hongroise de l'industrie de la porcelaine fondée en 1853 par Vilmos Zsolnay à Pécs. Cette société est connue pour sa production de céramique, que ce soit des objets ou des pièces de décoration. L'utilisation de la porcelaine de Zsolnay est courante dans l'architecture d'Ödön Lechner. Ödön Lechner, né le 27 août 1845 à Pest et mort le 10 juin 1914 à Budapest, est un architecte hongrois. Architecte le plus influent de la Sécession hongroise, il se donna pour objectif de créer un « style national hongrois » clairement identifiable en associant à la démarche de l'Art nouveau des éléments traditionnels hongrois et indiens, pays d'origine, pensait-on, des Magyars.
The Zsolnay Fountain
The Zsolnay Porcelain Manufactory is a Hungarian company in the porcelain industry founded in 1853 by Vilmos Zsolnay in Pécs. This company is known for its production of ceramics, whether objects or decorative pieces. The use of Zsolnay porcelain is common in the architecture of Ödön Lechner. Ödön Lechner, born August 27, 1845 in Pest and died June 10, 1914 in Budapest, was a Hungarian architect. most influential of the Hungarian Secession, he set himself the goal of creating a clearly identifiable "Hungarian national style" by combining the Art Nouveau approach with traditional Hungarian and Indian elements, the country of origin, it was thought, of the Magyars.
Zsolnay-díszkút
A Zsolnay Porcelángyár egy magyar porcelánipari cég, amelyet 1853-ban alapított Zsolnay Vilmos Pécsett. Ez a cég kerámiagyártásáról ismert, legyen szó akár tárgyakról, akár dísztárgyakról. Lechner Ödön építészetében gyakori a Zsolnay-porcelán használata. Lechner Ödön, 1845. augusztus 27-én született Pesten, 1914. június 10-én hunyt el Budapesten, magyar építész. A magyar szecesszió legbefolyásosabb építészeként egy jól azonosítható „magyar nemzeti stílus” létrehozását tűzte ki célul, a szecessziós szemléletet a hagyományos magyar és indiai elemekkel, a magyarok származási országaival ötvözve.
Veuillez ne pas utiliser mes images sur des sites Web, des blogs ou d'autres médias sans ma permission écrite. Si vous souhaitez utiliser mes images sur des sites Web, des blogs ou d'autres médias contacter moi par message ou sur mon site web !
Please do not use my images on websites, blogs or other media without my written permission. If you want to use my images on websites, blogs or other media contact me by message or on my website!
Joel Meyerowitz is profoundly influential in the genre of street photography. So when I first saw his book 'Cape Light" I instinctively didn't appreciate it. My mind was set that he was strictly a 'street' photographer. An entirely different manner of approaching a subject.
Allowing myself to accept his new style (no longer frames filled edge to edge with hustle and bustle) I came not only to like his new work, but to try to incorporate it into my New topographics "form first" style.
Such was the case here in seeing that wonderful bouncing light. I did not achieve what I desired, but fortunately there was enough form to carry the shot.
Try and try again.
Don't get me wrong. I love my Minolta, but an analog Leica would come in handy too. It's subtle light rendering glass is impeccable.
Minolta X-700
Minolta MD 28mm
Kodak Wratten 80C filter to try and tone down the harshness of the afternoon light. It proved to be too blue with that cool Fuji film.
Fujifilm 200
However in the hands of a master photography printer this would be of minor concern. That’s why, in my string opinion, photographers should stay out of the print room. Press your little shutter button and hand over the film. See you at the exhibit. Nice job, but your job is done. Now let the printer allow the image to be itself. Just as you’re good at your job, trust them to do their’s.
Please Right Click and select "Open link in new tab": www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkKK-e_tlYE
'A Sfogliatella - Roberto Murolo
The Legend of a delicious pastry
Firstly, the Legend tells that the sfogliatella was born in the monasteries of Campania.
Dating back almost five hundred years ago.
The sfogliatella riccia, in particular, seems to have been born in the monastery of Naples Croce di Lucca. Baked for the influential and political figures of the time.
The Neapolitan tradition wants the convents of the time to compete with each other. A lively competition about pastry works.
Twist!!! The recipe of the famous three novices of the convent of Croce di Lucca, was stolen.
As in a respectable industrial spy-story, the recipe reached the other convents of Naples soon.
Even the convent of Santa Rosa on the Amalfi coast received the secret recipe. Enriching it with an extra ingredient: the ricotta filling.
and more thrill…
Here we move from spy-story to erotic novel: to a secret love-story. Between one of the sisters of the Amalfi convent and a local pastry chef.
According to some rumors, the boy in question was Pintauro. This guy was the famous pastry chef from Naples in Via Toledo.
For others, the story was a brilliant marketing gimmick from the pastry chef himself..
(www.gourmetaly.com/sfogiatella-napoletana-neapolitan-pastry/) - Gourmetaly
The piece is known for its simple and serene style, typical of Mankes’ realistic approach to animals.
Jan Mankes was an influential painter and graphic artist who, in his short life, became especially known for his calm landscapes and finely detailed animal portraits.
Het werk staat bekend om zijn sobere en verstilde stijl, kenmerkend voor Manke’s realistische benadering van dieren.
Jan Mankes was een invloedrijke schilder en graficus die in zijn korte leven vooral bekend werd door zijn rustige landschappen en fijn gedetailleerde dierenportretten.
Das Werk ist bekannt für seinen schlichten und stillen Stil, typisch für Mankes realistischen Ansatz bei der Darstellung von Tieren.
Jan Mankes war ein einflussreicher Maler und Grafiker, der in seinem kurzen Leben vor allem für seine ruhigen Landschaften und fein detaillierten Tierporträts bekannt wurde.
IMG_20260425_115022
Romanian And French, born Romania - Constantin Brâncuși (Romanian: [konstanˈtin brɨŋˈkuʃʲ] ⓘ; February 19, 1876 – March 16, 1957) was a Romanian sculptor, painter, and photographer who made his career in France. Considered one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century and a pioneer of modernism, Brâncuși is called the patriarch of modern sculpture.
The sculptures from left to right" -
1) Young Bird 2) Socrates 3) Maiastra
Note: The word maïastra means “master” or “chief” in Brancusi's native Romanian, but the title refers specifically to a magically beneficent, dazzlingly plumed bird ...
Taken @MoMA, NYC
Historians agree: Amos Northup’s Graham Blue Streak is one of the most influential automotive designs of the 1930s. What makes it so noteworthy? Let’s take a look.
The Graham brothers—Joseph, Robert, and Ray—were successful entrepreneurs, the kind of investors we call venture capitalists today. Their many enterprises included agriculture, glass, and truck manufacturing, and for a time they managed the giant Dodge Brothers organization for the investment bank Dillion, Read & Company. For their final foray into the auto industry, in June of 1927 they acquired Paige-Detroit and quickly put their their stamp on the Motor City car maker, renaming the products Graham-Paige and then simply Graham.
On December 8, 1931, the second-series 1932 Graham Model 57 Blue Streak was introduced, featuring a groundbreaking body design by Amos Northup. The Blue Streak look, which Graham continued through 1935, was a genuine style setter as much of the industry followed its direction. “The most imitated car on the road,” boasted the Graham ads. While many of the Blue Streak’s innovations seem evolutionary, a logical and natural progression from one era to the next, the credit goes to Graham and Northup for seeing the future and executing it.
While the catalog illustration above is a tad idealized, it effectively shows what made the Graham so fashion forward. Arrows have been added to indicate the key advances.
Most notably, the front and rear fender sweeps have been skirted in behind the wheels. Concealing the exposed chassis and mechanical components, the fender valences also create a longer, smoother profile.
The grille shell and windshield have been laid back at a sporty angle, finally breaking from decades of horse-drawn carriage tradition toward a more streamlined look. Additionally, the radiator cap has been removed from the top of the shell and tucked away under the hood, another step into modernity.
The headlamp buckets have been tucked in close to the body and fenders and painted body color, the better to blend them into the overall package.
While the rendering doesn’t show it well, Graham was an early adopter of metallic-type paint finishes. But instead of the aluminum particles used in later pigments, this paint contained guanin, the photonic crystal that gives fish scales their iridescence. Available colors in Graham’s Pearl Essence Finish, as it was called, included Avon Blue Pearl and Opalescent Gunmetal.
As the in-house designer for Murray Body Company of Detroit, Northup performed styling duties for a number of independent makes, including Willys, Hupp, and Reo. Since the smaller automakers lacked dedicated styling studios, body suppliers Murray, Briggs, and Hayes included design services to attract their business. Other noteworthy Northup designs include the Reo Royale and Willys 77, but the Blue Streak can be considered the most important of his efforts—a tipping point in 1930s car design.
The innovations weren’t limited to styling. To lower the stance, chief engineer Louis Thoms dispensed with the traditional rear frame kickup and crafted what Graham called a deep banjo frame, with the rear live axle captured in a pair of pass-throughs in the frame rails (above). The benefits included a 2.5-inch reduction in overall height and a more torsionally rigid structure.
To increase roll resistance, the parallel leaf springs front and rear were mounted outboard of the frame rails. Meanwhile, the track was widened to 60.5 inches front and 61 inches rear—not just to improve cornering, it is said, but also to sweeten the car’s visual proportions in height versus width.
More big news came from Graham came in 1934, when the automaker became the first to offer supercharging on a popular-priced car on the Model 69 Custom Eight. Reportedly based on the Schwitzer-Cummins technology used on the Duesenberg SJ, the Graham setup sported a 7.5-inch centrifugal blower turning at 5.75 times engine speed via an external accessory shaft. Output was increased from 95 to 135 horsepower on the 265.5 CID straight eight, producing a 10 mph increase in top speed and a significant boost in midrange punch. In the following year, a supercharged version of the six-cylinder Graham was introduced as well (GOCI Note: Supercharging on the six-cylinder line actually began two years after the eight - Bill McCall). It’s been noted that Graham built more supercharged models than the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg marques combined.
In 2017 the Blue Streak series was recognized again as a 1933 Graham Deluxe Eight was enrolled in the National Historic Vehicle Register (GOCI Note: Bulgari's car is actually the 119-inch wheelbase Model 64 Standard Eight and not a “Deluxe Eight” - Bill McCall). To mark the event, the Golden Tan Pearl sedan, owned by noted collector Nicola Bulgari, was photographed in the driveway of Amos Northup’s former home in Pleasant Ridge, Michigan, a Detroit suburb (above). Photo courtesy Historic Vehicle Association.
Thanks to Bill McGuire, from Mac's Motor City Garage for this comprehensive and thoughtful history of the Graham Blue Streak.
Some additional tidbits: Erwin George Baker, also known as "Cannonball" Baker, drove a 1933 Graham Blue streak across the country in 53.5 hours, setting a record that stood for almost 40 years.
Automobile production from Graham - Paige ceased in 1940, and its automotive assets were acquired by Kaiser-Frazer in 1947.
Hidcote Manor Garden is a garden in the United Kingdom, located at the village of Hidcote Bartrim, near Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire. It is one of the best-known and most influential Arts and Crafts gardens in Britain, with its linked "garden rooms" of hedges, rare trees, shrubs and herbaceous borders. Created by Lawrence Johnston, it is owned by the National Trust and is open to the public.
Lawrence Johnston was influenced in creating his garden at Hidcote by the work of Alfred Parsons and Gertrude Jekyll, who were designing gardens of hardy plants contained within sequences of outdoor "garden rooms". The theme was in the air: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson's Sissinghurst Castle Garden was laid out as a sequence of such spaces, without, it seems, direct connection with the reclusive and shy Major Johnston. Hidcote's outdoor "rooms" have various characters and themes, achieved by the use of box hedges, hornbeam and yew, and stone walls. These rooms, such as the 'White Garden' and 'Fuchsia Garden' are linked, some by vistas, and furnished with topiaries. Some have ponds and fountains, and all are planted with flowers in bedding schemes. They surround the 17th century manor house, and there are a number of outhouses and a kitchen garden.
Innovative and influential illumination technology: interlinked rooms lit by natural light through overhead skylights
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulwich_Picture_Gallery
PA217271 Anx2 Q90 1400h 2k f10 f25
Looking through Gursky's photos is a delight. There are so many lines and tiny details. And he approaches things straight-on and aligned perfectly, which I rarely do, so this was a challenge. I found this image in my archives and applied some processing so it would take on that Gursky style....kind of. :o))
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©Christine A. Owens 2.15.18
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I really appreciate your comments and faves. I'm not a hoarder of contacts, but enjoy real-life, honest people. You are much more likely to get my comments and faves in return if you fit the latter description. Just sayin. :oD
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If you like b/w photography and/or poetry check out my page at:
expressionsbychristine.blogspot.com/</a
Rendeux Castle
The origins of Rendeux Castle date back to the 18th century, when it was built on the site of a former medieval fortress.
The castle had various owners, of whom the Orban de Xivry family was the most influential. Under their stewardship, the castle became the seat of a seigneury falling under the jurisdiction of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.
During the 18th century, the building underwent a number of major alterations.
In 1987, the castle was largely destroyed by fire. All that remained were the walls. The estate, including the castle, was sold in 1997, and the new owners decided to restore the castle to its former glory. For six years, the reconstruction work was carried out with due respect for its history.
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De oorsprong van het kasteel van Rendeux gaat terug tot de 18e eeuw, toen het werd opgetrokken op de plaats waar vroeger een middeleeuwse burcht stond.
Het kasteel kende verschillende eigenaars, waarvan de familie Orban de Xivry de meest invloedrijke was. Onder hun beheer werd het kasteel de zetel van een heerlijkheid die ressorteerde onder het Prinsbisdom Luik.
Tijdens de 18e eeuw onderging het gebouw een aantal ingrijpende aanpassingen.
In 1987 werd het kasteel grotendeels verwoest door een brand. Wat overbleef waren slechts de muren. Het domein met het kasteel werd in 1997 verkocht, en de nieuwe eigenaars besloten het kasteel zijn vroegere glorie terug te schenken. Gedurende zes jaar werd er met historisch respect gewerkt aan de wederopbouw.
This narrow alleyway in Bologna feels like a quiet footnote to a very long and influential history. Founded in Etruscan times and later flourishing under Roman rule, Bologna has been continuously inhabited for over two millennia. Streets like this one were not designed for spectacle, but for daily life: passageways for merchants, students, artisans, and monks who shaped the city into one of medieval Europe’s great intellectual and commercial centers.
Architecturally, the scene is unmistakably Bolognese. The weathered brick and stone walls speak of medieval construction techniques, while the irregular textures reveal centuries of repairs and adaptations. The tight proportions of the alley reflect a pre-modern urban logic, where density offered protection, shade, and efficiency. Subtle details—iron lamps, drainage channels, and the rhythm of small openings—show how functionality and restraint defined much of Bologna’s historic fabric.
Just beyond alleys like this rise the city’s famous porticoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a defining feature of Bologna’s urban identity. Even where the porticoes are absent, their influence is felt in the deep shadows, sheltered walkways, and human-scale design. This architectural continuity gives Bologna its sense of coherence: a city that evolved slowly, layer by layer, without erasing its past.
Culinarily, these streets are never far from the kitchen. Bologna is widely regarded as the gastronomic heart of Italy, and alleys like this once echoed with the everyday logistics of food—deliveries of flour, wheels of cheese, and cured meats. The city and the wider Emilia-Romagna region are the birthplace of tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini, mortadella, Parmigiano Reggiano, and traditional balsamic vinegar. Here, history, architecture, and cuisine converge quietly, proving that in Bologna, even the most modest alley has a story worth tasting.
RX_09887_20240415_Boloña
The only destruction is what we cause ourselves...
Okay, so not completely true, but still, we are more influential than we think. The words we say won't destroy our enemies, they will inadvertently destroy our friends. The unrest we take part in will turn into something bigger and more dangerous than we ever suspected. As you can see, we either can be the fireballs that incinerate a society or build it up into a loving environment. So be aware, thoughtful, and selfless. Don't accidentally bring the world to its end.
So, this creation wasn't originally going to be a firestorm, but my previous thing wasn't working well or looking good. So I changed it, and it looked better than I though it would. Unfortunately, the front buildings of the skyline are actually the lamest buildings, they got better as they got further away. Anyway, thanks for looking and God bless!
Being from a prestigious and influential Pureblood family, Caspian had been trained in all sorts of classical talents as he grew up. One of which would be ballroom dancing. He hated being forced into it as a kid... but now! Now he has a beautiful girlfriend that he gets to enjoy a dance with during their first Winter Ball together.
What is the meaning of backroom?
A room in which work or other activities are done out of public view or secretly: backroom staff. backroom negotiations.
A room located in the rear, especially one used only by certain people. a place where powerful or influential persons, especially politicians, meet to plan secretly or from which they exercise control in an indirect manner.
(Its actually "Costa Coffee" in chard, Somerset, UK.
so I don't know how much secret plotting goes on in reality)
William Wordsworth (1770–1850) was one of the most influential poets of the Romantic movement, known for his celebration of nature.
Born in Cockermouth, Cumbria, he spent much of his life in the Lake District, in a landscape that deeply influenced his work.
In 1799, he moved to Dove Cottage, where he lived with his sister Dorothy and also from 1802 with his wife Mary. This period marked some of his most creative years, during which he wrote key poems such as I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and worked on his autobiographical masterpiece, The Prelude.
Wordsworth then spent four years living at Allan Bank, before moving to Rydal Mount in 1813, where he spent the rest of his life.
Wordsworth chose to be buried in Grasmere at St Oswald’s Church. His grave, alongside those of his wife Mary and sister Dorothy and other members of his family sees thousands of visitors a year.
Four influential Blues artists who are little known today.
Starting with the Very Bad Indeed; Huddy Ledbetter performed under the stage name of Leadbelly; he was a talented guitar and piano player with a charming voice, and who was also a convicted murderer - he shot a love-rival in the head, and was sentenced to 30 years.
Incredibly, the Governor of Texas was so charmed by Leadbelly's singing, that he had him released within 7 years of his time served.
The song that got him out was 'Goodnight Irene.' You can find it on-line - maybe take the time to learn to sing it, because you never know when that might come in useful!
He was imprisoned again a few years later for 'carving up' six men in a street brawl, and again, his musical talent may have helped him to an early release.
Leadbelly often wore a high collar or neckerchief to cover an ugly scar across his throat where he himself had almost been murdered. Probably not a guy to hang out with.
The Good; Memphis Slim copyrighted all his many songs under the name Peter Chatman, although that wasn't his real name either, he was John - Peter being his father, also a bluesman.
Memphis Slim was an exceptional blues pianist who found considerable recording and performing success, and moved to Paris where, together with bassist Willie Dixon, he had a residency at the famous Café Aux Trois Mailletz. In recordings of their performances, they can be heard flirting with and charming their French audiences - wonderful to hear.
Willy Dixon wrote the song made famous by Etta James, 'I Just Want to Make Love To You'. Slim and Dixon can be heard performing an early version of it on their 1960 'At The Village Gate' album.
The Bad; Aleck Miller, aka Sonny Boy Williamson 2. The '2' is important, not that he would ever use it, because he literally stole the performing name of the already famous harmonica player, John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson. In a gruesome twist of fate, John Williamson was brutally murdered in a mugging, and thereafter, Miller insisted with increasing stridency that he was the 'only' Sonny Boy Williamson (which was, by then, sadly true) and the 'original', which was simply untrue. As he got older, he progressively exaggerated his age, insisting that he was 'an 1800's man' when he was almost certainly born during the first decades of the 20th century. This was a curiously unnecessary thing to do, as he was certainly older than John Williamson.
As it happened, SBW2 was an immensely talented harmonica player and vocalist, with an imposing stage presence, who found great success, especially in Europe. He often appeared (as on this album cover) in an expensively tailored Saville Row suit, complete with bowler hat. His albums are still available and well worth listening to.
The Great; You've probably heard of Muddy Waters. Curiously, McKinley Morganfield acquired that name as a child because of his propensity for.... you've guessed it, playing in creeks and streams. He may not have been a guitar virtuoso like some of his contemporaries, but his stage presence and personality was overwhelming. He knew how to work a crowd. His 'At Newport 1960' record is considered to be one of the best live Blues albums ever.
Waters was instrumental(!) in introducing electric guitars to Blues - not for any artistic reason, but in order to make himself heard in the rowdy Chicago Southside clubs where he made his name. You'll likely know 'Mannish Boy' and 'Hoochie Coochie Man' - many of his recordings are still widely available. A true 'star' of the blues genre.
All four of these men were highly influential on a young man who was to become more famous than any of them, and who also performed under an assumed name. Robert Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan.
Dorothea Lange
Born on May 26th, 1895, in Hoboken, New Jersey, Dorothea Lange was a prominent and highly influential photojournalist and documentary photographer who worked for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) during the Great Depression. Her main task was to show the consequences of the Great Depression.
Early Life
Born Dorothea Margaretta Nutzhorn, the famous American photographer was the daughter of a second-generation German immigrant. At age seven, she contracted polio, a disease which left a permanent mark on her life – an altered gait and a weakened right leg.
Her father abandoned Dorothea and her mother when she was only twelve, which was a traumatic event in her life which determined her to change her last name into Lange, her mother’s maiden name. Dorothea studied photography under American photographer Clarence Hudson White at Columbia University in New York and she was apprenticed to the renowned Arnold Genthe’s photography studio in NY.
When she was 23, she moved to San Francisco where she opened a commercial portrait studio. In 1920, she married painter Maynard Dixon and the couple had two sons, Daniel Rhoades (born in 1925) and John Eaglesfeather Dixon (born in 1930). In the early 1930s, her photographs depicting homeless and unemployed men and women wandering the streets in search of work caught the eye of the FSA, for which she worked between 1935 and 1939. In 1935, she married the Professor of Economics at Berkeley, Paul Schuster Taylor.
Death and Legacy
Dorothea Lange passed away at the age of 70, on October 11, 1965, in San Francisco, California. The cause of death was esophageal cancer. She was survived by her two sons with her first husband and by her second husband Paul Taylor.
In 2008, Lange was inducted into the California Hall of Fame for her outstanding contribution to the development of documentary photography and her son accepted the honor on his mother’s behalf.
I encourage you to read more of her Bio she was a very accomplished photographer more info at: totallyhistory.com/dorothea-lange/
~Edward Weston (The Most Influential American Photographer of the Twentieth Century)
I think what Edward was saying is that rules can only get you so far. In any form of visual art, if it looks right it IS right, so once you get the hang of it and you've experienced enough, you don't actually have to think about the "rules". As the saying goes, true artists are those who dare to break the rules! :)
Have a happy and colorful day everyone!!