Koenigsegg CCR /CCX / Agera
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I fiori hanno un'influenza misteriosa e sottile sui sentimenti, analogamente a certe melodie musicali. Rilassano la tensione della mente. Dissolvono in un attimo la sua rigidità.
Henry Ward Beecher
Osteospermum esuberante.
Flowers have a mysterious and subtle influence on feelings, similar to certain musical melodies. Relax the tension of the mind. They dissolve its rigidity in an instant.
Henry Ward Beecher
Exuberant Osteospermum.
Die Lebensdauer der adulten Tiere beträgt bei den meisten Arten durchschnittlich etwa sechs bis acht Wochen. Manche Arten leben auch nur etwa zwei Wochen. Die längste Lebensdauer als ausgewachsene Libelle haben in Mitteleuropa die Winterlibellen (Gattung Sympecma), welche als erwachsenes Tier überwintern und dadurch zehn bis elf Monate leben. Das aktive Leben beträgt bei ihnen allerdings nur etwa vier bis sechs Monate, da sie den Winter weitestgehend in Kältestarre überdauern.
Quelle Wikipedia
Beauties for one summer
The average lifespan of adult animals for most species is about six to eight weeks. Some species live only about two weeks. The longest lifespan as a full-grown dragonfly in Central Europe is the winter dragonflies (type Sympecma), which hibernate as an adult animal and thus live ten to eleven months. However, they only live for about four to six months, as they largely survive the winter in cold rigidity.
Source Wikipedia
I photographed the bee (Bombus cingulatus - the small bumblebee - Barskogshumle in Norwegian) on a cold summer day in northern Norway. The bee almost didn't move, but the wind made it difficult to take a picture. I didn't have a tripod with me, so I did it freehand.
Digital Painting - Graphic Art
Arte digitale nell'arte visiva, c'è la pittura digitale.- Digital art in visual art, there is digital painting.
Zhena v Maska - Murales digitale di Eugenio Costa - "La tensione tra la rigidità della visione della maschera e il segreto che vi si cela dietro può divenire enorme: essa propriamente determina il carattere "minaccioso" della maschera.
«Io sono proprio ciò che vedi,» dice la maschera, «e, dietro, ciò che temi». Elias Canetti
Zhena v Maska - Digital Murals by Eugenio Costa - "The tension between the rigidity of the vision of the mask and the secret behind it can become enormous: it properly determines the" threatening "character of the mask.
"I am just what you see," says the mask, "and, behind it, what you fear." Elias Canetti
f00151
Schwalben sind Zugvögel. Ende September Anfang Oktober fliegen sie nach Süden. Wenn es bei uns kalt wird, finden die Vögel keine Würmer und Insekten mehr, weil die sich in Schlupfwinkeln verstecken und dort erstarren ( Winterstarre ).
Swallows are migratory birds. At the end of September at the beginning of October, they fly south. When it gets cold with us, the birds no longer find worms and insects, because they hide in hatch corners and solidify there (winter rigidity ).
L'església de St. Jean de Najac, gòtica, està situada sota el castell de la mateixa població, i data del mateix moment. Només veient-la, queda clar que s'edificà amb una idea de fortalessa religiosa i de inflexibilitat davant qualsevol "desviació", ja que tota la zona era força permeable al catarisme.
monumentum.fr/eglise-saint-jean-pa00094082.html
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The gothic church of St.Jean de Najac was built together with the castle which stands above it. Both buildings had a clear programe: rigidity and inflexibility against any threat, political or religious. Remember that all this area was quite favourable to the catharism.
es.tourisme-aveyron.com/diffusio/es/visitar/patrimonio/na...
Taken in the depths of Barnes's Grove, Buckinghamshire, I lvoe finding saplings growing among the conifers as they make for wonderful subjects against the rigidity of their siblings. The mist also helps :)
Keeled Skimmer...(orthetrum coerulescens).
Taking a five minute break....just for me....!!
Interestingly, if you zoom in, you can see the wing structure on the leading edges showing a natural geodesic spar construction for wing rigidity...clever stuff...nature.
Bundeswehr Military History Museum
After a long history of switching titles and approaches to military history, the museum was re-opened in 2011 with a new internal and external concept. Before opening in October 2011 as the Bundeswehr Military History Museum, the building underwent six years of extensive construction. Using the design of architect Daniel Libeskind, the Neo-Classicist facade on the historic arsenal has been interrupted.
Libeskind added a transparent arrowhead to the façade of the building, creating an outwardly visible expression of innovation. The architect wanted to penetrate the historic arsenal and create a new experience with the addition. The openness and transparency of the new façade, representing the openness of democratic society, contrasts with the rigidity of the existing building, which represents the severity of the authoritarian past.[wikipedia]
Palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz, Viso del Marqués, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, España.
El palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz es un edificio situado en el municipio de Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), en la Comunidad autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha, en España. Fue construido a finales del siglo XVI por Álvaro de Bazán, primer marqués de Santa Cruz. Actualmente es la sede del Archivo General de la Marina.
Fue construido entre 1564 y 1586 con modificaciones posteriores, y se trata de un edificio de planta cuadrada y estilo renacentista articulado en torno a un atrio renacentista con una tumba yacente. Los muros y techos se hallan cubiertos de frescos de doble temática: por un lado, escenas mitológicas y, por otro, batallas navales y ciudades italianas relacionadas con la trayectoria militar del marqués y de sus familiares. Los frescos se deben a unos pintores manieristas italianos, los Péroli. Al verlos, Felipe II les encargaría trabajos para El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo.
Para levantarlo, el marqués contrató a un equipo de arquitectos, pintores y decoradores que trabajaron en la obra desde 1564 hasta 1586. Para algunos, el diseño del edificio se debió al italiano Giovanni Battista Castello, conocido como el Bergamasco, que más tarde trabajó en El Escorial; para otros lo trazó, al menos en su plan original, Enrique Egas el Mozo.
La arquitectura se percibe como típica española, sin las arquerías italianas, con paramentos lisos y torres cuadradas en las esquinas, influidos por la austeridad de El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo, dentro de las relaciones armónicas características del Renacimiento. El espacio central está ocupado por un patio porticado que junto con la escalera forma un conjunto típicamente manierista entendido como estilo elegante y cortesano que desborda el marco meramente arquitectónico. Contaba con cuatro torres que, al parecer, se derrumbaron a consecuencia del Terremoto de Lisboa de 1755.
Las paredes están decoradas con 8.000 metros cuadrados de frescos manieristas elaborados por Giovanni Battista Peroli con Esteban Peroli y César de Bellis. Todos trabajaron para crear un espacio erigido a la mayor gloria de su dueño: por un lado, había que exaltar sus virtudes militares, y por el otro, enaltecer su linaje. Para lo primero, se pintaron en las paredes, las bóvedas y los techos del palacio vistas de ciudades y de puertos, así como los baluartes y las batallas en los que había conquistado su inmenso prestigio. A ambos lados de la escalera se ubicaron dos estatuas en las que aparecía representado como Neptuno (dios de los mares, con su tridente) y como Marte (dios de la guerra), y sobre las puertas del piso superior se colocaron los fanales de popa de las naves capitanas vencidas en las batallas, que eran los trofeos de los marinos. Para elogiar su linaje, y siguiendo la misma tradición renacentista de representar a hombres como dioses o semidioses de la antigüedad, se pintó a los antepasados del marqués y a sus esposas (tuvo dos) e hijos.
Estos dos grupos de representaciones se aderezaron con trampantojos, pinturas que simulaban puertas, columnas y otros elementos decorativos y arquitectónicos; y también con motivos grutescos que incluían animales mitológicos, sabandijas y follajes. Conforme una temática muy variada que se puede interpretar como defensa del catolicismo defendido en Trento.
Las estatuas sepulcrales de Alonso de Bazán (hermano de don Álvaro) y su esposa María de Figueroa, son el único ejemplo de escultura funeraria perteneciente al primer tercio del siglo XVII. Fueron ejecutados para el Monasterio de la Concepción que ocupaba la Comunidad de Religiosas Franciscas de El Viso del Marqués, ubicándose a día de hoy en el muro del Palacio más cercano a los jardines. Su creador fue Antonio de Riera, escultor relacionado con la corte de origen catalán. En ellas, aparecen los marqueses en actitud de orante, arrodillados en un reclinatorio, todo ello en mármol blanco que resalta sobre el mármol negro de los nichos. Se advierte en ellos cierta similitud con la elegancia y el clasicismo de los Leoni, a pesar de cierta rigidez formal, siendo de especial relevancia la forma en la que están ejecutadas las telas y el detalle de los vestidos.
The Palace of the Marquis of Santa Cruz is a building located in the municipality of Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It was built in the late 16th century by Álvaro de Bazán, the first Marquis of Santa Cruz. It currently houses the General Archive of the Navy.
Built between 1564 and 1586, with subsequent modifications, it is a square, Renaissance-style building centered around a Renaissance atrium with a recumbent tomb. The walls and ceilings are covered with frescoes depicting two themes: mythological scenes, and naval battles and Italian cities related to the military career of the Marquis and his family. The frescoes are by Italian Mannerist painters, the Pérolis. Upon seeing them, Philip II commissioned works from them for El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo.
To build it, the Marquis hired a team of architects, painters, and decorators who worked on the project from 1564 to 1586. Some believe the building was designed by the Italian Giovanni Battista Castello, known as El Bergamasco, who later worked at El Escorial; others believe it was designed, at least in its original plan, by Enrique Egas the Younger.
The architecture is perceived as typically Spanish, lacking the Italian arches, with smooth walls and square towers at the corners, influenced by the austerity of El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo, within the harmonious relationships characteristic of the Renaissance. The central space is occupied by a porticoed courtyard that, together with the staircase, forms a typically Mannerist ensemble, understood as an elegant and courtly style that transcends the purely architectural framework. It had four towers that apparently collapsed as a result of the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.
The walls are decorated with 8,000 square meters of Mannerist frescoes created by Giovanni Battista Peroli with Esteban Peroli and César de Bellis. They all worked to create a space built to the greatest glory of its owner: on the one hand, to exalt his military virtues, and on the other, to honor his lineage. To this end, views of cities and ports, as well as the bastions and battles in which he had earned his immense prestige, were painted on the walls, vaults, and ceilings of the palace. On either side of the staircase were two statues depicting him as Neptune (god of the seas, with his trident) and Mars (god of war). Above the doors on the upper floor were the stern lanterns of defeated flagships, trophies of the sailors. To praise his lineage, and following the same Renaissance tradition of depicting men as gods or demigods of antiquity, the marquis's ancestors, his wives (he had two) and children were painted.
These two groups of representations were embellished with trompe l'oeil paintings simulating doors, columns, and other decorative and architectural elements; as well as grotesque motifs that included mythological animals, vermin, and foliage. This varied theme can be interpreted as a defense of the Catholicism championed in Trent.
The sepulchral statues of Alonso de Bazán (Don Álvaro's brother) and his wife María de Figueroa are the only examples of funerary sculpture dating from the first third of the 17th century. They were executed for the Monastery of the Concepción, which was occupied by the Community of Franciscan Nuns of El Viso del Marqués, and are now located on the wall of the Palace closest to the gardens. Their creator was Antonio de Riera, a sculptor of Catalan origin associated with the court. They depict the marquises in a prayerful attitude, kneeling on a prie-dieu. All in white marble, which stands out against the black marble of the niches. There is a certain similarity to the elegance and classicism of the Leoni family, despite their formal rigidity, with the execution of the fabrics and the detail of the dresses being particularly noteworthy.
Palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz, Viso del Marqués, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, España.
El palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz es un edificio situado en el municipio de Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), en la Comunidad autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha, en España. Fue construido a finales del siglo XVI por Álvaro de Bazán, primer marqués de Santa Cruz. Actualmente es la sede del Archivo General de la Marina.
Fue construido entre 1564 y 1586 con modificaciones posteriores, y se trata de un edificio de planta cuadrada y estilo renacentista articulado en torno a un atrio renacentista con una tumba yacente. Los muros y techos se hallan cubiertos de frescos de doble temática: por un lado, escenas mitológicas y, por otro, batallas navales y ciudades italianas relacionadas con la trayectoria militar del marqués y de sus familiares. Los frescos se deben a unos pintores manieristas italianos, los Péroli. Al verlos, Felipe II les encargaría trabajos para El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo.
Para levantarlo, el marqués contrató a un equipo de arquitectos, pintores y decoradores que trabajaron en la obra desde 1564 hasta 1586. Para algunos, el diseño del edificio se debió al italiano Giovanni Battista Castello, conocido como el Bergamasco, que más tarde trabajó en El Escorial; para otros lo trazó, al menos en su plan original, Enrique Egas el Mozo.
La arquitectura se percibe como típica española, sin las arquerías italianas, con paramentos lisos y torres cuadradas en las esquinas, influidos por la austeridad de El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo, dentro de las relaciones armónicas características del Renacimiento. El espacio central está ocupado por un patio porticado que junto con la escalera forma un conjunto típicamente manierista entendido como estilo elegante y cortesano que desborda el marco meramente arquitectónico. Contaba con cuatro torres que, al parecer, se derrumbaron a consecuencia del Terremoto de Lisboa de 1755.
Las paredes están decoradas con 8.000 metros cuadrados de frescos manieristas elaborados por Giovanni Battista Peroli con Esteban Peroli y César de Bellis. Todos trabajaron para crear un espacio erigido a la mayor gloria de su dueño: por un lado, había que exaltar sus virtudes militares, y por el otro, enaltecer su linaje. Para lo primero, se pintaron en las paredes, las bóvedas y los techos del palacio vistas de ciudades y de puertos, así como los baluartes y las batallas en los que había conquistado su inmenso prestigio. A ambos lados de la escalera se ubicaron dos estatuas en las que aparecía representado como Neptuno (dios de los mares, con su tridente) y como Marte (dios de la guerra), y sobre las puertas del piso superior se colocaron los fanales de popa de las naves capitanas vencidas en las batallas, que eran los trofeos de los marinos. Para elogiar su linaje, y siguiendo la misma tradición renacentista de representar a hombres como dioses o semidioses de la antigüedad, se pintó a los antepasados del marqués y a sus esposas (tuvo dos) e hijos.
Estos dos grupos de representaciones se aderezaron con trampantojos, pinturas que simulaban puertas, columnas y otros elementos decorativos y arquitectónicos; y también con motivos grutescos que incluían animales mitológicos, sabandijas y follajes. Conforme una temática muy variada que se puede interpretar como defensa del catolicismo defendido en Trento.
Las estatuas sepulcrales de Alonso de Bazán (hermano de don Álvaro) y su esposa María de Figueroa, son el único ejemplo de escultura funeraria perteneciente al primer tercio del siglo XVII. Fueron ejecutados para el Monasterio de la Concepción que ocupaba la Comunidad de Religiosas Franciscas de El Viso del Marqués, ubicándose a día de hoy en el muro del Palacio más cercano a los jardines. Su creador fue Antonio de Riera, escultor relacionado con la corte de origen catalán. En ellas, aparecen los marqueses en actitud de orante, arrodillados en un reclinatorio, todo ello en mármol blanco que resalta sobre el mármol negro de los nichos. Se advierte en ellos cierta similitud con la elegancia y el clasicismo de los Leoni, a pesar de cierta rigidez formal, siendo de especial relevancia la forma en la que están ejecutadas las telas y el detalle de los vestidos.
The Palace of the Marquis of Santa Cruz is a building located in the municipality of Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It was built in the late 16th century by Álvaro de Bazán, the first Marquis of Santa Cruz. It currently houses the General Archive of the Navy.
Built between 1564 and 1586, with subsequent modifications, it is a square, Renaissance-style building centered around a Renaissance atrium with a recumbent tomb. The walls and ceilings are covered with frescoes depicting two themes: mythological scenes, and naval battles and Italian cities related to the military career of the Marquis and his family. The frescoes are by Italian Mannerist painters, the Pérolis. Upon seeing them, Philip II commissioned works from them for El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo.
To build it, the Marquis hired a team of architects, painters, and decorators who worked on the project from 1564 to 1586. Some believe the building was designed by the Italian Giovanni Battista Castello, known as El Bergamasco, who later worked at El Escorial; others believe it was designed, at least in its original plan, by Enrique Egas the Younger.
The architecture is perceived as typically Spanish, lacking the Italian arches, with smooth walls and square towers at the corners, influenced by the austerity of El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo, within the harmonious relationships characteristic of the Renaissance. The central space is occupied by a porticoed courtyard that, together with the staircase, forms a typically Mannerist ensemble, understood as an elegant and courtly style that transcends the purely architectural framework. It had four towers that apparently collapsed as a result of the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.
The walls are decorated with 8,000 square meters of Mannerist frescoes created by Giovanni Battista Peroli with Esteban Peroli and César de Bellis. They all worked to create a space built to the greatest glory of its owner: on the one hand, to exalt his military virtues, and on the other, to honor his lineage. To this end, views of cities and ports, as well as the bastions and battles in which he had earned his immense prestige, were painted on the walls, vaults, and ceilings of the palace. On either side of the staircase were two statues depicting him as Neptune (god of the seas, with his trident) and Mars (god of war). Above the doors on the upper floor were the stern lanterns of defeated flagships, trophies of the sailors. To praise his lineage, and following the same Renaissance tradition of depicting men as gods or demigods of antiquity, the marquis's ancestors, his wives (he had two) and children were painted.
These two groups of representations were embellished with trompe l'oeil paintings simulating doors, columns, and other decorative and architectural elements; as well as grotesque motifs that included mythological animals, vermin, and foliage. This varied theme can be interpreted as a defense of the Catholicism championed in Trent.
The sepulchral statues of Alonso de Bazán (Don Álvaro's brother) and his wife María de Figueroa are the only examples of funerary sculpture dating from the first third of the 17th century. They were executed for the Monastery of the Concepción, which was occupied by the Community of Franciscan Nuns of El Viso del Marqués, and are now located on the wall of the Palace closest to the gardens. Their creator was Antonio de Riera, a sculptor of Catalan origin associated with the court. They depict the marquises in a prayerful attitude, kneeling on a prie-dieu. All in white marble, which stands out against the black marble of the niches. There is a certain similarity to the elegance and classicism of the Leoni family, despite their formal rigidity, with the execution of the fabrics and the detail of the dresses being particularly noteworthy.
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This WWF main office building by RAU architects was completed in 2006. It is located in Zeist, the Netherlands.
RAU transformed a former 1950’s agricultural laboratory into the first CO2-neutral and self-sufficient office in the Netherlands. By breaking through the rigidity of the existing structure and adding an organic blob at the centre, the rejuvenated building got a friendly and inviting appearance. Natural materials have replaced bare concrete; what used to be grey and confronting is now in harmony with the surrounding nature reserve. RAU’s intervention did not only give the building a new face, but fundamentally changed the user experience. Natural ventilation and the use of natural materials offer a balanced and healthy indoor environment.
The energy performance of the building is very good; the building is CO2-neutral, it is (almost entirely) self-sufficient and achieves an A++ rating at the EPBD energy label by the European Union. Triple glazing and wooden lamellas in front of the large windows ensure efficient isolation and heat resistance. Solar cells on the roof generate electrical energy and solar thermal collectors are used for heating up water. Even the body heat of the building’s users is captured and re-used. Cool ground water is used for cooling the building before flushing toilets. The surplus of warmth in the summer is stored in a water reservoir in the ground and used for heating the building during winter. Likewise, cooling energy is stored underground during winter months and is used for cooling in summer.
Submitted: 12/02/2018
The Jaguar D-Type was a highly successful sports racing car, winning the Le Mans 24 Hours race three times consecutively (1955-1957), and was known for its aerodynamic design and powerful XK engine, and was a direct evolution of the C-Type.
Here's a more detailed look at the Jaguar D-Type:
Key Features and Achievements:
Le Mans Dominance:
The D-Type secured victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955, 1956, and 1957, solidifying Jaguar's reputation in endurance racing.
Evolution of the C-Type:
The D-Type built upon the success of the C-Type, incorporating advanced aerodynamic principles and a more powerful engine.
Aerodynamic Design:
The car's body was designed to minimize drag, inspired by aircraft design, allowing it to achieve high speeds, including a top speed of 172.8 mph on the Mulsanne Straight.
Monocoque Chassis:
The D-Type featured a monocoque chassis, a revolutionary design for the time, which contributed to its lightweight and rigidity.
Powerful XK Engine:
The D-Type utilized the powerful XK engine, initially a 3.4-liter inline-six, which was later enlarged to 3.8 liters for the 1957 season, further enhancing performance.
Disc Brakes:
The D-Type was equipped with superior disc brakes, which were a significant advantage over the competition.
Continuation Production:
In 2018, Jaguar Classic announced the production of 25 new D-Type models, fulfilling the original plan to build 100 cars, with only 75 completed in the 1950s.
High Value:
D-Types are highly sought-after today, with some examples fetching millions of dollars at auction.
1957 Le Mans:
In 1957, D-Types took five of the top six places at Le Mans, with Ecurie Ecosse finishing 1st and 2nd.
Prototype D-Type:
The Prototype D-type XKC401 is a unique car, being the factory prototype for the machine which set the seal on the Jaguar Le Mans legend, culminating in a hat-trick of victories from 1955 to 1957.
In Summary: The Jaguar D-Type was a groundbreaking racing car that revolutionized sports car design and achieved remarkable success in endurance racing, particularly at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
📷 Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
⚪️ M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 magnification MFT scale 1:4
⚪️ Raynox DCR 250 - I didn't use it
⚡️ Godox V350o - 1/32 or 1/64
🔦 Iluminator - a headlamp (from the MSM Astro tracker set) mounted under the flash lamp
♻ AKocot Diffuser v0,01 - my DIY diffuser
Stacked images 15 ( in camera - verified)
Set Focus Differential - 1
Charge time - 0sec
🔭 Tripod - Benro MACH 3 TMA 47AL
Head - Manfrotto 3D MHXPRO-3W
Background - blue cleaning cloth stretched on a mini tripod
Subject - two dry oak leaves and one acorn
Scene - table + salt candle as the above to set the composition
The focus starting point - I set it to the sharp end of the glans - which is important in the case of focus stacking and focus bracketing. In focus stacking, the camera takes 2 photos from the focus point forward, and then returns to take the remaining number of photos (with a given focus difference step). In Focus Bracketing, photos are taken from the focus point backwards (with a given focus difference step). So when taking photos in a camera with the focus stacking function, you need to take into account that the camera itself will try to show the focus in front of the object.
These are my first attempts at focus stacking, with a new lens and new flash lamp , without a diffuser (on the lamp there is a native diffuser from the set + a cardboard reflector from the top with a silver foil glued to the bottom), I tried to use Raynox but for the acorn it was too much hanging - I'm not sure either what scale I used, but probably none, it's just a close-up photo.
I decided to first try to establish cooperation with people who provide the best diffusers on the market, but so far no one has expressed willingness to cooperate.
I don't want to, as they say, "open doors", hence my willingness to cooperate, but when you don't have what you like, you like what you have.
There are several solutions available with great results, but for me the top ones are: light that does not cause reflections on smooth surfaces of the object (the shape of the diffuser and reflector), and the direction of light incidence in the reflector itself - the angles of incidence of the light beam on the diffusing surface (reflector - diffuser) . The handiness of the entire set during an outdoor session is also important, as is its mechanical resistance (rigidity - it allows, for example, the set to be supported on a diffuser for stability and resistance to moisture). In my opinion, the most important thing is the material from which the diffusion (luminous) surface is made - concepts such as the degree of diffusion and signal transmission - you need to achieve the lowest possible loss of flash combined with the best possible dispersion - it must have features that ensure even distribution over the entire surface (this is function of material thickness - 0.4 - 0.7 mm, and its PVC quality). It is known that in macro photography the flash regeneration speed is important (reducing the flash power), but with a good diffuser it is easier to quickly take a large number of photos with focus bracketing (focus stacking) - at high aperture values f/5.6 ... f/11 and low ISO 200) .
In my opinion, the current top three macro diffusers are:
1. Cygntech Difusser - the most effective, simplest and most elegant
2. AK diffuser - less elegant design
3. Pope Shield - less handy, less effective design
The key to obtaining the perfect light distribution on an object during manual focus bracketing is the degree of dispersion of the flash light on the light surface (the largest possible evenly shining surface - a diffuser), the shape of the light beam that covers the object from many directions - "destroys shadows" beam .
There is a long way ahead of me to create my own diffuser that will meet my expectations. I currently have a few small trial diffusers and I'm trying to find the right materials ,
I will successively show you further photos taken with new versions of the developed "AKocot Diffuser" diffuser.
Les œuvres d'art monumentales illustrent la montée dans les années 90 d'une nouvelle architecture influencée par de nouvelles méthodes de conception et de processus de production numérisés. En permettant la variation de forme, qui est caractérisée par le flux d’informations qui la traverse, ces méthodes ont stimulé la création d’une architecture animée, vivante et dynamique dans laquelle se croisent les processus biologiques et la dynamique des fluides. Cette tendance, dite numérique, arithmétique et numérique, remet en question une architecture qui serait immuable et définitive au profit d'une "architecture liquide" (Marcos Novak), aux formes libres et évolutives, dans laquelle des cercles organiques et des surfaces continues se mélangent. Cela correspond au style de cette autre architecture qui, dans les années 1960 et 1970, est revenue aux styles plus anciens (gothique, baroque, expressionnisme) en évoquant la courbe, l'organique et le mouvement par rapport à la rigidité de l'angle droit.
The monumental works of art illustrate the rise in the 1990s of a new architecture influenced by new methods of digitized design and production processes. By allowing shape variation, which is characterized by the flow of information passing through it, these methods have stimulated the creation of an animated, dynamic and dynamic architecture in which biological processes and fluid dynamics intersect. This trend, known as numerical, arithmetical and numerical, calls into question an architecture that would be immutable and definitive in favor of a "liquid architecture" (Marcos Novak), with free and evolving forms, in which organic circles and continuous surfaces take place. mix. This corresponds to the style of this other architecture which, in the 1960s and 1970s, returned to older styles (Gothic, Baroque, Expressionism) evoking the curve, the organic and the movement in relation to the rigidity of the angle law.
Flowers have a mysterious and subtle influence on the feelings, comparably to certain musical melodies. They relax the tension of the mind. They instantly dissolve its rigidity.
(Henry W. Beecher)
Balance (Two Lanes)
youtu.be/lrk-0KLtdvs?si=poGqGxPLh_iJNA7c
(Thanks to Alex B)
Les œuvres d'art monumentales illustrent la montée dans les années 90 d'une nouvelle architecture influencée par de nouvelles méthodes de conception et de processus de production numérisés. En permettant la variation de forme, qui est caractérisée par le flux d’informations qui la traverse, ces méthodes ont stimulé la création d’une architecture animée, vivante et dynamique dans laquelle se croisent les processus biologiques et la dynamique des fluides. Cette tendance, dite numérique, arithmétique et numérique, remet en question une architecture qui serait immuable et définitive au profit d'une "architecture liquide" (Marcos Novak), aux formes libres et évolutives, dans laquelle des cercles organiques et des surfaces continues se mélangent. Cela correspond au style de cette autre architecture qui, dans les années 1960 et 1970, est revenue aux styles plus anciens (gothique, baroque, expressionnisme) en évoquant la courbe, l'organique et le mouvement par rapport à la rigidité de l'angle droit.
The monumental works of art illustrate the rise in the 1990s of a new architecture influenced by new methods of digitized design and production processes. By allowing shape variation, which is characterized by the flow of information passing through it, these methods have stimulated the creation of an animated, dynamic and dynamic architecture in which biological processes and fluid dynamics intersect. This trend, known as numerical, arithmetical and numerical, calls into question an architecture that would be immutable and definitive in favor of a "liquid architecture" (Marcos Novak), with free and evolving forms, in which organic circles and continuous surfaces take place. mix. This corresponds to the style of this other architecture which, in the 1960s and 1970s, returned to older styles (Gothic, Baroque, Expressionism) evoking the curve, the organic and the movement in relation to the rigidity of the angle law.
L'església de St. Jean de Najac, gòtica, està situada sota el castell de la mateixa població, i data del mateix moment. Només veient-la, queda clar que s'edificà amb una idea de fortalessa religiosa i de inflexibilitat davant qualsevol "desviació", ja que tota la zona era força permeable al catarisme.
monumentum.fr/eglise-saint-jean-pa00094082.html
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The gothic church of St.Jean de Najac was built together with the castle which stands above it. Both buildings had a clear programe: rigidity and inflexibility against any threat, political or religious. Remember that all this area was quite favourable to the catharism.
es.tourisme-aveyron.com/diffusio/es/visitar/patrimonio/na...
During the wet season, the Galapagos dove feeds largely on caterpillars and on flowers of the cactus Opuntia helleri. At other times, much foraging takes place on the ground, with the doves taking seeds of the bush Croton scouleri, often using the beak to dig up and uncover seeds. Other small seeds and fruits may be eaten, as well as cactus pulp, and the fly larvae and pupae that may be found inside cactus trunks and pads. Feeding habits may differ between islands, with only some Galapagos doves reported to perch on Opuntia cacti and feed on the flowers, possibly due to differences in the rigidity of the cactus spines between islands. Seen on Punta Suarez, Espanola Island.
The Iso Rivolta, appeared at the 1962 Torino Auto Show, and the 2+2 coupe was a dramatic departure from the two-stroke scooters, micro-cars, and refrigerators that had defined Renzo Rivolta’s Iso products to that point.
The attractive GT body had been styled by Bertone, with a long beltline and a tall greenhouse providing excellent visibility. Interiors had room for four adults and included supple leather seating, an elegant wood dash and steering wheel, and chrome-trimmed gauges that provided feedback on just about everything going on in the engine bay.
Noted engineer Giotto Bizzarrini designed the chassis, one of the most advanced of the era. A box-section type comprised of pressed steel welded panels, safety and rigidity were paramount, and strength to weight was exceptional. An advanced suspension with unequal-length arms and coil springs up front and a DeDion setup with springs in back provided sure-footedness, and four-wheel disc brakes lent adequate stopping power.
All of which were absolutely necessary, as the Rivolta came powered by either a 300- or 340-horsepower, 4-barrel 327-ci V8 sourced from the Chevrolet Corvette. A 4-speed manual was standard, though an optional 5-speed manual and 3-speed automatic could be equipped. The 3,000-lb Rivolta was good for about 140 mph.
Production commenced in 1963. At around $9,000, the Rivolta was not cheap. Still, the company sold 171 cars that year, which was to be the biggest sales year for the car. By the time production ceased in 1970, just seven cars sold. Total production is under 800.
The beauty of the Iso Rivolta is how well it works. Whereas many beautiful Italian exotics of the 1960s can be expensively hampered by the complexity of their mechanical bits, replacements parts for the Rivolta powertrain are as close as the local NAPA store. Though body and chassis extras are much harder to come by, just about any competent mechanic can keep them running.
And run they do. Rivoltas were built to cruise the Italian Autostrade and American interstates at high speeds, and they are comfortable doing so all day. They will easily give contemporary GTs a run for the money, not only in a straight line, but also when the going gets twisty. Today, the Iso Rivolta remains an intelligent choice for collectors looking for a reliable exotic that is event-eligible, easy to service, and fun to drive.
source: Hagerty
An additional tidbit being that few have heard of ISO Rivolta, but many remember, and have heard of the Isetta, "the little rolling door" mini car, which later was licensed and built by BMW. The original car was mane by ISO.
This digital painting (working on one of my own pictures of Bari) captures a row of weathered façades in Bari, where warm ochres, sun-bleached whites, and muted earth tones dominate the scene. The buildings appear timeworn yet dignified, with arched doorways, narrow windows, and irregular masonry hinting at centuries of layered history. The small piazza in the foreground, defined by pale stone paving and a solitary street element, opens the composition and invites the viewer into the urban rhythm of southern Italy. Light plays a central role: the bright Mediterranean sky washes over the surfaces, enhancing the contrast between shadowed recesses and sunlit walls.
Stylistically, the oil technique leans toward a loose, impressionistic approach with visible, energetic brushstrokes that prioritize atmosphere over precision. The textures feel almost sculpted, with thick, expressive paint suggesting cracked plaster and rough stone rather than describing them literally. This painterly treatment softens architectural rigidity, giving the façades a vibrating, living quality. The result is not a documentary rendering, but an emotional interpretation of Bari’s historic streets—warm, luminous, and gently nostalgic.
RX_01923_20240502_Bari
Körperwelten sind seit 1996 bestehende Wanderausstellungen plastinierter, überwiegend menschlicher Körper. Initiator der Ausstellungen ist der Anatom Gunther von Hagens. Die Ausstellungen sind auf Grund der Exponate umstritten.
Verfahren:
Das Verfahren läuft prinzipiell in vier Stufen ab:
Der erste Schritt ist die Fixierung in Formalin oder farberhaltenden Zubereitungen, welche das Gewebe stabilisieren und dadurch die Schrumpfung minimieren. Außerdem verhindert die Fixierung den Zerfall des Gewebes bei einer eventuell erforderlichen Präparation. Diese dient zur Freilegung und damit Darstellung bestimmter Strukturen mit Skalpell und Pinzette. Präparate für die („primäre“) Scheibenplastination werden jetzt auf einer Bandsäge oder mit einer anderen Schneidemaschine zerschnitten.
Bei dem sich anschließenden Gefrieraustausch und der Entfettung wird dem Präparat in einem −25 °C kalten Aceton-Bad das Gewebewasser entzogen. Das Wasser gefriert, das Aceton löst erst das Wasser, dann gegebenenfalls bei Raumtemperatur das Fett heraus. Bei Bedarf wird noch gründlicher mit Dichlormethan entfettet, welches einen höheren Dampfdruck als Aceton hat. Wasser und Fett sind nun durch Aceton ersetzt.
Der dritte Schritt und der eigentliche Kern der Plastination ist die forcierte Imprägnierung. Hierbei wird das Präparat in einer Kunststofflösung unter Vakuum gesetzt. Durch den hohen Dampfdruck beginnt das Aceton zu sieden und „perlt“ aus dem Präparat heraus. Dadurch entsteht ein Volumendefizit, sodass das gleiche Volumen an Kunststoff ins Gewebe hineingesaugt wird. Das Präparat ist danach vollkommen mit Kunststoff durchtränkt und wird eventuell in die anatomisch richtige Stellung gebracht.
Der letzte Schritt ist die Härtung. Die Kunststoffe werden jetzt je nach Kunststoffart durch Wärme, UV-Licht oder gasförmigen Härter auspolymerisiert. Bei der „sekundären Scheibenplastination“ wie auch bei der „Tissue Tracing Technique“ erfolgen entscheidende Bearbeitungsschritte nach Abschluss der Härtung. Komplett plastinierte Körperteile, dicke Scheiben oder Blöcke werden bei der sekundären Scheibenplastination in dünne parallele Scheiben geschnitten oder bei der Tissue Tracing Technique gezielt so geschliffen und zugeschnitten, dass anatomische Strukturen in Scheibenplastinaten verfolgt werden können.
Body Worlds (German title: Körperwelten) is a traveling exposition of preserved human bodies and body parts. In this exhibit what is enticed to see are real skinned humans and other anatomical structures of the body that have gone through the process of plastination. Plastination is “a process in which unite subtle anatomy and modern polymer chemistry.”Plastination is a process that a German man named Gunther Von Hagens created in the late 70’s in which the body is preserved to keep it from decaying.
Process:
There are four steps in the standard process of plastination: fixation, dehydration, forced impregnation in a vacuum, and hardening. Water and lipid tissues are replaced by curable polymers. Curable polymers used by plastination include silicone, epoxy and polyester-copolymer.
The first step of plastination is fixation. Fixation, frequently utilizing a formaldehyde based solution, serves two functions. Dissecting the specimen to show specific anatomical elements can be time consuming. Formaldehyde or other preserving solutions help prevent decomposition of the tissues. They may also confer a degree of rigidity. This can be beneficial in maintaining the shape or arrangement of a specimen. A stomach might be inflated or a leg bent at the knee for example.
After any necessary dissections have taken place, the specimen is then placed in a bath of acetone. Under freezing conditions, the acetone draws out all the water and replaces it inside the cells.
In the third step, the specimen is then placed in a bath of liquid polymer, such as silicone rubber, polyester or epoxy resin. By creating a vacuum, the acetone is made to boil at a low temperature. As the acetone vaporizes and leaves the cells, it draws the liquid polymer in behind it, leaving a cell filled with liquid plastic.
The plastic must then be cured with gas, heat, or ultraviolet light, in order to harden it.
A specimen can be anything from a full human body to a small piece of an animal organ, and they are known as 'plastinates'.[citation needed] Once plastinated, the specimens and bodies are further manipulated and positioned prior to curing (hardening) of the polymer chains.
Shown here is the attempt of a perfectly normal (that is, a neurotic) person to address the problem of his character armour. This armour manifests itself as a defence against emotional excitations, as rigidity of the body, lack of emotional contact, lack of orgastic potency and, overall, deadness and, on the social scene, as general destructiveness. It is one thing to be aware of these problems and another to therapeutically address them. Did the machine do its job? No. Fuji X-Pro3.
La imagen corresponde a un momento de la emergencia de Orthetrum cancellatum pero desafortunadamente se quedó en esa posición.
Aunque no era una mañana calurosa, son las 11'45 de la mañana, el imago se ha visto atrapado por la rigidez (se ha secado excesivamente) de la exuvia y no progresará el intento de sacar su cuerpo del cascarón que lo aprisiona.
le puse dos gotas de agua para ver si reblandecía, pero ni por esas ....
Podemos apreciar que el ojo está practicamente formado, se distinguen las omatidias.
La escena es vertical y la he virado para mejor visualización.
Fotograma completo y adaptado a formato panorámico.
En la balsa del Puerto. Villena (Alicante) España
The image corresponds to a moment of the emergence of Orthetrum cancellatum but unfortunately it remained in that position.
Although it was not a hot morning, it is 11:45 in the morning, the imago has been trapped by the rigidity (it has dried excessively) of the exuvia and the attempt to remove its body from the shell that imprisons it will not progress.
I put two drops of water to see if it would soften, but not even then....
We can see that the eye is practically formed, the ommatidia can be distinguished.
The scene is vertical and I have turned it for better viewing.
Full frame and adapted to panoramic format.
In the pool of the Port. Villena (Alicante) Spain
Looking rather like a dangling wasps' nest, this is just a sliced through banana palm frond's stem showing the incredible compartmentalised structure throughout the plant. It makes for strength without rigidity so that the plant can sway in the wind.
The first antler arch was constructed in 1953 through the efforts and fundraising of the Jackson Hole Rotary Club. The National Elk Refuge, a protected haven where hundreds of elk come to take shelter during the winter months, sits just outside of the town of Jackson. Each spring the herd of elk naturally shed their antlers allowing locals and visitors alike to harvest the pieces for art and auction. Using a steel frame as a base and thousands of antlers from the annual spring shed, the rotary club methodically stacked the antlers to form the resulting arch. By the late 1960’s the other three antler arches came into existence and completed the project.
The four arches stood proudly for the sixty years that followed. But as antlers are in fact made up of bone, they eventually began to decompose causing the structures to lose their rigidity and foundational structure. In 2006 the Rotary Club began fundraising efforts to replace the structures altogether with newly formed arches. Using donations and the funds received from auctioning off the original arches, some 14,000 pounds of antlers per arch, the club was able to replace them entirely with new frames and new antlers.
By 2015 the final arch reconstruction was completed and the new adornments are expected to last at least another 50 years. The antler arches have become something of a Jackson Hole icon and a legacy to be passed onto future generations. I can’t imagine walking past the Town Square without glancing at families posing for pictures underneath the antlers or watching the christmas lights strung over them each winter season twinkle with the falling snow. Just as much as the Teton views comprise our familiarity and love for Jackson Hole, so do the arches.
www.jacksonhole.net/blog/the-history-of-the-jackson-hole-...
©2021 Gary L. Quay
I had to put the tripod into the creek for this one, while I stood beside it trying not to fall in. I was standing on some old, downed trees that had very little rigidity left, and that hung out over the water a few feet. Water flowed underneath, and I worried about falling in. Well, I didn't, and I made it out dry.
Camera: Nikon D810
Lens: 28mm Zeiss Distagon ZF2
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JESUS OF NAZARETH
*circa 4 B.C.–30 A.D.*
Jesus was born in Nazareth, Galilee, and was Jewish. Growing up under Roman occupation and amid internal tensions within Jewish society, he became an itinerant preacher and social leader who courageously challenged the religious and political authorities of his time. He openly criticized the leaders of the Temple, denouncing hypocrisy, rigidity, and injustice, and promoted a way of life based on justice, equality, freedom, and love for oneself and for others as guiding principles.
His influence among the masses, combined with the radical nature of his message, was perceived as a political threat by local leaders and the Romans, who feared the destabilizing power of his presence and teachings. He was therefore condemned to death and executed, not merely for religious reasons, but because he openly challenged the established authority, seeking to transform the values and power dynamics of his era.
Today, Jesus of Nazareth is remembered not only as a spiritual figure but also as a leader who questioned the system, denounced injustices, and proposed a model of radical humanity and love.
Palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz, Viso del Marqués, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, España.
El palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz es un edificio situado en el municipio de Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), en la Comunidad autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha, en España. Fue construido a finales del siglo XVI por Álvaro de Bazán, primer marqués de Santa Cruz. Actualmente es la sede del Archivo General de la Marina.
Fue construido entre 1564 y 1586 con modificaciones posteriores, y se trata de un edificio de planta cuadrada y estilo renacentista articulado en torno a un atrio renacentista con una tumba yacente. Los muros y techos se hallan cubiertos de frescos de doble temática: por un lado, escenas mitológicas y, por otro, batallas navales y ciudades italianas relacionadas con la trayectoria militar del marqués y de sus familiares. Los frescos se deben a unos pintores manieristas italianos, los Péroli. Al verlos, Felipe II les encargaría trabajos para El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo.
Para levantarlo, el marqués contrató a un equipo de arquitectos, pintores y decoradores que trabajaron en la obra desde 1564 hasta 1586. Para algunos, el diseño del edificio se debió al italiano Giovanni Battista Castello, conocido como el Bergamasco, que más tarde trabajó en El Escorial; para otros lo trazó, al menos en su plan original, Enrique Egas el Mozo.
La arquitectura se percibe como típica española, sin las arquerías italianas, con paramentos lisos y torres cuadradas en las esquinas, influidos por la austeridad de El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo, dentro de las relaciones armónicas características del Renacimiento. El espacio central está ocupado por un patio porticado que junto con la escalera forma un conjunto típicamente manierista entendido como estilo elegante y cortesano que desborda el marco meramente arquitectónico. Contaba con cuatro torres que, al parecer, se derrumbaron a consecuencia del Terremoto de Lisboa de 1755.
Las paredes están decoradas con 8.000 metros cuadrados de frescos manieristas elaborados por Giovanni Battista Peroli con Esteban Peroli y César de Bellis. Todos trabajaron para crear un espacio erigido a la mayor gloria de su dueño: por un lado, había que exaltar sus virtudes militares, y por el otro, enaltecer su linaje. Para lo primero, se pintaron en las paredes, las bóvedas y los techos del palacio vistas de ciudades y de puertos, así como los baluartes y las batallas en los que había conquistado su inmenso prestigio. A ambos lados de la escalera se ubicaron dos estatuas en las que aparecía representado como Neptuno (dios de los mares, con su tridente) y como Marte (dios de la guerra), y sobre las puertas del piso superior se colocaron los fanales de popa de las naves capitanas vencidas en las batallas, que eran los trofeos de los marinos. Para elogiar su linaje, y siguiendo la misma tradición renacentista de representar a hombres como dioses o semidioses de la antigüedad, se pintó a los antepasados del marqués y a sus esposas (tuvo dos) e hijos.
Estos dos grupos de representaciones se aderezaron con trampantojos, pinturas que simulaban puertas, columnas y otros elementos decorativos y arquitectónicos; y también con motivos grutescos que incluían animales mitológicos, sabandijas y follajes. Conforme una temática muy variada que se puede interpretar como defensa del catolicismo defendido en Trento.
Las estatuas sepulcrales de Alonso de Bazán (hermano de don Álvaro) y su esposa María de Figueroa, son el único ejemplo de escultura funeraria perteneciente al primer tercio del siglo XVII. Fueron ejecutados para el Monasterio de la Concepción que ocupaba la Comunidad de Religiosas Franciscas de El Viso del Marqués, ubicándose a día de hoy en el muro del Palacio más cercano a los jardines. Su creador fue Antonio de Riera, escultor relacionado con la corte de origen catalán. En ellas, aparecen los marqueses en actitud de orante, arrodillados en un reclinatorio, todo ello en mármol blanco que resalta sobre el mármol negro de los nichos. Se advierte en ellos cierta similitud con la elegancia y el clasicismo de los Leoni, a pesar de cierta rigidez formal, siendo de especial relevancia la forma en la que están ejecutadas las telas y el detalle de los vestidos.
The Palace of the Marquis of Santa Cruz is a building located in the municipality of Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It was built in the late 16th century by Álvaro de Bazán, the first Marquis of Santa Cruz. It currently houses the General Archive of the Navy.
Built between 1564 and 1586, with subsequent modifications, it is a square, Renaissance-style building centered around a Renaissance atrium with a recumbent tomb. The walls and ceilings are covered with frescoes depicting two themes: mythological scenes, and naval battles and Italian cities related to the military career of the Marquis and his family. The frescoes are by Italian Mannerist painters, the Pérolis. Upon seeing them, Philip II commissioned works from them for El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo.
To build it, the Marquis hired a team of architects, painters, and decorators who worked on the project from 1564 to 1586. Some believe the building was designed by the Italian Giovanni Battista Castello, known as El Bergamasco, who later worked at El Escorial; others believe it was designed, at least in its original plan, by Enrique Egas the Younger.
The architecture is perceived as typically Spanish, lacking the Italian arches, with smooth walls and square towers at the corners, influenced by the austerity of El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo, within the harmonious relationships characteristic of the Renaissance. The central space is occupied by a porticoed courtyard that, together with the staircase, forms a typically Mannerist ensemble, understood as an elegant and courtly style that transcends the purely architectural framework. It had four towers that apparently collapsed as a result of the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.
The walls are decorated with 8,000 square meters of Mannerist frescoes created by Giovanni Battista Peroli with Esteban Peroli and César de Bellis. They all worked to create a space built to the greatest glory of its owner: on the one hand, to exalt his military virtues, and on the other, to honor his lineage. To this end, views of cities and ports, as well as the bastions and battles in which he had earned his immense prestige, were painted on the walls, vaults, and ceilings of the palace. On either side of the staircase were two statues depicting him as Neptune (god of the seas, with his trident) and Mars (god of war). Above the doors on the upper floor were the stern lanterns of defeated flagships, trophies of the sailors. To praise his lineage, and following the same Renaissance tradition of depicting men as gods or demigods of antiquity, the marquis's ancestors, his wives (he had two) and children were painted.
These two groups of representations were embellished with trompe l'oeil paintings simulating doors, columns, and other decorative and architectural elements; as well as grotesque motifs that included mythological animals, vermin, and foliage. This varied theme can be interpreted as a defense of the Catholicism championed in Trent.
The sepulchral statues of Alonso de Bazán (Don Álvaro's brother) and his wife María de Figueroa are the only examples of funerary sculpture dating from the first third of the 17th century. They were executed for the Monastery of the Concepción, which was occupied by the Community of Franciscan Nuns of El Viso del Marqués, and are now located on the wall of the Palace closest to the gardens. Their creator was Antonio de Riera, a sculptor of Catalan origin associated with the court. They depict the marquises in a prayerful attitude, kneeling on a prie-dieu. All in white marble, which stands out against the black marble of the niches. There is a certain similarity to the elegance and classicism of the Leoni family, despite their formal rigidity, with the execution of the fabrics and the detail of the dresses being particularly noteworthy.
For Lancia, the Aprilia, produced from 1937 - 1949, simultaneously marked the end of one era and the beginning of another. Technologically speaking, this was a supremely refined model, with a load-bearing body, a compact narrow V engine, independent suspension on all four wheels and extremely innovative aerodynamic lines.
During the 1920s, the invention of wind tunnels allowed industrial designers to seek new levels of performance for motor vehicles by improving their aerodynamics. In the United States, “streamline design” was all the rage, a trend for producing sinuous and aerodynamic lines, starting with airplanes, then trains and then cars, increasing their speed but also emphasizing their extravagant stylistic features.
This movement reached Italy in the 1930s when streamlining, a symbol of modernity, inspired the lines of the new Lancia Aprilia. But compared to the American style, Vincenzo Lancia’s trusted designer Battista Falchetto - who had shared the honors for the stunning design of the Lambda - created a car with fewer frills and more concrete lines, aimed at improving aerodynamics. The grille and windscreen were therefore slightly inclined, and the egg shape - considered at the time the most efficient profile from an aerodynamic point of view - gave character to the rear part. The compact and streamlined bonnet was made possible by the small size of the narrow V engine... an authentic concentrate of technology. It consisted of a light alloy monobloc with cast iron barrels, V valves controlled by rockers moved by an overhead camshaft and a hemispherical top on the combustion chamber. With only 1,352 cc it generated 48 HP which, thanks also to a total weight of only 850 kg, plus an excellent aerodynamic coefficient of just 0.47, thrust the Aprilia up to 125 km/h.
The Aprilia was a true Piedmontese aristocrat, refined and precise in every detail. Its famous four pillarless doors, a true Lancia icon, also have an extraordinary curved profile and invisible hinges. The famous click - the sound of the doors closing - underlined the scrupulous attention to the smallest details in design and assembly which typified Lancia’s outstanding modus operandi, providing an unforgettable grace note. The interiors, especially in the Luxury version, featured a classy geometric instrument panel on a grey background with black and white graphics: the square speedometer and clock perfectly matched with the rectangles chosen for the thermometer and the fuel gauge. The Lancia cloth upholstery (available on request in leather), the door panels, the roof covering and the rubber mats were the final touches of a creation which was the closest possible motorcar version of the classic Turin interiors of the period.
Its extremely low weight was mainly due to the load-bearing body: a Lancia patent - first seen in the 1920s on the Lambda - which, by overcoming the classic architecture which kept the chassis and bodywork separate, improved torsional rigidity and significantly reduced volumes. The independent suspension on all four wheels, with rear transversal leaf spring and front coil springs, enabled the Lancia Aprilia to offer road grip and passenger comfort that was much superior to most of its contemporary rivals.
The Lancia Aprilia contained all the most innovative and refined technical solutions that were so dear to Vincenzo Lancia. It constituted a pinnacle of motorcar production, carried out under the direct supervision of the founder of the Turin company. The name of the car came from that of an ancient Lazio town: a characteristic that linked it to its predecessors, the Artena and the Astura.
The Lancia Aprilia was presented to the public at the thirtieth edition of the Paris Motor Show, in October 1936. On February 15, 1937 its creator had a sudden and fatal heart attack, just before the car went into production. He was only 55 years old. Thus the Aprilia became universally seen as the spiritual testament of Vincenzo Lancia, becoming a huge commercial success, which continued even after the adversities of the second World War.
The first series of the Lancia Aprilia was produced from 1937 to 1939 in 10,354 units: a Sedan in standard and Luxury trims, to which were added 4,350 chassis for custom-made versions, on which the best Italian coachbuilders reveled in producing streamlined and elegant spiders and cabriolets. Pinin Farina's aerodynamic coupé was highly original, with its characteristic flattened muzzle, the central position of the 2 + 2 passenger compartment and an elegant tail.
Two years after the start of production, the second series was born, characterized by the increase in displacement to 1,486 cc. The power remained unchanged, but this improved the elasticity of the engine and the maximum speed. Despite a weight increase to 950 kg, it gained 1 km/h. In the decade from 1939-1949, 11,082 sedans were produced plus 2,252 chassis for coachbuilders.
The production of the Aprilia continued - with a further 703 exemplars - even after the Second World War, a period in which the model, despite being almost ten years old, could still be proud of its highly modern mechanics and settings. It held its place in the market right up to the last days of production, and in racing it remained the undisputed dominator of the Tourism class up to 1500 cc for years: it also triumphed in the Mille Miglia of 1947 thanks to its powerful acceleration and peerless road holding.
To this day, more than eighty years after its presentation, the Aprilia is considered a timeless pioneering car which, by gathering all the best of Lancia’s innovative philosophy, inaugurated a new era in motoring. Vincenzo Lancia was usually hypercritical about his cars, but after test driving the Aprilia prototype he spontaneously exclaimed: "What a magnificent car!".
Article credit: Heritage
Palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz, Viso del Marqués, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, España.
El palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz es un edificio situado en el municipio de Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), en la Comunidad autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha, en España. Fue construido a finales del siglo XVI por Álvaro de Bazán, primer marqués de Santa Cruz. Actualmente es la sede del Archivo General de la Marina.
Fue construido entre 1564 y 1586 con modificaciones posteriores, y se trata de un edificio de planta cuadrada y estilo renacentista articulado en torno a un atrio renacentista con una tumba yacente. Los muros y techos se hallan cubiertos de frescos de doble temática: por un lado, escenas mitológicas y, por otro, batallas navales y ciudades italianas relacionadas con la trayectoria militar del marqués y de sus familiares. Los frescos se deben a unos pintores manieristas italianos, los Péroli. Al verlos, Felipe II les encargaría trabajos para El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo.
Para levantarlo, el marqués contrató a un equipo de arquitectos, pintores y decoradores que trabajaron en la obra desde 1564 hasta 1586. Para algunos, el diseño del edificio se debió al italiano Giovanni Battista Castello, conocido como el Bergamasco, que más tarde trabajó en El Escorial; para otros lo trazó, al menos en su plan original, Enrique Egas el Mozo.
La arquitectura se percibe como típica española, sin las arquerías italianas, con paramentos lisos y torres cuadradas en las esquinas, influidos por la austeridad de El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo, dentro de las relaciones armónicas características del Renacimiento. El espacio central está ocupado por un patio porticado que junto con la escalera forma un conjunto típicamente manierista entendido como estilo elegante y cortesano que desborda el marco meramente arquitectónico. Contaba con cuatro torres que, al parecer, se derrumbaron a consecuencia del Terremoto de Lisboa de 1755.
Las paredes están decoradas con 8.000 metros cuadrados de frescos manieristas elaborados por Giovanni Battista Peroli con Esteban Peroli y César de Bellis. Todos trabajaron para crear un espacio erigido a la mayor gloria de su dueño: por un lado, había que exaltar sus virtudes militares, y por el otro, enaltecer su linaje. Para lo primero, se pintaron en las paredes, las bóvedas y los techos del palacio vistas de ciudades y de puertos, así como los baluartes y las batallas en los que había conquistado su inmenso prestigio. A ambos lados de la escalera se ubicaron dos estatuas en las que aparecía representado como Neptuno (dios de los mares, con su tridente) y como Marte (dios de la guerra), y sobre las puertas del piso superior se colocaron los fanales de popa de las naves capitanas vencidas en las batallas, que eran los trofeos de los marinos. Para elogiar su linaje, y siguiendo la misma tradición renacentista de representar a hombres como dioses o semidioses de la antigüedad, se pintó a los antepasados del marqués y a sus esposas (tuvo dos) e hijos.
Estos dos grupos de representaciones se aderezaron con trampantojos, pinturas que simulaban puertas, columnas y otros elementos decorativos y arquitectónicos; y también con motivos grutescos que incluían animales mitológicos, sabandijas y follajes. Conforme una temática muy variada que se puede interpretar como defensa del catolicismo defendido en Trento.
Las estatuas sepulcrales de Alonso de Bazán (hermano de don Álvaro) y su esposa María de Figueroa, son el único ejemplo de escultura funeraria perteneciente al primer tercio del siglo XVII. Fueron ejecutados para el Monasterio de la Concepción que ocupaba la Comunidad de Religiosas Franciscas de El Viso del Marqués, ubicándose a día de hoy en el muro del Palacio más cercano a los jardines. Su creador fue Antonio de Riera, escultor relacionado con la corte de origen catalán. En ellas, aparecen los marqueses en actitud de orante, arrodillados en un reclinatorio, todo ello en mármol blanco que resalta sobre el mármol negro de los nichos. Se advierte en ellos cierta similitud con la elegancia y el clasicismo de los Leoni, a pesar de cierta rigidez formal, siendo de especial relevancia la forma en la que están ejecutadas las telas y el detalle de los vestidos.
The Palace of the Marquis of Santa Cruz is a building located in the municipality of Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It was built in the late 16th century by Álvaro de Bazán, the first Marquis of Santa Cruz. It currently houses the General Archive of the Navy.
Built between 1564 and 1586, with subsequent modifications, it is a square, Renaissance-style building centered around a Renaissance atrium with a recumbent tomb. The walls and ceilings are covered with frescoes depicting two themes: mythological scenes, and naval battles and Italian cities related to the military career of the Marquis and his family. The frescoes are by Italian Mannerist painters, the Pérolis. Upon seeing them, Philip II commissioned works from them for El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo.
To build it, the Marquis hired a team of architects, painters, and decorators who worked on the project from 1564 to 1586. Some believe the building was designed by the Italian Giovanni Battista Castello, known as El Bergamasco, who later worked at El Escorial; others believe it was designed, at least in its original plan, by Enrique Egas the Younger.
The architecture is perceived as typically Spanish, lacking the Italian arches, with smooth walls and square towers at the corners, influenced by the austerity of El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo, within the harmonious relationships characteristic of the Renaissance. The central space is occupied by a porticoed courtyard that, together with the staircase, forms a typically Mannerist ensemble, understood as an elegant and courtly style that transcends the purely architectural framework. It had four towers that apparently collapsed as a result of the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.
The walls are decorated with 8,000 square meters of Mannerist frescoes created by Giovanni Battista Peroli with Esteban Peroli and César de Bellis. They all worked to create a space built to the greatest glory of its owner: on the one hand, to exalt his military virtues, and on the other, to honor his lineage. To this end, views of cities and ports, as well as the bastions and battles in which he had earned his immense prestige, were painted on the walls, vaults, and ceilings of the palace. On either side of the staircase were two statues depicting him as Neptune (god of the seas, with his trident) and Mars (god of war). Above the doors on the upper floor were the stern lanterns of defeated flagships, trophies of the sailors. To praise his lineage, and following the same Renaissance tradition of depicting men as gods or demigods of antiquity, the marquis's ancestors, his wives (he had two) and children were painted.
These two groups of representations were embellished with trompe l'oeil paintings simulating doors, columns, and other decorative and architectural elements; as well as grotesque motifs that included mythological animals, vermin, and foliage. This varied theme can be interpreted as a defense of the Catholicism championed in Trent.
The sepulchral statues of Alonso de Bazán (Don Álvaro's brother) and his wife María de Figueroa are the only examples of funerary sculpture dating from the first third of the 17th century. They were executed for the Monastery of the Concepción, which was occupied by the Community of Franciscan Nuns of El Viso del Marqués, and are now located on the wall of the Palace closest to the gardens. Their creator was Antonio de Riera, a sculptor of Catalan origin associated with the court. They depict the marquises in a prayerful attitude, kneeling on a prie-dieu. All in white marble, which stands out against the black marble of the niches. There is a certain similarity to the elegance and classicism of the Leoni family, despite their formal rigidity, with the execution of the fabrics and the detail of the dresses being particularly noteworthy.
Born free, yet crawling through life as slaves. They want to get out of their enclosure, but hate the exit into freedom and the unknown. They prefer sitting to walking. This is the emotional plague of humankind. According to Wilhelm Reich, The Murder of Christ (1953). Fuji X-E2 plus Helios 44M-7 at F11. A social and psychoanalytical analysis that in my view deserves a re-appraisal. The thesis is that all our attempts at changing the world are futile as long as those who promote the change are armoured men.
Bundeswehr Military History Museum, Dresden, Germany
The original building, the armory, was built between 1873-1876 and became a museum in 1897. Originally the Saxon armory and museum, the building has served as a Nazi museum, a Soviet museum and an East German museum which reflected the region's shifting social and political positions over the last 135 years. In 1989, the museum was closed because the newly unified German state was unsure how the museum would fit into the history being created. By 2001, feelings regarding the museum had shifted and an architectural competition was held for an extension which would cause visitors to reconsider the way they think about war.
Before reopening in October 2011 as the Bundeswehr Military History Museum, the building underwent six years of extensive construction. Using the design of architect Daniel Libeskind, the Neo-Classicist facade on the historic arsenal has been interrupted. Libeskind added a transparent arrowhead to the façade of the building, creating an outwardly visible expression of innovation. This striking element is also reflected in the logo of the museum. The architect wanted to penetrate the historic arsenal and create a new experience with the addition. The openness and transparency of the new façade, representing the openness of democratic society, contrasts with the rigidity of the existing building, which represents the severity of the authoritarian past. The silver arrowhead protrudes from the center of the traditional Neo-Classical building and provides a five story, 98 foot high viewing platform which overlooks the evolving city. The platform provides views of modern Dresden while pointing towards the area where the fire bombings of Dresden began. The redesigned Dresden Museum of Military history has become the main museum of the German Armed Forces. The building itself is 14,000 square meters and has an inside and outside exhibition area of about 20,000 square meters, making it Germany's largest museum. In every aspect, the museum is designed to alter the public's perception of war.
Wall of a historic house in Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage site for the Peranakan culture and Sino-Portuguese architecture.
Love the textures and colours of centuries of paint, as well as the simple window (and it's shadow), and equally i find the oddly shaped iron parts very interesting. I assume they are not merely ornamental but perhaps clamps, i.e. end pieces of steel bars used for structural rigidity of the wall and whole house at the end of a terrace. If anyone knows for sure I'd appreciate a comment.
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For Lancia, the Aprilia, produced from 1937 - 1949, simultaneously marked the end of one era and the beginning of another. Technologically speaking, this was a supremely refined model, with a load-bearing body, a compact narrow V engine, independent suspension on all four wheels and extremely innovative aerodynamic lines.
During the 1920s, the invention of wind tunnels allowed industrial designers to seek new levels of performance for motor vehicles by improving their aerodynamics. In the United States, “streamline design” was all the rage, a trend for producing sinuous and aerodynamic lines, starting with airplanes, then trains and then cars, increasing their speed but also emphasizing their extravagant stylistic features.
This movement reached Italy in the 1930s when streamlining, a symbol of modernity, inspired the lines of the new Lancia Aprilia. But compared to the American style, Vincenzo Lancia’s trusted designer Battista Falchetto - who had shared the honors for the stunning design of the Lambda - created a car with fewer frills and more concrete lines, aimed at improving aerodynamics. The grille and windscreen were therefore slightly inclined, and the egg shape - considered at the time the most efficient profile from an aerodynamic point of view - gave character to the rear part. The compact and streamlined bonnet was made possible by the small size of the narrow V engine... an authentic concentrate of technology. It consisted of a light alloy monobloc with cast iron barrels, V valves controlled by rockers moved by an overhead camshaft and a hemispherical top on the combustion chamber. With only 1,352 cc it generated 48 HP which, thanks also to a total weight of only 850 kg, plus an excellent aerodynamic coefficient of just 0.47, thrust the Aprilia up to 125 km/h.
The Aprilia was a true Piedmontese aristocrat, refined and precise in every detail. Its famous four pillarless doors, a true Lancia icon, also have an extraordinary curved profile and invisible hinges. The famous click - the sound of the doors closing - underlined the scrupulous attention to the smallest details in design and assembly which typified Lancia’s outstanding modus operandi, providing an unforgettable grace note. The interiors, especially in the Luxury version, featured a classy geometric instrument panel on a grey background with black and white graphics: the square speedometer and clock perfectly matched with the rectangles chosen for the thermometer and the fuel gauge. The Lancia cloth upholstery (available on request in leather), the door panels, the roof covering and the rubber mats were the final touches of a creation which was the closest possible motorcar version of the classic Turin interiors of the period.
Its extremely low weight was mainly due to the load-bearing body: a Lancia patent - first seen in the 1920s on the Lambda - which, by overcoming the classic architecture which kept the chassis and bodywork separate, improved torsional rigidity and significantly reduced volumes. The independent suspension on all four wheels, with rear transversal leaf spring and front coil springs, enabled the Lancia Aprilia to offer road grip and passenger comfort that was much superior to most of its contemporary rivals.
The Lancia Aprilia contained all the most innovative and refined technical solutions that were so dear to Vincenzo Lancia. It constituted a pinnacle of motorcar production, carried out under the direct supervision of the founder of the Turin company. The name of the car came from that of an ancient Lazio town: a characteristic that linked it to its predecessors, the Artena and the Astura.
The Lancia Aprilia was presented to the public at the thirtieth edition of the Paris Motor Show, in October 1936. On February 15, 1937 its creator had a sudden and fatal heart attack, just before the car went into production. He was only 55 years old. Thus the Aprilia became universally seen as the spiritual testament of Vincenzo Lancia, becoming a huge commercial success, which continued even after the adversities of the second World War.
The first series of the Lancia Aprilia was produced from 1937 to 1939 in 10,354 units: a Sedan in standard and Luxury trims, to which were added 4,350 chassis for custom-made versions, on which the best Italian coachbuilders reveled in producing streamlined and elegant spiders and cabriolets. Pinin Farina's aerodynamic coupé was highly original, with its characteristic flattened muzzle, the central position of the 2 + 2 passenger compartment and an elegant tail.
Two years after the start of production, the second series was born, characterized by the increase in displacement to 1,486 cc. The power remained unchanged, but this improved the elasticity of the engine and the maximum speed. Despite a weight increase to 950 kg, it gained 1 km/h. In the decade from 1939-1949, 11,082 sedans were produced plus 2,252 chassis for coachbuilders.
The production of the Aprilia continued - with a further 703 exemplars - even after the Second World War, a period in which the model, despite being almost ten years old, could still be proud of its highly modern mechanics and settings. It held its place in the market right up to the last days of production, and in racing it remained the undisputed dominator of the Tourism class up to 1500 cc for years: it also triumphed in the Mille Miglia of 1947 thanks to its powerful acceleration and peerless road holding.
To this day, more than eighty years after its presentation, the Aprilia is considered a timeless pioneering car which, by gathering all the best of Lancia’s innovative philosophy, inaugurated a new era in motoring. Vincenzo Lancia was usually hypercritical about his cars, but after test driving the Aprilia prototype he spontaneously exclaimed: "What a magnificent car!".
Article credit: Heritage
In the morning light, the building reveals its silent rhythm,
waves shaped not by water, but by concrete and shadow.
An architecture that flows, breathes, and breaks the rigidity of the city.
در نور صبحگاهی، ساختمان ریتم پنهان خود را آشکار میکند؛
موجهایی نه از جنس آب، بلکه از بتن و سایه.
معماریای که جریان دارد، نفس میکشد و سختی شهر را میشکند.
RECOMIENDO VERLO EN GRANDE-RECOMMENDED VIEW LARGE
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CANON EOS 400D EXIF 1/400 f/8 70-300 mm ISO 400 + HDR
Ferrari
El Ferrari 360 es un automóvil deportivo de altas prestaciones producido por el fabricante italiano Ferrari entre los años 1999 y 2004. Las distintas variantes llevan nombres diferenciados: el cupé se denomina 360 Modena y el descapotable 360 Spider. Existen tres versiones de competición llamadas 360 Challenge, 360 GT y 360 GTC.
El 360 es el primer Ferrari en el que el chasis y la carrocería están construidas completamente en aluminio. Esto le permite tener un 40% más de rigidez torsional y pesar 80 kilos menos que su predecesor el F355.
Su motor es un V8 de 3.568 cc de cilindrada a 90º con cinco válvulas por cilindro, distribución variable de válvulas, 400 CV de potencia máxima (a 8500 rpm) y un torque de 38 Kgm (a 4750 rpm). El bloque está construido en aluminio y su disposición es central trasero longitudinal, tiene tracción trasera y un control de tracción desconectable. Incluye un sistema en el que el motor se acelera levemente luego de realizar un rebaje, compensando así la caída de vueltas.
La caja de cambios es de seis velocidades, pudiendo elegir entre la clásica selectora ubicada en la consola central (con la rejilla guía característica de los Ferrari), o la opción F1. Esta última consiste en dos levas tras el volante, cuya función es mandar una señal a una bomba electrohidráulica que mueve un sistema de poleas acopladas a la caja de cambios cada vez que se sube o se baja una marcha. De esta manera se prescinde del pedal del embrague. En cuanto a utilizar la marcha atrás en esta configuración, se consigue pisando el freno y moviendo una pequeña palanca que ocupa el lugar de la selectora tradicional.
El sistema de frenos consiste en discos ventilados Brembo de 330 mm de diámetro y ABS, en las cuatro ruedas. Esto le permite al 360 pasar de 200 Km/h a 0 en 144 metros o 5,1 segundos (10 metros y 4 décimas menos que el F355).
The Ferrari 360 is a high performance sports car produced by Italian manufacturer Ferrari between 1999 and 2004. Variants have names distinct is called the 360 Modena coupe and 360 Spider convertible. There are three versions of the competition called Challenge 360, 360 and GT 360 GTC.
The Ferrari 360 is the first in which the body and chassis are built entirely of aluminum. This allows you to have 40% more torsional rigidity and weigh 80 pounds less than its predecessor, the F355.
Its engine is a V8 of 3568 cc displacement and 90 ° with five valves per cylinder, variable valve, 400 hp maximum power (at 8500 rpm) and a torque of 38 Kgm (at 4750 rpm). The block is constructed of aluminum and is available central longitudinal rear, rear and has a traction control off. Includes a system where the engine is accelerated slightly after holding a recess, thereby offsetting the decline of rounds.
The gearbox is six speeds to choose between the classic selector located in the center console (with the characteristic of the grid guide Ferrari), or the F1 option. The latter consists of two cam behind the wheel, whose function is to send a signal to an electro-pump that moves a pulley system attached to the gearbox every time you go up or down a gear. In this way it dispenses with the clutch pedal. As for using the reverse gear in this configuration is achieved by moving the brake and stepping on a small lever that takes the place of the traditional selector.
The braking system is Brembo ventilated discs of 330 mm in diameter and ABS at all four wheels. This allows you to move from 360 to 200 km / ha 0 in 5.1 seconds or 144 meters (10 meters and 4 tenths less than the F355).
Emergence récente , la brillance des ailes témoigne qu'elles manquent de rigidité . L'insecte est encore fragile .
Recent emergence, the brilliance of the wings shows that they lack rigidity. The insect is still fragile.
For Lancia, the Aprilia, produced from 1937 - 1949, simultaneously marked the end of one era and the beginning of another. Technologically speaking, this was a supremely refined model, with a load-bearing body, a compact narrow V engine, independent suspension on all four wheels and extremely innovative aerodynamic lines.
During the 1920s, the invention of wind tunnels allowed industrial designers to seek new levels of performance for motor vehicles by improving their aerodynamics. In the United States, “streamline design” was all the rage, a trend for producing sinuous and aerodynamic lines, starting with airplanes, then trains and then cars, increasing their speed but also emphasizing their extravagant stylistic features.
This movement reached Italy in the 1930s when streamlining, a symbol of modernity, inspired the lines of the new Lancia Aprilia. But compared to the American style, Vincenzo Lancia’s trusted designer Battista Falchetto - who had shared the honors for the stunning design of the Lambda - created a car with fewer frills and more concrete lines, aimed at improving aerodynamics. The grille and windscreen were therefore slightly inclined, and the egg shape - considered at the time the most efficient profile from an aerodynamic point of view - gave character to the rear part. The compact and streamlined bonnet was made possible by the small size of the narrow V engine... an authentic concentrate of technology. It consisted of a light alloy monobloc with cast iron barrels, V valves controlled by rockers moved by an overhead camshaft and a hemispherical top on the combustion chamber. With only 1,352 cc it generated 48 HP which, thanks also to a total weight of only 850 kg, plus an excellent aerodynamic coefficient of just 0.47, thrust the Aprilia up to 125 km/h.
The Aprilia was a true Piedmontese aristocrat, refined and precise in every detail. Its famous four pillarless doors, a true Lancia icon, also have an extraordinary curved profile and invisible hinges. The famous click - the sound of the doors closing - underlined the scrupulous attention to the smallest details in design and assembly which typified Lancia’s outstanding modus operandi, providing an unforgettable grace note. The interiors, especially in the Luxury version, featured a classy geometric instrument panel on a grey background with black and white graphics: the square speedometer and clock perfectly matched with the rectangles chosen for the thermometer and the fuel gauge. The Lancia cloth upholstery (available on request in leather), the door panels, the roof covering and the rubber mats were the final touches of a creation which was the closest possible motorcar version of the classic Turin interiors of the period.
Its extremely low weight was mainly due to the load-bearing body: a Lancia patent - first seen in the 1920s on the Lambda - which, by overcoming the classic architecture which kept the chassis and bodywork separate, improved torsional rigidity and significantly reduced volumes. The independent suspension on all four wheels, with rear transversal leaf spring and front coil springs, enabled the Lancia Aprilia to offer road grip and passenger comfort that was much superior to most of its contemporary rivals.
The Lancia Aprilia contained all the most innovative and refined technical solutions that were so dear to Vincenzo Lancia. It constituted a pinnacle of motorcar production, carried out under the direct supervision of the founder of the Turin company. The name of the car came from that of an ancient Lazio town: a characteristic that linked it to its predecessors, the Artena and the Astura.
The Lancia Aprilia was presented to the public at the thirtieth edition of the Paris Motor Show, in October 1936. On February 15, 1937 its creator had a sudden and fatal heart attack, just before the car went into production. He was only 55 years old. Thus the Aprilia became universally seen as the spiritual testament of Vincenzo Lancia, becoming a huge commercial success, which continued even after the adversities of the second World War.
The first series of the Lancia Aprilia was produced from 1937 to 1939 in 10,354 units: a Sedan in standard and Luxury trims, to which were added 4,350 chassis for custom-made versions, on which the best Italian coachbuilders reveled in producing streamlined and elegant spiders and cabriolets. Pinin Farina's aerodynamic coupé was highly original, with its characteristic flattened muzzle, the central position of the 2 + 2 passenger compartment and an elegant tail.
Two years after the start of production, the second series was born, characterized by the increase in displacement to 1,486 cc. The power remained unchanged, but this improved the elasticity of the engine and the maximum speed. Despite a weight increase to 950 kg, it gained 1 km/h. In the decade from 1939-1949, 11,082 sedans were produced plus 2,252 chassis for coachbuilders.
The production of the Aprilia continued - with a further 703 exemplars - even after the Second World War, a period in which the model, despite being almost ten years old, could still be proud of its highly modern mechanics and settings. It held its place in the market right up to the last days of production, and in racing it remained the undisputed dominator of the Tourism class up to 1500 cc for years: it also triumphed in the Mille Miglia of 1947 thanks to its powerful acceleration and peerless road holding.
To this day, more than eighty years after its presentation, the Aprilia is considered a timeless pioneering car which, by gathering all the best of Lancia’s innovative philosophy, inaugurated a new era in motoring. Vincenzo Lancia was usually hypercritical about his cars, but after test driving the Aprilia prototype he spontaneously exclaimed: "What a magnificent car!".
Article credit: Heritage
An image taken last evening of the lighthouse at Point Clark Ontario under a sky full of stars.
This lighthouse was built back in the 1850's and is one of six "Imperial" style lighthouses built in the region. The structure stands nearly 90 feet high and is constructed primarily of limestone, with the top portion made up of granite for extra rigidity. A multi-million dollar restoration of the lighthouse was completed in 2015 and it is the only lighthouse in the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay region to be registered as a National Historical Site of Canada.
Thanks for viewing and have a great day!
Palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz, Viso del Marqués, Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, España.
El palacio del Marqués de Santa Cruz es un edificio situado en el municipio de Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), en la Comunidad autónoma de Castilla-La Mancha, en España. Fue construido a finales del siglo XVI por Álvaro de Bazán, primer marqués de Santa Cruz. Actualmente es la sede del Archivo General de la Marina.
Fue construido entre 1564 y 1586 con modificaciones posteriores, y se trata de un edificio de planta cuadrada y estilo renacentista articulado en torno a un atrio renacentista con una tumba yacente. Los muros y techos se hallan cubiertos de frescos de doble temática: por un lado, escenas mitológicas y, por otro, batallas navales y ciudades italianas relacionadas con la trayectoria militar del marqués y de sus familiares. Los frescos se deben a unos pintores manieristas italianos, los Péroli. Al verlos, Felipe II les encargaría trabajos para El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo.
Para levantarlo, el marqués contrató a un equipo de arquitectos, pintores y decoradores que trabajaron en la obra desde 1564 hasta 1586. Para algunos, el diseño del edificio se debió al italiano Giovanni Battista Castello, conocido como el Bergamasco, que más tarde trabajó en El Escorial; para otros lo trazó, al menos en su plan original, Enrique Egas el Mozo.
La arquitectura se percibe como típica española, sin las arquerías italianas, con paramentos lisos y torres cuadradas en las esquinas, influidos por la austeridad de El Escorial y el Alcázar de Toledo, dentro de las relaciones armónicas características del Renacimiento. El espacio central está ocupado por un patio porticado que junto con la escalera forma un conjunto típicamente manierista entendido como estilo elegante y cortesano que desborda el marco meramente arquitectónico. Contaba con cuatro torres que, al parecer, se derrumbaron a consecuencia del Terremoto de Lisboa de 1755.
Las paredes están decoradas con 8.000 metros cuadrados de frescos manieristas elaborados por Giovanni Battista Peroli con Esteban Peroli y César de Bellis. Todos trabajaron para crear un espacio erigido a la mayor gloria de su dueño: por un lado, había que exaltar sus virtudes militares, y por el otro, enaltecer su linaje. Para lo primero, se pintaron en las paredes, las bóvedas y los techos del palacio vistas de ciudades y de puertos, así como los baluartes y las batallas en los que había conquistado su inmenso prestigio. A ambos lados de la escalera se ubicaron dos estatuas en las que aparecía representado como Neptuno (dios de los mares, con su tridente) y como Marte (dios de la guerra), y sobre las puertas del piso superior se colocaron los fanales de popa de las naves capitanas vencidas en las batallas, que eran los trofeos de los marinos. Para elogiar su linaje, y siguiendo la misma tradición renacentista de representar a hombres como dioses o semidioses de la antigüedad, se pintó a los antepasados del marqués y a sus esposas (tuvo dos) e hijos.
Estos dos grupos de representaciones se aderezaron con trampantojos, pinturas que simulaban puertas, columnas y otros elementos decorativos y arquitectónicos; y también con motivos grutescos que incluían animales mitológicos, sabandijas y follajes. Conforme una temática muy variada que se puede interpretar como defensa del catolicismo defendido en Trento.
Las estatuas sepulcrales de Alonso de Bazán (hermano de don Álvaro) y su esposa María de Figueroa, son el único ejemplo de escultura funeraria perteneciente al primer tercio del siglo XVII. Fueron ejecutados para el Monasterio de la Concepción que ocupaba la Comunidad de Religiosas Franciscas de El Viso del Marqués, ubicándose a día de hoy en el muro del Palacio más cercano a los jardines. Su creador fue Antonio de Riera, escultor relacionado con la corte de origen catalán. En ellas, aparecen los marqueses en actitud de orante, arrodillados en un reclinatorio, todo ello en mármol blanco que resalta sobre el mármol negro de los nichos. Se advierte en ellos cierta similitud con la elegancia y el clasicismo de los Leoni, a pesar de cierta rigidez formal, siendo de especial relevancia la forma en la que están ejecutadas las telas y el detalle de los vestidos.
The Palace of the Marquis of Santa Cruz is a building located in the municipality of Viso del Marqués (Ciudad Real), in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It was built in the late 16th century by Álvaro de Bazán, the first Marquis of Santa Cruz. It currently houses the General Archive of the Navy.
Built between 1564 and 1586, with subsequent modifications, it is a square, Renaissance-style building centered around a Renaissance atrium with a recumbent tomb. The walls and ceilings are covered with frescoes depicting two themes: mythological scenes, and naval battles and Italian cities related to the military career of the Marquis and his family. The frescoes are by Italian Mannerist painters, the Pérolis. Upon seeing them, Philip II commissioned works from them for El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo.
To build it, the Marquis hired a team of architects, painters, and decorators who worked on the project from 1564 to 1586. Some believe the building was designed by the Italian Giovanni Battista Castello, known as El Bergamasco, who later worked at El Escorial; others believe it was designed, at least in its original plan, by Enrique Egas the Younger.
The architecture is perceived as typically Spanish, lacking the Italian arches, with smooth walls and square towers at the corners, influenced by the austerity of El Escorial and the Alcázar of Toledo, within the harmonious relationships characteristic of the Renaissance. The central space is occupied by a porticoed courtyard that, together with the staircase, forms a typically Mannerist ensemble, understood as an elegant and courtly style that transcends the purely architectural framework. It had four towers that apparently collapsed as a result of the Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.
The walls are decorated with 8,000 square meters of Mannerist frescoes created by Giovanni Battista Peroli with Esteban Peroli and César de Bellis. They all worked to create a space built to the greatest glory of its owner: on the one hand, to exalt his military virtues, and on the other, to honor his lineage. To this end, views of cities and ports, as well as the bastions and battles in which he had earned his immense prestige, were painted on the walls, vaults, and ceilings of the palace. On either side of the staircase were two statues depicting him as Neptune (god of the seas, with his trident) and Mars (god of war). Above the doors on the upper floor were the stern lanterns of defeated flagships, trophies of the sailors. To praise his lineage, and following the same Renaissance tradition of depicting men as gods or demigods of antiquity, the marquis's ancestors, his wives (he had two) and children were painted.
These two groups of representations were embellished with trompe l'oeil paintings simulating doors, columns, and other decorative and architectural elements; as well as grotesque motifs that included mythological animals, vermin, and foliage. This varied theme can be interpreted as a defense of the Catholicism championed in Trent.
The sepulchral statues of Alonso de Bazán (Don Álvaro's brother) and his wife María de Figueroa are the only examples of funerary sculpture dating from the first third of the 17th century. They were executed for the Monastery of the Concepción, which was occupied by the Community of Franciscan Nuns of El Viso del Marqués, and are now located on the wall of the Palace closest to the gardens. Their creator was Antonio de Riera, a sculptor of Catalan origin associated with the court. They depict the marquises in a prayerful attitude, kneeling on a prie-dieu. All in white marble, which stands out against the black marble of the niches. There is a certain similarity to the elegance and classicism of the Leoni family, despite their formal rigidity, with the execution of the fabrics and the detail of the dresses being particularly noteworthy.
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Comment by eyewrisz/Iris/Rose:
who can remember their first vision of snow
a wondrous sight an enchanting glow
you walk along a path that's bright
and hope it lasts throughout the night
Thanks Iris !!
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On 21 Januar 1912 from Duino to Marie Taxis sent, probably immediately after birth.
The First Elegy
Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the Angelic
Orders? And even if one were to suddenly
take me to its heart, I would vanish into its
stronger existence. For beauty is nothing but
the beginning of terror, that we are still able to bear,
and we revere it so, because it calmly disdains
to destroy us. Every Angel is terror.
And so I hold myself back and swallow the cry
of a darkened sobbing. Ah, who then can
we make use of? Not Angels: not men,
and the resourceful creatures see clearly
that we are not really at home
in the interpreted world. Perhaps there remains
some tree on a slope, that we can see
again each day: there remains to us yesterday’s street,
and the thinned-out loyalty of a habit
that liked us, and so stayed, and never departed.
Oh, and the night, the night, when the wind full of space
wears out our faces – whom would she not stay for,
the longed-for, gentle, disappointing one, whom the solitary heart
with difficulty stands before. Is she less heavy for lovers?
Ah, they only hide their fate between themselves.
Do you not know yet? Throw the emptiness out of your arms
to add to the spaces we breathe; maybe the birds
will feel the expansion of air, in more intimate flight.
Yes, the Spring-times needed you deeply. Many a star
must have been there for you so you might feel it. A wave
lifted towards you out of the past, or, as you walked
past an open window, a violin
gave of itself. All this was their mission.
But could you handle it? Were you not always,
still, distracted by expectation, as if all you experienced,
like a Beloved, came near to you? (Where could you contain her,
with all the vast strange thoughts in you
going in and out, and often staying the night.)
But if you are yearning, then sing the lovers: for long
their notorious feelings have not been immortal enough.
Those, you almost envied them, the forsaken, that you
found as loving as those who were satisfied. Begin,
always as new, the unattainable praising:
think: the hero prolongs himself, even his falling
was only a pretext for being, his latest rebirth.
But lovers are taken back by exhausted Nature
into herself, as if there were not the power
to make them again. Have you remembered
Gastara Stampa sufficiently yet, that any girl,
whose lover has gone, might feel from that
intenser example of love: ‘Could I only become like her?’
Should not these ancient sufferings be finally
fruitful for us? Isn’t it time that, loving,
we freed ourselves from the beloved, and, trembling, endured
as the arrow endures the bow, so as to be, in its flight,
something more than itself? For staying is nowhere.
Voices, voices. Hear then, my heart, as only
saints have heard: so that the mighty call
raised them from the earth: they, though, knelt on
impossibly and paid no attention:
such was their listening. Not that you could withstand
God’s voice: far from it. But listen to the breath,
the unbroken message that creates itself from the silence.
It rushes towards you now, from those youthfully dead.
Whenever you entered, didn’t their fate speak to you,
quietly, in churches in Naples or Rome?
Or else an inscription exaltedly impressed itself on you,
as lately the tablet in Santa Maria Formosa.
What do they will of me? That I should gently remove
the semblance of injustice, that slightly, at times,
hinders their spirits from a pure moving-on.
It is truly strange to no longer inhabit the earth,
to no longer practice customs barely acquired,
not to give a meaning of human futurity
to roses, and other expressly promising things:
no longer to be what one was in endlessly anxious hands,
and to set aside even one’s own
proper name like a broken plaything.
Strange: not to go on wishing one’s wishes. Strange
to see all that was once in place, floating
so loosely in space. And it’s hard being dead,
and full of retrieval, before one gradually feels
a little eternity. Though the living
all make the error of drawing too sharp a distinction.
Angels (they say) would often not know whether
they moved among living or dead. The eternal current
sweeps all the ages, within it, through both the spheres,
forever, and resounds above them in both.
Finally they have no more need of us, the early-departed,
weaned gently from earthly things, as one outgrows
the mother’s mild breast. But we, needing
such great secrets, for whom sadness is often
the source of a blessed progress, could we exist without them?
Is it a meaningless story how once, in the grieving for Linos,
first music ventured to penetrate arid rigidity,
so that, in startled space, which an almost godlike youth
suddenly left forever, the emptiness first felt
the quivering that now enraptures us, and comforts, and helps.
Die erste Elegie
Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel
Ordnungen? und gesetzt selbst, es nähme
einer mich plötzlich ans Herz: ich verginge von seinem
stärkeren Dasein. Denn das Schöne ist nichts
als des Schrecklichen Anfang, den wir noch grade ertragen,
und wir bewundern es so, weil es gelassen verschmäht,
uns zu zerstören. Ein jeder Engel ist schrecklich.
Und so verhalt ich mich denn und verschlucke den Lockruf
dunkelen Schluchzens. Ach, wen vermögen
wir denn zu brauchen? Engel nicht, Menschen nicht,
und die findigen Tiere merken es schon,
daß wir nicht sehr verläßlich zu Haus sind
in der gedeuteten Welt. Es bleibt uns vielleicht
irgend ein Baum an dem Abhang, daß wir ihn täglich
wiedersähen; es bleibt uns die Straße von gestern
und das verzogene Treusein einer Gewohnheit,
der es bei uns gefiel, und so blieb sie und ging nicht.
O und die Nacht, die Nacht, wenn der Wind voller Weltraum
uns am Angesicht zehrt –, wem bliebe sie nicht, die ersehnte,
sanft enttäuschende, welche dem einzelnen Herzen
mühsam bevorsteht. Ist sie den Liebenden leichter?
Ach, sie verdecken sich nur mit einander ihr Los.
Weißt du's noch nicht? Wirf aus den Armen die Leere
[686] zu den Räumen hinzu, die wir atmen; vielleicht daß die Vögel
die erweiterte Luft fühlen mit innigerm Flug.
Ja, die Frühlinge brauchten dich wohl. Es muteten manche
Sterne dir zu, daß du sie spürtest. Es hob
sich eine Woge heran im Vergangenen, oder
da du vorüberkamst am geöffneten Fenster,
gab eine Geige sich hin. Das alles war Auftrag.
Aber bewältigtest du's? Warst du nicht immer
noch von Erwartung zerstreut, als kündigte alles
eine Geliebte dir an? (Wo willst du sie bergen,
da doch die großen fremden Gedanken bei dir
aus und ein gehn und öfters bleiben bei Nacht.)
Sehnt es dich aber, so singe die Liebenden; lange
noch nicht unsterblich genug ist ihr berühmtes Gefühl.
Jene, du neidest sie fast, Verlassenen, die du
so viel liebender fandst als die Gestillten. Beginn
immer von neuem die nie zu erreichende Preisung;
denk: es erhält sich der Held, selbst der Untergang war ihm
nur ein Vorwand, zu sein: seine letzte Geburt.
Aber die Liebenden nimmt die erschöpfte Natur
in sich zurück, als wären nicht zweimal die Kräfte,
dieses zu leisten. Hast du der Gaspara Stampa
denn genügend gedacht, daß irgend ein Mädchen,
dem der Geliebte entging, am gesteigerten Beispiel
dieser Liebenden fühlt: daß ich würde wie sie?
[687] Sollen nicht endlich uns diese ältesten Schmerzen
fruchtbarer werden? Ist es nicht Zeit, daß wir liebend
uns vom Geliebten befrein und es bebend bestehn:
wie der Pfeil die Sehne besteht, um gesammelt im Absprung
mehr zu sein als er selbst. Denn Bleiben ist nirgends.
Stimmen, Stimmen. Höre, mein Herz, wie sonst nur
Heilige hörten: daß sie der riesige Ruf
aufhob vom Boden; sie aber knieten,
Unmögliche, weiter und achtetens nicht:
So waren sie hörend. Nicht, daß du Gottes ertrügest
die Stimme, bei weitem. Aber das Wehende höre,
die ununterbrochene Nachricht, die aus Stille sich bildet.
Es rauscht jetzt von jenen jungen Toten zu dir.
Wo immer du eintratst, redete nicht in Kirchen
zu Rom und Neapel ruhig ihr Schicksal dich an?
Oder es trug eine Inschrift sich erhaben dir auf,
wie neulich die Tafel in Santa Maria Formosa.
Was sie mir wollen? leise soll ich des Unrechts
Anschein abtun, der ihrer Geister
reine Bewegung manchmal ein wenig behindert.
Freilich ist es seltsam, die Erde nicht mehr zu bewohnen,
kaum erlernte Gebräuche nicht mehr zu üben,
Rosen, und andern eigens versprechenden Dingen
nicht die Bedeutung menschlicher Zukunft zu geben;
[688] das, was man war in unendlich ängstlichen Händen,
nicht mehr zu sein, und selbst den eigenen Namen
wegzulassen wie ein zerbrochenes Spielzeug.
Seltsam, die Wünsche nicht weiter zu wünschen. Seltsam,
alles, was sich bezog, so lose im Raume
flattern zu sehen. Und das Totsein ist mühsam
und voller Nachholn, daß man allmählich ein wenig
Ewigkeit spürt. – Aber Lebendige machen
alle den Fehler, daß sie zu stark unterscheiden.
Engel (sagt man) wüßten oft nicht, ob sie unter
Lebenden gehn oder Toten. Die ewige Strömung
reißt durch beide Bereiche alle Alter
immer mit sich und übertönt sie in beiden.
Schließlich brauchen sie uns nicht mehr, die Früheentrückten,
man entwöhnt sich des Irdischen sanft, wie man den Brüsten
milde der Mutter entwächst. Aber wir, die so große
Geheimnisse brauchen, denen aus Trauer so oft
seliger Fortschritt entspringt –: könnten wir sein ohne sie?
Ist die Sage umsonst, daß einst in der Klage um Linos
wagende erste Musik dürre Erstarrung durchdrang;
daß erst im erschrockenen Raum, dem ein beinah göttlicher Jüngling
plötzlich für immer enttrat, das Leere in jene
Schwingung geriet, die uns jetzt hinreißt und tröstet und hilft.
Source:Rainer Maria Rilke: Sämtliche Werke. Band 1–6, Band 1, Wiesbaden und Frankfurt a.M. 1955–1966, S. 685-689.
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Rainer Maria Rilke
Duino Elegies
From the possession of the Princess
Marie von Thurn und Taxis-Hohenlohe
(1912/1922)
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