View allAll Photos Tagged Refinement
Rover (P2) 16 (1937-40, 1940-48) Engine 2147cc S6 OHV
Registration Number JCV 451 (Cornwall)
ROVER ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623690660271...
Announced as a medium sized family car in August 1936 as a successor to the Rover Meteor 16.. The six-cylinder ohv engine had a capacity of 2,147 cc. A top speed of 124 km/h (77 mph) The 16 was part of the Rover P2 range, along with Rover 10, Rover 12, Rover 14 and Rover 20 models
The P2 came with a new streamlined look easy-clean wheels as well as mechanical refinements such as syncromesh on 3rd and top gears (not essential on cars with freewheel), automatic chassis lubrication and anti-roll stabilisers front and back. The track is now 48 inches, tools are now in a rubber-lined tray. ,
Diolch am 94,755,441 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 94,755,441 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 28.05.2022 at Smallwood Steam Rally. Cheshire REF 160-298
Superficial Refinements.
Accordi ravvicinati che collaborano con le glosse testuali istituzioni riconoscenti e indebitate che preparano gli studi populistici e delicati flussi di protesta retorica,
modele de voci batjocorire ușurință generalizări era plauzibilitate subiectivitate corespunzătoare intensificată conștientizare insistență semnificativă a culturii,
freagrachtaí dearbhuithe aonair dhíospóireachtaí géarchéimeanna bplé dhíospóireacht ghéilleadh saol conquering frustrating lyrical súile,
շքեղ դիրքերը փոխկախվածության ստանդարտների տիրապետման հավասարակշռության առկայության մեջ, վճռականորեն խանգարող ենթավերնակի կրկնվող գործընթացը հաստատող փաստեր,
innovations idées restaurations ironiques fragments corruptifs mots accrus mystifications stratégies classicisme pages héroiques libertés,
정교한 지식 특정 규칙 특권 독단적 인 반대 날카로운 걸프전 항해자 논쟁 자시를 꼼꼼하게 대화 문학 조잡한 구절,
審議のカテゴリー知的討論訓練された決定重要な結果支配的な手段封建的な見解解釈の進歩個人の信頼芸術.
Steve.D.Hammond.
Just realize the power of soft pastel
Pencil sketch + ink gel pen refinement + a little dab of soft pastel here and there.
After dithering for way too long about what changes to make to my Weigle, I finally got around to trying it as a 650B bike and it's a revelation. Speed, comfort, and handling much improved over what was already very good. What's not to like? Numerous refinements still to come but this one's big.
foto tirada por cima de um mar de cabeças que te acompanham durante toda a visita....
Como sempre me impressiona o requinte dos ornamentos que são diferentes e especiais em cada pedaço deste realmente lindo museu e suas obras expostas, realmente para se apreciar as obras é necessário visitá-lo muitas vezes....
gostei além do que foi exposto da cor das paredes desta sala, iluminadas principalmente pelas janelas superiores que propiciam uma sensação de cumplicidade com o local
photo taken over a sea of heads that accompany you throughout the visit ....
As always impresses me the refinement of the ornaments that are different and special in each piece of this really beautiful museum and its works exposed, really to enjoy the works is necessary to visit it many times ....
I liked besides what was exposed of the color of the walls of this room, illuminated mainly by the upper windows that provide a sense of complicity with the place
Don't look too close, that developing is awful. Not yet getting on very well with 510 Pyro and I managed to under develop this roll of FP4 by a reasonable margin. Still, this was only ever about testing another camera.
The Exakta TL500 has been in the collection for quite a long time and somehow, always at of the back of the queue for light seals, clean etc. It came with it's original box and a very unused look. The lens a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar, had fungus and grime from decades of inactivity. There was some fungus left after cleaning, but it doesn't seem to have stopped the lens doing okay. The camera is a little odd, but very well made and actually feels rather nice in use. It's one of the cameras made under the Ihagee name, but in Japan. It's an odd blend of Japanese refinement and East German robustness. Another one that might be staying a while.
#nikonemmad #architecture #japon #tokyo #noiretblanc #minimalisme #japan #blackandwhite #nikon #nikonemmad #refinement #raffinement
27.4.22
Exposure 30secx780sec
Lightroom and-DeNoiseAI-standard
ES 127 Triple and Atik Infinity camera
The three images from tonight, M3, M51 and M101 allowed me to test the new concrete pillar I recently installed. The pillar and EQ6 mount are now permanently in position. All the targets were in the FOV and off centre by a similar amount so a little refinement required.
il Perugino (workshop) Pietro di Cristoforo Vannucci, known as Il divin pittore or as Pietro Perugino (Città della Pieve, about 1448 - Fontignano, February 1523) - madonna col Bambino e due angeli (1495-1500) - tempera on panel 29.1 x 23.1 cm. - Poldi Pezzoli Museum, Milan
In questa piccola tavola, datata tra il 1495 e il 1500 e nata per la devozione privata, la Vergine regge su un ginocchio Gesù Bambino. Egli con una mano indica il petto, mentre con l’altra gioca distrattamente con un pollice della madre. Due angeli chiudono la scena in secondo piano. I personaggi occupano quasi interamente la superficie dell’opera, limitando gli elementi di contorno allo sfondo di cielo e al sedile della Madonna. La raffinatezza degli accordi cromatici, impreziositi nelle capigliature e negli abiti da lumeggiature d’oro, è uno dei tratti distintivi del dipinto, che ne determina la notevole qualità. La grazia dei volti e delle teste inclinate delle figure, lo stile e il tipo di composizione rimandano chiaramente ai modi di Perugino, il maggiore pittore umbro della seconda metà del Quattrocento. In passato la tavola era infatti considerata un capolavoro autografo, tanto che da essa prendeva nome la sala del museo, ancora oggi chiamata “Sala del Perugino”. Insolite per il Perugino, e più prossime ai modi di Raffaello, sono invece una certa vivacità e la studiata contrapposizione nella postura degli angeli che ne accentuano la caratterizzazione individuale
In this small panel, dated between 1495 and 1500 and created for private devotion, the Virgin holds the Child Jesus on one knee. He is pointing to her chest with one hand, while with the other he is absent-mindedly playing with one of his mother's thumbs. Two angels close the scene in the background. The characters occupy almost the entire surface of the work, limiting the surrounding elements to the background of sky and the seat of the Madonna. The refinement of the chromatic accords, embellished in the hair and in the dresses by gold highlights, is one of the distinctive features of the painting, which determines its remarkable quality. The grace of the faces and the inclined heads of the figures, the style and the type of composition clearly refer to the ways of Perugino, the greatest Umbrian painter of the second half of the fifteenth century. In past the table was in fact considered a masterpiece autograph, so much that from it took name the room of the museum, still today called "Room of the Perugino". Unusual for the Perugino, and closer to the ways of Raffaello, they are instead a certain vivacity and the studied contrast in the posture of the angels that they accentuate the characterization individual.
Just found some more orange pieces , so was able to make the standing figures bases to how i really wanted them.
This free'd up the tiles so was also able to make the base to the drummer stud free.
I've also refined the guitarist..
Recently I have been finding myself not only looking at the bigger picture but also focusing on the smaller worlds of intimate scenes. Though frequently not a crowd pleaser I find intimates and abstracts more analogous to modern art where I can show things from a different point of view.
Whilst prepping for sunset shooting in Banff National Park I noticed a small creek with icicles forming along the banks as well as the rocks within. This set of small icicles hanging from the bottom of a rock caught my eyes as they formed suspended glass-like chess pieces. The hard part, however, was capturing the shot as there was no way to position a tripod with the icicles only a few inches above the water and hanging from an undercut rock.
I stood along the stream bank with the camera at the end of my outstretched arms. Though it was not the ideal way to handhold a shot, it worked out after multiple attempts. In the end I was quite pleased with the result as this silvery piece of modern art reminds me of simplicity with refinement.
Sony α7rII
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II
"The filth of Saruman is washing away." - Treebeard
20 years ago today, the final chapter in the Lord of the Rings film saga led by Peter Jackson was released in cinemas worldwide. For the third year celebrating these films, a group of collaborators came together to build scenes from the movie, all tagged in the post above. We wanted to honor the hard work of Jackson and his production team's work, as well as the epic storytelling ability of J.R.R. Tolkien.
I built a scene from the extended edition of ROTK, depicting Saruman's death after being betrayed and stabbed by Wormtongue before falling from Orthanc to his death onto a piece of orc machinery in the flooded courtyard below. This was built and photographed all at once in about 4 hours, keeping true to my tendency to procrastinate. The weird gray piece in the foreground is my attempt to try a new smoke technique, but I think it needs refinement, either from piece usage or editing in PS afterwards.
Also, I drew heavy inspiration from @forlornempire 's version of this scene too, which he did an incredible job with.
I hope you enjoy, and Merry Christmas!
Maranatha
...in infrared. Taken by the B1285 between Hetton-le-Hole and Murton, looking west towards the former, just beyond.
This is an updated version of my original shot from 27 April 2015 (which is still in my photostream for comparison), uploaded on 29 May 2020 during a review of my IR efforts to date prompted by refinements to my IR workflow (I initially struggled when attempting to add colour to my IR shots, and usually had to resort to mono). I have also removed the rather distracting telegraph pole and wind farm turbine that can still be seen in the original!
I prefer this version... but that's just me. 😃
“Here we are again, is there no limit to the number of times the man wants to use his picture taking thingy on three legs? Surely by now even he must have one picture that he can see us in.” Said Sky
“He has lots, Sky, I saw them a while back when he was looking through them.” Replied Barnaby.
“Then why do we have to go through all this again?”
“I think he likes to do it, Sky, it doesn’t matter as it only takes a little while and then we can disappear and do what we want to do.” Said Bertie.
“I suppose, but he must get this over with fast as I have a few jars of honey on the way and I need to open the other door before the driver gets to the usual one. If the man sees what I have ordered, well, there is just the smallest chance he might turn it away.”
“Exactly what have you ordered, Sky?” Asked Posh Bear.
“It is difficult to say, Posh, I can’t remember exactly.” Said Sky wishing the man would finish up.
“Well, roughly then, what have you on order, Sky?” Asked Bertie grinning.
“Just some honey, chocolate, marshmallows, popcorn, apple juice and some stuff that Linda Bear from Canada thought we might enjoy.”
“What was that?” Asked Barnaby licking his lips.
“It is called maple syrup.”
“What are maples, Sky?” Asked Barnaby.
“I don’t know, ask Linda Bear as she might know.”
“Maples are trees, Sky. They grow a lot of them in Canada where Linda once lived. I suppose she must miss her friends she made before she was sold and came here.” Said Posh Bear.
“She misses trees? Why would she miss a tree? I mean, I like them but I don’t miss them enough to eat them.” Said Barnaby.
“I think it is sad and that we need to do something nice for Linda Bear and make her happy again.” Said Bertie.
“I agree Bertie, we must put our heads together and make sure that Linda is happy again and help her not to miss her friends in Canada so much.” Said Posh Bear.
“How are we going to do that? I mean apart from this tree stuff?” Asked Barnaby.
“I know what we can do, it is easy.” Said Sky.
“What would that be, Sky?” Asked Posh Bear.
“Simple, we have a word with Ellie and get her to take us all to this place called Canada and visit Linda’s friends.”
“Ellie and that ellicopter are dangerous, we’ll all be feeling downside up by the time we get there, that is if Ellie can actually find the place. I mean, unless it is bigger than huge, she won’t see it.” Said Bertie.
“I think you might be right, Bertie, however, I do think Sky has had a brilliant idea.” Said Posh Bear.
“I have?” Asked Sky looking shocked at the news.
“Yes, Sky, it just needs a little refinement.” Said Posh Bear.
“Oh, I don’t think I have any refinement left, and it isn’t on our order that is due later today.”
“That’s all right, Sky, what I mean is that we need to borrow the ellicopter and then ask Icecap to drive it. He can drop us off and then fly further up and visit his relations and pick us up on the way back.” Said Posh Bear.
“We could?” Asked Sky still mystified he had had a brilliant idea.
“Yes, we could. Let the man get whatever he is trying to do out of the way and then I’ll go and ask Ellie and Icecap. We’ll then wait until our delivery comes and then we can go and see Linda Bear and off we’ll all go.”
“Gosh! I wish I was as clever as you, Sky, I wish I had a brilliant idea.” Said Barnaby.
“I’m sure you will one day, Barnaby, it just takes time.” Said Sky proudly.
“Yes, Barnaby, if you have enough ideas, eventually, one has to be a good idea, ask Sky.” Giggled Bertie.
The PE or A Programmable Entity was a tool quite frequently used by the mercenary groups of Geoli in day to day operations. Durable in it's construction the PE sported features such as advanced sensor systems, dextrous manipulators, and both light and heavy grade laser weaponry which allowed it to apply itself proficiently at a variety of tasks.
Revamping an older bot idea of mine.
www.flickr.com/photos/53458657@N04/7101170041/
Would like to make some hand held weaponry and some other further refinements but this is where its at for now.
I'm finally getting around to scanning the remaining prints from my first Holga rolls. I just really played, trying to see for myself what I can and cannot do w/ this wondrous little camera -- testing it through a range of conditions, knowing much of it would not work out. So, I look forward to refinements & being able to post some better shots. ^_^
The Baptistery of Castiglione Olona is a building in the complex of the Collegiate Church of Santi Stefano e Lorenzo, famous for housing a remarkable cycle of frescoes by Masolino da Panicale (Stories of St John the Baptist, 1435).
The 'baptistery' room probably originated as an aristocratic chapel inside the dismantled castle of Castiglione Olona. At the time of Cardinal Branda Castiglione it was renovated and decorated by the famous cycle by Masolino, who had already worked for the cardinal in Rome, in the basilica of San Clemente of which he had been titular.
Masolino's fresco cycle, a work of his maturity, dated 1435, unfolds on the walls and vaults. The episodes from the life of John the Baptist unfold along the walls with a strong interpenetration of the painted architecture with the real one and, in some cases, an attempt to overcome the very barrier of the end of the wall by linking adjoining scenes with illusionistic effects. Important is the use of Brunelleschian perspective, here applied for the first time in Lombardy, also linked to chromatic and material refinements (such as the use of metal foil in haloes and armouring), which make Masolino a transitional artist between the languages of the Late Gothic and the Renaissance in the strict sense.
The state of preservation of the cycle is uneven: while the right and back walls are well readable, the left and part of the central wall are damaged, as they are more exposed to moisture and weather.
On the vault are the four evangelists around a depiction of the Mystical Lamb in the keystone. The stories of John the Baptist begin on the right counter façade with the Announcement to Zachariah, set in a central plan building and next to an extraordinary view of Rome above the entrance door, followed by the Visitation (barely legible). Continuing on the left wall is the Nativity of John the Baptist, almost completely lost, and the Imposition of the Name, set under an archway that forms a 'perspective telescope', capable of dramatically expanding the physical space of the chapel.
On the archway are the four Doctors of the Church, seated at their scholarly chairs, and two Prophets.
Salome and other bystanders at Herod's Banquet.
In the scarsella, seamless between the walls, the Preaching of the Baptist, the Baptism of Christ (centre) and the Capture and Imprisonment of the Baptist are depicted. In the vault God the Father among angels, a scene connected to the Baptism below, in an overall depiction of the Trinity. Next on the partition wall is the Beheading of the Baptist, and above, on the arch, two angels with scrolls (one almost illegible). Finally, on the right-hand wall is Herod's Banquet, perhaps the best known scene of the entire cycle, which also includes the handing over of the head to Herodias (right) and the burial of the Baptist (in the background). Especially in the latter scene, several bystanders in elegant contemporary dress appear, probably Cardinal Branda and other dignitaries of the place, following an expedient already used in the Brancacci Chapel.
The building has gone through a few subtle refinements over the years, but it largely looks exactly the same as when I first made it. Most changes involve interior structure improvements.
This refinement reflects a whole lifestyle. It is also a source of infinite pleasure. Pol Roger Champagne has a soul, created by the union of a family's spirit and the character of a vineyard. The winery and the cellars are located on the celebrated and noble Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, in the very place where the heart of Champagne beats
The Royal Opera House is one of the greatest works by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel. Inaugurated in 1770 during the reign of Louis XV, it was at the time the largest concert hall in Europe, and was also a great technical achievement and an impressive feat of decorative refinement. A theatre for monarchic and then republican life, it has hosted celebrations, shows and parliamentary debates.
Outtake from the last upload.
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John Dreyfuss employs classical tools and techniques to create works in bronze, steel, iron, and, more recently, composite materials used in the aerospace industry. His work is grounded in the study of animal and architectural forms, with an emphasis on the refinement and adaptation of three-dimensional structures over time and space. His training in both architecture and sculpture found a poetic fusion in the essential duality of his work, where abstracted lines blend seamlessly with the lifelike shapes and textures intrinsic to sculptural realism. Dreyfuss studied at the University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture, Philadelphia, and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Dreyfuss has exhibited extensively in the United States and abroad with sculptures like this one in Chattanooga, Tennessee titled Full Count. It was created in 1990 of bronze casting with brown patina. It is displayed outside the Hunter Museum of American Art after is was purchased by the museum in 1997.
"Baseball says so much about who we are. It is a way to bind ourselves together emotionally. It is the game we play, and the game most emulated by those interested in our culture."
-- John Dreyfuss
Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/
Theme Rules:
There is a poetic nature to minimalism that is about striking a balance between full and empty.” -- Jennie C. Jones, artist
The Webster dictionary defines minimalism as follows: A style or technique that is characterized by extreme sparseness and simplicity. For this theme you must create a photo with a “keep it simple” mentality. How you approach this theme is entirely up to you, but keep ornamental additions to a minimum. Think negative space photography or sparsely decorated rooms. Think simplistic fashion with a classic sheath dress, flawless ponytail, and pearl stud earrings. Show us that your doll(s) knows that sometimes less is more.
About this photo:
Refinement Vanessa was my first Fashion Royalty doll. I knew the IT brand and this particular line for some time, dreamed of having at least one of their super dolls but I knew this was a premium brand among doll collectors. And, one day, I was able to get my first FR doll, it was this Vanessa, she holds a very special place in my collection being "the first one". I wanted to dedicate this theme to her :)
BMW (E21) C1-2.3 Alpina (1980-83) Engine 2316cc BMW M20B23 S6 12v Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection 168hp (170 PS)
Registration Number ULL 678 X (London)
BMW ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759864432...
The BMW E21 3 Series had no performance based M3 type car in its arsenal, Alpina sought to occupy that gap in the market with the C1 2.3 offing both performance and refinement the BMW small block straight six was hand built by Alpina. First offered in 1976 and sold through selected BMW dealerships, the C1 2.3 offered 170PS (168 hp), even after BMW introduced its own 2.3i (323), there was still a market for the Alpina. due to the initial significant delivery times for the 323i. The C1 2.3 proved so successful for Alpina: that the concept of the small-block 6-cilinder engines was further developed in the E30 3-series with the C1 2.3/1 and following models.
Diolch am 91,340,198 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 91,340,198 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 17.04.2022 Weston Park (Classic Car Show), Weston-under-Lizard, Salop 157-043
A study in the scientific journal Nature has hypothesised that the origin of orchids goes back much longer than originally expected.
An extinct species of stingless bee, Proplebeia dominicana, was found trapped in Miocene amber from about 15-20 million years ago.
The bee was carrying pollen of a previously unknown orchid taxon, Meliorchis caribea, on its wings. T
his find is the first evidence of fossilised orchids to date and shows insects were active pollinators of orchids then.
According to Mark W. Chase et al. (2001), the overall biogeography and phylogenetic patterns of Orchidaceae show they are even older and may go back roughly 100 million years.
Using the molecular clock method, it was possible to determine the age of the major branches of the orchid family. This also confirmed that the subfamily Vanilloideae is a branch at the basal dichotomy of the monandrous orchids, and must have evolved very early in the evolution of the family.
Since this subfamily occurs worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions, from tropical America to tropical Asia, New Guinea and West Africa, and the continents began to split about 100 million years ago, significant biotic exchange must have occurred after this split (since the age of Vanilla is estimated at 60 to 70 million years).
Orchids have symbolised different things to many cultures throughout the ages, but today they represent luxury, maturity, charm, thoughtfulness, and refinement.
Purple Orchid meaning: there is grace and class exuded by this flower. It is considered to be the ROYAL one!
Have a sweet day and thanx for viewing, Magda (*_*)
For more of my other work or if you want to PURCHASE (ONLY PLACE TO BUY MY IMAGES!), VIEW THE NEW PORTFOLIOS AND LATEST NEWS HERE on our website: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
The Waverly at Las Olas is a 14-story high-rise built in 2004. The Waverly is pet-friendly and offers a number of amenities including a resident clubroom with a billiards table and kitchen, a gym, heated swimming pool, hot tub, and garage parking.
This building offers elegant design and post-modern architecture The Waverly is South Florida's pinnacle of social refinement. Residents here enjoy lavish, resort-style living wrapped in the luxury of downtown shopping and dining. Private balconies reveal spectacular views of the city skyline while the warm Atlantic Ocean beach waters rest only moments away. This residential dream is a mere walking distance from the central business district, residents embrace a seamless mingling of professional and social life. Uncommon comforts meet everyday life at The Waverly at Las Olas.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.emporis.com/buildings/134919/the-waverly-at-las-olas-...
images1.loopnet.com/d2/69CNS5ZhhN8-au-FUodLOA2_jXdCoDgJwS...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
Phillip Mould:
This painting of the young Queen dating to c.1558 is ‘undoubtedly the earliest portrait of the Queen after her accession’1. It is remarkable in the simplicity of its conception, and offers a surprising and refreshing alternative glimpse of Elizabeth the woman in comparison with the more familiar, later portraits, in which the individual is obscured and then entirely overwhelmed in a profusion of emblematic and allegorical representation. In the assessment of Malcolm Rogers ‘it is by far the most ambitious and the only one at three-quarter length and showing her hands (which were much admired by contemporaries).’2 Rogers also notes the painting’s superb condition, and the ‘considerable refinement and delicacy of touch’3 evident in the execution. Sir Roy Strong agrees that ‘this very early image, the Clopton portrait is by far the largest and most complete.’4
Survivals of this early pattern are rare, and the present example is unique in showing the Queen at three-quarter length. The few other examples, such as that in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG 4449), formerly at Northwick Park, show the Queen only at bust-length, and are noticeably more wooden in execution. NPG 4449 reduces the composition to a mere head emerging from an ermine collar, and the Queen’s jewellery is treated in a cursory and schematic manner. Considering the NPG portrait it is easy to understand why Elizabeth was forced in 1563 to issue a proclamation banning the further reproduction of her portrait until she had sat for a new model.
The authority of the Clopton portrait is apparent in the meticulous painting of the Queen’s ruff and cuffs, and the highly realistic depiction of her ermine collar. The painting of the face is in the tradition of English mid-sixteenth portraiture with its hard, delicate rendition of eyes, nose and mouth, but the painter has modelled the face to suggest real presence and animation which elevate it above the ranks of the increasingly mechanical and mask-like reproductions. Perhaps the most telling detail, however, which confirms the status of this portrait is the drawing of the large, square-cut jewel that the Queen wears from the double chain around her neck. This is simplified to its bare outline in NPG 4449, and the male and female figures that flank the cartouche have been misunderstood as mannerist curlicues. Throughout her reign, as her portraiture amply demonstrates, Queen Elizabeth’s jewellery was a vastly important facet of her magnificence. Numerous pieces of emblematic jewellery were worn by her, and given and exchanged between her and favourite courtiers, some of which, such as ‘The Ship Jewel’ in the Victoria and Albert Museum, survive to give a taste of their luxury. Little survives, as it was swiftly dispersed by her successors, James I and Charles I. The Clopton portrait is an important record of what must have been one of the Queen’s favourite and oldest jewels, the jewel known as ‘The Mirror of France’ which had belonged to King Henry VIII her father. The large pendant is represented so exactly that it can be recognised in at least three later portraits. She wears it from a chain around her neck in an anonymous panel portrait dated by Strong to c.1568 and again in the later Portrait of Queen Elizabeth in Robes of State c.1585 – 90 (collection of Lord Tollemache, Helmingham Hall). It is also recognisable in the famous ‘Sieve portrait’ (Marquess of Salisbury, Hatfield House).
This portrait was in the collection of the Rev F. H. Hodgson at Clopton House in Warwickshire, where it hung with portraits of the Clopton family, remaining after the sale of Clopton House in 1930 with Hodgson’s heirs until the 1980s. The Cloptons had been a family of considerable importance in Stratford on Avon, and members of the family had been benefactors and chief citizens of the town since the early middle ages. During the reign of Elizabeth they lived both at Clopton House just outside the town and at New Place, a large gabled building set around three courtyards next to the Guild Chapel built by their ancestor Sir Hugh Clopton, Lord Mayor of London in 1492. This house, where the present portrait may well have hung during their occupancy, was sold to another of Stratford’s prominent citizens in 1597, William Shakespeare, for the considerable sum of £120. Shakespeare would have had frequent dealings with the Cloptons, since he and they were the town’s richest inhabitants and chief landowners in the country nearby. The history of the Cloptons even influenced one of Shakespeare’s plays, since the story of Charlotte Clopton who was hastily interred alive in the Clopton vault during a sixteenth century outbreak of plague, is considered to be the source of the death of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.
1. Private correspondence with Malcolm Rogers, then Deputy Director of the National Portrait Gallery London August 3rd 1992
2. ibid.
3. ibid.
4. Private correspondence with Sir Roy Strong July 27th 1991
I was laying on Iman's bed while he was at work and suddenly saw this globe on his wardrobe. It's less then a month till I will move to Cardiff and I'm so not ready to leave my home and the ones I love for one year.
Haha I just noticed I'm wearing Iman's basketball shirt :)
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74mm telephoto shot from Friendship Park with subtle tilt shift added in Photoshop and further refinement in Perfect Effects.
I am home again for a while and will catch up when I can. Thank you all very much for your wonderful comments. It was so lovely in Akaroa it was hard to come back to the city again.
I meet up with a wonderful flickr friend and we had a wonderful time getting blown and rained on while looking around the city. It was great to meet up with her. Pity the weather wasn't kinder!
September 19, 2015 Christchurch, New Zealand.
It got so wet and cold we spent some time looking around the inside of the Heritage Hotel.
A Write up About the Heritage Hotel.
Christchurch is a long way from the Mediterranean – nevertheless, the opulence of an Italian High Renaissance Palazzo awaits you at the Heritage Christchurch. Designed by Joseph Clark Maddison and opened in 1913, the hotel is listed as a category one building on the Historic Places Trust Register, reflecting its status as a building of national significance. The hotel’s grand design is fitting: after all, Christchurch is regarded as the Garden City, and is regarded internationally for its culture and refinement.
For more Info and photos:http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/city-centre/9191247/Heritage-Hotel-reopens-on-birthday
I find it helps me choose who I love the most to put all the dolls of one mold together. If I look at one alone, I feel the need to keep it. Even if its not my favorite, I'm really good at justifying why she should stay. But when I put them together I can start to see who my top favorites are and who my least favorites are. I do have some trouble breaking this particular group up though, because I think this is all of the 3rd mold Vanessa dolls. Its a complete set! Or is it, since technically, Out Sass isn't factory original? And space in the doll room isn't infinite, and shouldn't I curate my collection to all things I really love instead of just like? And more dolls come every day, so some will have to move on, right? This is what I struggle with. I love them all for different reasons, but I need to make space. I cant enjoy them when they're crowded on top of each other. First world problems, eh?
Who's who?
Rear in box:
Convention Helper doll Illustrious Vanessa
4rd row left to right:
Chameleon, Adorned, High Point X2
3rd row: Enhanced Refinement, Refinement Original, Enhanced Out Sass, Star Power, OOAK full repaint
2nd row left to right:
Enhanced Fashion Explorer, Original Fashion Explorer, OOAK full repaint, Take Me On, Black Orchid
Standing in front
Left: Edge
Right: Sophistiquee
R&D Center A&B - the LEGO inspired box art parody (not a real set. sorry folks)
"The word of the Muad'Dib will penetrate deep within their hearts... one way or another..."
Built for the Burgomeister "R&D Lab" category of DA4, supporting General Farok. The embedded image in the comments meets the A&B criteria of designing LEGO inspired box art.
The research and development lab staff include:
- Master Administrator (main floor); oversees the overall running of the research institute, as well as the data analytics.
- Master of Chemistry (top floor); leads research in spice production, refinement, and weaponized usages. Controls the refining column that rises through the building.
- Master of Resources (in vehicle); procures all resources needed by the lab. Also the primary driver of the desert track ATV stored in the bottom level. The grand staircase in front of the building lifts up for the vehicle to pass through.
- Master of Arms (bottom level); tests all weapons for combat worthiness.
- Master of Communications (bottom level with headset); researches sonic weapons, specifically attuned to the "weirding way".
Jewel of Pays d’Auge, Normandy en.normandie-tourisme.fr/normandy-tourism-109-2.html, the Castle of Saint-Germain de Livet is striking by its architecture. Surrounded by moats, it is made up of a timber-framed manor dates back to the 15th century and a Renaissance wing built during the 16th century. This part is remarkable for its painting tiles. The castle houses marvellous frescoes dated from the 16th century. The visit is extended by the discovery of the flowery and raised park. This castle is also a museum. It presents the furniture and the works of art of the family Riesener-Pillaut who bequeathed the castle to the city of Lisieux in 1957. The inside testifies the refinement and the lifestyle of the 19th century. The trail evokes the artistic and personal journey of the painter Léon Riesener (1808-1878), grandson of the cabinet maker Jean-Henri Riesener and cousin of Eugène Delacroix. Visit the furnished interior of the Château de Saint-Germain-de-Livet, where you can also admire paintings by the artist Léon Riesener. The castle has been the property of the town of Lisieux since 1958. www.calvados-tourisme.co.uk/diffusio/en/discover/sites-mo...
I thought I was putting her on a NuFace2 body, but I accidentally used a FR16 body. Sort of like it!
Wearing: Luxuriously Gifted Natalia's shorts, Refinement Vanessa's blouse, Style Renaissance Adele's corset, and The Awakening Annik's boots.
This handsome timepiece is a classic example of the American shelf clock tradition, most likely dating from the late 1840s to mid-1850s, based on its form, materials, and painted lower glass.
Patina
One of the most evocative features of this clock is the thick patina that has developed on either side of the small brass door pull—a subtle but powerful indicator of its long history in domestic life.
This is not merely the result of age or environmental exposure, but a classic example of what decorative arts scholars call contact patina: the gradual burnishing and darkening of wood through repeated human touch. Each time the clock was opened to wind the movement or adjust the hands—typically once a week—fingers brushed the case beside the knob, leaving behind trace oils and wearing a soft polish into the surface. Over time, this built up into a tactile record of use, a kind of vernacular provenance that links the object to the rhythm of daily life.
Unlike a pristine museum piece, this clock bears visible witness to its role as a functional and familiar presence in the household, its case shaped not only by design but by the repetitive gestures of care and routine.
The Veneer
The close-up image reveals a richly figured, high-contrast wood veneer with ribbon-like banding and dark streaks set against a warm reddish-brown ground—characteristics strongly indicative of Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra), the most prized species used for decorative veneer work in mid-19th-century American furniture and clocks.
The dramatic, almost bookmatched grain patterns and oily depth of surface reflect a level of natural complexity that would be difficult to replicate with faux graining techniques, and the coloration and striping rule out domestic species like walnut, cherry, or mahogany, which tend to be more uniform and subdued.
This is clearly not painted or grain-simulated pine, but a true tropical hardwood veneer, likely imported and carefully applied to elevate the visual sophistication of an otherwise utilitarian clock case.
Based on visual analysis alone, it is almost certainly genuine rosewood veneer—probably Brazilian in origin—confirming the clock's alignment with the mid-19th-century trend toward richly veneered consumer goods that aspired to refinement through both material and form.
The Movement
Based on the form, proportions, and stylistic features of the clock—particularly the case shape, stenciled dial, and reverse-painted lower glass—it was almost certainly powered by a weight-driven brass movement, most likely an 8-day mechanism manufactured in Connecticut between the 1840s and 1850s.
Clocks of this type typically featured two descending cast iron weights, each suspended by a cord or chain wound around a drum: one driving the timekeeping mechanism (escapement and gear train), and the other powering an hourly striking mechanism, usually a simple bell or wire gong.
These weights would descend slowly over the course of a week, requiring the owner to rewind the clock once every seven to eight days using a key or crank. This system marked a pivotal development in American clockmaking, replacing earlier wooden movements of the 1820s and 1830s with more affordable, reliable, and standardized brass works.
The relatively tall yet shallow case is typical of shelf clocks designed to accommodate a full-size pendulum and descending weights while remaining compact enough for domestic mantels or wall brackets. The upper glass door allowed access to the dial and winding arbors, while the lower glass panel—though primarily decorative—sometimes opened as well for pendulum adjustment.
Far from being a spring-driven or battery-powered novelty, this clock embodies the mechanical ingenuity and democratizing spirit of mid-19th-century Connecticut clockmakers, whose innovations brought accurate, ornamental timekeeping within reach of the growing American middle class.
️Case Design: Empire Revival with a Touch of Restraint
The clock case displays veneered rosewood - a hallmark of American mass-market clocks from the mid-19th century. The thick, broad molding with deeply chamfered edges is characteristic of the Empire Revival style, popular in clock cases after about 1835.
This style was a simplified, Americanized echo of high-style Empire furniture.
The form is rectilinear and masculine, eschewing the curves of Federal or Rococo Revival trends.
It speaks to the democratization of style in American decorative arts: mass-produced clocks like this brought a sense of refinement into middle-class homes at a time when furniture was becoming increasingly standardized.
The construction, likely by a Connecticut firm such as Seth Thomas, Eli Terry, or Chauncey Jerome, reflects the “transitional” period between early wooden works and later spring-driven brass movements.
⌚ Dial: Stenciled Roman Numerals with Exposed Movement
The dial features Roman numerals in a clean stencil style, with an open center that allows a glimpse of the brass gearworks—a detail that became common in mid-century clocks as brass movement manufacturing matured.
The relatively small, round viewing aperture reveals enough to showcase the clock's mechanical heart but not enough to distract.
The starkness of the numerals and simplicity of the minute marks suggest an effort to blend utility with modest refinement.
️Lower Door Glass: The Compass Rose Motif
This is where things get especially interesting.
The painted lower tablet features a central compass rose or eight-pointed star, surrounded by scrolling foliate patterns in gold and white. Here's what stands out:
Why It's Hard to Date:
The compass rose is an ambiguous visual symbol in American folk and decorative art. It:
Echoes nautical and cartographic traditions, making it appealing in both coastal and inland decorative contexts.
Is also a quasi-Masonic symbol, often associated with moral direction or worldly orientation, which gave it broad symbolic appeal in the 19th century.
This compass/starburst design overlaps with:
Fraktur and Pennsylvania Dutch motifs
Folk-painted furniture
Nautical-themed stencils
Patent stenciling in parlor decoration
Its execution here suggests factory stencilwork, not freehand, so it was likely part of the mass production system but intended to offer a slightly exotic, learned, or "mariner's" flair to the domestic interior.
The round motifs with jagged or scalloped edges in the corners of the clock’s lower glass tablet strongly evoke the flower known as a "pink"—a member of the Dianthus family, including carnations—whose fringed petals were a familiar visual form in 19th-century decorative arts. Though abstracted and rendered in a limited palette, these forms likely reference the symbolic language of flowers popular at the time: carnations represented affection, remembrance, and good fortune, and their inclusion here subtly feminizes and sentimentalizes the clock’s otherwise geometric design.
The pairing of these stylized floral medallions with the bold compass rose at the center creates a deliberate interplay between domestic warmth and directional clarity, between the emotional and the mechanical.
It reflects a broader 19th-century decorative tendency to merge industrial regularity with romantic naturalism—a hybrid language seen in stenciled walls, toleware, and reverse-painted mirrors and clocks throughout the antebellum period. In this context, the “pinks” not only soften the visual field but also root the mass-produced object in the sentimental and symbolic culture of the Victorian home.
While one must be cautious when drawing connections across periods in the decorative arts, the curving lines that frame the compass rose and corner motifs on this clock glass do appear to foreshadow the sinuous outlines of jigsaw-cut fretwork that became a hallmark of the Queen Anne revival and Eastlake-influenced styles later in the 19th century.
Though modest and schematic—painted rather than carved, and purely ornamental rather than structural—these flourishes share the same impulse to soften rectilinear form with graceful, scrolling detail.
They occupy a transitional space in American design, marking the shift from the simplified classical motifs of the mid-century to the more expressive, machine-assisted intricacy that would soon define Victorian taste. In this sense, the clock quietly anticipates a return to decorative elaboration—not through hand carving, but via scroll saws and jig-cut embellishments, as seen in furniture, gable brackets, and parlor ornament of the 1870s and 1880s.
The effect here is subdued and economical, but the visual rhythm of the lines hints at the more assertive ornamentation to come.
Context in Decorative Arts:
This kind of glass painting fits into the tradition of "eglomisé" (reverse-painted) glass tablets, a defining feature of American clocks from ca. 1830–1860. The patterns:
Were usually done via stencils and pounce patterns, then filled in by hand.
Balanced bold geometric clarity (in the star) with fanciful, curvilinear border scrolls.
Provided a splash of color and interest in parlors that otherwise may have lacked artwork.
This particular motif, with its clean divisions and symmetrical arms, aligns with navigational, moral, and even religious overtones popular in antebellum Protestant America. It may have appealed equally to the Yankee merchant, Midwest farmer, or Methodist schoolteacher—it was culturally portable.
Broader Context: American Consumer Goods and Clock Democratization
The entire object is emblematic of mid-19th-century American mass production:
Wooden shelf clocks like this were among the first true mass consumer goods in the U.S.
Clockmakers in Connecticut led the charge, thanks to:
Standardized brass movements
Pine cases with veneered or faux-painted surfaces
Factory stenciling and lithographed dials
The affordability and availability of these clocks meant that even modest households could own a timepiece, a powerful symbol of middle-class aspirations and punctuality culture in a growing capitalist economy.
Verdict on Date and Typology
Probable date: ca. 1845–1855
Maker: Possibly Jerome, Birge, or another Connecticut manufacturer—though unmarked, the design falls squarely within their domain.
Type: 30-hour weight-driven shelf clock, sometimes called a "transition" or "column and cornice" derivative. The absence of side columns or ogee curves suggests a transitional Empire form.
This text is a collaboration with Chat GPT.
(Image modifiée Lr).
Please do not invite me to share images in closed groups without prior invitation. Thank you.
... u make but there is one vision of the results (4 picts + 1 with refinements) (^^) enjoy.
Catwa HDPro with Belleza GenX Classic:
Capturing my multi-ethnicity in my face, has always been an issue in SL. We all know how one slider sometimes affects another part of your face, where quick-logic says it shouldn't.
I don't expect anyone to see what I did to my face and head, but I'm happy with the refinements of my face and cranium.
A couple of new rigged hairdos I got, just won't fit correctly.
To achieve my look sometimes makes parts of my cranium push it's way out of the hairdos, with alpha-cuts doing very little to help.
Last night, I came on briefly to try out a hair gifted to me. I really love it. This is not that hair. This is a new Bonbon which I love just-as-much. I won't mention the other hair, just because I don't want anyone to misunderstand and think I'm blasting the awesome work put into it by that creator.
I'm hoping a future update to it fixes my particular head issue ( WATCH IT, you pervs! ^_^ ).
Until then, I'll either just use that hairdo for shoots, or try wearing it with another.
Sometimes, to get a particular look, I'll wear 2 or 3 hairdos at once, if their textures and alphas compliment one another.
Performing every SL and Catwa HDPro slider combination trick I could think of, didn't solve my problem UNLESS I stretched my neck to about a foot and a half in height.
Hahahaha...
Datsun (Nissan) 280ZX 2+2 (S130) (1978-83) Engine 2753ccS6
Registration Number YOT 744 V (Portsmouth)
NISSAN ALBUM
www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623814850528...
The Datsun S130, 280ZX, Nissan Fairlady Z and Nissan Fairlady 280Z, depending on the market. was introduced in 1978, replacing the long running S30, The 280ZX was the first time the Nissan subscript was badged alongside the Datsun logo. The 280ZX was a complete redesign, retaining only the L28 inline-six engine and other driveline components from the 280Z. Both two-seat and four-seat (2+2) designs were offered.
Compared to the outgoing sports oriented S30 range, the 280ZX was a much softer, heavier car, focusing more on comfort and refinement with softer suspension and things like a high end audio system. The exterior design was evolutionary, less rounded and with better integrated safety bumpers. Many parts, including the rear-axle and the power steering came from the Datsun 810 luxury sedan shifting the car from a sports car to grand tourer. The new design had a lower centre-of-gravity with the cars rear stretched to accommodate a larger 80 L (21.133 US liquid gallons) fuel tank.
Diolch am 92,859,410 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.
Thanks for 92,859,410 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.
Shot 23.04.2022 at the Bicester Spring Scramble, Bicester, Oxfordshire 158-333
Collection Refinement #2
This is one of my hybrid dolls. It is Urban Antoinette Adele Makeda from 2006. She was a wigged doll that I put on a NuFace body. I found this Puki wig and glued it on. She is one of my favorite NuFace dolls, so I don't plan on "re-homing" her anytime soon.
That day I took photos in a shower..
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maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zurich%20City/65/20/1201
Like every Sunday, the Bouncing Betty welcomes DJ Alex for a moment of complete release to the rhythms of Electro Swing, Jazz and Blues. These are always beautiful nuggets to listen to. The Boucing Betty presents a breathtaking decor of realism, refinement with a subtle mix of baroque, art & deco, futuristic and also prohibition years, 1920', 1930'. The atmosphere, the show on stage, the lights, the colors and of course the music, everything is there for a total immersion, an assured enchantment and a certain escape. Come numerous and invite your friends.