View allAll Photos Tagged Respect
Salta, Argentina
NOTE and RESPECT the copyright ©. Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.
NOTA: Por favor respetar los derechos de autor ©, no use esta imagen en páginas web , blogs, impresos u otros medios de comunicación sin mi permiso explícito.
César Manrique Foundation is headquartered in a spectacular dwelling designed by César Manrique himself upon his return from New York City, when he decided to locate permanently at Lanzarote. This was his home for the 20 years running from 1968 to 1988, the longest he ever lived in a single place. It is sited in the midst of a lava coulee formed during the violent eruptions that rocked the island between 1730 and 1736. This 3 000 square metre building engages in constant dialogue with the natural surrounds on its 30 000-square metre lot and beyond: here, volcano and architecture blend in mutual respect.
The upper storey draws its inspiration from Lanzarote’s traditional architecture, enhanced with modern functional elements such as wide windows, large rooms and overhead lighting.
The lower storey is built around five natural volcanic bubbles interconnected by tunnels excavated in the lava. They constitute a surprisingly habitable setting and an exemplary intervention in a natural space. The swimming pool, the small ballroom, the oven, the barbeque… are also open to visitors, all surrounded by abundant plant life and the island’s ubiquitous basalt. The room located just before the exit is the painter’s former studio, today converted into an exhibition hall for paintings.
The landscaping around the house plays on the fascinating contrast between the inorganic black lava, volcanic ash and “socos” (low wind screens) on the one hand and fruit trees and other plants on the other.
Japanese Garden also called as The Garden of Three Islands is one of the many gardens within the Chicago Botanical Gardens. Here it is indeed easy to overlook how the Japanese respect for nature and age are revealed. If you look closely, though, the effect is evocative, as seamless as a traditional haiku. The larger rocks are partially buried, as if they have been in place forever. Flowering plants have a short bloom time, reflecting the yin-yang balance between the ephemeral existence of human life and the timelessness of nature. Many of the trees are pruned and trained to give the illusion of age.
This 17-acre lakeside garden includes three islands. Only two (Island of Clear, Pure Breezes & Island of the Auspicious Cloud) are open to the public. Across the lake, the inaccessible island (Island of Everlasting Happiness) is symbolic of paradise—in sight yet elusive.
Sunset is particularly an awesome time to take a walk by the lake around these islands :)
Lorenzo Lotto (Venezia, 1480 – Loreto, 1556/1557) - Ritratto di Febo da Brescia (marito di Laura da Pola) (1543-44) - Olio su tela 82 x 78 cm - Pinacoteca di Brera, Milano
Il ritratto di Febo da Brescia, notabile trevigiano il cui alto rango sociale è sottolineato dall’elegante abbigliamento, è databile al 1543-1544: questo sulla base della identificazione proposta da Bernard Berenson tra il personaggio ritratto e il “misser” che nel 1543 doveva al pittore un pagamento per “dui quadri de retrati grandi de naturale meze figure” cioè la sua propria effigie “et quela dela dona sua madonna Laura de Puola”.
L’altezza leggermente inferiore del ritratto di Febo rispetto a quello della sua sposa esposto qui accanto, e il fatto che la sua testa sia molto più vicina alla cornice fanno pensare che il lato superiore della tela sia stato tagliato.
The portrait of Febo da Brescia, an important member of the community of Treviso whose high social rank is underlined by his elegant clothing, can be dated to 1543-44 on the basis of the identification proposed by Bernard Berenson between the person portrayed and the “gentleman” who in 1543 owed the artist the payment “for two pictures of life-size half-length figures,” i.e. his own likeness “and that of his wife mistress Laura de Puola”.
The slightly lower height of Febo’s portrait with respect to that of his wife hanging next to it and the fact that his head is much closer to the frame suggest that the upper part of the canvas has been cut off.
Follow me on Facebook :
www.facebook.com/pages/LN-Photography/1610817325844421
INSTAGRAM : @leon_neumann98
___________________________________________
Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media
without my explicit permission.
Please respect the artists copyright - All rights reserved.
"I set up here because the police look the other way. My organization has respect and, around here, you can't buy it. You need to earn it, however you can.
What can I say? We're not just providing a product - we're changing the world. I tripping doesn't shut you off like some people say. I drugs connect you. The part of you that goes in, well, you don't really get it back. Instead, you get a little of everyone else. Me? I have a lot of everyone else. We all go in deeper every day. That means we control it. The Net is ours. It's the overmind, the higher intelligence."
'A-JAX' Synth Drug Dealer
With the ability to interface directly with the Net came the synthetic narcotics. They can do almost anything in the mind. They can move a person anywhere through the Net. They can seek out patterns in the information, real or imagined. They make people see the world differently. There are even claims that some people have left their bodies entirely, but there's no proof.
A few slices of life from Cyber City.
Look for it at BrickFair Virginia in August.
Photos courtesy of Brian Schwenk.
More can be found here and here.
More to come soon!
Some men don't compete, they mark territory.
Admiring from a distance is fine.
Stepping in the middle never ends polite. #CalmButDeadly
Paxton Pits Nature Reserve is a lovely Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire rich in wildlife including Kingfishers.
Unfortunately, some people do not respect Nature and don't seem to understand that a little act like discarding a plastic bottle in nature could have dire consequences on the wildlife.
Please Respect Nature!
*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***
© Gary Prince - All Rights Reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
The Red Arrows tribute to the pilots and fighters of the Second World War, leading the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the BBMF.
Detail of the graffito "Respect for everyone" (Respekt für jeden) by the artist trompe.
Flyover, Breitenbachbrücke.
Frankfurt, Germany
Weird enough some people think they can get respect by using violence.. I'm glad i never tried that so I got my respect by being myself and have faith in humanity.. With this (old and fake) gun I tried to say, how old (gun) or young (hand) you are doesn't matter, but show respect to eachother!!
At the sametime, when you use product with respect it will last longer.. The gun is old, (rust and stuff) but it still works! (Smoke)..
July 17, 2015 - West of Mason City Nebraska
*** Like | Follow | Subscribe | NebraskaSC ***
Get this Print Now...Click Here
Was quite surprised to see storms develop out in the western part of Nebraska that day. The cold front had pushed into the state by early afternoon and severe storms were forming. Severe weather watches were posted for Dawson and Custer counties. Storms were moving at 10mph and I had plenty of time to catch up to them from Kearney.
Watching the storms they were build and moving north northeast and I didn't want to enter the base of this storm, I just wanted to get along side it to get the best pics in front of the storm. I wasn't disappointed. Even though this cell just went out of the severe warning, the front of this cell was majestic and I wasn't about to leave. Camera in hand I did my thing....
Storm warnings we up again for cells to the west of Dawson county, so I had about a 1/2 hour before I had to head back west to get into position for the next cells.
*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***
Copyright 2015
Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography
All Rights Reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
#ForeverChasing
#NebraskaSC
June 11, 2013 - Kearney Nebraska US
*** Like | Follow | Subscribe | NebraskaSC ***
It was unexpected... Though its June and there is always a chance.... Was about asleep when I saw the flash in the window...
Had everything ready but didn't have much time to capture the incoming storm front. It had picked up speed and was moving directly at my location according to radar.
Check out this Mammoth Roll Cloud out in front of this storm!
*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***
Copyright 2013
Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography
All Rights Reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
#ForeverChasing
#NebraskaSC
Visit my Photostream Archive (On Flickr) of Severe Weather
July 27, 2023 - Kearney Nebraska
*** Like | Follow | Subscribe | NebraskaSC ***
High Quality Prints Available...Click Here
Watch that Night's Video on Flickr Click Here
Late July 2023...
My passion for Lightning never ends. It truly is the soul reason why I grab my gear & head out when others take shelter.
In my Opinion... this set of images is / has to list as one by best set of Lighting Captures EVER. That's saying a lot. Especially if you follow what I do.
Gems of Gems!!
*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***
© Dale Kaminski @ NebraskaSC Photography - All Rights Reserved
This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.
#ForeverChasing
#NebraskaSC
©All photographs on this site are copyright: ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams) 2011 – 2021 & GETTY IMAGES ®
No license is given nor granted in respect of the use of any copyrighted material on this site other than with the express written agreement of ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams). No image may be used as source material for paintings, drawings, sculptures, or any other art form without permission and/or compensation to ©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams)
.
.
I would like to say a huge and heartfelt 'THANK YOU' to GETTY IMAGES, and the 42.458+ Million visitors to my FLICKR site.
***** Selected for sale in the GETTY IMAGES COLLECTION on July 20th 2021
CREATIVE RF gty.im/1328859551 MOMENT ROYALTY FREE COLLECTION**
This photograph became my 5,590th frame to be selected for sale in the Getty Images collection and I am very grateful to them for this wonderful opportunity.
©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams)
.
.
**** This frame was chosen on Thursday 9th June 2022 to appear on FLICKR EXPLORE (Highest Ranking: #396. This is my 215th photograph to be selected.
I am really thrilled to have a frame picked and most grateful to every one of the 42.458+ Million people who have visited, favorited and commented on this and all of my other photographs here on my FLICKR site. *****
.
.
Photograph taken at an altitude of Sixty two metres at 12:31pm on an overcast summer afternoon on Thursday 15th July 2021, off Chessington Avenue in Bexleyheath, Kent.
.
.
THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PIGEONS
The Feral pigeon (Columba livia) gets a really bad name thanks to a whole bunch of popular misconceptions. Labelled as sky rats, flying ashtrays, rats with wings, there is even a name for extreme fear of them, peristerophobia.
Some say they spread communicable disease to humans, a myth banded by pest control companies making money out of extermination, and although they can naturally carry some disease like tuberculosis (just like many other bird species), being able to breed up to six times per year and being so commonly seen has lead to the belief that they cause damage and drive other species away (again, no scientific evidence supports this). Seen as a plague by mankind, who is... er... the biggest plague on the planet after all and more likely to infect pigeons with his own germs!
Being common these days seems to make some animals less appealing than others, and yet the pigeon is culturally and historically significant and utterly beautiful in terms of plumage. When was the last time you took the time to spend a few moments in the company of these gorgeous, fascinating birds, or talked to one.... Well do so soon, your life will be all the better for such interactions.
In world terms, Pigeons represent peace and good, symbolizing Prosperity and fertility, luck, fortune, peace and harmony, love and devotion and beauty and piety. It is believed that the Pigeon totem as your animal spirit guide will enter a good persons life after a period of suffering or hurt, restoring faith and the good in their world. It will symbolize Love and kindness, sacrifice and devotion, calmness and tranquility.
Their presence in dreams can have significant meaning if the dream is of catching one, killing one, a pigeon falling in the sky, finding a dead pigeon etc. Pablo Ruiz Picasso's 1949 lithograph on paper 'La Colombe', shows a white dove on a black background, widely considered a sign of peace. It was used to illustrate a poster at the 1949 Paris Peace Congress, and is now house in the Tate Gallery, London. The Lithograph went on to become a renowned international iconographic image referred to as 'The dove of peace'. The dove was in fact a Milanese pigeon which had been gifted to Picasso by friend and fellow artist Henri Émile Benoît Matisse.
They are a wild ancestor of domestic world pigeons. A common sight in UK gardens, and traditionally seen on London postcards of Piccadilly circus until the feeding of pigeons was banned around the year 2000, they can weigh up to 370g (8-13oz) with a wingspan of 34cms. There are approximately 550,000 breeding pairs in the UK, and they are protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and happily on the Green status for conservation
With a name taken from the Latin word for Dove, there are around 350 recorded types of pigeon, the commonest being the Feral pigeon with an estimated European population of around 15 million. Feral pigeons are also called city doves, city pigeons, or street pigeons. They make up part of the group of columbiformes which includes the now extinct Dodo to which they are closely related. Wild pigeons live in coastal areas, whilst feral pigeons are more urban, and more often than not found in close proximity to mankind. Feral pigeons have a lifespan usually of between three to five years, much longer in captivity. Pigeons have an incredibly close link to mankind
Technically they are: Kingdom:Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class:Aves Order: Columbiformes
Family:Columbidae Genus:Columba Species:C. livia Subspecies:C. l. domestica
In the UK, Pigeons are covered under the "General Licences" and therefore it is illegal to kill them or destroy pigeon nests for any reason other than those listed under the general licences. They can be humanely culled by the land owner or their agent for a variety of reasons (mainly crop protection). At commercial premises where I worked for many years, Pigeons and babies were professionaly killed on a regular basis, shot with high powered air rifles and then heads dippeds into an acid substance... it was very bloody and extremely unpleasant to witness!
They are possibly the first domesticated animal in history and Charles Robert Darwin was one of the first and most famous pigeon breeder, who recognised their beauty and abilities and place in the natural order of things. On board HMS Beagle, he sailed from Plymouth Sound on 27th December 1831 under the command of Captain Robert FitzRoy. Scheduled for a two year voyage, it actually returned on 2nd October 1836. He published his work, 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life', in 1859 and it has long been considered the foundation of evolutionary biology. In the opening of the work, Darwin began with 'fancy pigeons' which were becoming fashionable to own and exhibit in London at the time.
By crossbreeding the many different species of fancy pigeon, Darwin showed that, contrary to a commonly held belief that there were two different species which spawned the multitude of domestic pigeons, they actually all came from one wild species: the Rock Dove (Columba livia).
Nathan Mayer Rothschild developed a system of communication faster than those of most governments at that time. It is believed that he used carrier pigeons and semaphore to communicate across the English Channel. Following the Battle of Waterloo he used this system to stunning effect. Through a clever stratagem, and foreknowledge of the outcome at Waterloo, Rothschild made an immense fortune by manipulating the London stock market.
Then In the early 1800s the Rothschild family set up a network of pigeon lofts throughout Europe using homing pigeons to carry information between its financial houses. This proved to be the fastest and most efficient method of communication at that time, and the speed of the service and the ability to send and receive information ahead of the competition helped the Rothschild family amass a fortune, which still exists today. There are medals from 1870 commemorating the pigeon post in Paris.
Pigeons are highly intelligent, one of the few birds who can actually recognise themselves in a mirror, tests proving that they were capable of identifying themselves over other pigeons in photographs even with a five to seven second delay and they could even recognize humans in photographs as well. Proving that their self cognitive abilities were higher than a three year old child (who struggled with photographic recognition of a two second delay), pigeons were trained to discriminate real-time self-image using mirrors as well as videotaped self-image, and proved that pigeons can recognize video images that reflect their movements as self-image.
They proved themselves capable of being able to learn the alphabet in trials. They have been used to predict the weather with hearing far superior to that of humans in the very low frequency range that allows them to detect incoming storms not yet on the radar. They can assist in message delivery, help in search and rescue missions and even carry wartime messages across enemy lines, dating back to Greek and Roman times, and then forwards to both World Wars by the British Intelligence.
During the first world war, pigeons were dropped from an aeroplane in batches in harnesses with parachutes in order to send and retrieve messages from the resistance. A male pigeon in 1918 named Cher Ami was awarded the Croix de Guerre, an honour bestowed on foreign troops by the French Army, after saving 194 US troops who were pinned down by enemy fire. Despite being shot several times, he still managed to deliver the message attached to him. In history pigeons have been recorded as far back as 3000BC and records show that in the 5th Century AD, both Egypt and Syria used them to send and receive messages. Greek poet Anacreon wrote poems of his tame pigeon over 2000 years ago in which he described the bird's role in carrying a love letter to the poet's lover and how the bird drank from his cup and ate from his hand.
Some scholars believe that man's connections with pigeons go as far back as Neolithic man 10,000 years ago. An archaeological discovery of lifelike pigeon images beside the figurines of the Mother goddess, dating from the Bronze Age (2400-1500 BC) in Sumerian Mesopotamia, links to worship also in Crete where the Goddess was depicted with Doves upon her head. Pigeons were also sacrificed to Aphrodite (Venus), the Goddess of love in Greco-Roman culture. The Dove was also the symbol of Demeter (Ceres). Astarte, goddess of fertility and love was often times depicted with a pigeon in ancient Phoenician tradition and Ishtar, mother to the Sumerian people also. Goddesses Aphrodite and Venus from Greek and Roman culture were similarly often depicted with symbolic pigeons. They are highly revered in religions including Hindi where it was believed that pigeons were messengers of deity of death, Yama.
Also in Muslim and Sikh traditions as well as Christianity. Some Sikhs will ceremoniously feed pigeons in honour of Guru Gobind Singh, a high priest who was renowned as a friend to pigeons. The Old Testament dove of Noah and the New Testament dove of the Holy Spirit are the ancestors of the dovecote birds of the past and today’s urban pigeons. In China, it is believed that with the coming of Spring, a Sparrow hawk would transform into a pigeon and vice versa, repeating the opposite transformation at the end of the season.
Pigeons have been recorded flying at more than 92mph and the average speed is around 78mph, they can also reach altitudes of 6,000 feet. Contrary to the rumour mill, pigeons are very clean birds and very little evidence exists to show that they can spread disease to humans.
Generally pigeons mate for life and are monogamous, both incubate and care for their young, and they are amazingly social creatures found in large groups. Pigeons have also saved lives on sinking ships by being released to alert nearby people, and some pigeons have received honours and awards for their part in saving lives. They have been trained to save lives at sea by recognising the red and yellow life jackets of victims, and even being able to view the UV spectrum. They can use landmarks to recognise and retrace routes, and use the sun as as a guide and an internal magnetic compass.
During a study in 2016, four pigeons built up a vocabulary of between 26 and 58 written English words, they could identify visual patterns and therefore tell them apart. The birds could even identify words they hadn't seen before.
Researchers at University of California Davis Medical Center put 16 pigeons in a room with magnified biopsies of potential breast cancers. If the pigeons correctly identified them as either benign or malignant, they got a treat, Once trained, their percentages of correctly identifying the biopsies was between 85-99% accurate.
Pigeons have been recorded regularly using the subway in the United states of America, hoping on and off subway cars and seeming to understand the direction of the journey. They also on occasions perform aerial backflips, seemingly just for fun. They see the world with five spectral bands, a kaleidoscope of colour compared to humans triple system of colour perception.
These are magnificent birds that so often fall victim to mankind's prejudice and dislike. Take a look at their ornate, beautiful plumage, the many markings and differences in coloration, and think about their history and the incredible journey they have made through the centuries.
Give them some love, they have certainly earned it!
Paul Williams May 2021
©DESPITE STRAIGHT LINES (Paul Williams)
Nikon D850 Focal length: 600mm Shutter speed: 1/500s Aperture: f/8.0 iso500 Hand held with Tamron VC Vibration control set to ON (Position 1) 14 Bit uncompressed RAW NEF file size L (8256 x 5504 pixels) FX (36 x 24) Focus mode: AF-C AF-Area mode: 3D-tracking AF-C Priority Selection: Release. Nikon Back button focusing enabled 3D Tracking watch area: Normal 55 Tracking points Exposure mode: Manual exposure mode Metering mode: Matrix metering White balance on: Auto1 (4480k) Colour space: RGB Picture control: Neutral (Sharpening +2)
Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2. Nikon GP-1 GPS module. Lee SW150 MKII filter holder. Lee SW150 95mm screw in adapter ring. Lee SW150 circular polariser glass filter.Lee SW150 Filters field pouch. Hoodman HEYENRG round eyepiece oversized eyecup.Mcoplus professional MB-D850 multi function battery grip 6960.Two Nikon EN-EL15a batteries (Priority to battery in Battery grip). Black Rapid Curve Breathe strap. My Memory 128GB Class 10 SDXC 80MB/s card. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW camera bag.
LATITUDE: N 51d 28m 28.24s
LONGITUDE: E 0d 8m 10.20s
ALTITUDE: 62.00m
RAW (TIFF) FILE: 130.00MB NEF FILE: 91.0MB
PROCESSED (JPeg) FILE: 50.60MB
PROCESSING POWER:
Nikon D850 Firmware versions C 1.10 (9/05/2019) LD Distortion Data 2.018 (18/02/20) LF 1.00
HP 110-352na Desktop PC with AMD Quad-Core A6-5200 APU 64Bit processor. Radeon HD8400 graphics. 8 GB DDR3 Memory with 1TB Data storage. 64-bit Windows 10. Verbatim USB 2.0 1TB desktop hard drive. WD My Passport Ultra 1tb USB3 Portable hard drive. Nikon ViewNX-1 64bit Version 1.4.1 (18/02/2020). Nikon Capture NX-D 64bit Version 1.6.2 (18/02/2020). Nikon Picture Control Utility 2 (Version 2.4.5 (18/02/2020). Nikon Transfer 2 Version 2.13.5. Adobe photoshop Elements 8 Version 8.0 64bit.
Cavendish Mews is a smart set of flats in Mayfair where flapper and modern woman, the Honourable Lettice Chetwynd has set up home after coming of age and gaining her allowance. To supplement her already generous allowance, and to break away from dependence upon her family, Lettice has established herself as a society interior designer, so her flat is decorated with a mixture of elegant antique Georgian pieces and modern Art Deco furnishings, using it as a showroom for what she can offer to her well heeled clients.
Returned from her Friday to Monday down at Dickie and Margot’s Cornwall country house, ‘Chi an Treth’, and all the excitement that ensued there, Lettice has settled back into her usual London routine of shopping, receiving and visiting friends and seeing potential clients. It’s a Wednesday, and an unusually quiet one, so Lettice is taking advantage of the gap between engagements and has just sat down in her comfortable white upholstered tub chair to continue reading her latest Georgette Heyer* romance novel when the doorbell to the flat rings noisily, shattering the relative quiet of the flat’s interior.
“I’m not expecting any clients,” she muses as she listens as Edith, her maid, walks across the entrance hall to answer the door. “I wonder who it can be.”
A few moments later the mystery is revealed when Edith walks in proudly announcing, “Miss Bowes-Lyon**, Miss.”
“Elizabeth, darling!” Lettice gasps in delight, casting her book aside. Standing up she embraces her friend who is dressed in a romantic pale pink chiffon moiré dress with a fashionable drop waist and draped in a thick fox fur stole. Elizabeth’s light scent of lily of the valley envelops her. “I didn’t know you were up at Bruton Street***. Please.” She indicates to the tub chair opposite her, which Elizabeth sinks into with a sigh as she places aside her matching pink parasol, and allows the fox fur to slink from her shoulders, snaking across the back of the chair.
“I’m up from Scotland just for a few days to have a fitting for Her Royal Highness’**** wedding and run a few errands before going back.”
“Oh of course!” Lettice gasps. “The wedding! I’d forgotten you were a bridesmaid.”
“Has Gerald finished your outfit for the ceremony yet?” Elizabeth asks as she withdraws a hatpin from her straw cloche decorated with silk roses and feathers and deposits the hat on the stool beside her.
“I do wish you’d let Edith take those, Elizabeth darling.” Lettice indicates to the parasol and hat.
“Oh I can’t stay for too long.” Eliabeth assures her hostess. “The fitting awaits.” She smiles sweetly, giving a brief view of her slightly crooked teeth.
“Well I hope you can stay long enough for a cup of tea,” replies Lettice. “And a biscuit or two. Yes, Gerald’s almost finished my gown. It’s oyster coloured satin, and very plain, with a drop waist and pearl buttons down the back. In fact, the only real decoration it will have will be the lace collar.”
“Sounds wonderful.” acknowledges Elizabeth. “When I get married, I only want a simple wedding dress. I saw the photos of Margot’s wedding dress in Vogue. Gerald must have clients pounding at his door now.”
“Yes,” Lettice remarks. “I said it would be the making of him, and so far, I’ve been proven correct. I’m so happy for him. Goodness knows he could do with some luck after all the hard work he has put in to setting up his business. Now, thinking of frock fittings and weddings, how does Her Royal Highness’ gown look.”
Elizabeth taps her nose in a knowing way, replying, “I’m sorry darling, but I’m not allowed to say.” She smiles apologetically.
“Oh! Of course! How foolish of me! I was forgetting that it’s a secret. Yours too, I should imagine?” Elizabeth nods discreetly. “Never mind. I’ll be happy enough to be surprised on the big day.”
“Have you settled on a hat yet?”
“Ahh, now there I really am in a quandary.” Lettice remarks.
Edith appears and walks across the threshold of the drawing room from the flat’s dining room carrying Lettice’s silvery tray from Asprey’s****** on which sits her Art Deco tea service with cups for two and a small plate of rather delicious looking biscuits. She carefully places the items on the black japanned coffee table between the two friends before dropping a bob curtsey and retreating through the green baize door on the far side of the dining room.
“Quandary?” Elizabeth asks. “I thought you were getting Madame Gwendolyn to make you a hat.”
“Yes. I mean, I know Madame Gwendolyn has made me some wonderful hats in the past.” She pauses.
“I sense a but,”
“But I wasn’t happy with what she made me for Royal Ascot*******. I think it looked dowdy and old fashioned.”
“Oh, I thought it looked lovely.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth darling, bless you.” She reaches out a hand and squeezes Elizabeth’s elegant, yet rather cold hand. “But ‘The Times’ agrees with me in their critique of the fashions last year, and it wasn’t exactly the roaring success I’d hoped for, or paid for, for that matter.” Lettice takes up the pot and pours hot tea into Elizabeth’s cup, passing it to her friend, before filling her own. “So, I’m going to see Gwendolyn next week, but I must confess I’ve seen hats I’d prefer to wear in Selfridges’ windows along the way.”
“Selfridges? You can’t be serious Lettice!” Elizabeth puts a hand to her throat and clasps the collar length string of pearls she wears. “Wear a shop girl’s hat to a royal wedding?”
“Well why not? No-one would know, except perhaps you and I. Besides, not all of Mr. Selfridges hats are shop girl material. He has some beautiful models, directly from Paris, and exclusive to his store. They are a fraction of the price, and are every bit as fashionable and well made as anything Madame Gwendolyn can produce.”
“It sounds to me like you’ve already made up your mind, Lettice.” Elizabeth picks up a pink macaron off the plate and pops it delicately into her little round mouth, her eyes closing with delight as it starts melting on her tongue.
“Divine aren’t they?” Lettice asks. “My last client, Miss Ward put me onto the most fabulous little baker in Pilmico.”
“She’s the moving picture star, isn’t she?”
“Yes. Anyway, I haven’t dismissed Madame Gewndolyn – yet. However, I have misgivings.”
“Well, I have misgivings too.” Elizabeth adds, her eyelashes trembling with a sudden concern as fear clouds her beautiful blue eyes. “I actually came to see you yesterday, but Edith told me you were still away.”
“Oh yes, I’d gone down with Gerald to stay at Dickie and Margot’s new house in Cornwall.” She pauses and ponders for a moment. “But you didn’t leave a calling card, and Edith didn’t tell me you’d called.”
“Oh, don’t be cross with her. I asked her not to say anything as I was still in town for a few days and knew I’d catch you between engagements. So, what’s the house like? You’re going to decorate a few of the rooms, aren’t you?”
“It’s quite lovely – larger than either Gerald or I expected – about ten bedrooms, and yes I am, but pooh to all of that right now. What misgivings? You can’t be having misgivings about being the Princess’ bridesmaid now, surely? Not after all the fittings and rehearsals and such.”
“Oh no, it isn’t that. No, I’m very happy to be her bridesmaid. No, it’s Bertie******** who concerns me.”
“Oh!” Lettice picks up a chocolate macaron from the plate and pops it onto her saucer where it nestles against the rounded bottom of the cup. “Of course he’ll be there.”
“He seems undaunted by my last refusal. Queen Mary visited Mummy just before Christmas.”
“Did she take any of the Glamis china collection*********?”
“Thankfully no, but Mummy told me that the Queen is quite convinced that I’m the only woman who will make Bertie happy, and that he’s refusing to consider any other marriage proposals.”
“And you think he may propose again?”
“Well, it is his sister’s wedding after all.”
“But surely he knows that you’re actively being courted by his equerry! What’s his name?”
“James. James Stewart.”
“That’s it! Well, surely His Royal Highness must know you’ve been seen with James.”
Elizabeth sighs, her elegantly plucked eyebrows arching high. “Apparently he thinks he can win me over.”
“More likely wear you down.” Lettice remarks disparagingly, taking a slip of her own tea.
“They equate to much the same thing.”
“Well?”
“Well what, Lettice darling?”
“Well, do you love him? His Royal Highness that is,” she clarifies. “Not James.”
“Oh, I do like him!” Elizabeth sighs, lowering her teacup into her lap, her shoulders rising and then slumping again as she looks away shyly, a blush filling her creamy cheeks. “He’s dashing, and sweet. I don’t even mind his stutter, which I find quite endearing.”
“Now it’s my turn to sense a but, Elizabeth. Come on! Spit it out.”
“Well, you know my misgivings about public life. I have my own definite thoughts and ideas. To never be allowed to express them again, to not be able to think or speak freely or act as I feel I really ought to,” Elizabeth sighs again. “Well, its intolerable really.”
“Yes, I can understand that. I think Mamma would be happier if I didn’t express my opinions or ideas, never mind act as I see fit. You are coming to the Hunt Ball, aren’t you?”
“Yes of course, Lettice darling. I’ll even dance with Jonty Hastings to save your feet from too much butchery.”
“Thank you. Well, the Prince isn’t really a significant royal. I mean he’s only the Duke of York, not the Prince of Wales, so he’ll never be the King.”
“King George was once the Duke of York, Lettice.”
“Times were different then, Elizabeth. Once the Prince of Wales settles down,”
“If he ever settles down. He shows no signs of it, Lettice, cavorting with other men’s wives. He’s shameless the way he flouts them.”
“Yes, I’ve seen him with Mrs. Dudley Ward********** at the Embassy Club on more than a few occasions at His Highness’ table. Well, he’ll have to settle down, eventually. And once he does, and has children, why you and the Prince would be even further from the line of succession.”
“Oh I don’t know.” Elizabeth toys with the pearl clip earring at her right lobe anxiously.
“Anyway, if you’re sweet on James, why are you even considering the Prince?”
“James is talking about going to America. He’s being wooed by an oil company over there, who pays more than the Royal Household does. Could you really see me living in America?” She scrunches up her nose. “I’d stay in Scotland forever with all my cousins and never leave if I could.”
“No, I couldn’t. Canada perhaps, but not America. They’re so… so…”
“American?” Elizabeth proffers.
“American!” agrees Lettice with a chuckle. “Well, it’s up to you. Just because he’s the Prince, doesn’t mean you have to say yes, Elizabeth. If you have misgivings, just refuse him.” She pauses for a moment and sips her tea again before continuing, “Although refusing a marriage proposal from a prince, however minor, isn’t quite as flippant as refusing a hat from Madame Gwendolyn.”
“Oh I don’t know,” Elizabeth chuckles, picking up another macaron. “Madame Gwendolyn can be quite fierce from what I know of her, not to mention she’s Lady Sadie’s milliner too. Refusing Madame would be tantamount to committing mutiny, wouldn’t it?”
*Georgette Heyer was an English novelist and short-story writer, in both the regency romance and detective fiction genres. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel, ‘The Black Moth’.
**Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon as she was known in 1922 went on to become Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions from 1936 to 1952 as the wife of King George VI. Whilst still Duke of York, Prince Albert initially proposed to Elizabeth in 1921, but she turned him down, being "afraid never, never again to be free to think, speak and act as I feel I really ought to"
***Number 17. Bruton Street was the London residence of the Earl of Strathmore and Kingholme (Elizabeth’s father), and was where she resided when in the capital prior to her marriage.
*****Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (1897 – 1965), was the only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary. She was the sister of Kings Edward VIII and George VI, and aunt of Queen Elizabeth II. She married Viscount Lascelles on the 28th of February 1922 in a ceremony held at Westminster Abbey. The bride was only 24 years old, whilst the groom was 39. There is much conjecture that the marriage was an unhappy one, but their children dispute this and say it was a very happy marriage based upon mutual respect. The wedding was filmed by Pathé News and was the first royal wedding to be featured in fashion magazines, including Vogue.
******Founded in 1781 as a silk printing business by William Asprey, Asprey soon became a luxury emporium. In 1847 the business moved to their present premises at 167 Bond Street, where they advertised 'articles of exclusive design and high quality, whether for personal adornment or personal accompaniment and to endow with richness and beauty the table and homes of people of refinement and discernment’. In 1862 Asprey received a Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria. They received a second Royal Warrant from the Future Edward VII in 1889. Asprey has a tradition of producing jewellery inspired by the blooms found in English gardens and Woodland Flora. Over the decades jewelled interpretations of flowers have evolved to include Daisy, Woodland and sunflower collections. They have their own special cut of diamond and produce leather goods, silver and gold pieces, trophies and leatherbound books, both old and new. They also produce accessories for playing polo. In 1997, Asprey produced the Heart of the Ocean necklace worn in the motion picture blockbuster, ‘Titanic’.
*******Royal Ascot Week is the major social calendar event held in June every year at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire. It was founded in 1711 by Queen Anne and is attended every year by the reigning British monarch and members of the Royal Family. The event is grand and showy, with men in grey morning dress and silk toppers and ladies in their best summer frocks and most elaborate hats.
********Prince Albert, Duke of York, known by the diminutive “Bertie” to the family and close friends, was the second son of George V. Not only did Bertie propose to Elizabeth in 1921, but also in March 1922 after she was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Albert’s sister, Princess Mary to Viscount Lascelles. Elizabeth refused him a second time, yet undaunted Bertie pursued the girl who had stolen his heart. Finally, in January 1923 she agreed to marry him in spite of her misgivings about royal life.
*********Queen Mary, wife of King George V was an avid collector of bibelots (small decorative ornaments) and decorative arts. She was also responsible for being the first member of the Royal Family to ever do an inventory of the Royal Collections, finding many items had been “borrowed” by the great families of England over the centuries to decorate their own homes. During her husband’s reign, she recovered a vast majority of these pilfered items, returning them to the Royal Collections. For this reason, she was feared when she came to visit, along with her voracious acquisition of other people’s bibelots. She was known to remark on something pretty and then expect that it would be gifted to her as the wife of the sovereign.
**********Winifred May, Marquesa de Casa Maury (née Birkin) (1894 – 1983), universally known by her first married name as Freda Dudley Ward, was an English socialite best known for being a married paramour of the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VIII, between 1918 and 1929. Known by him by the diminutive “Freddie”, she was supplanted in the Prince’s affections by Lady Thelma Furness, who in turn was supplanted by Mrs. Simpson.
This 1920s upper-class drawing room is different to what you may think at first glance, for it is made up entirely of 1:12 size dollhouse miniatures including items from my own childhood.
Fun things to look for in this tableau include:
The cream straw cloche hat sitting on the Chippendale stool is decorated with pink roses has single stands of ostrich feathers adorning it. The latter have been hand curled. The maker for this hat is unknown, but it is part of a larger collection I bought from an American miniature collector Marilyn Bickel. 1:12 size miniature hats made to such exacting standards of quality and realism are often far more expensive than real hats are. When you think that it would sit comfortably on the tip of your index finger, yet it could cost in excess of $150.00 or £100.00, it is an extravagance. American artists seem to have the monopoly on this skill and some of the hats that I have seen or acquired over the years are remarkable.
The furled umbrella is a 1:12 artisan piece made of pink satin and lace with a tiny pink bow. It has a hooked metal handle.
You can just see draped across the chair on the right, Elizabeth’s fox fur stole. It is, in actuality, a mink tail attached to one of my vintage fur tippets. It is just the right size to be a thick fur stole that could have been worn by the future Queen Elizabeth, who loved furs.
Lettice’s tea set is a beautiful artisan set featuring a rather avant-garde Art Deco Royal Doulton design from the Edwardian era. The strawberry and chocolate macarons are also artisan miniatures from Beautifully Handmade Miniatures in Kettering. He has a dizzying array of realistic looking food and meals which is always growing, and all are made entirely or put together by hand. The green tinted glass comport on the coffee table , spun from real glass, is also from Beautifully Handmade Miniatures in Kettering.
The black Bakelite and silver telephone is a 1:12 miniature of a model introduced around 1919. It is two centimetres wide and two centimetres high. The receiver can be removed from the cradle, and the curling chord does stretch out.
In front of the telephone sit two paperback novels from the late 1910s created by miniature British artisan, Ken Blythe. Most of the books I own that he has made may be opened to reveal authentic printed interiors. In some cases, you can even read the words, depending upon the size of the print! I have quite a large representation of Ken Blythe’s work in my collection, but so little of his real artistry is seen because the books that he specialised in making are usually closed, sitting on shelves or closed on desks and table surfaces. What might amaze you even more is that all Ken Blythe’s opening books are authentically replicated 1:12 scale miniatures of real volumes. To create something so authentic to the original in such detail and so clearly, really does make these books miniature artisan pieces. Ken Blythe’s work is highly sought after by miniaturists around the world today and command high prices at auction for such tiny pieces, particularly now that he is no longer alive. I was fortunate enough to acquire pieces from Ken Blythe prior to his death about four years ago, as well as through his estate via his daughter and son-in-law. His legacy will live on with me and in my photography which I hope will please his daughter.
The Vogue magazine from 1922 sitting on the lower tray of the black japanned occasional table was made by hand by Petite Gite Miniatures in the United States.
The vase of yellow lilies and roses on the Art Deco occasional table is beautifully made by hand by the Doll House Emporium, whilst the taller vase of flowers to the right of the photo was made by Falcon Miniatures, who are renown for the realism and detail in their miniatures.
Lettice’s drawing room is furnished with beautiful J.B.M. miniatures. The black japanned wooden chair is a Chippendale design and has been upholstered with modern and stylish Art Deco fabric. The mirror backed back japanned china cabinet is Chippendale too. On its glass shelves sit pieces of miniature Limoges porcelain including jugs, teacups and saucers, many of which I have had since I was a child.
To the left of the Chippendale chair stands a blanc de chine Chinese porcelain vase, and next to it, a Chinese screen. The Chinese folding screen I bought at an antiques and junk market when I was about ten. I was with my grandparents and a friend of the family and their three children, who were around my age. They all bought toys to bring home and play with, and I bought a Chinese folding screen to add to my miniatures collection in my curio cabinet at home! It shows you what a unique child I was.
The carpet beneath the furniture is a copy of a popular 1920s style Chinese silk rug. The geometric Art Deco wallpaper is beautiful hand impressed paper given to me by a friend, which inspired the whole “Cavendish Mews – Lettice Chetwynd” series.
JARDIN DEL PRINCIPE DEL PALACIO REAL DE ARANJUEZ
Este jardín, situado entre el río Tajo y la Calle de la Reina, es el más extenso de todos los de Aranjuez, con un perímetro de 7 km y una extensión de 150 hectáreas, de las cuales sólo son visitables aproximadamente la mitad. En la parte norte, que es la que da al río, está protegido por un dique de piedra llamado Malecón de Solera, mientras que en su cara sur, lo limita una larga verja sobre un zócalo de piedra de Colmenar y pilares de ladrillos, ornamentados por artísticas piedras. El jardín está formado por gran variedad de especies de árboles diferentes, como: plátanos, ahuehuetes, pacanos, caquis de Virginia, cipreses, liquidámbares, pinos, castaños de indias, tilos, fresnos, robles, cafeteros, magnolios, arces, carpes, árboles del amor, de Júpiter,...
Origen
Tiene su origen en la llamada Huerta Grande de Don Gonzalo y en un pequeño jardín mandado crear por Fernando VI en la zona del embarcadero sobre el río. El proyecto del nuevo jardín fue trazado en 1763 por Pablo Boutelou (nieto de Esteban Boutelou I).1 No es hasta el 3 de octubre de 1772 que el futuro Carlos IV, que en aquel momento ostentaba el título de Príncipe de Asturias, manda su construcción. Se finalizaron los trabajos en 1804.
Entrada
La entrada principal de este jardín, situada en la Calle de la Reina, justo detrás del Palacio de Godoy, se realiza a través de una puerta de hierro, obra de Juan de Villanueva, con dos basamentos de piedra, con cuatro columnas cada uno y coronadas por cornisas de orden jónico. En lo alto, están rematadas por geniecillos de piedra con flores, aunque anteriormente estaban adornadas por las esculturas de Palas y Pomona, que ya estuvieron en la Fuente de Hércules e Hidra del Jardín de la Isla y que hoy están en el Museo del Prado.
Embarcadero
Posee un embarcadero fortificado (mandado crear por Carlos IV), muy usado durante las estancias de los Reyes en Aranjuez, en las que organizaban paseos por el Tajo a bordo de lujosas falúas. Dichas embarcaciones se conservan todavía en el Museo de Falúas Reales o Casa de Marinos, que se encuentra al lado. También encontramos en la zona un castillo de piedra, de construcción inacabada, y que fue usado como depósito de leña. Actualmente alberga un restaurante.
Hay una sección del jardín llamada Anglochina, en la que encontramos las hermosas fuentes de Narciso y de los Cisnes.
Fuente de Narciso
La primera, obra de Joaquín Dumandre, muestra al hermoso Narciso junto a su perro, asomándose a un hermoso tazón sobre el que se encuentra en lo alto de un pilar, a punto de caer en él. Sujetan el tazón cuatro robustos Hércules. Al resultar gravemente dañada en la Guerra de la Independencia Española, fue reconstruida por Esteban de Ágreda en 1827 según el diseño de Isidro González Velázquez.
Fuente de los Cisnes
La Fuente de los Cisnes es también obra de Joaquín Dumandre, inspirada en otra de La Granja. Presenta un peñasco con dos figuras de niños de mármol que agarraban un cisne, por cuyo pico salía el agua. Dañada en la Guerra de la Independencia Española. Sólo se conservaba el pilón y el peñasco central, pero en 2009 se llevó a cabo la restauración de las figuras de los niños y el cisne.
Fuente de Apolo
Más allá, la Fuente de Apolo, en mármol de Carrara, muestra al dios de la belleza en lo alto de un pedestal. Mandada crear por Carlos IV, no fue terminada hasta el reinado de su hijo Fernando VII, con diseño de Isidro González Velázquez. Detrás, con forma semicircular, seis columnas coronadas con otros tantos patos lo escoltan. A ambos lados, encontramos dos columnas cuadradas, con dos tazones en lo alto. La estatua de Apolo fue comprada por Felipe V y situada en La Granja. Carlos IV la mandó traer a Aranjuez. Actualmente la estatua presente en el Jardín del Príncipe es una reproducción, pues la original fue devuelta en 2000 a La Granja.
Estanque de los Chinescos
El Estanque de los Chinescos, lago artificial bordeado por una pequeña baranda, con tres islas, sobre las cuales encontramos un templete o kiosco de estilo griego, otro de tipo chinesco y un mausoleo de granito egipcio. El pabellón griego es obra de Juan de Villanueva, con una serie de ocho columnas de orden jónico que sujetan el techo, coronado por una piña de bronce pintada de color mármol (aunque originalmente poseía un dragón dorado). Entre cada columna existieron unos vasos canopos egipcios, ahora desaparecidos. Por otro lado, el templete chinesco original resultó gravemente dañado en la Guerra de la Independencia Española y reconstruido por Fernando VII más bien como un kiosco de estilo turco, con vivos colores verde, rojo y dorado.
Montaña Rusa
Muy cerca, se construyó una montaña artificial, la llamada Montaña Rusa, aunque su verdadero nombre es Montaña Suiza, coronada por un templete de madera, desde las cuales se pueden contemplar hermosas vistas de todo el jardín.
Casa del Labrador
Finalmente, su extremo más oriental se encuentra la Casa del Labrador, edificación mandada construir por Carlos IV y de gran riqueza por su colección de estatuas y relojes.
En este jardín viven en libertad faisanes y pavos reales, así como ardillas y otros animales similares.
PALACIO REAL DE ARANJUEZ
Los antecedentes del primer acto, antes de que aparezca el Rey Felipe II como protagonista, nos advierten de la pertenencia de estas tierras a la militar Orden de Santiago, cuya propiedad parece arrancar de los días mismos de la Reconquista. Pero los datos más certeros se refieren al otoño de la Edad Media, entre 1387 y 1409, cuando la Orden construyó aquí su Casa Maestral, justo en el solar del actual Palacio, dándole ya un uso de recreo. Del mismo modo, datan de entonces las primeras obras hidráulicas sobre el Tajo para asegurar el riego a las tierras de labor, no descartándose la idea de la existencia de algún jardín en las inmediaciones de la Casa-Palacio, con lo cual tendríamos el esquema del futuro Aranjuez real. Este hecho es tan fuerte, en la historia física de Aranjuez como Real Sitio, que la Casa Maestral estuvo en pie y comunicada con la parte del Palacio hecha por Felipe II hasta su demolición en el siglo XVIII, una vez que Felipe V decidió continuar las obras para terminar el Palacio.
En grandes líneas, el episodio siguiente correspondería al reinado de los Reyes Católicos, cuando la política de sujeción de las órdenes militares convierte a Fernando el Católico en administrador vitalicio de las mismas, entre ellas la de Santiago y, por tanto, la posesión de Aranjuez. La certeza de la estancia de los Reyes Católicos en Aranjuez, alojados en la Casa Maestral, y gozando de los jardines que desde muy pronto debió haber en la lsla inmediata sobre el Tajo, quiere verse recordada en el Salón plantado de plátanos que lleva el nombre de aquellos Monarcas.
Bajo Carlos V de acuerdo con la bula pontificia de 1523 dada por Adriano VI, se produjo la agregación perpetua a la Corona de Castilla de la Orden de Santiago, con lo que Aranjuez quedó para siempre vinculada a los bienes de la Corona. El Emperador visitó en varias ocasiones la antigua Casa Maestral y mucho debió satisfacerle el lugar cuando, en 1534, creó el Real Bosque y Casa de Aranjuez, procediendo a la compra de varias tierras limítrofes, al tiempo que daba instrucciones en 1543 para nuevos plantíos: «Se ordena que en el Soto de Siruela se planten nísperos entre los espinos; en el Orzagal, Matalonguilla e Isla de la Huerta se deben plantar sauces, mimbreras, chopos y otros árboles silvestres que sean apropiados. Se establece que las moreras que están en la Huerta se trasplanten...». Como prueba de que en tiempos de Carlos V ya se había consolidado un cierto ambiente cortesano en Aranjuez, tenemos noticia de la boda celebrada aquí, en 1548, entre María, hija del Emperador, y su primo Maximiliano, Rey de Bohemia, representándose entonces una obra de Ariosto en los jardines.
Estos antecedentes hacen más comprensible y natural la predilección del Rey Felipe Il por Aranjuez, pues, en la línea de lo que había hecho su padre, siguió aumentando la extensión del Real Bosque y Casa de Aranjuez, iniciando una obra de gran alcance como es toda la infraestructura hidráulica de presas, canales y acequias, que permitiría regar las tierras y plantíos, alimentar los juegos de agua de las fuentes y, en definitiva, convertir aquello en un prodigioso vergel. Así, las tomas de agua del Tajo, tanto por su margen izquierdo, como por la derecha, llevaron el agua por el caz de 12 Azuda en dirección AL Picotajo, o bien por el caz del Embocador, que coge el agua en la presa de este mismo nombre para regar la margen izquierda del río, sin olvidar la traída de aguas desde el Mar o Estanque de Ontígola para alimentar las fuentes del jardín de la Isla. En toda esta inteligente obra de ingeniería se verían involucrados los nombres propios de Juan Bautista de Toledo y Juan de Herrera, a los que luego se citará come artífices del Palacio, pero a su vez, esto no era sino un, parte del más ambicioso plan de Felipe II para hacer navegable el río Tajo, bien hasta Toledo, bien hasta la misma Lisboa, es decir, dando a Aranjuez salida al Atlántico Esta parte del sueño no pudo cumplirse, pero en cambio, sí llegó a ser una hermosa realidad el conjunto de Palacio y jardines, con sus puentes, paseos y acceso, desde Madrid, Toledo y Ocaña que, como mágica en crucijada, plasmó Jean L'Hermite en la primera vista de Aranjuez conocida y celosamente guardada en la Biblioteca Real de Bruselas.
EL PALACIO DE FELIPE II
Decidido Felipe II a construir el nuevo Palacio, después de las vicisitudes señaladas en la Introducción, se sirvió el Monarca del nuevo arquitecto contratado en Italia, Juan Bautista de Toledo. Su nombre va unido, como es de justicia, al proyecto del Monasterio de El Escorial, pero no es menos cierto que antes de trazar una sola línea para la gran empresa escurialense, Juan Bautista de Toledo ya estaba trabajando en diversos cometidos en Aranjuez, desde 1559, año en que llega a España, y concretamente en el Palacio, cuya simbólica primera piedra no se colocaría hasta el primer día del año de 1565; eso sí, después de haber oído misa. Pero para entonces ya se habían hecho todos los tanteos previos, las trazas y los modelos del nuevo Palacio, el replanteo del edificio sobre el terreno e incluso se había terminado una parte de la cimentación del conjunto.
La primera piedra del Monasterio de El Escorial se había colocado, también simbólicamente, en la cimentación del refectorio, en 1563, después de todas las labores de preparación del terreno, de tal modo que Aranjuez y El Escorial son obras hermanas de unos mismos años e hijas de un mismo padre, Juan Bautista de Toledo, y resultado de una misma voluntad real: la de Felipe II. Todo lo cual explica de modo natural la semejanza que existe entre el Palacio Real de Aranjuez y la Casa del Rey en la cabecera del Monasterio de El Escorial, como se verá más adelante.
En este punto no puede olvidarse que Juan Bautista de Toledo fue llamado a Italia «para que ahora y de aquí adelante, para en toda vuestra vida, seáis nuestro Arquitecto y como tal nos hayáis de servir y sirváis en hacer las trazas y los modelos que os mandáremos y en todas nuestras obras, edificios y otras cosas dependientes del dicho oficio de Arquitecto», es decir, Felipe II tiene en proyecto no sólo El Escorial, sino otras muchas obras reales nuevas en Aranjuez o Madrid, además de terminar las iniciadas en Toledo o en El Pardo por su padre, Carlos V De toda esta actividad, ciertamente, El Escorial es la obra más comprometida y de mayor envergadura, que servirá de telón de fondo a los pocos años de vida que las Parcas le dieron a Juan Bautista de Toledo en nuestro suelo, pues llegado a España en 1559, el arquitecto falleció en 1567.
Hasta ese momento, Juan Bautista de Toledo no dejó de asistir a la obra del Palacio de Aranjuez, pues el Rey tenía gran empeño en avanzar los trabajos, si bien los menguados recursos financieros no le dejaron adelantar estos al ritmo que el Monarca hubiera querido. La estrecha vinculación biográfica del arquitecto con la obra de Aranjuez es tal que queda de manifiesto al revisar la actividad de Juan Bautista de Toledo en los días finales de su vida. Así, sabemos que después de haber visitado las obras en febrero de 1567, y deseoso el Monarca iniciar las obras de la Capilla del Palacio, el arquitecto estuvo unas semanas del mes de marzo en Aranjuez, dando ya muestras evidentes de falta de salud.
Con todo, fue un tiempo fructífero para la obra y para el proyecto en general, pues dejó nuevas trazas, definió los detalles de la cantería y, de alguna forma, se es pecificaron pormenores de acabado, sin duda no resueltos hasta entonces, dando instrucciones para la organización de la obra a sus ayudantes que, en ese momento, eran los aparejadores Gaspar de Landeras, para la cantería, y Domingo Sánchez y Gaspar Hernández, para la parte de albañilería. Sobre estos, tenía a su cargo la dirección de la obra un italiano, muy afín a Juan Bautista de Toledo, que fue Gerónimo Gili. Con estos hombres, y dadas las instrucciones pertinentes, el arquitecto se volvió a Madrid, pero en mayo de aquel mismo año de 1567 le notificaron la necesidad de sustituir al aparejador de cantería Gaspar de Landeras, que había fallecido tras unas cuartanas. El 12 de mayo Toledo señaló como sustituto a un cantero vizcaíno que ya estaba en la obra, y una semana más tarde el propio arquitecto entregaba su alma a Dios en Madrid. De este modo, bien puede afirmarse que la preocupación por Aranjuez y su Palacio, efectivamente, le acompañó hasta su lecho de muerte, habiendo sido providencial para el futuro de las obras su estancia en aquella primavera de 1567.
La sustitución de Juan Bautista al frente de las obras reales era un problema aún mayor, y en Aranjuez la confianza del Monarca en el más cercano colaborador de Toledo, el mencionado Gerónimo Gili, hizo que éste se hiciese cargo de la obra. Su nombre lo habría sugerido el propio Toledo en un Memorial dirigido al Monarca que dejó preparado antes de morir y que se menciona en el codicilo firmado el mismo día de su fallecimiento. Allí «se trata de las personas que son suficientes [apropiadas] para servir a S.M. en las obras y edificios» que el arquitecto dejaba en construcción, donde aparecería el nombre de Gili, colaborador y amigo muy próximo a Toledo, pues no en vano firmó como testigo en la apertura de su testamento.
Sin embargo, Gili tuvo muchos problemas con los aparejadores de la obra, y si bien da nuevas instrucciones y trazas sobre el modelo de Juan Bautista de Toledo, Felipe II introdujo poco a poco en la obra a Juan de Herrera hasta que éste quedó como máximo y único responsable del Palacio de Aranjuez en 1575. Sin embargo, una vez más, la escasez de recursos económicos paralizó las obras definitivamente, entre 1584 y 1585, hasta que en el siglo XVIII se reiniciaron bajo los Borbones.
¿Cuál y cómo era el Palacio de Felipe II, proyectado por Toledo y construido por Gili y Herrera? La respuesta no es sencilla, pues de una parte, en el incendio del Alcázar de Madrid, en 1734, se debieron de perder los proyectos originales y los modelos que, nos consta, se conservaban allí, y, por otro lado, la formidable obra llevada a cabo en el siglo XVIII oculta la vieja fábrica de Felipe II. Sin embargo, contamos con otras fuentes que permiten tener una idea muy precisa de lo que fue el Palacio filipino y, diríamos más, sin conocerlas difícilmente puede entenderse la génesis del Palacio que hoy visitamos.
Afortunadamente, el Palacio que dejó inconcluso Felipe II fue utilizado y reformado por los Austrias menores, especialmente por Felipe IV lo que generó nuevos planos e informes que son, para nosotros, fuentes exquisitas de información. Así, en 1626, el arquitecto Juan Gómez de Mora copió los planos originales de Juan Bautista de Toledo, proponiendo nuevos usos y distribuciones, según puede comprobarse en el Memorial manuscrito guardado en la Biblioteca Vaticana. A su vez, se conserva en El Escorial una bellísima vista del Palacio de Aranjuez, hecha sin duda sobre el modelo en madera original, donde puede medirse el interés de este proyecto no acabado en sus días y retomado ahora, pues no en vano el anónimo autor de esta obra, que durante algún tiempo se atribuyó a Jusepe Leonardo, escribió los nombres de Felipe II y Felipe IV en la fachada. El pintor, sin duda, tuvo ante sí los suficientes datos como para dar una idea cabal del desarrollo tridimensional del Palacio y de su entorno, dejándonos ver con fidelidad fotográfica el comienzo de las Casas de Oficios, arboledas, huertas y plantíos, viejas construcciones en la parte posterior del Palacio y el puente de madera que lleva a la margen derecha del río, así como el jardín de la Isla, con sus correspondientes parterres y cenadores.
Esta vista ideal del Palacio, muy conocida y reproducida, se complementa con la conservada en el Museo del Prado, igualmente anónima, de hacia 1630, donde además de verse el enclave general del Sitio deja ver mento, eran los aparejadores Gaspar de Landeras, para la cantería, y Domingo Sánchez y Gaspar Hernández, para la parte de albañilería. Sobre estos, tenía a su cargo la dirección de la obra un italiano, muy afín a Juan Bautista de Toledo, que fue Gerónimo Gili. Con estos hombres, y dadas las instrucciones pertinentes, el arquitecto se volvió a Madrid, pero en mayo de aquel mismo año de 1567 le notificaron la necesidad de sustituir al aparejador de cantería Gaspar de Landeras, que había fallecido tras unas cuartanas. El 12 de mayo Toledo señaló como sustituto a un cantero vizcaíno que ya estaba en la obra, y una semana más tarde el propio arquitecto entregaba su alma a Dios en Madrid. De este modo, bien puede afirmarse que la preocupación por Aranjuez y su Palacio, efectivamente, le acompañó hasta su lecho de muerte, habiendo sido providencial para el futuro de las obras su estancia en aquella primavera de 1567.
La sustitución de Juan Bautista al frente de las obras reales era un problema aún mayor, y en Aranjuez la confianza del Monarca en el más cercano colaborador de Toledo, el mencionado Gerónimo Gili, hizo que éste se hiciese cargo de la obra. Su nombre lo habría sugerido el propio Toledo en un Memorial dirigido al Monarca que dejó preparado antes de morir y que se menciona en el codicilo firmado el mismo día de su fallecimiento. Allí «se trata de las personas que son suficientes [apropiadas] para servir a S.M. en las obras y edificios» que el arquitecto dejaba en construcción, donde aparecería el nombre de Gil¡, colaborador y amigo muy próximo a Toledo, pues no en vano firmó como testigo en la apertura de su testamento.
Sin embargo, Gili tuvo muchos problemas con los aparejadores de la obra, y si bien da nuevas instrucciones y trazas sobre el modelo de Juan Bautista de Toledo, Felipe II introdujo poco a poco en la obra a Juan de Herrera hasta que éste quedó como máximo y único responsable del Palacio de Aranjuez en 1575. Sin embargo, una vez más, la escasez de recursos económicos paralizó las obras definitivamente, entre 1584 y 1585, hasta que en el siglo XVIII se reiniciaron bajo los Borbones.
Toledo había pensado en un Palacio de amplia fachada y torres en los extremos, disponiendo a su espalda y en torno a un patio central los apartamentos del Rey, al Sur, y de la Reina, al Norte, en dos alturas, para ocupar la baja en verano y la alta en invierno. La simetría de la composición y la presencia de unos jardines privados de acompañamiento, como parte integrante del proyecto arquitectónico, completarían la semejanza que Aranjuez tiene con el Palacio de Felipe II en la cabecera del Monasterio de El Escorial, tal y como advirtiera Fernando Chueca en su día.
¿Qué es lo que, en realidad, se llegó a construir del proyecto de Felipe II? Cuantitativamente, algo menos de la mitad, y cualitativamente, lo más importante, es decir, la Capilla palatina que alberga la única torre construida, al Sur, la llamada Torre de la Capilla, y las estancias del Rey abiertas al jardín que lleva su nombre. De la fachada sólo se hizo el paño entre la mencionada Torre de la Capilla, rematada por una sencilla cúpula, y el primer eje de los cinco que tendría el cuerpo central, algo más elevado, con sus tres alturas en lugar de las dos plantas que tiene el resto del Palacio. Piedra caliza blanca para basas, pilastras, cornisas, remates, así como para la embocadura de los huecos, y paramentos de ladrillo «cocido a la manera de Flandes», harían que el Palacio se asemejara a la intervención de Herrera en el Alcázar de Toledo y, más aún, a la Casa de Contratación de Sevilla. Estilísticamente hablando la obra es muy sobria, acusando las fachadas unos disciplinados órdenes apilastrados, con tableros de piedra que cubren las superficies más amplias y desnudas de ladrillo, en la idea de alcanzar un cálido equilibrio cromático, como convenía al carácter del edificio, todo muy lejos del granítico rigor escurialense.
Curiosamente, todos estos aspectos se pueden reconocer todavía no sólo en las partes construidas bajo Felipe II sino en el resto, añadido en el siglo XVIII. En efecto, a pesar de ser de origen francés e italiano, los arquitectos que continuaron las obras dos siglos después, y bajo una dinastía distinta, la obra de terminación y ampliación del Palacio parece una consecuencia natural del primitivo, sin estridencia alguna, conservando el espíritu filipino, la idea básica de Juan Bautista de Toledo y el carácter añadido por Herrera. Todavía distinguimos muy bien la Torre de la Capilla, aunque en el interior desapareciera su uso religioso para acomodar allí unas habitaciones en la reforma de Sabatini. Es evidente que la piedra blanca y el ladrillo siguen dando color y textura al Palacio, en la misma proporción que en el siglo XVI. El recuerdo de Herrera, tópicamente asimilado a las esféricas bolas vistas en El Escorial, corona igualmente toda la obra nueva como lo hacía en la antigua, y así, sucesivamente, podríamos ir desgranando todo cuanto los nuevos constructores tomaron de la obra vieja como punto de partida, en una lección de arquitectura bien trabada por encima del tiempo y de los posibles personalismos de sus autores o de sus comitentes.
Entre las muchas cosas que se conservaron del Palacio del siglo XVI, se encuentra el jardín del Rey, al Sur del Palacio, jardín privado y cerrado, al que se abría el pórtico que, luego, en el siglo XVIII, acabaría cegándose para convertirlo en piezas de otro uso. Con todo, allí está el jardín, arquitectónicamente definido en el siglo XVI, dentro del proyecto de Toledo, modificado en el siglo XVII, alterado más tarde y recuperado en nuestros días. Hay que decir que este jardín del Rey tenía su homólogo en el de la Reina, en el lado norte, que nunca se llegó a hacer, y que ambos, a su vez, estaban comunicados por detrás del Palacio, por un jardín común, igualmente cerrado, donde hoy crece el llamado del Parterre, que ha conocido muchos cambios hasta su forma actual, alcanzada a lo largo del siglo XIX.
Pero volviendo al proyecto original, diremos que el Palacio veía a sus pies jardines cerrados, secretos, con caminos de baldosas de cerámica y unas fuentes, de las que podemos formarnos una idea por la que centraba el jardín del Rey, de la que sólo conocemos que fue labrada en jaspe por Roque Solario. Unas hornacinas con asientos, abiertas en los muros de cerramiento, ofrecían la comodidad del descanso en la posición más favorable respecto al sol.
En los años de Felipe IV se alteró el aspecto del jardín, cuyos antiguos paseos de cerámica se vieron sustituidos por andenes de piedra y cuadros de guijo, tal y como se recuperaron en las recientes obras de restauración (1986). El propio Felipe IV envió, en 1622, una importante colección de esculturas que estaban en el Alcázar de Madrid, para decorar el Palacio de Aranjuez, colocándose algunas de ellas en el jardín del Rey. En concreto, se distribuyeron en los nichos referidos una docena de bustos en mármol de emperadores romanos -hoy en la Casa de Labrador- y se colocó, presidiendo desde el lado occidental del jardín, una escultura en mármol de Felipe II, firmada por Pompeo Leoni en 1568. En su pedestal se puso la siguiente inscripción: «El Rey Nuestro Señor Don Felipe IV mandó adornar este jardín con las estatuas que en él hay, siendo gobernador Don Francisco de Brizuela. Año de MDCXXIII».
Desde entonces fue frecuente referirse a este jardín como «el de las estatuas». A uno y otro lado del retrato real, se colocaron entonces los formidables relieves, también en mármol y de los Leoni, de Carlos V y la Emperatriz Isabel de Portugal, que actualmente podemos admirar en el Museo del Prado. Con aquel programa iconográfico quedaba clara la estirpe imperial de este Jardín del Rey, en el que Felipe IV recuerda a su abuelo y bisabuelos, sin omitir la referencia al poder imperial encarnada por los césares romanos.
El jardín, comunicado con el Parterre desde el siglo XVIII, tras la eliminación de su cerramiento occiden- tal, ha perdido el primitivo carácter de jardín reservado y secreto, si bien aún es posible rehacer por lo dicho 1 imagen original de este bello rincón del Palacio de Felipe II. El jardín de la Reina no pasó nunca de su fase de proyecto, pero, lógicamente, hubiera sido una réplica del descrito, comunicando ambos por sendas puerta con el jardín común, a Oriente del Palacio, que sí se llegó a definir en una parte, según se desprende de la mencionada vista conservada en el Museo del Prado.
En este lienzo de nuestra primera pinacoteca puede verse, igualmente, la Casa de Oficios en pleno proceso de construcción, formando parte del conjunto palacial. En efecto, la Casa de Oficios se une al Palacio a través de un brazo porticado que, en escuadra, comunicaba bajo el pórtico o por encima de la terraza ambos edificios, siendo la solución porticada el elemento de lineal, sutura entre uno y otro. La Casa de Oficios se contemplaba ya en el proyecto inicial de Juan Bautista de Toledo, siendo objeto de una nueva consideración por parte de Juan de Herrera, quien, en 1584 y a instancias del Rey, hace los «apuntamientos» o memoria, con las condiciones de obra, entregando unas plantas a Lucas de Escalante y Antonio de Segura, para iniciar la obra. La Casa de Oficios se situaría entre la llamada Plaza de la Parejas, al Sur del Palacio Real, y la futura Plaza de San Antonio, viéndose recrecida y alargada con la adición, e el siglo XVIII, de la Casa de Caballeros.
LA ÉPOCA DE LOS BORBONES
Tanto el Palacio como los jardines de la Isla no conocieron nada importante hasta la llegada de la nueva dinastía de los Borbones, siendo el nombre del nuevo Monarca, Felipe V el que muy pronto aparece interesado en la terminación del Palacio, además de impulsar el ambicioso proyecto de Aranjuez no sólo como Palacio y Jardín, sino como Real Sitio. El Palacio presentaba entonces un aspecto modesto, pero que cumplía a satisfacción y ocasionalmente su cometido de grata residencia en las jornadas estivales. Esto es lo que viene a decirnos Juan Álvarez de Colmenar en sus ya citadas Délices de l' Espagne, cuando en 1707, esto es, antes de que se emprendan las nuevas campañas de obras, escribe: «La casa real, aunque es bastante hermosa, es lo que actualmente está más descuidado. Sólo está amueblada cuando el Rey acude; hay algunos cuadros de calidad, y un salón muy agradable en verano a causa del frescor, todo de mármol, y sustentado por columnas del mismo material». A continuación nos proporciona alguna información que nos retrotrae a los años del Felipe IV pues de entonces debe datar el traslado de la estatua en bronce de Carlos V y el Furor, de Leoni, actualmente en la rnda del Museo del Prado, al Palacio de Aranjuez, dónde Álvarez de Colmenar la vio «en el gran patio, cuadrado y pavimentado de mármol», junto a una fuente.
Lo cierto es que, en 1715, Felipe V encargó a Pedro Caro Idrogo, del que Ceán dice que era «carabinero de los reales ejércitos y ayuda de Furriera de Felipe V» -sirviendo en la plaza de maestro mayor y aparejador de las obras reales del Palacio de Madrid, desde su nombramiento como tal en 1712- que estudiara la continuación de las obras del Palacio, teniendo muy probablemente ante sí todavía los planos antiguos del proyecto original y, desde luego, los citados proyectos de Mora. El hecho es que en 1719 Idrogo ya había comenzado a mover la obra, lo cual requería el derribo previo de la Casa Maestral que hasta entonces había estado unida al Palacio de Felipe II, haciendo avanzar la construcción en la zona norte, por Real Orden de 2 de mayo de 1727, de acuerdo con los planos y fechas que se recogen en los proyectos conservados, tanto en el Archivo General de Palacio como en el Servicio General del Ejército (1728). Idrogo recuperó la idea inicial de la fachada torreada, cuyos cimientos se abrieron en 1728, llegando a proponer soluciones nuevas para la escalera principal, así como una distinta distribución de usos y espacios, de acuerdo no sólo con la nueva etiqueta cortesana de los Borbones, sino con la ocupación de parte del Palacio por las oficinas y despachos de algunos ramos de la Administración como las Secretarías de Hacienda, Guerra e Indias, todo ello en torno al patio central de Palacio. Esto coincide con el comentario que sobre el Palacio hace el viajero Étienne de Silhouette cuando, al visitar España en 1729-1730, dice que «la casa real es bastante bella, y cuando pasé por allí estaban trabajando en una ampliación».
Idrogo debió tener algunas diferencias de criterio con el Gobernador y Superintendente de la obra, Juan Antonio Samaniego, que presentó en 1731 unos pliegos contra la obra del arquitecto. Éste no pudo replicar puesto, que falleció al año siguiente, en 1732, y a Caro Idrogo, al que Bottineau llama «ingeniero militan», le sucedieron otros dos ingenieros militares franceses: Étienne Marchand y Léandre Bachelieu, de los cuales el primero murió también enseguida, en 1733, por lo que muy poco pudo hacer. Bachelieu, en cambio, adelantó mucho la obra, llegando a terminar la fachada principal en 1739, sobre la que se puso, según Ceán, una inscripción latina que este autor transcribe, recordando que aquella opus magnum se había hecho merced a Felipe V y se había terminado en la fecha indicada.
Pero a esta etapa protagonizada por los ingenieros franceses sucedió la de los arquitectos italianos, y así nos encontramos con Giacomo Bonavía, de Piacenza, y más adelante, con Francesco Sabatini, de Palermo, a quienes se debe el aspecto general y dominante del edificio, tanto interior como exteriormente, desde su fachada principal hasta la gran escalera o la nueva Capilla. Bonavía entró primero como ayudante de Bachelieu, luego siguió como tracista, en 1744, de la gran escalera de honor, y, finalmente, tras su nombramiento el 29 de septiembre de 1745, como director principal al frente de las obras del Palacio de Aranjuez, hasta su fallecimiento en 1759. Esto por no referirnos a su responsabilidad en la obra más amplia del Real Sitio, desde los aspectos estrictamente urbanos hasta los arquitectónicos, como pudiera ser la deliciosa Capilla de San Antonio presidiendo desde el fondo la gran Plaza que lleva su nombre en Aranjuez, en la que arquitectura y ciudad se solapan de modo ejemplar. En efecto, si bien estos cometidos de gran responsabilidad no son ahora el objeto de las presentes líneas, no se puede olvidar la febril actividad desplegada por Bonavía durante estos años, a la vez que se ocupaba del Palacio de Aranjuez.
La intervención de Bonavía en el Palacio tiene, además, un largo alcance, pues de un lado, a falta de culminar la obra gruesa del proyecto de 1715 -que no vería su fin hasta 1752-, él se dedicó a los interiores, de los que resulta pieza excepcional la gran escalera de honor con su espectacular desarrollo, así como la cuidada decoración de los apartamentos reales de Felipe V e Isabel de Farnesio. Pero es que, por otra parte, Bonavía hubo de hacer frente a los daños causados por el incendio fortuito que se produjo en 1747, en una labor de reconstrucción muy importante.
Las noticias documentadas desde su nombramiento en 1745 se refieren, en efecto, a los acabados de pavimentos y mobiliario, donde los pagos a tallistas, adornistas y doradores, como Juan Arranz, Matías Pérez, Manuel Corrales y Próspero de Mórtola, entre otros, ponen de manifiesto que la obra de amueblamiento se estaba finalizando, y quedaba constancia de que en los meses de noviembre y diciembre se hacían los últimos trabajos en el Gabinete de la Reina.
Precisamente, por las habitaciones de la Reina se inició el terrible incendio que asoló el Palacio en la madrugada del 16 de junio de 1748, lo cual forzaría a Bonavía a desempeñar un nuevo protagonismo en el edificio real, pues además de intentar terminarlo de una vez, tenía que hacer frente a la reconstrucción de buena parte de la zona norte. En aquella fecha los Monarcas residían en Palacio, si bien ya no eran Felipe V fallecido en 1746, e Isabel de Farnesio, que se encontraba en el Palacio de La Granja, sino Fernando VI y Bárbara de Braganza, la hija de Juan V de Portugal, que no sufrieron daños, pero que se trasladaron inmediatamente a Madrid, al Palacio del Buen Retiro.
El que sí quedó muy dañado fue el Palacio de Aranjuez, tanto por el fuego como por la precipitación con que se le quiso atajar. Nuevos proyectos afectaron, en lo arquitectónico, a la fachada principal, a la que se le dio definitivamente el aspecto que hoy tiene, en sus tres alturas y ático de remate, donde se resume la agitada historia del edificio mediante la representación y nombre de sus Monarcas.
En efecto, rematando el hastial central aparecen las esculturas labradas por Pedro Martinengo, según modelos de Olivieri, que representan, de derecha a izquierda a Felipe II, Fernando VI -algo más elevada- y a Felipe V. El formidable escudo con las armas reales, dibujado por Bonavía y ejecutado por Arranz, se terminó también en 1752, cuando se pueden dar por finalizadas las obras, según recuerda la inscripción que, sobre dos cartelas, se incluye también en este ático:
PHILIPPUS II. INSTITUIT FERDINANDUS VI. PIUS FELIX
PHILIPPUS V PROVEXIT CONSUMMAVIT AN. MDCC1,ll
Esta fachada principal, muy respetuosa en su arquitectura con el espíritu de la obra de Felipe II en cuanto a contención formal, materiales y color, añadió, como todo, licencia, el pórtico avanzado de la planta baja y unos sencillos frontones curvos y triangulares sobre los balcones: y ventanas de las plantas principal y alta, dando lugar, un noble y palaciego frontis. Sin embargo, y frente a la interpretación lógica que del interior se pudiera hacer, a contemplar esta hermosa fachada desde fuera, no existe detrás de aquel plano estancias reales; no se encuentra e Salón del Trono, ni siquiera una sala de aparato, sino que en realidad, todos aquellos numerosos balcones y venta mas iluminan la gran escalera que, diseñada por Bonavía, en 1744, había sido uno de los elementos de más lente definición a lo largo de la historia constructiva del Palacio Así como en el proyecto de Toledo, por lo que conocemos, no existe una gran escalera de aparato, única, abierta, sino excusadas entre muros, y la pensada por Gómez de Mora tiende a vincularla con el patio central, de donde recibe sus luces, al igual que haría Idrogo sacrificando la cuarta crujía del patio central, Bonavía convierte en une caja monumental todo el espacio entre la fachada y el patio. Asegura así una generosa iluminación natural por su, dos frentes, y desarrolla una escalera colosal, de múltiple, accesos en su arranque, que se encuentran en una meseta desde la que, por un único tiro, se alcanza el rellano siguiente, bifurcándose en dos desde aquí para acceder a la planta alta. Todo este movimiento se ve acompañado de una excelente baranda en hierro forjado y toques dorados, de un bello estilo rococó, mientras que unos magníficos bustos, debidos a Antoine Coysevox y firmados en 1683, observan al recién llegado desde sus pedestales. Sin duda, la nueva dinastía borbónica quiso recordar aquí los suyos, al igual que Felipe IV lo había hecho en el Jardín de las Estatuas, pues en la escalera se ven los retratos de Luis XIV de María Teresa de Austria, y del hijo de ambos, el Delfín de Francia y padre de Felipe V a quien se debe la decisión de terminar el Palacio de Aranjuez. Sin embargo, en esta escalera tan solemne y teatral, digna del mejor Palacio europeo de su tiempo, se echa en falta el apoyo cromático de unas pinturas murales que dieran color a su bóveda, desprovista hoy de este inexcusable aliento.
Todavía se ha de mencionar la campaña final del edificio, pues muerto Fernando VI en 1759, el mismo año del fallecimiento de su arquitecto Bonavía, el nuevo Monarca, Carlos III, estimó muy reducida la capacidad del Palacio, y pequeñas algunas de sus piezas, bien fuera la vieja capilla de Felipe II, bien el teatro bajo la torre norte. Para ello dio una Real Orden, el 13 de junio de 1770, por la que se comunicaba a través del Marqués de Grimaldi, Primer Secretario de Estado y del Despacho, su deseo de que en « el Palacio de este Sitio [Aranjuez] se añadiesen dos cuerpos de edificio a los ángulos de la principal hacia poniente, bajo los planos diseñados y dirección de Sabatini», mandando sacar a subasta las obras de acuerdo con las condiciones fijadas por el mencionado arquitecto, adjudicándose la obra a Kearney y Compañía por presentar la oferta más ventajosa para la Real Hacienda.
Sabatini concibió este «aumento», con cuyo nombre se conocía la obra nueva, con dos alas perpendiculares a la fachada principal del Palacio, dando lugar a una plaza de armas o cour d'honneur, de tal forma que al tiempo que la población del Real Sitio iba creciendo a sus espaldas hacia Oriente, el Palacio miraba cada vez más fijamente en dirección contraria, a través de la localidad que forzadamente le proporcionaban los dos brazos paralelos de Sabatini. Éste prolongó el carácter dominante del Palacio existente, haciendo un ejercicio de natural injerto en el viejo cuerpo y reservando para el interior los cambios y novedades. Entre ellas, son de gran entidad la inclusión de una nueva Capilla palatina en el extremo del ala Sur, en sustitución de la antigua, así como el proyecto -luego desvirtuado- del teatro cortesano en el ala norte, sin que desde el exterior se pueda percibir la singularidad de estos dos espacios. Las obras se llevaron a buen ritmo, de tal manera que, como nos recuerdan sendas inscripciones sobre las fachadas que miran a la nueva plaza de armas, entre 1772 y 1777, se hizo lo principal de esta ampliación bajo el reinado de Carlos III.
Por último, añadiremos que no sólo el Palacio, sino que, tanto el jardín de la Isla como los más inmediatos alrededores del Palacio, en una operación de sutura con el entorno, conocieron mejoras, reformas y adiciones bajo los Borbones en el siglo XVIII. De forma muy abreviada cabe recordar que el propio Bonavía realizó obras en los muros de protección de la Isla, pensó nuevos puentes de exclusivo uso real y proyectó algunas arquitecturas para el jardín de la Isla, como el conocido cenador de 1755 que acompañaría o sustituiría a otros preexistentes, algunos de los cuales aparecen en las más conocidas vistas de Aranjuez. Al mismo tiempo, los nuevos jardineros franceses al servicio del Rey habían incorporado el novedoso gusto de las broderies, como hizo Esteban Boutelou en el jardín de flores proyectado en 1748 para la isla, del que apenas queda nada sino el lugar que ocupó, presidido hoy por una Fuente de Diana.
Probablemente el cambio más notable producido en los alrededores del Palacio fue la incorporación del Parterre, bajo su fachada Sur, tal y como se ve de modo perfecto en la vista del Palacio Real pintada por Antonio Joli, que se conserva en el Palacio Real de Nápoles, en los dos excelentes lienzos de Francesco Battaglioli, hoy en el Museo del Prado, y que muestran dos aspectos de la fiesta de San Fernando en 1756, en los que el Parterre es elemento capital de los cuadros, o en la amplia vista grabada en 1773 por Domingo de Aguirre. El recordar estas bellas imágenes, ejecutadas por pintores y grabadores, no tiene más finalidad que recordar, al mismo tiempo, el aspecto original que en su día tuvo el Parterre, proyectado por Marchand en 1728, y muy distinto del que hoy ofrece.
El hecho de plantear este jardín en la parte posterior del Palacio deriva, seguramente, del hecho de situar sobre esta fachada los dormitorios del Rey y de la Reina, después de los cambios producidos en la nueva distribución interior del Palacio. De este modo, a los pies de sus balcones se vería un jardín a la francesa, diseñado por un francés para el nieto de Luis XIV de Francia, a la vez que, más allá del cerramiento del Parterre, se vería el frondoso arbolado de la calle de la Reina, así como la del Príncipe y futura de las infantas, formando un tridente convergente hacia el Parterre y Palacio. Es decir, más allá de su esencia como mero jardín, el Parterre fue una charnela múltiple en un lugar clave en la ordenación del Real Sitio, en relación con el Palacio, población y acceso desde Madrid a través del Puente de Barcas.
El Parterre fue concebido como una composición muy plana, sin apenas relieve, dominado por las broderies y el gazon, con leves filas de tilos, y animado con sencillos juegos de agua, todo muy leve, como conviene a la concepción de un parterre. Sin embargo, esta misma fragilidad fue su peor enemigo, pues todo cuanto después se hizo, especialmente en el siglo XIX, alteró profundamente aquel jardín, cuando se cambió el diseño de los caminos, se plantaron poderosas especies como coníferas y magnolios, que dieron porte y sombra a un jardín que se alejaba para siempre de lo pensado por Marchand. Obras notables que ya contribuyeron a las primeras alteraciones del tranquilo Parterre fueron el foso o canal de agua que lo bordea, debido al arquitecto francés Marquet y realizado bajo Carlos III, según aparece ya en el conocido cuadro de Paret, así como la incorporación, en 1827, de la Fuente de los Trabajos de Hércules o de Hércules y Anteo, diseñada por Isidro Velázquez, ya en época de Fernando VII, con esculturas de Juan Adán, entre otros artistas.
Asimismo, hay otra serie de fuentes notables y esculturas, de procedencia diversa, como la de Ceres y los grupos de niños con canastillos de flores, debidos a Robert Michel, o las más pequeñas de las Nereidas, en plomo, obra de Joaquín Dumandre, y que llegarían hasta aquí procedentes del Palacio de Valsaín. Unas magníficas copas o jarrones en mármol de Carrara, labrados en el siglo xviii, se suman a los elementos escultóricos de este Parterre dieciochesco de romántico aroma.
DE PALACIO A MUSEO
Después de doscientos años de obras y proyectos, de cuatro siglos de uso y de dos dinastías reinantes, el Palacio de los Austrias y Borbones ha encontrado un nuevo destino como museo de sí mismo. El recorrido por sus estancias palaciegas, que en este largo tiempo han ido cambiando de nombre y de función, es el mejor modo de adentrarnos en un pasado que nos retrotrae, especialmente, al siglo xviii, sin menoscabo de todo aquello que el siglo xix incorporó al mobiliario y decoración de sus salas, que no fue poco. Perdidos los ambientes interiores de los Austrias, la visita al Palacio de Aranjuez hoy es, sobre todo, una amable introducción al arte de la Corte de los Borbones en España, donde lo italiano y lo francés logran un cierto equilibrio, pues si bien la gran pieza de porcelana o los techos llevan sello italiano, lo francés, a través del estilo Imperio, manda sobre gran parte del mobiliario.
Las estancias con mayor interés y personalidad se encuentran en la planta alta, haciendo aquí una breve mención de las más importantes que componían los apartamentos de la Reina, ocupando, aproximadamente, la mitad norte del Palacio, y las del Rey situadas en la zona Sur. Una y otra zona tenían, en el comienzo de su recorrido, una sala o cuerpo de guardia interior, a cargo de la Guardia de Corps. La de la Reina, con entrada desde la escalera principal, conserva una buena colección de cuadros de Lucas Jordán con episodios de la vida del Rey Salomón, además de porcelana y relojes de procedencia francesa. A esta sencilla pieza sigue la Saleta de la Reina que, igualmente, cuenta con lienzos de Jordán, y mobiliario de estilo Imperio, con tres excelentes consolas de estilo Luis XVI.
Así como todos los estamentos tenían acceso hasta la Saleta de la Reina para ser recibidos por el Monarca, el protocolo sólo permitía acceder a la siguiente sala, llama da Antecámara de la Reina, a la jerarquía eclesiástica, embajadores, autoridades y personas de una determinada condición social. Inmediatamente después, y completando las tres piezas que la etiqueta del siglo XVIII contemplaba, se encuentra la Cámara de la Reina, con luces sobre el jardín de la Isla, en la que se guarda el piano inglés regalado por la Emperatriz Eugenia de Montijo a Isabel II.
El Anteoratorio y Oratorio, por el contrario, se abren al patio central, y siendo muy notables las pinturas, como, la que representa a San Antonio de Padua, de Giaquinto el reloj de Hoffmeyer y las bellísimas composiciones en mosaico ejecutadas en los talleres de piedras duras del Vaticano, nuestro interés busca en el Oratorio la intervención de Villanueva. En efecto, esta pieza nos lleva a recordar las pequeñas intervenciones de Carlos IV en Aranjuez en esta ocasión encargando a Juan de Villanueva, el arquitecto del Museo del Prado, la transformación de esta estancia en Oratorio, con nobles materiales y habilísimos artífices. Mármol, estuco y bronce dorado, bien trabajado por los hermanos Ferroni, y los frescos del pintor de Cámara, Francisco Bayeu, firmados en 1790, garantizan el interés del Oratorio que, como tal, cuenta con un retablo en el que Mariano Salvador Maella pintó una Inmaculada.
El Salón del Trono está situado en la crujía norte. Sus tres balcones dan al jardín de la Isla. El ambiente y su mobiliario denotan su pertenencia a la época de Isabel II, cuando se pinta la bóveda por Vicente Camarón (1851) y se amuebla con formidables consolas y espejos característicamente isabelinos. La sillería, arrimada a los zócalos de apariencia marmórea, pero que son de excelente estuco imitando serpentina, pertenece igualmente a esta época, siendo los sitiales del trono de estilo Luis XVI. Como conviene al Salón del Trono, en su bóveda se exalta a la Monarquía, acompañada por las Virtudes, las Artes y la Industria.
Entre el Salón del Trono y la excepcional Saleta de Porcelana se encuentra el llamado Despacho o Cámara Oficial de la Reina, pieza reservada para el recibo de la más alta nobleza y jerarquía civil y religiosa. Cuenta con una excelente sillería neoclásica, de la época de Carlos IV en caoba y limoncillo con incrustaciones de ébano, cuyo diseño se ha atribuido a Dougourc. La decoración de la bóveda se debe a Mariano Salvador Maella.
La Saleta o Gabinete de Porcelana es, sin duda, la obra más singular de todo el Palacio, y un ejemplo de aquel interés del siglo XVIII por lo oriental, por lo exótico y pintoresco; en una palabra, por lo que se ha definido como la «chinoiserie», en el sentido de extravagante y llamativo, como contraste con la cultura y gusto occidentales. Todo esto es lo que, en efecto, despierta la contemplación de semejante pieza, después de haber pasado por las anteriores. Sin duda el efecto sorpresa y estupor se apoderan, hoy como ayer, de todos cuantos visitan Aranjuez, al llegar a este rincón del Palacio. Su incorporación se debe a las reformas emprendidas por Carlos III, quien tuvo aquí su sala preferida para las reuniones más íntimas.
Se trata de una intervención temprana en el Palacio, mucho antes de pensar en su ampliación con Sabatini, pues el encargo de la obra data de 1760. Ésta se hizo en la Real Fábrica de Porcelana que el Rey, nada más llegar a la Corte, mandó establecer en 1759 en el Buen Retiro de Madrid, a imitación de la que había dejado en Capodimonte, en el reino de Nápoles. Carlos III se trajo a modeladores y técnicos que, como Giuseppe Gricci y Scheppers, dieron feliz término a esta obra en 1765, para iniciar, a continuación, la Sala de Porcelana que el mismo Carlos III introdujo en el Palacio Real de Madrid, si bien ésta es considerablemente más pequeña que la de Aranjuez. Sobre grandes placas de cerámica, sujetas a un armazón de madera, se recogen motivos tópicos orientales de China y Japón, donde vendedores de papagayos, samurais, músicos, mandarines y escenas familiares de padres e hijos prestan un argumento al fondo general, compuesto por una malla de guirnaldas, frutos y pájaros que recorren muros y bóveda. De ésta pende una lámpara con los mismos elementos formales, igualmente en porcelana, como en porcelana son los marcos de los espejos que reflejan y multiplican todos estos motivos en una imagen de ensueño, donde el espacio no tiene límites reales. El color, en sus ricas tonalidades cerámicas, contribuye a realzar esta joya del arte rococó europeo del siglo XVIII.
Las dos últimas salas vinculadas a la Reina son su Dormitorio y el Tocador, ambos con balcones sobre el Parterre. El primero tiene la singularidad de conservar el mobiliario ofrecido por Barcelona a Isabel II con motivo de su boda con Don Francisco de Asís de Borbón, hecho en todas sus piezas en aquella ciudad con excelentes maderas y aplicaciones de bronce y taracea. Aquel estilo recargado, con acentos rococó, especialmente visible en los copetes y remates de la cama, del reclinatorio, o en las galerías del cortinaje, parece aletear bajo la bóveda pintada por Zacarías González Velázquez, donde se desarrolla una nueva alegoría de la Monarquía, acompañada por la justicia, las Ciencias, las Virtudes y la Ley.
De Don Vicente Camarón es, en cambio, la pintura de la bóveda del Tocador de la Reina, con la representación de las Cuatro Estaciones. Su más desenfadado carácter acompaña bien a este caprichoso espacio, vestido en seda talaverana, donde el mobiliario y aderezo general revelan el gusto de los años de Isabel II.
Los apartamentos de la Reina y del Rey están separados hoy por el Salón de Baile, situado en el centro de la fachada sobre el Parterre, en el eje del Palacio. Su ambiente responde al siglo XIX, presidido por los retratos de Alfonso XII y Alfonso XIII, pintados por Ojeda y Garnelo, respectivamente.
Gran parte de estas salas, que actualmente conocemos con determinado nombre, tuvieron en otro tiempo un uso diferente. Así, el que llamamos Comedor de Gala, inmediato al Salón de Baile pero abierto al interior, al patio central, fue Sala de conversación bajo Fernando VI hasta que Carlos III le dio el nuevo destino. Es la pieza que mejor conserva lo que pudo haber sido la imagen del Palacio rococó, pues desde el piso hasta la bóveda, pasando por los cuadros pintados expresamente para esta estancia por Giaquinto, con la Historia de José, todo, obedece a un programa decorativo y a un mismo espíritu tardobarroco. El suelo es de un excelente estuco debido a Carlos Antonio Bernasconi. Representa en su centro un apretado grupo de trofeos militares, acompañado de amplias bandas de formas abiertas, muy expresivamente rococó. Con análogo espíritu, la bóveda de la Sala está enmarcada por unos estucos blancos, en cuyos ángulos se ven las cuatro partes del mundo. En el paño central del techo aparece una alegoría que exalta las Virtudes de la Monarquía, acompañada por la justicia, la Religión, la Abundancia, la Munificencia y la Paz. Su autor fue el pintor de Cámara de Fernando VI, Santiago Amiconi, que la ejecutó entre 1750 y 1752.
En la parte más antigua del Palacio, aunque muchas veces alterada, se encuentran las estancias del Rey, a las que se tiene acceso desde la escalera principal, después de pasar por la amplia y desnuda Sala de Guardias del Rey. Pequeñas estancias, resultado de divisiones posteriores, alojan las que se llaman Habitación de pinturas chinas, el Antedespacho o Sala de trabajo del Rey, el Despacho del Rey, y el Salón de espejos, las cuatro con sus balcones hacia el jardín del Rey, mirando al Sur. La primera habitación recibe aquel exótico nombre por el hecho de decorar ordenadamente sus muros una colección de doscientos pequeños cuadros, de apenas veinte centímetros de alto, con escenas chinas pintadas a la acuarela sobre papel de arroz, muy probablemente a finales del siglo XVIII. Su técnica es de gran preciosismo descriptivo, con un dibujo y una paleta de color de gran finura que revelan una maestría excepcional por parte de su anónimo autor. Parece que se trata de un obsequio del Emperador de China a la Reina Isabel II, y de entonces debe datar la lámpara que busca un elemental aspecto orientalizante a tono con la decoración de los cuadros. En esa misma línea encontramos en el centro de la Sala el velador de gusto oriental, bien acompañado por la excelente sillería barroca y dieciochesca, lacada en blanco y tapizada en seda, que probablemente procede de la Sala de Porcelana antes mencionada. Zacarías González Velázquez fue el pintor que hizo las escenas campestres bajo los medios puntos de la bóveda.
El Antedespacho del Rey cuenta con una buena colección de pinturas, desde la tela de Mayno, en la que se representa al evangelista San Mateo, pasando por las dos vistas de Mazo, hasta llegar a la serie grande del Hijo pródigo, por Romanelli. El mobiliario mezcla piezas de Carlos III y Carlos IV La lámpara de cristal que pende de la bóveda, cuya decoración en estilo pompeyano se viene atribuyendo al pintor Juan Duque, procede de la Real Fábrica de La Granja. Este mismo artista pintó la alegoría de las Artes Liberales en la bóveda del contiguo Despacho del Rey, pequeña habitación que contiene notables pinturas atribuidas a Furini, Solimena, Magadán y Laguna, si bien la serie de muebles es la que llama más la atención por su calidad y belleza. Siendo magníficas la sillería y la mesa de trabajo del Monarca, de la época de Fernando VII, nuestra atención se centra en el excepcional escritorio arrimado a la pared que, en raíz de olivo y placas de mármol sobre las que se recortan aplicaciones de bronce dorado, hizo el ebanista francés Jacob Desmalter. Sobre él van colocados dos jarrones de porcelana, en el mismo estilo Imperio, flanqueando un biscuit del Buen Retiro con el célebre grupo del Toro Farnesio. Entre otras muchas piezas singulares cabe recordar el reloj de dos esferas sobre la chimenea, firmado por Fernández de la Peña; o el reloj de pie, inglés, firmado por John Shelton, de la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII.
El Salón de los espejos, llamado también Salón de vestirse, está situado en el ángulo formado por la facha da al jardín del Rey y la que mira al Parterre, por lo que los espejos, fabricados en La Granja y cubriendo todo: los muros, multiplican las luces procedentes de dos planos en ángulo, creando la esperada imagen que se refleja y repite de modo infinito. La Sala se concibió, en si estado actual, en la época de Carlos IV sirviéndose pare ello de su arquitecto Juan de Villanueva, quien dio modelos y dirigió la obra entre 1790 y 1795. En el mobiliario trabajó el ebanista de Cámara José López, y la pintura de la bóveda, como las anteriores, es de Juan Duque, alquier las terminaba en 1803.
Al llegar al Dormitorio del Rey vemos el espíritu neo clásico y equilibrado que le proporciona su mobiliario es tilo Imperio, pero que no concuerda bien con el carácter espectacular de la bóveda pintada por Amiconi dentro de la tradición barroca de fingidas arquitectura: en perspectiva, dotando a la estancia de una monumentalidad sólo aparente pero muy efectista. El rompimiento central permite ver las alegorías de la Paz y de la justicia pintadas por Bartolomé Rusca, sobrevolando la estancia Uno de los mejores cuadros del Palacio de Aranjuez permanece colgado aquí, sobre la cabecera de la cama, esto es, el Cristo en la cruz, pintado expresamente entre 1761 y 1769 para el Dormitorio Real por Antonio Rafael Mengs, pintor que fue de Cámara de Carlos III. Mengs inició otras pinturas en la ampliación del Palacio llevada cabo por Sabatini, como el techo del que iba a ser salón de fiestas, pieza que desapareció como tal salón grande al quedar dividido por las reformas llevadas a cabo por Villanueva para alojar al Príncipe de Parma.
Inmediato al Dormitorio Real se encuentra una de las salas más sorprendentes del Palacio. Nos referimos a Gabinete árabe o Salón de fumar, pieza característicamente romántica de la época de Isabel II, iniciada en 1855 por Rafael Contreras, restaurador entonces del Patio de los Leones de la Alhambra de Granada, con cuyos interiores quiere, presuntamente, enlazar. De la vistosa cúpula de mocárabes pende una lámpara de calamina, y bajo ella un velador, de bronce, cristal y tablero de porcelana, en el que se representa la escena del abandono de la Alhambra por Boabdil el Chico, obra de Robert y obsequio del Rey de Francia, Luis Felipe, a la Reina María Cristina durante la minoría de edad de la futura Isabel II.
El Anteoratorio, el reducido Oratorio privado del Rey y la Cámara del Rey, abiertas hacia el patio central, cierran esta breve exposición de las estancias más significativas del Palacio, desde donde se puede rememorar la existencia de otros Reales Sitios a través de las bellísimas vistas pintadas por Fernando Brambilla, sobre El Escorial y La Granja.
Si bien tanto el Rey como la Reina contaron con sus oratorios privados, carecían, sin embargo, de una capilla pública, después de la transformación sufrida por la de Felipe II. Para compensar esta carencia, se concibió una excelente Capilla en el brazo Sur de la ampliación de Sabatini, con acceso desde el exterior y que se consagró en 1799. Su interior es de un moderado clasicismo, con un orden apilastrado toscano y una bella cúpula, pintada por Francisco Bayeu. Sobre la cornisa cabe ver angelotes sosteniendo pesadas guirnaldas y un grupo escultórico sobre el altar mayor, todos ellos debidos al escultor francés Robert Michel. Desde el altar mayor una Inmaculada de Mariano Salvador Maella preside esta regia Capilla, tocada de dorados bronces labrados por Fabio Vendetti.
Have mercy on me, Sir
Allow me to impose on you
I have no place to stay
And my bones are cold right through
I will tell you a story
Listening to Song of Joy.
Please respect my work.
© All rights reserved Francesca Di Vaio
Slott är byggnader som automatiskt ska inge känslan av respekt och underordning till dem som ser det.
Castles are buildings that automatically produce the feeling of respect and subordination to the viewer.
Gripsholms slott
A Little White Pointer think bit off more than it should of with Big Momma coming in to say "That is mine & Respect your Elder's!"
A First for everyone onboard as well as the crew.
Loaded Tailem Bend grain train #2182 with V544 “Tim Fischer” plus FQ02 and GWB103 work uphill through Aldgate on Dec 6, 2021 on their way to Viterra in Pelican Point. — in Aldgate, South Australia.
Alright! Let's go!
Oh, it's Buffaloman AGAIN. *
Or, 'Terri-Bull'...
Nyuk! Nyuk!
What's he gonna do this-
Origin time!
Wait, what?
No!
We're sorry!
Now??
Buffaloman (バッファローマン) is a Devil Chojin with allegiances to Akuma Shogun and Satan, but works alongside the Justice Chojin for a good portion of the original series, before retiring to teach the New Generation.
About
Buffaloman is a charging bull-themed Chojin and one of the Seven Devil Chojin who were said to be too strong and brutal and banished to the ends of the universe.
His techniques and fighting style usually rely on his immense strength and power, but in tight situations he can lower his power in order to become faster. Additionally, he specialises in brutal fighting. He is quite clever and will often lure his opponents into wasting stamina.
He is depicted as a formidable opponent and far more powerful than any other chojin; the concept of Chojin Power was introduced specifically to illustrate this point. Buffaloman's Chojin Power is 10,000,000 Power, which is 10 times that of Warsman, previously Kinnikuman's greatest opponent. By the end of the series many chojin who surpass 10,000,000 Power have appeared, but Buffaloman still boasts of his power and is the only one where it is treated as an advantage.
Personality
Despite being a Devil Chojin, he normally fights honourably and shows his opponents respect, even when using brutal methods in battle. During his fight with Kinnikuman his good heart is awakened, and he is revived as a Justice Chojin after his first death. He also has a great sense of companionship, showing great respect for his fallen comrades. He returns to his evil ways in Kinnikuman (2011), but he maintains his honorable side and does not hate his former allies.
Appearance
He is very large in both height and frame, and has two curved horns called Long Horns (ロングホーン) on both sides of his head, and has a spike on each knee. He has curly brown hair, with a darker shade of skin and pure white eyes. He wears protective gear around both his legs and arms, and tends to have some sort of chest protection in the first few scenes before being destroyed.
He also has red shoes and gloves. When Buffaloman was possesed, he had purple skin and a fire symbol across his face with a smile on it.
Relationships
Kinnikuman
Kinnikuman is the one that showed him that, even if he was a devil, he could become a hero, making Buffaloman to sacrify his last horn and power for the sake of Meat and the dead Justice Chojin. After his resurrection, he become an ally and friend to Kinnikuman, and he even let Doctor Bombe to use his horns as replacement for Kinnikuman's arm bones.
Springman
Buffaloman has a good relation with all his fellow Devil Chojins, but his closet friend seems to be Springman, and the both of them end up fighting in tag matches. They are also the last two Devil Chojin in been defeated in their debut arc. In Kinnikuman Nisei, is shown that Springman visited Buffaloman in hospital, and both travel to see the final match between Mantaro and Ashuraman.
Mongolman
He and Mongolman end up making a tag team to enter the Universal Chojin Tag Tournament, and they come up with some destructive techniques.
Abilities
Buffaloman primary use his horns to do all kinds of techniques and attacks, as well as his powerful body to destroy his opponents.
History
Prehistory
Buffaloman came from the Buffalo Clan. The clan was growing in power and fought over who would become king, and it descended into many years of fighting until the entire clan was wiped out, which left Buffaloman as the sole survivor. He originally had a Chojin Power of 1,000,000 units, and was continually beaten because he lacked skill. At an unknown point, he was training alone and crossed through a hurricane in his travels. The wind blew away a cross on a church, and it headed straight towards Buffaloman, who was forced to use his own power to stop the cross, which taught him the Chojin Cross Drop.
He eventually met and struck a deal with Satan, who granted him more Chojin Power each time he killed another chojin. Eventually he killed so many that his power had climbed to 10,000,000.
He and his comrades, all known as the Seven Devil Chojin (Springman, Atlantis, Stereo Cassette King, Black Hole, Mister Khamen, and The Mountain), were eventually captured by a grouping of 100,000 Justice Chojin and Space Police and trapped in a Chojin Roach Motel and sent into space.
Kinnikuman
Buffaloman initially appears as a villain, as one of the Seven Devil Chojin. He steals parts of Meat's body and forces Kinnikuman to fight in a tournament to retrieve them, culminating in a tag-match between Kinnikuman and Mongolman against Buffaloman and Springman. He joins the Justice Chojin side, after renouncing Satan and freeing Meat. He will later participate in various tournaments alongside the Justice Chojin, before fighting alongside Ataru Kinniku in the Survivor Match for the Kinniku Throne Arc.
Seven Devil Chojin Arc
Harabote reveals that seven chojin were banned from the Olympics, due to their ruthless nature, and these seven Devil Chojin were placed into a floating space prison named a "Roach Motel". The "Roach Motel" is accidentally opened, when Kinnikuman is thrown straight onto the release mechanism during celebrations of his most recent victory. Buffaloman and the other Devil Chojin arrive at a fan-appreciation day, where Kinnikuman and his friends are celebrating the conclusion of the 21st Chojin Olympics.
Buffaloman initially attacks Warsman, who attacks him in defence of the children present. He announces that they cannot allow Kinnikuman to call himself "champion", until he had defeated each of the Seven Devil Chojin. Buffaloman splits Alexandria Meat's body into seven pieces; this forces Kinnikuman to beat them all within 10 days, if he wants to save his friend. When Kinnikuman is too injured to keep fighting the Seven Devils (after he defeated SteCassette King and Black Hole), his friends step in to take on the remaining Devil Chojin in his place. Buffaloman is pitted against Warsman.
In the match, we see Warsman dodging a series of Hurricane Mixers. On the eleventh try, Buffaloman pierces Warsman's hip, and proceeds to take out a chunk of Warsman's helmet. Warsman tries an arm hold, but Buffaloman breaks free and attempts a knee drop, which is countered by a Jet Liner. Buffaloman is unaffected again, and uses a Long Horn Boomerang. Warsman follows with a Palo Special, but is thrown off by Buffaloman and damages his legs. Warsman then destroys his Bear Claws on Buffaloman's horn, when attempting a Screw Driver attack.
Buffaloman pierces a hole through Warsman's chest, which inspires Warsman to use his own version of the Fire of Inner Strength. After an exchange of blows, Warsman begins to smoke from his body, and he grows too exhausted to properly continue the match. Warsman attacks with his Bear Claws one last time, and he manages to break off one of Buffaloman's longhorns. Buffaloman uses a series of Hurricane Mixers to kill Warsman. He then walks away and leaves Warsman deceased in the ring.
The final match takes places in the Denen Colosseum.
Buffaloman faces Kinnikuman in a double match with Springman. There is only one hour left of the deadline, so Kinnikuman only has one hour to save Meat. The stadium is designed as a giant countdown, with bars around the edges that move for each second, and that will destroy pieces of Meat's body at the 30 minutes and 60 minute marks. Just as Kinnikuman is about to fight alone, Mongolman appears to make it a true tag-team match and join Kinnikuman in his fight against Springman and Buffaloman.
Despite it being called a tag-team match, Buffaloman's attention is focused exclusively on Kinnikuman, while Springman fights against Mongolman. Mongolman defeats Springman and saves Meat's limb. Buffaloman is an extremely tough opponent, and - changing colour, as he uses the full force of his 10 million Chojin Power - uses his power to reverse Kinnikuman's techniques, including his trademark finishing move: the Kinniku Buster. During an exchange of blows, Harabote uncovers information on Buffaloman.
After Buffaloman helps fix Kinnikuman's mask, he becomes fully possessed by Satan. When Buffaloman goes beneath the ring, shredding the canvas with his horn, Kinnikuman uses his arm to stop the horn, and tosses him back onto the ring. Buffaloman loses control of his power when he absorbs Kinnikuman's Burning Inner Strength. Buffaloman pierces Kinnikuman's body with his horn, before - overwhelmed by The Fire - the power returns to Kinnikuman and allows him survive.
Due to the respect Kinnikuman showed him, even though they were mortal enemies, Buffaloman changes sides at the end of the match. He cries out the key that will free Meat's head, which allows Meat to be saved just before the final countdown. Buffaloman vows to join the Justice Chojin, if he survives Satan's punishment for defeat. He s fatally injured by Satan, but - before he dies - he gives up his Chojin Power, bought with the blood of other heroes, to bring back to life Warsman, Robin Mask and Wolfman, who had died fighting his teammates.
Golden Mask Arc
Kinnikuman struggles to make it through a door to the final match, and - at the last moment - Buffaloman uses his high chojin power to keep the door open for him. When Kinnikuman offers him a seat at the ring-side, on the side of the justice chojin, Buffaloman refuses and joins the devil chojin in the corner of Ashuraman. Ashuraman appears to gain the upper-hand, but - in a dispute with Meat - Buffaloman inadvertently gives Kinnikuman inspiration needed to counter-attack.
After Akuma Shogun murders Ashuraman, Buffaloman is inspired to rejoin the justice chojin.
He then confronts the Devil Knights leader, Akuma Shogun, in order to give Kinnikuman more time to perfect the Kinniku Driver. He is eventually defeated by Devil Shogun's Hell's Guillotine technique. During the fight between Akuma Shogun and Kinnikuman, Akuma Shogun begins to revive the Devil Knights and absorb them to become more powerful, but Buffaloman puts on Akuma Shogun's mask and fights them off, which gives Kinnikuman the chance he needed to defeat Akuma Shogun with the Kinniku Driver.
Dream Chojin Tag Arc
A second Mount Fuji appears in Japan.
On top of this mountain, the Universal Chojin Tag Team trophy appears. Underneath, there appears a series of rings that allow for eight tag-teams to compete. Buffaloman - along with the other justice chojin - goes to Kourakuen Hall to discuss the situation. Buffaloman refuses to team up with Kinnikuman and leaves. He sends a letter to Mongolman, asking him to join him as a new tag-team.
Buffaloman and Mongolman forms the 20 Million Powers. The name of their combo comes from Buffaloman's 10,000,000 power and Mongolman's 10,000,000 techniques (10 Million + 10 Million). In the first-round match-ups, the teams are required to navigate a labyrinth to be matched against their opponents, and the 20 Million Powers are matched against the Most Dangerous Combo. Just as the 20 Million Powers and Most Dangerous Combo are about to begin their fight, during the Dream Chojin Tag Arc, the Killer Game Combo arrive. This leads to the Killer Game Combo defeating the Most Dangerous Combo.
Brocken Jr. does not want his loss to count for nothing, so - to allow the 20 Million Powers to win - he challenges Buffaloman and allows himself to be pinned; this allows 20 Million Powers to officially win the match. This technical win allows the 20 Million Powers to advance to the next round, but the 20 Million Powers attack the Killer Game Combo for their intrusion. Buffaloman uses a feint against Screw Kid, but Mongolman - using the distraction to attack - injures his leg in the process.
Buffaloman is then struck by Kendaman, and the Killer Game Combo ask for formal permission to enter the tournament in the place of the Most Dangerous Combo. The 20 Million Powers declare that they will earn their place in the next round by first defeating the Killer Game Combo. The match began with a fierce one-on-one battle between Buffaloman and Kendaman, but Buffaloman tries a Hurricane Mixer on Kendaman, but it fails. Buffaloman is then caught in a Scorpion Defence by Kendaman.
He proceeds to break off his Long Horn and breaks the glass of the War-Cube, but is then attacked by a Hell's Screwdriver, which is only stopped by the thrown hair of Mongolman. Buffaloman counters with a powered-up Hurricane Mixer. Fearing the punishment that comes from failing their superiors, Screw Kid and Kendaman begin to use dirty tactics. At this point Neptuneman and Big the Budo reveal themselves, and Kendaman and Screw Kid abandon the match to attack them, and the 20 Million Powers win by default, as the Killer Game Combo are killed by the Hell Missionaries outside of the ring.
During the match-up lottery for the semi-final placements, the 20 Million Powers are matched with the Hell Missionaries. The first match is between the Muscle Brothers and the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, and the 20 Million Powers stay at the edge of the ring to act as spotters. At the end of the match, after the defeat of the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, the Hell Missionaries attack Sunshine, only to be stopped by the 20 Million Powers. They then allow the Hell Missionaries to attack, as the dolls - created by the Stray Devil Chojin to steal the justice chojin Friendship Power scatter, and thus creates animosity between the justice chojin.
The semi-final match against the Hell Missionaries is a simple barbed-wire cage match, but also a mask-removal death-match in which Mongolman must bet his mask. Buffaloman is thrown into the barbed wire by Neptuneman, who then switches with Mongolman, who is at a disadvantage from being unable to use the rope for his techniques. After being thrown into the screen cage, Mongolman rebounds with a kick.
After a series of blows, the 20 Million Powers seem to have the upper hand. Mongolman begins to suffer flashbacks within the ring, as the cage reminds him of his match against Warsman, and Buffaloman is unable to tag in, as both of the Hell Missionaries attack him. The spirit of Warsman helps Mongolman. Buffaloman is tagged in and uses a Buffalo Avalanche Drop. He proceeds to attach his Long Horn, and uses a Hurricane Heat. Mongolman is tagged into the match, but subject to a Cross Bomber.
Neptuneman uses his Magnet Power in retaliation. This heals the wounds of the Hell's Missionaries, and they try continuously to attack with Cross Bombers attacks, only to fail. Due to the Iron Sweat on Mongolman and Buffaloman, they are dragged towards the Hell Missionaries by their magnet power, and they almost defeat the 20 Million Powers with a Magnetic Storm Driver. The 20 Million Powers are then further attacked by a magnetic suplex. They are soon entangled in the magnetic barbed wires, as they regain their Friendship Power, and the Justice Chojin regain their power of friendship overall.
The iron sweat breaks from Mongoman and Buffaloman, and Buffaloman uses his Longhorn Train. This increases the power of the Hell's Missionaries, who use a Silhouette Body Press, and - after a series of blows - are thrown from the war-cube. The Hell's Missionaries summon thunder to increase their electrical power. Their Lightning Sabre attack renders Buffaloman and Ramenman immobile, and Buffaloman uses a fragment of Iron Sweat to draw Neptuneman away from Mongolman.
Buffaloman collapses against the mat, defeated by the Light Sabres.
Mongolman carries Buffaloman on his back, as they try again for a Longhorn Train, but they are defeated by a Magnetic Storm Crash. Once Ramenman is defeated, Buffaloman is rushed to hospital alongside Kinnikuman and Ramenman. At hospital, Doctor Bombe removes Buffaloman's horn in order to save Kinnikuman's arm, even knowing it would result in Buffaloman's death, but the tears in Buffaloman's eyes mark his consent to the procedure.
Blood Oath Brigade Formation!
This story covered the formation of Kinnikuman Soldier's team in detail. Brocken Jr. and Buffaloman want to join Soldier's team, but Asuraman and The Ninja aren't on board with that idea. According to Asuraman, Buffaloman is too easily swayed by his emotions, which is why he never became a Devil Knight despite having exceptional talent.
Kinnikuman Soldier shows up and interrupted Asuraman and The Ninja's departure. In response, The Ninja attempted to read Kinnikuman Soldier's mind with his Expose the Heart jutsu, but there's nothing to read. Unlike the other Fated Princes, Soldier has no ambition to destroy his opponents and take over the throne.
Asuraman gets into a fight against Soldier, but Soldier easily fends him off. Soldier even escaped the Asura Buster in a similar fashion to Kinnikuman and counters with a Dragon Cube Suplex. Buffaloman deduces why Soldier would pick those four. Pride is their main characteristic. According to Asuraman, "all four chojin are bull headed guys who won't listen to anyone".
Asuraman asks if Soldier is a fake Soldier and Soldier confirms this theory. He ambushed the real Soldier's team while they were training near Mt. Fuji and stole the real Soldier's mask. The fake Soldier explains that he joined the tournament because the Friendship Power the Justice Chojin use is a sham and that the pride that they share can bring out their true strength.
Asuraman wants Soldier to prove why this team of outcasts would make an excellent team. Soldier tells him to be silent. A real man would never talk so much. Instead, he'd silently watch the result with his own eyes. Asuraman follows up with his Tornado Hell, but Soldier dodges, causing the building already worn down by the Rolling Cube Suplex to collapse on top of them. Soldier heals them all with a Face Flash. With this act, Soldier convinced them to join his team for the upcoming tournament.
Survivor Match Arc
When Kinnikuman's right to the Kinniku Throne was challenged by five pretenders to the throne, Ataru Kinniku forms a team of five people to fight in a tournament to determine who shall be king of Planet Kinniku. [50] Buffaloman - sans his horns - arrives at the house of Brocken Jr., along with Asuraman and The Ninja. Ataru asks them to join his team, as well as to meet him at Nagoya Castle in three days time, and - during that time - they watch him from a distance to ascertain his character.
After Ataru defeats Bockman and saves a boy, Buffaloman and the others decide to join his team. They proceed to enter Nagoya Castle and face against Team Phoenix, as they announce they have formed The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade. After the defeat of The Ninja and Asuraman, Nagoya and Himeji Castles fly away from their locations and join as one structure.
In the final match during the semi-finals battle against Team Super Phoenix and Team Soldier (Soldier, Buffaloman, and Brocken) competed in a 6-Man Tag Match against Super Phoenix (Mammothman, and Prisman). The match takes place in a floating multi-sided ring. Buffaloman, for the most part, fought against Mammothman. Tremendously weaker without his Long Horns, he found himself losing against the nearly unstoppable Mammothman. He was finally able to gain and advantage when Kinnikuman returned the Long Horns used to fix his arm before the Tag match finals. Soon after, Brocken took out Prisman, but then fell into the canyon below and died. Seeing how much Soldier and Buffaloman cared for their fallen comrade convinced Super Phoenix that Soldier wasn't the real Soldier.
As Soldier begins to have his true identity figured out by his own father Mayumi as his long-lost elder son Ataru, the Evil Gods choose to sabotage him to eliminate him and help Phoenix win the tournament. The God of Brutality steals a page from the Muscle Prophecy, a book owned by Kinniku Clan royalty which contains past, present, and even future information on every Chojin ever, as a means to reveal who Soldier is to Super Phoenix. As the God of Brutality attempts to give the page to Super Phoenix via Mammothman, Buffaloman sees a vision of Mayumi in his head, forcing him to take the page to protect it. As the mammoth Chojin prepares to hand it to Phoenix, the bull Chojin performs the Chojin Cross Drop on him, jumping out of the ring and forcing Buffaloman to hold the page in his mouth. As they fall, Mammothman hits Buffaloman with his Nose Fencing technique and retains the page. At the last second, Buffaloman hits Mammothman with a Buffalo Bomb on the roof of the Himeji/Nagoya castle and saves the page again.
The Evil Gods then arrived and began attacking the floating ring in an attempt to take out Ataru. As the ring fell, Buffaloman caught it and held it up. Weakened from the battle with Mammothman, he put on a red headband given to him by the other Justice Chojins and found enough strength to not only hold the ring up longer but also remove his arm guards and toss them up to Ataru. He then pushed it into the air and as it fell again, he jumped up and hit it with a Hurricane Mixer, successfully putting it back in mid-air. Unfortunately, Buffaloman had no more strength and fell into the canyon below. He is revived (along with his teammates) after the tournament by Kinnikuman's Face Flash.
Kinnikuman 2011
Perfect Origin Arc
Prehistory
Like all the other Idol Chojin, Buffaloman was sent off to his home of Spain by Harabote so he could be placed in Medical Suspension, to help him recover from his many injuries from matches past.
However, when he finished his Medical Suspension and made his return while the Seven Devil Chojin invaded the full-scale tournament going on, he declared he was a Devil Chojin again, renegading on his Idol Chojin friends out of nowhere.
The Seven Devil Chojin reconvene in their base. Buffaloman returns, where they all decide which of the Perfect Large Numbers they shall do battle against, and Buffaloman decides to fight against Strong the Budo, due to the fact that whomever fights him will likely lose and he will not sacrifice his teammates. The Mountain refuses to allow this to happen, and offers to sacrifice himself instead, due to the team needing Buffaloman to serve as their leader. He asks only that Buffaloman not avert his gaze during his match.
After Black Hole's match with Dalmatiman, Buffaloman announces that the Devil Chojin are going to purge all Perfect Chojin for their master, Devil Shogun. During the first stage, he mostly oversees how the Devil Chojin fight the Perfect Chojin.
In a flashback, it's revealed that Buffaloman made the choice to return to the Devil Chojin and fight alongside them, which the Seven Devil Chojin welcomed greatly. But they wouldn't let him join them to fight the Perfect Large Numbers because he was their "ace", their leader and without them, the Seven Devil Chojin couldn't perform at their best.
Diablos vs. John Does
Grim Reaper and Turboman enter with the New Large Numbers.
Grim Reaper reveals the next location - of the second-stage of the tournament - will be the Saqqara Pyramid, which has been relocated to Japan's Tottori Dunes. The Grim Reaper lands on the third step, while Turboman takes the fourth step. The Justice Chojin follow them to the mountain, and Buffaloman is assigned against Turboman, who attacks him with a drop-kick before he can enter the ring.
He then drags Buffaloman into the ring with a Turboman Stunner. Turboman punches Buffaloman while he's down, until Buffaloman counters with a headbutt and proceeds to use a back-drop. [60] It is then that Springman arrives on the fourth step to fight the Grim Reaper. [61] Grim Reaper begin the match with a Buzzsaw Hat, which cuts Springman's leg as he enters the ring with a jump.
Grim Reaper throws Springman against the corner-post, but the post goes through Springman's hollow body and allows him to remain unharmed, and a Spring-Body Breaking-Squeeze breaks the corner-post. A Spring Transfer allows him to distract Grim Reaper, whereby he land a drop-kick to the face. While Turboman and Grim Reaper, struggle in their matches and appear to be losing, Jak Tea fights against Black Hole and creates a strong geyser before he dies. This creates a crack along the pyramid.
Turboman frees himself from Buffaloman with a Somersault Kick. He tries a body-press, but Buffaloman catches him and counters with a back-flip. The fifth step finally collapses from the cracks and descends into the fourth step, where the two single matches combine into one tag-match. Turboman gets Buffaloman into a tombstone pile-driver, but - as he prepares for another attack - Springman and Buffaloman combine to use a Chojin Dodgeball. Springman is chastised for attacking Turboman, who was not his original opponent, as the match rules must abide by those of a single-match (due to the unusual circumstances).
The two teams agree to form a tag-team match with tag-team rules.
Springman lunges at Turboman, who uses a lariat and a Starter Revolver, but gets his arm caught inside Springma, who retaliates with a Spring Cyclone. Springman proceeds to use a Killer-Coil Head Attack. A second attempt at the attack is deflected by Turboman's a back-kick. It nearly knocks Springman out of the ring, until Buffaloman catches him. Turboman charges with a flying-cross, but the Diabolos counter again with a Devil Expander. Buffaloman then bounces off Springman to kick Turboman, who proceeds with a series of blows. Turboman uses a Glove Revolver and a Turbine Chop.
Buffaloman and Turboman return to their corners, and Turboman tags in Grim Reaper, who spins around on Turboman's head and delivers an Ignition Dress to Buffaloman. They proceed to use a John Does Arrow. The Diabolos try another Devil Expander, but Turboman dives through Springman and knocks Buffaloman out of the ring, before hitting him again with another John Does Arrows. A High-Capacity John Does Arrow sends Turboman towards Buffaloman, who manages to catch him and slams him against the wall, which causes the wall to crumble into the shape of a flight of stairs.
This allows Springman to use a Devil Slinky. He uses a Spring Body-Breaking Squeeze, which causes Turboman's body to start to glow, as Turboman stores the energy of his opponents. Turboman uses a High-Speed Turbo-Crash, as their two attacks seem to create a stalemate, but soon the release of Turboman's energy causes Springman to harden. He proceeds to stab Springman in his face with Revolver Spikes, and a Revolver Fin causes Springman's body to crash into Buffaloman.
Springman finds strength to lift Buffaloman, despite his weakened state. The Diabolos attempt a Long Horn Train, but - when it only glances off Turboman - follow with a Most Super Express. They follow with a third attack, which against glances off Turboman, but Turboman finds strength to use a Revolver Stud while Springman starts to crumble away. Springman uses all his strength to throw Buffaloman into a Hurricane Mixer, and Buffaloman's horns break through Turboman's Revolver attack and pierce his chest. This leads to Turboman's death, followed by Springman dying within Buffaloman's arms.
The Grim Reaper proceeds to Turboman's corpse, where he opens Turboman's back and steals his Earth Unit (which allows him to store energy to use against an opponent), and then kicks Turboman's body out of the ring. The Grim Reaper removes his robe, which he uses to taunt Buffaloman like a matador, and uses a Skeleton Body to avoid being struck with a Hurricane Mixer. The Grim Reaper states that people fall victim to Buffaloman's attack due to fear and fidgety movements, but - knowing no fear - he cannot be hurt.
The Grim Reaper grabs Buffaloman by his horns, before grabbing at his skin and flipping him over, and - in the process - tears chunks of skin from Buffaloman. The Grim Reaper proceeds to tear off more skin from Buffaloman, and attacks with a Dress Spear, which reveals all the scars on Buffaloman's body from previous matches. He is eventually countered by Buffaloman's Buffalo Hammer. The Grim Reaper proceeds to capture Buffaloman's legs, as he sets up for a John Does Arrows, before revealing it can double as a solo-technique called the Phantom Canon. This causes Buffaloman's scars to reopen in a bloody manner.
Buffaloman summons his blood back into his body by force of will. The scars move to Buffaloman's horn and turn it into a Long Horn, before he speeds around the Grim Reaper and lands a series of blows. The Grim Reaper uses an Ignition Dress, followed by a Thunder Sabre, which pins Buffaloman to the canvas, and the Grim Reaper uses the Earth Unit to absorb power from Buffaloman. The sheer power from Buffaloman causes the Earth Unit to break, and Buffaloman uses a Hurricane Mixer.
This is followed with a Chojin Cross Slam. The Diabolos are declared the winners of the match, and Psychoman exposes his chest with the offer that Buffaloman kills him as he sees fit, due to the Perfect Chojin suicide rule and out of respect to Buffaloman as the victor. The Grim Reaper taunts Buffaloman until Buffaloman stabs him through the chest with his horn, and this cements Buffaloman's return to a Devil Chojin, preventing him from going back to his Justice Chojin allies. Psychoman then vanishes.
Buffaloman takes a piece of Springman's body and leaves.
After the Perfect Origin hit the scene, and Grim Reaper reveals himself to be Psychoman, Buffaloman decides to make up for letting him escape alive, but Devil Knight Planetman beats Buffaloman to fighting Psychoman. Buffaloman mostly observes while the Devil Knights take on the Perfect Origin.
Buffaloman vs. Ganman
The fight takes place on the first ring of Yggdrasil.
They begin by clashing horns in a rapid succession, before Ganman slams Buffaloman's head onto the corner-post with a bulldog headlock. Ganman attempts to ram into Buffaloman, but Buffaloman counters with a preemptive kick, and attempts a body-press, which is caught by Ganman in turn. He throws Buffaloman down, before they lock hands centre of the ring, and Ganman attempts a double over-hook suplex; which prompts Buffaloman to state that he cannot lose, as he must avenge Sneagator.
Buffaloman extends one horn, and uses it to pierce into Ganman's right shoulder. This is followed by a Hurricane Devil Sword, as well as a Buffalo Hammer, until Ganman throws Buffaloman out of the ring and forces him to prevent his fall by drilling into the stone ring. Buffaloman drills a tunnel under the ring, which allows him to pierce his horn through the surface for a Devil Shark manoeuvre. It is impossible for Ganman to "read" Buffaloman's moves while he is underground, and Buffaloman knocks him down by targeting his legs.
Ganman begins to dodge the horn by sensing Buffaloman's breathing, and catches the horn in his hands, which he uses to drag Buffaloman out of the ring, before using Elk Horn Scissors. He slams Buffaloman onto the ring, which reduces the size of his horn, and Ganman shines a light down on Buffaloman with his cyclops eye. Buffaloman attempts a Hurricane Mixer, but Ganman catches him by his horns and proceeds to use a brain-buster. It is revealed Buffaloman is holding back his power, and Kinnikuman and Akuma Shogun convince him to use his full power once more. Buffaloman breaks out of a Canadian Back-Breaker.
He uses a Reverse Suplex, before struggling evenly with Ganman in the middle of the ring. The two engage in a series of even blows, but the scars on Buffaloman start to reopen as he gains back the Friendship Power of the Justice Chojin, and - after an equal battle - Ganman breaks off one of Buffaloman's horns. Ganman gains the upper-hand, after a series of carefully aimed blows, until Buffaloman punches his own eye so that he is left with one working eye (just like Ganman) in order to create a 'fair' fight.
They lock together evenly again in the ring, until Buffaloman dares Ganman to use his eye power on Chojin Enma. This provokes Ganman to use an Elk Horn Compressor, as he states he will not use his eye power on Chojin Enma due to having faith in him as a person. He follows with an Elk Horn Tempest, but - as the throws Buffaloman - Buffaloman uses his one remaining horn to swing on the corner-post. Buffaloman builds up speed by moving post to post, and uses a new finishing move: Hurricane Giga Blaster.
This completely destroys Ganman's horns. Ganman reveals he has remembered Buffaloman's name, which proves he considers Buffaloman a worthy adversary due to how he forgets all other opponents' names, and hands him his dumbbell. This kills Ganman, who dies upon the canvas.
Omega Centauri's Six Spear Arc
He was hanging out with the remaining of the Devil Chojin, when suddenly, a magic barrier seal them inside their HQ, making them unable to face off against the Omega invaders.
Unnamed Arc
As Brocken Jr. and Ataru console Ashuraman's loss after he saw Satan Cross die to The Natural, Buffaloman and The Ninja arrive. Buffaloman notes the coincidence of the five in the same location. The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade has formed again. Ataru believes it is up to the Chojin Blood Oath Brigade to unite as one and put an end to the dangers of the Choushin. Ashuraman is the one who will step up to the plate first.
During the fight between Caucasusman and Mammothman, the Chojin Blood Oath Brigade talk about Mammothman's poor showing in his fight against Caucasusman. Buffaloman talks about how tough Mammothman was during their fight and that Mammothman's calmness unnerved him. The Choushin are crafty enough to place their opponents into tricky situations and Mammothman is not used to that. All they can do is wait for something within Mammothman to break.
After the declaration of the God of Harmony about the opening of the Tower of Babel, Buffaloman decides to be one of the chojins to enter the tower. Once they arrive and enter, they are challenged by the first god, who introduced himself as the God of Evolution, now known as The Executioner. He didn't feel confortable leaving the first rival to Geronimo, knowing that if the young chojin fail, they will be all doomed. But surprinsigly, Geronimo wins, and three new doors are opened.
He decides to travel with Kinnikuman and Warsman, arriving to the next level where they are greet by the choushin of said level. Kinnikuman tries to hide behind Buffaloman, but he take him and tries to throw him into the ring, annoyed by his cowardice, but Warman is the one that jumps into the ring to face against the choushin, who introduce himself as Onyxman.
Kinnikuman Nisei
Buffaloman acts as a teacher within the Hercules Factory. He is matched against Terry the Kid in the graduation matches, which he loses and allows for Terry the Kid to graduate. He will later participate in an exhibition match during the Chojin Olympics, which he fights with Ramenman against The Machineguns. In the Ultimate Chojin Tag Tournament, he again teams up with Ramenman, but will ultimately lose against the Muscle Brothers Nouveau.
Hercules Factory Arc
He became one of the many instructors at the Hercules Factory, training the future generation of chojin to fight evil. He is then assigned to the last test for the First Year Graduation: fight one of the new generation chojin, to see if he is worthy or needs more training.
He end up fighting Terry the Kid, the son of the famous Terryman. After a quick fight, Terry the Kid manage to defeat him with his Texas Clover Hold, congratulating him for his win shortly after.
HF First Year Replacement Matches Arc
He is shown to have been defeated by one of the new First Years: Jade. He then return to see the final match of the tournament, alongside the other teachers that were defeated by the Generation EX.
Demon Seed Arc
Buffaloman meets with Meat and goes with him to check a disturbance. He collapses when Alexandria Meat is taken by six tendrils, much like what happened to him 36 years ago, and the six people reveal themselves to be the ultimate Devil Chojin: the Demon Seeds. Buffaloman cries to see that the new generation cannot enter the General Palast.
Jade begs Buffaloman to help, but Buffaloman - weeping and in a rage - strikes Jade over and over, as he expresses guilt over his actions 36 years ago that set current events into action.
He stabs himself in the chest with a jagged piece of rock, and tears open the wound to accept the General Stone and reaffirms his pact with Satan. [85] He uses his newfound powers to open a hole in the barrier, but only one chojin can pass through as his strength is not enough for more. The barrier closes just after Mantaro Kinniku enters, trapping them both inside, but also cutting off Buffaloman's horn in the process.
Buffaloman tosses away the General stone, only to be carried - in his weak state - by Mantaro. Mantaro is forced to choose an opponent, but The Constellation attacks before the match, and Buffaloman blocks an arrow aimed at Mantaro with his body in defence of his ex-pupil. The Constellation pushes the arrow further into the wound and then proceeds to break his arm, but Buffaloman counters with his Hurricane Mixer. The Constellation uses a Suplex, which smashes Buffaloman's head against the concrete floor and cracks open his skull, incapacitating him.
Mantaro struggles to gain an advantage, but Buffaloman's advice helps him to counter. The Constellation uses a broken post of the ring to attack Buffaloman, so as to stop his invaluable advice, and it strikes Buffaloman on the forehead and knocks him unconscious. He regains consciousness just long enough to offer Mantaro further encouragement, before he faints once more. Mantaro tries to carry Buffaloman to safety, but - due to his injuries - passes out in the central chamber and collapses next to Buffaloman, at which point the B-Evolutions arrive.
Ultimate Chojin Tag Tournament Arc
Prehistory
Buffaloman appears late into this arc, as he participates in the tournament at Kourakuen Stadium. He is featured alongside Mongolman (Ramenman) as part of the 20 Million Powers; despite his missing horns, from the match three days ago in his timeline, Buffaloman seeks to distract the New Generation (to which he sees as the villains). Buffaloman chastises Robin Mask for helping Chaos Avenir, as he believes they are responsible for Alisa Mackintosh's accident.
Battle Royale
He fights against The Gaon and Emperor Death, in a battle royale for the opening match, and their opponents start with the upper hand.
History
Prehistory
Buffaloman came from the Buffalo Clan. The clan was growing in power and fought over who would become king, and it descended into many years of fighting until the entire clan was wiped out, which left Buffaloman as the sole survivor. He originally had a Chojin Power of 1,000,000 units, and was continually beaten because he lacked skill. At an unknown point, he was training alone and crossed through a hurricane in his travels. The wind blew away a cross on a church, and it headed straight towards Buffaloman, who was forced to use his own power to stop the cross, which taught him the Chojin Cross Drop.
He eventually met and struck a deal with Satan, who granted him more Chojin Power each time he killed another chojin. Eventually he killed so many that his power had climbed to 10,000,000.
He and his comrades, all known as the Seven Devil Chojin (Springman, Atlantis, Stereo Cassette King, Black Hole, Mister Khamen, and The Mountain), were eventually captured by a grouping of 100,000 Justice Chojin and Space Police and trapped in a Chojin Roach Motel and sent into space.
Kinnikuman
Buffaloman initially appears as a villain, as one of the Seven Devil Chojin. He steals parts of Meat's body and forces Kinnikuman to fight in a tournament to retrieve them, culminating in a tag-match between Kinnikuman and Mongolman against Buffaloman and Springman. He joins the Justice Chojin side, after renouncing Satan and freeing Meat. He will later participate in various tournaments alongside the Justice Chojin, before fighting alongside Ataru Kinniku in the Survivor Match for the Kinniku Throne Arc.
Seven Devil Chojin Arc
Harabote reveals that seven chojin were banned from the Olympics, due to their ruthless nature, and these seven Devil Chojin were placed into a floating space prison named a "Roach Motel". The "Roach Motel" is accidentally opened, when Kinnikuman is thrown straight onto the release mechanism during celebrations of his most recent victory. Buffaloman and the other Devil Chojin arrive at a fan-appreciation day, where Kinnikuman and his friends are celebrating the conclusion of the 21st Chojin Olympics.
Buffaloman initially attacks Warsman, who attacks him in defence of the children present. He announces that they cannot allow Kinnikuman to call himself "champion", until he had defeated each of the Seven Devil Chojin. Buffaloman splits Alexandria Meat's body into seven pieces; this forces Kinnikuman to beat them all within 10 days, if he wants to save his friend. When Kinnikuman is too injured to keep fighting the Seven Devils (after he defeated SteCassette King and Black Hole), his friends step in to take on the remaining Devil Chojin in his place. Buffaloman is pitted against Warsman.
In the match, we see Warsman dodging a series of Hurricane Mixers. On the eleventh try, Buffaloman pierces Warsman's hip, and proceeds to take out a chunk of Warsman's helmet. Warsman tries an arm hold, but Buffaloman breaks free and attempts a knee drop, which is countered by a Jet Liner. Buffaloman is unaffected again, and uses a Long Horn Boomerang. Warsman follows with a Palo Special, but is thrown off by Buffaloman and damages his legs. Warsman then destroys his Bear Claws on Buffaloman's horn, when attempting a Screw Driver attack.
Buffaloman pierces a hole through Warsman's chest, which inspires Warsman to use his own version of the Fire of Inner Strength. After an exchange of blows, Warsman begins to smoke from his body, and he grows too exhausted to properly continue the match. Warsman attacks with his Bear Claws one last time, and he manages to break off one of Buffaloman's longhorns. Buffaloman uses a series of Hurricane Mixers to kill Warsman. He then walks away and leaves Warsman deceased in the ring.
The final match takes places in the Denen Colosseum.
Buffaloman faces Kinnikuman in a double match with Springman. There is only one hour left of the deadline, so Kinnikuman only has one hour to save Meat. The stadium is designed as a giant countdown, with bars around the edges that move for each second, and that will destroy pieces of Meat's body at the 30 minutes and 60 minute marks. Just as Kinnikuman is about to fight alone, Mongolman appears to make it a true tag-team match and join Kinnikuman in his fight against Springman and Buffaloman.
Despite it being called a tag-team match, Buffaloman's attention is focused exclusively on Kinnikuman, while Springman fights against Mongolman. Mongolman defeats Springman and saves Meat's limb. Buffaloman is an extremely tough opponent, and - changing color, as he uses the full force of his 10 million Chojin Power - uses his power to reverse Kinnikuman's techniques, including his trademark finishing move: the Kinniku Buster. During an exchange of blows, Harabote uncovers information on Buffaloman.
After Buffaloman helps fix Kinnikuman's mask, he becomes fully possessed by Satan. When Buffaloman goes beneath the ring, shredding the canvas with his horn, Kinnikuman uses his arm to stop the horn, and tosses him back onto the ring. Buffaloman loses control of his power when he absorbs Kinnikuman's Burning Inner Strength. Buffaloman pierces Kinnikuman's body with his horn, before - overwhelmed by The Fire - the power returns to Kinnikuman and allows him survive.
Due to the respect Kinnikuman showed him, even though they were mortal enemies, Buffaloman changes sides at the end of the match. He cries out the key that will free Meat's head, which allows Meat to be saved just before the final countdown. Buffaloman vows to join the Justice Chojin, if he survives Satan's punishment for defeat. He s fatally injured by Satan, but - before he dies - he gives up his Chojin Power, bought with the blood of other heroes, to bring back to life Warsman, Robin Mask and Wolfman, who had died fighting his teammates.
Golden Mask Arc
Kinnikuman struggles to make it through a door to the final match, and - at the last moment - Buffaloman uses his high chojin power to keep the door open for him. When Kinnikuman offers him a seat at the ring-side, on the side of the justice chojin, Buffaloman refuses and joins the devil chojin in the corner of Ashuraman. Ashuraman appears to gain the upper-hand, but - in a dispute with Meat - Buffaloman inadvertently gives Kinnikuman inspiration needed to counter-attack.
After Akuma Shogun murders Ashuraman, Buffaloman is inspired to rejoin the justice chojin.
He then confronts the Devil Knights leader, Akuma Shogun, in order to give Kinnikuman more time to perfect the Kinniku Driver. He is eventually defeated by Devil Shogun's Hell's Guillotine technique. During the fight between Akuma Shogun and Kinnikuman, Akuma Shogun begins to revive the Devil Knights and absorb them to become more powerful, but Buffaloman puts on Akuma Shogun's mask and fights them off, which gives Kinnikuman the chance he needed to defeat Akuma Shogun with the Kinniku Driver.
Dream Chojin Tag Arc
A second Mount Fuji appears in Japan.
On top of this mountain, the Universal Chojin Tag Team trophy appears. Underneath, there appears a series of rings that allow for eight tag-teams to compete. Buffaloman - along with the other justice chojin - goes to Kourakuen Hall to discuss the situation. Buffaloman refuses to team up with Kinnikuman and leaves. He sends a letter to Mongolman, asking him to join him as a new tag-team.
Buffaloman and Mongolman forms the 20 Million Powers. The name of their combo comes from Buffaloman's 10,000,000 power and Mongolman's 10,000,000 techniques (10 Million + 10 Million). In the first-round match-ups, the teams are required to navigate a labyrinth to be matched against their opponents, and the 20 Million Powers are matched against the Most Dangerous Combo. Just as the 20 Million Powers and Most Dangerous Combo are about to begin their fight, during the Dream Chojin Tag Arc, the Killer Game Combo arrive. This leads to the Killer Game Combo defeating the Most Dangerous Combo.
Brocken Jr. does not want his loss to count for nothing, so - to allow the 20 Million Powers to win - he challenges Buffaloman and allows himself to be pinned; this allows 20 Million Powers to officially win the match. This technical win allows the 20 Million Powers to advance to the next round, but the 20 Million Powers attack the Killer Game Combo for their intrusion. Buffaloman uses a feint against Screw Kid, but Mongolman - using the distraction to attack - injures his leg in the process.
Buffaloman is then struck by Kendaman, and the Killer Game Combo ask for formal permission to enter the tournament in the place of the Most Dangerous Combo. The 20 Million Powers declare that they will earn their place in the next round by first defeating the Killer Game Combo. The match began with a fierce one-on-one battle between Buffaloman and Kendaman, but Buffaloman tries a Hurricane Mixer on Kendaman, but it fails. Buffaloman is then caught in a Scorpion Defence by Kendaman.
He proceeds to break off his Long Horn and breaks the glass of the War-Cube, but is then attacked by a Hell's Screwdriver, which is only stopped by the thrown hair of Mongolman. Buffaloman counters with a powered-up Hurricane Mixer. Fearing the punishment that comes from failing their superiors, Screw Kid and Kendaman begin to use dirty tactics. At this point Neptuneman and Big the Budo reveal themselves, and Kendaman and Screw Kid abandon the match to attack them, and the 20 Million Powers win by default, as the Killer Game Combo are killed by the Hell Missionaries outside of the ring.
During the match-up lottery for the semi-final placements, the 20 Million Powers are matched with the Hell Missionaries. The first match is between the Muscle Brothers and the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, and the 20 Million Powers stay at the edge of the ring to act as spotters. At the end of the match, after the defeat of the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, the Hell Missionaries attack Sunshine, only to be stopped by the 20 Million Powers. They then allow the Hell Missionaries to attack, as the dolls - created by the Stray Devil Chojin to steal the justice chojin Friendship Power scatter, and thus creates animosity between the justice chojin.
The semi-final match against the Hell Missionaries is a simple barbed-wire cage match, but also a mask-removal death-match in which Mongolman must bet his mask. Buffaloman is thrown into the barbed wire by Neptuneman, who then switches with Mongolman, who is at a disadvantage from being unable to use the rope for his techniques. After being thrown into the screen cage, Mongolman rebounds with a kick.
After a series of blows, the 20 Million Powers seem to have the upper hand. Mongolman begins to suffer flashbacks within the ring, as the cage reminds him of his match against Warsman, and Buffaloman is unable to tag in, as both of the Hell Missionaries attack him. The spirit of Warsman helps Mongolman. Buffaloman is tagged in and uses a Buffalo Avalanche Drop. He proceeds to attach his Long Horn, and uses a Hurricane Heat. Mongolman is tagged into the match, but subject to a Cross Bomber.
Neptuneman uses his Magnet Power in retaliation. This heals the wounds of the Hell's Missionaries, and they try continuously to attack with Cross Bombers attacks, only to fail. Due to the Iron Sweat on Mongolman and Buffaloman, they are dragged towards the Hell Missionaries by their magnet power, and they almost defeat the 20 Million Powers with a Magnetic Storm Driver. The 20 Million Powers are then further attacked by a magnetic suplex. They are soon entangled in the magnetic barbed wires, as they regain their Friendship Power, and the Justice Chojin regain their power of friendship overall.
The iron sweat breaks from Mongoman and Buffaloman, and Buffaloman uses his Longhorn Train. This increases the power of the Hell's Missionaries, who use a Silhouette Body Press, and - after a series of blows - are thrown from the war-cube. The Hell's Missionaries summon thunder to increase their electrical power. Their Lightning Sabre attack renders Buffaloman and Ramenman immobile, and Buffaloman uses a fragment of Iron Sweat to draw Neptuneman away from Mongolman.
Buffaloman collapses against the mat, defeated by the Light Sabres.
Mongolman carries Buffaloman on his back, as they try again for a Longhorn Train, but they are defeated by a Magnetic Storm Crash. Once Ramenman is defeated, Buffaloman is rushed to hospital alongside Kinnikuman and Ramenman. At hospital, Doctor Bombe removes Buffaloman's horn in order to save Kinnikuman's arm, even knowing it would result in Buffaloman's death, but the tears in Buffaloman's eyes mark his consent to the procedure.
Blood Oath Brigade Formation!
This story covered the formation of Kinnikuman Soldier's team in detail. Brocken Jr. and Buffaloman want to join Soldier's team, but Asuraman and The Ninja aren't on board with that idea. According to Asuraman, Buffaloman is too easily swayed by his emotions, which is why he never became a Devil Knight despite having exceptional talent.
Kinnikuman Soldier shows up and interrupted Asuraman and The Ninja's departure. In response, The Ninja attempted to read Kinnikuman Soldier's mind with his Expose the Heart jutsu, but there's nothing to read. Unlike the other Fated Princes, Soldier has no ambition to destroy his opponents and take over the throne.
Asuraman gets into a fight against Soldier, but Soldier easily fends him off. Soldier even escaped the Asura Buster in a similar fashion to Kinnikuman and counters with a Dragon Cube Suplex. Buffaloman deduces why Soldier would pick those four. Pride is their main characteristic. According to Asuraman, "all four chojin are bull headed guys who won't listen to anyone".
Asuraman asks if Soldier is a fake Soldier and Soldier confirms this theory. He ambushed the real Soldier's team while they were training near Mt. Fuji and stole the real Soldier's mask. The fake Soldier explains that he joined the tournament because the Friendship Power the Justice Chojin use is a sham and that the pride that they share can bring out their true strength.
Asuraman wants Soldier to prove why this team of outcasts would make an excellent team. Soldier tells him to be silent. A real man would never talk so much. Instead, he'd silently watch the result with his own eyes. Asuraman follows up with his Tornado Hell, but Soldier dodges, causing the building already worn down by the Rolling Cube Suplex to collapse on top of them. Soldier heals them all with a Face Flash. With this act, Soldier convinced them to join his team for the upcoming tournament.
Survivor Match Arc
When Kinnikuman's right to the Kinniku Throne was challenged by five pretenders to the throne, Ataru Kinniku forms a team of five people to fight in a tournament to determine who shall be king of Planet Kinniku. Buffaloman - sans his horns - arrives at the house of Brocken Jr., along with Asuraman and The Ninja. Ataru asks them to join his team, as well as to meet him at Nagoya Castle in three days time, and - during that time - they watch him from a distance to ascertain his character.
After Ataru defeats Bockman and saves a boy, Buffaloman and the others decide to join his team. They proceed to enter Nagoya Castle and face against Team Phoenix, as they announce they have formed The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade. After the defeat of The Ninja and Asuraman, Nagoya and Himeji Castles fly away from their locations and join as one structure.
In the final match during the semi-finals battle against Team Super Phoenix and Team Soldier (Soldier, Buffaloman, and Brocken) competed in a 6-Man Tag Match against Super Phoenix (Mammothman, and Prisman). The match takes place in a floating multi-sided ring. Buffaloman, for the most part, fought against Mammothman. Tremendously weaker without his Long Horns, he found himself losing against the nearly unstoppable Mammothman. He was finally able to gain and advantage when Kinnikuman returned the Long Horns used to fix his arm before the Tag match finals. Soon after, Brocken took out Prisman, but then fell into the canyon below and died. Seeing how much Soldier and Buffaloman cared for their fallen comrade convinced Super Phoenix that Soldier wasn't the real Soldier.
As Soldier begins to have his true identity figured out by his own father Mayumi as his long-lost elder son Ataru, the Evil Gods choose to sabotage him to eliminate him and help Phoenix win the tournament. The God of Brutality steals a page from the Muscle Prophecy, a book owned by Kinniku Clan royalty which contains past, present, and even future information on every Chojin ever, as a means to reveal who Soldier is to Super Phoenix. As the God of Brutality attempts to give the page to Super Phoenix via Mammothman, Buffaloman sees a vision of Mayumi in his head, forcing him to take the page to protect it. As the mammoth Chojin prepares to hand it to Phoenix, the bull Chojin performs the Chojin Cross Drop on him, jumping out of the ring and forcing Buffaloman to hold the page in his mouth. As they fall, Mammothman hits Buffaloman with his Nose Fencing technique and retains the page. At the last second, Buffaloman hits Mammothman with a Buffalo Bomb on the roof of the Himeji/Nagoya castle and saves the page again.
The Evil Gods then arrived and began attacking the floating ring in an attempt to take out Ataru. As the ring fell, Buffaloman caught it and held it up. Weakened from the battle with Mammothman, he put on a red headband given to him by the other Justice Chojins and found enough strength to not only hold the ring up longer but also remove his arm guards and toss them up to Ataru. He then pushed it into the air and as it fell again, he jumped up and hit it with a Hurricane Mixer, successfully putting it back in mid-air. Unfortunately, Buffaloman had no more strength and fell into the canyon below. He is revived (along with his teammates) after the tournament by Kinnikuman's Face Flash.
Kinnikuman 2011
Perfect Origin Arc
Prehistory
Like all the other Idol Chojin, Buffaloman was sent off to his home of Spain by Harabote so he could be placed in Medical Suspension, to help him recover from his many injuries from matches past.
However, when he finished his Medical Suspension and made his return while the Seven Devil Chojin invaded the full-scale tournament going on, he declared he was a Devil Chojin again, renegading on his Idol Chojin friends out of nowhere.
The Seven Devil Chojin reconvene in their base. Buffaloman returns, where they all decide which of the Perfect Large Numbers they shall do battle against, and Buffaloman decides to fight against Strong the Budo, due to the fact that whomever fights him will likely lose and he will not sacrifice his teammates. The Mountain refuses to allow this to happen, and offers to sacrifice himself instead, due to the team needing Buffaloman to serve as their leader. He asks only that Buffaloman not avert his gaze during his match.
After Black Hole's match with Dalmatiman, Buffaloman announces that the Devil Chojin are going to purge all Perfect Chojin for their master, Devil Shogun. During the first stage, he mostly oversees how the Devil Chojin fight the Perfect Chojin.
In a flashback, it's revealed that Buffaloman made the choice to return to the Devil Chojin and fight alongside them, which the Seven Devil Chojin welcomed greatly. But they wouldn't let him join them to fight the Perfect Large Numbers because he was their "ace", their leader and without them, the Seven Devil Chojin couldn't perform at their best.
Diablos vs. John Does
Grim Reaper and Turboman enter with the New Large Numbers.
Grim Reaper reveals the next location - of the second-stage of the tournament - will be the Saqqara Pyramid, which has been relocated to Japan's Tottori Dunes. The Grim Reaper lands on the third step, while Turboman takes the fourth step. The Justice Chojin follow them to the mountain, and Buffaloman is assigned against Turboman, who attacks him with a drop-kick before he can enter the ring.
He then drags Buffaloman into the ring with a Turboman Stunner. Turboman punches Buffaloman while he's down, until Buffaloman counters with a headbutt and proceeds to use a back-drop. It is then that Springman arrives on the fourth step to fight the Grim Reaper. Grim Reaper begin the match with a Buzzsaw Hat, which cuts Springman's leg as he enters the ring with a jump.
Grim Reaper throws Springman against the corner-post, but the post goes through Springman's hollow body and allows him to remain unharmed, and a Spring-Body Breaking-Squeeze breaks the corner-post. A Spring Transfer allows him to distract Grim Reaper, whereby he land a drop-kick to the face. While Turboman and Grim Reaper, struggle in their matches and appear to be losing, Jak Tea fights against Black Hole and creates a strong geyser before he dies. This creates a crack along the pyramid.
Turboman frees himself from Buffaloman with a Somersault Kick. He tries a body-press, but Buffaloman catches him and counters with a back-flip. The fifth step finally collapses from the cracks and descends into the fourth step, where the two single matches combine into one tag-match. Turboman gets Buffaloman into a tombstone pile-driver, but - as he prepares for another attack - Springman and Buffaloman combine to use a Chojin Dodgeball. Springman is chastised for attacking Turboman, who was not his original opponent, as the match rules must abide by those of a single-match (due to the unusual circumstances).
The two teams agree to form a tag-team match with tag-team rules.
Springman lunges at Turboman, who uses a lariat and a Starter Revolver, but gets his arm caught inside Springma, who retaliates with a Spring Cyclone. Springman proceeds to use a Killer-Coil Head Attack. A second attempt at the attack is deflected by Turboman's a back-kick. It nearly knocks Springman out of the ring, until Buffaloman catches him. Turboman charges with a flying-cross, but the Diabolos counter again with a Devil Expander. Buffaloman then bounces off Springman to kick Turboman, who proceeds with a series of blows. Turboman uses a Glove Revolver and a Turbine Chop.
Buffaloman and Turboman return to their corners, and Turboman tags in Grim Reaper, who spins around on Turboman's head and delivers an Ignition Dress to Buffaloman. They proceed to use a John Does Arrow. The Diabolos try another Devil Expander, but Turboman dives through Springman and knocks Buffaloman out of the ring, before hitting him again with another John Does Arrows. A High-Capacity John Does Arrow sends Turboman towards Buffaloman, who manages to catch him and slams him against the wall, which causes the wall to crumble into the shape of a flight of stairs.
This allows Springman to use a Devil Slinky. He uses a Spring Body-Breaking Squeeze, which causes Turboman's body to start to glow, as Turboman stores the energy of his opponents. Turboman uses a High-Speed Turbo-Crash, as their two attacks seem to create a stalemate, but soon the release of Turboman's energy causes Springman to harden. He proceeds to stab Springman in his face with Revolver Spikes, and a Revolver Fin causes Springman's body to crash into Buffaloman.
Springman finds strength to lift Buffaloman, despite his weakened state. The Diabolos attempt a Long Horn Train, but - when it only glances off Turboman - follow with a Most Super Express. They follow with a third attack, which against glances off Turboman, but Turboman finds strength to use a Revolver Stud while Springman starts to crumble away. Springman uses all his strength to throw Buffaloman into a Hurricane Mixer, and Buffaloman's horns break through Turboman's Revolver attack and pierce his chest. This leads to Turboman's death, followed by Springman dying within Buffaloman's arms.
The Grim Reaper proceeds to Turboman's corpse, where he opens Turboman's back and steals his Earth Unit (which allows him to store energy to use against an opponent), and then kicks Turboman's body out of the ring. The Grim Reaper removes his robe, which he uses to taunt Buffaloman like a matador, and uses a Skeleton Body to avoid being struck with a Hurricane Mixer. The Grim Reaper states that people fall victim to Buffaloman's attack due to fear and fidgety movements, but - knowing no fear - he cannot be hurt.
The Grim Reaper grabs Buffaloman by his horns, before grabbing at his skin and flipping him over, and - in the process - tears chunks of skin from Buffaloman. The Grim Reaper proceeds to tear off more skin from Buffaloman, and attacks with a Dress Spear, which reveals all the scars on Buffaloman's body from previous matches. He is eventually countered by Buffaloman's Buffalo Hammer. The Grim Reaper proceeds to capture Buffaloman's legs, as he sets up for a John Does Arrows, before revealing it can double as a solo-technique called the Phantom Canon.
💪M💪U💪S💪C💪L💪E💪
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
M.U.S.C.L.E. No. 105, "Buffaloman D"
Painted by Paprika, thus losing all collectible value forever.
Buffaloman has been seen in BP 2019 Day 302!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/48980587088/
BP 2020 Day 133!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49852162532/
BP 2020 Day 315!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50587994286/
BP 2023 Day 80!
El memorable atardecer del 11 de septiembre de 2011, una borrachera de color.
La edición no tiene cambios esenciales respecto al original. No está saturada ni alterados los colores. Así fue al 100%
Islantilla, Huelva.
Please don't use this image without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
Por favor, no uses esta imagen sin mi permiso explícito. Todos los derechos reservados.
In Tribute, with Honor and Respect, to all our branches
of the USA Armed Forces, past and present. Thank you.
God Bless our USA Veterans. Thank you for your service.
To all of the USA veterans young and old, we salute you!
-------- A Few Good Men (And Women) ---------
U.S.A. Marines ~ Fort Lauderdale, Florida U.S.A.
These fine young soldiers above were representing
the "Toys For Tots" program that collect new toys
donated for those in need at the Holidays 12/2/17
For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved
all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.
President James A. Garfield at the first Memorial Day observance
on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery May 30th, 1868
My dear flicker friends
This week I was thinking about taking a picture of something relevant to faith while I was thinking about it there was discussion going on, on Radio regarding to what Islam says about Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him…..we use this phrase for respect) so then I decided why don’t I take a picture of book which front title is Jesus (Peace Be Upon Him), so I went through so many books and eventually I found one, so I took the picture of the front title, I hope you will like the picture and learn from the Websites about what people from different faith thinks about this great person, who came to the world to bring peace and justice.
We Believe in Jesus
www3.sympatico.ca/shabir.ally/new_page_24.htm
Who Was Jesus - peace be upon him
Video clips about Jesus peace be upon him(PBUH)
For more information
1. video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=3852364952170192884
321 is officially off the list. I have had this shot in back up for a while and then looked at it recently and thought that especially as I will never get it again then I am worth posting this as well. So, here we see on a rather bleak Thursday afternoon Lothian 321 seen on a very usual service 19 to Granton.
Cusworth Hall is an 18th-century Grade I listed country house in Cusworth, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire in the north of England. Set in the landscaped parklands of Cusworth Park, Cusworth Hall is a good example of a Georgian country house. It is now a country house museum.
The house is constructed of ashlar with slate roofs. The rectangular 6 x 5 bay plan main block is linked to 5 x 2 bay service wings.
The Wrightson family had held the lordship of Cusworth since 1669.
The present house was built in 1740–1745 by George Platt for William Wrightson to replace a previous house and was further altered in 1749–1753 by James Paine. On William's death in 1760 the property passed to his daughter Isabella, who had married John Battie, who took the additional name of Wrightson in 1766. He employed the landscape designer Richard Woods to remodel the park. Woods was one of a group of respected landscape designers working across the country during the 18th century and Cusworth was one of his most important commissions in South Yorkshire, another being at Cannon Hall. Woods created a park of 250 acres with a hanging and a serpentine river consisting of three lakes embellished with decorative features such as the Rock Arch and the Cascade.
The estate afterwards passed to John and Isabella's son, William Wrightson (1752–1827), who was the MP for Aylesbury from 1784 to 1790 and High Sheriff of Yorkshire for 1819–1820. He was succeeded by his son William Battie-Wrightson (1789–1879), who at various times was MP for East Retford, Kingston upon Hull and Northallerton. He died childless and Cusworth Hall passed to his brother Richard Heber Wrightson, who died in 1891.
The property was then inherited by his nephew William Henry Thomas, who took the surname Battie-Wrightson by Royal Licence and died in 1903. He had married Lady Isabella Cecil, eldest daughter of the 3rd Marquess of Exeter. Between 1903 and 1909 Lady Isabella made further alterations to the house. She died in 1917, leaving an only son Robert Cecil Battie-Wrightson (1888–1952). On his death in 1952, the estate descended to his sister, a nurse who had married a Major Oswald Parker but later was variously known as Miss Maureen Pearse-Brown and as Mrs Pearce. She was obliged to sell the contents of Cusworth Hall in October 1952 to meet the death duties levied at Robert Cecil's death. She subsequently sold the hall to Doncaster Council.
Cusworth Estate Cusworth was first mentioned as ‘Cuzeuuorde’ in the domesday survey of 1086 but there has been a settlement here for centuries dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. Many different families had held the lands and manor but they did not always live at Cusworth.
‘Old Hall’ A large house is first mentioned in 1327. Robert Wrightson bought the lands and manor of Cusworth in 1669 from Sir Christopher Wray. The first surviving map of Cusworth is that of Joseph Dickinson's 1719 plan which shows the hall and gardens covered only 1 acre with the orchards a further 2 acres. What is most significant at this time was the ‘Parke’ of some 25 acres. The ‘Old Hall’ was next to the walled gardens in the centre of Cusworth village. In 1726 the ‘Old Hall’ was expanded including altering the gardens between 1726 and 1735. This expanded the kitchen garden into the size and form we know today with the Bowling Green and Pavilion.
In the period 1740–1745 William Wrightson employed George Platt, a mason architect from Rotherham, to build a new hall – the current Cusworth Hall – high on a scarp slope on the Magnesian Limestone removing the Hall, and the family, from the village of Cusworth. The ‘Old Hall’ was largely demolished in the process, many components from the old building re-used in the new.
Cusworth Hall Cusworth Hall itself and its outbuildings are at the centre of the park enjoying ‘prospect’ over the town of Doncaster. The Grade I-listed eighteenth century hall was designed by George Platt in the Palladian style. Cusworth Hall is handsome, well proportioned, with wings consisting of a stable block and great kitchen. Later additions by James Paine include a chapel and library. It has decorative outbuildings including a Brew House, Stable Block and Lodge. In addition it has a decorative garden called Lady Isabella's Garden on the west side adjacent to the chapel. On its eastern flank the stable block and gardeners' bothy. Attached to the bothy is a decorative iron enclosure known as the Peacock Pen.
Cusworth Park Cusworth Park is an historic designed landscape with a Grade II listing in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens. It was designed and created by the nationally known landscape architect Richard Woods to ‘improve’ the park in the style made famous by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown now termed ‘The English Landscape Park’. Work started in 1761 laying out the ‘grounds and the serpentine river’.
The land forming the existing park is 60 acres (25 hectares) – 250,000m, and was part of the much larger parkland (250 acres) and estates (20,000 acres) of the Battie-Wrightson family who owned Cusworth Hall.
The walled garden The earliest description of the layout of the park and walled gardens is that shown on Joseph Dickinson's 1719 plan. In 1761 Richard Woods altered areas within the walled gardens. Together ‘woods’ Kitchen Garden and Green House Garden occupy the site of the orchard shown on Dickinson's plan.
The purchase of bricks from Epworth for the construction of the walled gardens is recorded in the New House Accounts.
The garden was a compartmentalised space, however with focus on domestic production in some sections, exotics in another, an orchard, and formal flower gardens in the rest.
The kitchen gardens included pine pits (pineapple house), later to become stove houses and mushroom houses.
The Entrance Terrace (Upper Terrace) Old plans show a narrow walled enclosure or ‘entrance terrace' running east–west. The walls of this enclosure may well have been of stone or stoned faced and still, in part survives. To the south are the main components of the walled garden. Access from the terrace down to the bowling green is via a flight of stone steps.
Bowling Green Described on Richard Woods plans of 1760. This is a roughly square, walled enclosure where the bowling green is surrounded by an earthed banked terraced walk. The enclosure is defined by a brick wall, which was lowered along its western side to give a view over to the Green House Garden.
Summerhouse / Bowling Pavilion Built 1726. The summerhouse is the main architectural feature of the walled garden. It is of two stories with the upper storey accessed from the Bowling Green. There is an impression of more carefully shaped quoins at the corners but it is probable that the walls were originally rendered and lime washed externally. There are windows giving views across the Bowling Green from the upper chamber and across the Flower Garden from the lower chamber.
During restoration in the 1990s the upper chamber was decorated with Trompe-l'œil. showing views of imagined walled gardens at Cusworth.
Flower Garden The garden was designed to be viewed principally from the higher position of the bowling green. It was subdivided by cross-paths and furnished with four formal beds. Although one of the smallest compartments, the flower garden was the most highly ornamental and tightly designed. It would have created a formal, colourful architectural space contrasting with the simplicity of the bowling green
Hall Garden The function of the Hall Garden is not clear but appears to have been an extension of the decorative scheme of the flower garden. The Hall Garden has a perimeter walk and is then divided into two plots by a further, central path.
Peach House This whitewash wall indicates the position of the peach house.
Melon Pits Melon pits ran east–west along this area.
Orchard Through the 18th century the orchard was not enclosed and remained open until the late 19th century. It was double its current size extending back up to Cusworth Lane until the northern half was sold off for housing in the 1960s.
Kitchen Garden (No longer existing) The west, south and this east boundary wall(s) of the garden still exist but the plot of land was sold off for housing in the 1960s. There was an access gate between the Hall Garden and the kitchen garden (this can be seen bricked up in the northwest corner). This garden had a perimeter walk and was planted with trees arranged in parallel lines orchestrated around a small building at the northern end of the compartment.
Green House Garden (No longer existing) The kitchen garden represents the greater part of the area occupied by the original orchard shown on Dickinson's 1719 plan. The remaining area was described on Woods’ plan as the Green House Garden and was shown divided into two unequal parts. Both parts of the garden appear to have been planted with trees, probably fruit trees. A building abuts the bowling green in roughly the position as the one shown on the Dickinson plan but there is an additional building, roughly square in plan, to the northwest corner of the enclosure. This was probably the Dovecote for which Wrightson paid £9 15s 0d in 1736.
The west boundary wall still exists and this low (east) wall that runs along the length of the bowling green but the plot of land was sold off for housing in the 1960s.
In 1961 Doncaster Rural District Council purchased Cusworth Hall and the adjoining parkland from the Battie-Wrightson family. The Council undertook an initial restoration of the grounds and also recreated what is now the tearooms within the former stable block. The former reception rooms and spacious galleries now house the Museum of South Yorkshire life, officially opened on 30 September 1967.
Cusworth Hall and Park underwent an extensive £7.5 million renovation between 2002 and 2005, involving essential conservation repairs to the Hall and extensive restoration of the landscape gardens. Within the hall external repairs to the stonework and roof were undertaken to ensure that the exterior was watertight, whilst internal works upgraded internal services and enabled new displays to be installed.
The restoration of the designed landscape have been greatly influenced by a comprehensive analysis of available archive material, among which are the original written memoranda and sketches produced by Richard Woods for his site forman Thomas Coalie. An integrated archaeological programme also formed a key aspect of the restorations, recording in detail landscape features such as the Rock Arch, Cascade, and Bridge. This restoration has not 'recreated' the 18th century scheme, although elements are still incorporated within a 'living' amenity garden that is now thriving as a result of the recent work undertaken in partnership with the Friends of Cusworth Park.
The Hall reopened to the public on 23 May 2007 and the new displays document the history of South Yorkshire and it is a valued resource for local residents, students and school groups alike.
Cusworth Hall Museum and Park is the venue for a varied program of seasonal exhibitions, events and activities linked to the history of the area. including Country Fairs, vintage vehicle rallies, historic re-enactments, wildlife sessions and a range of seasonally themed events. A free, weekly, 5 km parkrun takes place every Saturday at 9 am in the grounds of Cusworth Hall. The first event was held on Saturday 5 October 2019 and was hosted by the staff at Cusworth in collaboration with the local community.
Additionally, Doncaster Museums' Education Service offers a range of learning sessions to schools and educational establishments. Specialist and experienced Education Officers deliver learning workshops to schools across a broad range of topics as well as out-of-school-hours activities for families and local communities.