macro image capturing vibrant green foliage adorned with water droplets, with golden tips adding a warm contrast. The intricate details of the droplets reflect the surrounding environment, creating a harmonious and lively scene.

St Wendreda, March, Cambridgeshire

 

The church sits in the medieval village centre, more than a mile south of the modern town centre at the Nene crossing. Architecturally a fabulous church, one of the most harmonious and exciting exteriors of any of the large Cambridgeshire churches, with grotesque-bedecked aisles and clerestories leading to an elegant spire reaching to heaven.

 

You step into the south door past the 'Church Open ' sign (curiously, the north door is locked and has a keyholder notice!) into what appears at first to be a large Victorianised interior, and then you look up. March has one of the four best angel roofs in England along with Knapton, Woolpit and Needham Market. Pevsner thought it the very best one of all. Betjeman thought it was 'worth cycling 40 miles into a head wind to see', and I felt a little guilty for only having done a little over half of that to get here, and not all of it into the wind. Inevitably, the architecture and the roof are so spectacular they put everything else here rather in the shade. There is some good late 19th/early 20th Century glass, but that isn't what sticks in the memory.

 

Curiously satisfied despite having visited six locked-no-keyholder churches before I got to this one, I headed north towards the town centre and the equally open church of St Peter. March is one of my favourite small East Anglian towns. it's a proper place, remote enough to have far more life to its centre than its population of barely 20,000 might suggest, but not stuffily self-important in the manner of nearby Wisbech and Ely.

 

There are no historical buildings other than the parish church. March was an industrial town, and only exists in its current form because of the coming of the railways.

 

The population at the time of the 1851 census was just 4,000. But March became an important railway junction, with two railway companies' lines from Cambridge, Ipswich, Norwich, Lincoln and Kings Lynn meeting and merging here. There was a massive house building programme of terraced streets to accommodate the railway workers, and the great majority of March's men worked for the Great Eastern Railway and the Great Northern Railway by the end of the 19th Century. March still has the character of a railway town today.

 

In the 20th Century, March became the centre for the distribution of the agricultural produce of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and west Norfolk to the London markets, the industrial cities of the North and the east coast ports. The marshalling yards at Whitemoor to the north of the town were the largest in Europe. March was a typical example of why railway stations in East Anglia are almost always a trek from the town centre, because the system grew to serve agricultural produce rather than passengers.

 

From the First World War until 1965, March was the county town of the former county of the Isle of Ely, before it was fused with Cambridgeshire to form a single unit. March reached its highest point of importance during the Second World War, when the marshalling yards were used by the Army and the RAF as the centre of its military distribution network. But changing patterns of agriculture after the war, and especially of distribution, sounded the death knell for March.

 

The rise of easy road transport, and the thuggish cuts brought about by the Beeching Commission, meant that rail freight was no longer able to compete. Privatisation came, and by the early 1990s the marshalling yards were closed. They were extensively built on, most famously by the government for HM Prison Whitemoor, now Britain's main top security gaol for terrorists and full life sentence servers. There is also a vast industrial and commercial estate, ironically home to major road distribution firms, although Network Rail also have their supply depot here.

 

March town centre is one of England's best preserved examples of a Victorian urban heart. Very little has been done to disturb the late 19th Century architecture and street pattern. The High Street passes the large town square, crosses the Nene and meets Station Street in a perfect busy example of what those sleeves-rolled-up Victorians thought all small towns might be like one day.

Canon EOS 1N,Canon A-1.Qingdao is a popular tourist city in China. Qingdao has beautiful scenery and a pleasant climate. A harmonious picture of mountains, sea and city is painted in which one can see the winding coastline, islands and beautiful buildings whose red-roofs are held in the embrace of verdant trees.

Car three by Roy Lichtenstein is one of the most popular of all the Art Cars; the BMW 320 Group 5. The artist had this to say on the fruit of his labours: ‘I invested as much thought and effort as possible’. Undeniably! The result of these efforts is a harmonious combination of the aerodynamics in the bodywork with the aesthetics of his art; after all it is one of the fastest moving pieces of art the world has ever seen. Lichtenstein’s famous comic strip style is reflected in the paintwork. ‘The painted lines symbolise the road the car has to follow and the artwork also portrays the surroundings through which the car is being driven’.

 

BMW Art Car 03 | Roy Lichtenstein | United States | 1977 BMW 320i Group 5 Race Version

Born in New York in 1923, Roy Lichtenstein is generally regarded as the father of American pop art. In the years prior to 1938 he painted portraits of jazz musicians. After this, he attended courses held by the “Art Student League,” then went on to study art in Ohio.

 

His subsequent work straddled cubism and expressionism. In the late 1950s, Lichtenstein began dealing with trivial culture such as comics and advertisements. His first pop art pictures appeared in 1961, their monumentalization of the banal heralding a completely new style of art.

 

Following his caricatures of the “American Way of Life,” experiments with well-known works of art and various sculptures and films, the Museum of Modern Art in New York held a comprehensive retrospective of Lichtenstein’s work in 1987. He died in New York in 1997.

 

Technical Data: 1977 BMW 320i Group 5 Race Version

4-cylinder inline engine

Turbocharged

4 valves per cylinder

Twin overhead camshafts

Displacement: 2,000 cc

Power output: 300 bhp

Top speed: 257 km/h

Roy Lichtenstein and his BMW Art Car

Roy Lichtenstein can still remember vividly how he produced the design for his racing car – a BMW 320i – back in 1977:

 

“I wanted to use painted lines as a road, pointing the way for the car. The design also shows the scenery as it passes by. Even the sky and sunlight are to be seen … you could list all the things a car experiences – the only difference is that this car mirrors all these things even before it takes to the road.”

 

Taking a closer look, the car’s design casts a picture of passing scenery in which both the car and its movement are one single entity. And although Lichtenstein’s comic art was already a thing of the past by then, his BMW Art Car is clearly influence by it: the long-drawn colored strips act as “speedlines” – a feature used in comics to suggest speed. Even the oversized dots used by Lichtenstein, the “Benday Dots,” are reminiscent of his famous comic book pictures.

 

“I thought hard and put all I had into it.”

— Roy Lichtenstein

 

The harmony achieved between predetermined aerodynamic features and free composition is pure Lichtenstein. It is an expression of his artistic credo: art must be an element of everyday life – its themes and inspiration must come from the lives of ordinary people.

 

After its completion, Roy Lichtenstein’s BMW Art Car celebrated not one, but two premieres: as a work of art at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and as a racing car in the Le Mans 24-Hour Race. It was driven by the Frenchmen Herve Poulain and Marcel Mignot. The car finished 9th overall and first in its class.

 

[Test from BMW Art Car Collection.com]

 

www.bmwartcarcollection.com/2011/05/03-roy-lichtenstein-b...

 

This Lego miniland scale BMW Art Car #3 - 320 Group 5 Racer (Roy Lichtenstain 1977) has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 96th Build Challenge - The 8th Birthday, titled - 'Happy Crazy Eight Birthday, LUGNuts' - where all previous build challenges are available to build to. This model is built to the LUGNuts 94th build challenge, - &quotAppease the Elves Summer Automobile Build-off (Part 2)" - a design challenge combining the resources of LUGNuts, TheLegoCarBlog (TLCB) and Head Turnerz.

 

This was one of the cars I had prepared for the TCLB / Head Turnerz Challenge, had built 90% of the way there in bricks, had a few parts to go that weren't in my collection, and stopped. Unfortunately, the built model is still in this state.

I don’t put my poems in straight jackets. The words fall where and how they please, like Summer rain on a field of wild flowers. I don’t cram or corral or corner them, and so they trust me. I’m often wrong but I’m always honest.

 

I don’t care much for structure. Surely it’s important, but I love the creative artist more than the business they represent. I don’t dress up my words. If they come in from the garden with dirty fingernails and wild, untamed hair, I don’t put a pretty bonnet over them. If they’re too raw, you’ll have to cook them. I’m utterly comfortable with transparency.

 

Words uplift, but they can bring you down. Often without the careless person’s knowledge. Oh, that we are ever mindful of the words we choose, the message we convey, and communicate as the Love we are, uplifting one another. If there is anyone I’ve hurt, I’m sorry. If you feel misunderstood, tell me. If you think I’m terribly wrong, ask me to listen.

 

If Heaven is real, and we have all of eternity to live together, we’d do well to begin practicing such One-ness.

 

LBM 5/17/2019

“F”

Represents love. Harmonious relationships are this person’s idea of heaven.

 

Is the numerical equivalent of 6 and represents love. It is warm-hearted, compassionate, and has the ability to make others feel at ease. When it is the first consonant in a name it carries the vibration of a mother hen type of individual. Negatively, F can carry a sense of melancholy.

 

This letter represents a home loving individual. They want to be a mother or father to everyone. This may or may not be the best for all concerned.

 

Cheerful and hospitable, they open their homes to all. They are good friends to have. Showing sympathy towards others, they are good listeners and want to be helpful.

 

They like to plan for future events and are very good at this. As an organizer you can’t beat an “F.”

 

Being unselfish, they go about helping others as only they can. Because they are so warm hearted, they tend to do more for others than others are willing to do for them. These people truly live by the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

     

T & E : ME

The Taoist philosopher Lao-Tzu explains the harmonious yet dualistic principles of the Tao:

Thirty spokes join together in a single wheel,

but it is the center hole that makes the wagon move.

We shape a lump of clay into a vessel,

but it is the emptiness inside the vessel that makes it useful.

We hammer doors and windows of wood for a house,

but it is the empty inner space that makes the rooms livable.

We build with the tangible, but the intangible is what we use.

 

That's a little Tao thought for the weekend. Have a lovely weekend, folks. :)

 

View On Black

Featured on Wayfaring.Wanderer Blog

  

St Wendreda, March, Cambridgeshire

 

The church sits in the medieval village centre, more than a mile south of the modern town centre at the Nene crossing. Architecturally a fabulous church, one of the most harmonious and exciting exteriors of any of the large Cambridgeshire churches, with grotesque-bedecked aisles and clerestories leading to an elegant spire reaching to heaven.

 

You step into the south door into what appears at first to be a large Victorianised interior, and then you look up. March has one of the four best angel roofs in England along with Knapton, Woolpit and Needham Market. Pevsner thought it the very best one of all. Betjeman thought it was 'worth cycling 40 miles into a head wind to see.

 

Inevitably, the architecture and the roof are so spectacular they put everything else here rather in the shade. There is some good late 19th/early 20th Century glass, but that isn't what sticks in the memory.

 

March is one of my favourite small East Anglian towns. it's a proper place, remote enough to have far more life to its centre than its population of barely 20,000 might suggest, but not stuffily self-important in the manner of nearby Wisbech and Ely.

 

There are no historical buildings other than the parish church. March was an industrial town, and only exists in its current form because of the coming of the railways.

 

The population at the time of the 1851 census was just 4,000. But March became an important railway junction, with two railway companies' lines from Cambridge, Ipswich, Norwich, Lincoln and Kings Lynn meeting and merging here. There was a massive house building programme of terraced streets to accommodate the railway workers, and the great majority of March's men worked for the Great Eastern Railway and the Great Northern Railway by the end of the 19th Century. March still has the character of a railway town today.

 

In the 20th Century, March became the centre for the distribution of the agricultural produce of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and west Norfolk to the London markets, the industrial cities of the North and the east coast ports. The marshalling yards at Whitemoor to the north of the town were the largest in Europe. March was a typical example of why railway stations in East Anglia are almost always a trek from the town centre, because the system grew to serve agricultural produce rather than passengers.

 

From the First World War until 1965, March was the county town of the former county of the Isle of Ely, before it was fused with Cambridgeshire to form a single unit. March reached its highest point of importance during the Second World War, when the marshalling yards were used by the Army and the RAF as the centre of its military distribution network. But changing patterns of agriculture after the war, and especially of distribution, sounded the death knell for March.

 

The rise of easy road transport, and the thuggish cuts brought about by the Beeching Commission, meant that rail freight was no longer able to compete. Privatisation came, and by the early 1990s the marshalling yards were closed. They were extensively built on, most famously by the government for HM Prison Whitemoor, now Britain's main top security gaol for terrorists and full life sentence servers. There is also a large industrial and commercial estate, ironically home to major road distribution firms, although Network Rail also have their supply depot here.

 

March town centre is one of England's best preserved examples of a Victorian urban heart. Very little has been done to disturb the late 19th Century architecture and street pattern. The High Street passes the large town square, crosses the Nene and meets Station Street in a perfect busy example of what those sleeves-rolled-up Victorians thought all small towns might be like one day.

Meriç River Bridge

 

Further going to south after the longer (250m) Meriç Bridge (Meriç Köprüsü), constructed in 1842-1847, crosses the Meriç River and offers wonderful views from a frescoed Ottoman kiosk in the middle. It is said the this kiosk was particularly built by the Sultan to watch the sunset on Meriç River, which is the best spot in Edirne.

 

The whole area around these bridges is covered with restaurants, tea gardens and bars, all great places to come for a drink or a meal in warm and nice weather. The best ones are those on the southern side of Meriç Bridge, which offers perfect sunset river vistas, great views of the lit-up Selimiye Mosque and atmospheric frog background noise on the walk back to town.

  

The Selımıye Mosque

 

The Selimiye Mosque (Turkish: Selimiye Camii) is an Ottoman mosque in the city of Edirne, Turkey. The mosque was commissioned by Sultan Selim II and was built by architect Mimar Sinan between 1569 and 1575. It was considered by Sinan to be his masterpiece and is one of the highest achievements of Islamic architecture.

This grand mosque stands at the center of a külliye (complex of a hospital, school, library and/or baths around a mosque) which comprises a medrese (Islamic academy teaches both Islamic and scientific lessons), a dar-ül hadis (Al-Hadith school), a timekeeper's room and an arasta (row of shops). In this mosque Sinan employed an octagonal supporting system that is created through eight pillars incised in a square shell of walls. The four semi domes at the corners of the square behind the arches that spring from the pillars, are intermediary sections between the huge encompassing dome (31.25m diameter with spherical profile) and the walls.

While conventional mosques were limited by a segmented interior, Sinan's effort at Edirne was a structure that made it possible to see the mihrab from any location within the mosque. Surrounded by four tall minarets, the Mosque of Selim II has a grand dome atop it. Around the rest of the mosque were many additions: libraries, schools, hospices, baths, soup kitchens for the poor, markets, hospitals, and a cemetery. These annexes were aligned axially and grouped, if possible. In front of the mosque sits a rectangular court with an area equal to that of the mosque. The innovation however, comes not in the size of the building, but from the organization of its interior. The mihrab is pushed back into an apse-like alcove with a space with enough depth to allow for window illumination from three sides. This has the effect of making the tile panels of its lower walls sparkle with natural light. The amalgamation of the main hall forms a fused octagon with the dome-covered square. Formed by eight massive dome supports, the octagon is pierced by four half dome covered corners of the square. The beauty resulting from the conformity of geometric shapes engulfed in each other was the culmination of Sinan's lifelong search for a unified interior space.

 

At the Bulgarian siege of Edirne in 1913, the dome of the mosque was hit by Bulgarian artillery. Owing to the dome's extremely sturdy construction, the mosque survived the assault with only minor damage. On Atatürk's order, it has not been restored since then, to serve as a warning for future generations[citation needed]. Some damage can be seen on the image of the dome above, at and near the dark red calligraph to the immediate left of the central blue area.

 

The mosque was depicted on the reverse of the Turkish 10,000 lira banknotes of 1982-1995. The mosque, together with its külliye, was included on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2011.

Selimiye Mosque was built at the peak of Ottoman military and cultural power. As the empire started to grow, the emperor had found an immediate urge to centralize the city. Sinan was asked to help to construct the Selimiye Mosque, making the mosque distinctive and served the purpose of centralizing the city.

 

Like all other Ottoman mosques in the earlier periods, the Selimiye Mosque had a multitude of little domes and half domes. However, the limit in building Selimiye was to viewing the mosque as a single unit from inside or outside rather than separate masses. Sinan believed that building a single dome would be the only resolution to achieve this. Hence, he ambitiously decided to replace the busy confused domes in the center with an enormous one. The author of Other Colors, Orhan Pamuk mentioned that he saw a connection between the wish of the central dome and the centralizing political and economic changes made by the empire, but the idea was later objected by another book written by Sinan’s friend, Sai, claiming that Sinan had taken his inspiration from Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia.

 

In order to accentuate and draw attention to the centralize structure of the mosque, the traditional placement of different sized minarets was abandoned from the design as Sinan believed that cascade of smaller domes and half-domes used earlier would play down the gigantic single-shell dome. Besides, four identical minarets were planted at each corner of the marble forecourt to enforce attention on the surrounded central dome. The four vertically fluted symmetrical minarets amplify the upward thrust, shooting towards the sky like rockets from each corner of the mosque. With the great dome rising subtlety from the center, it had harmoniously interplayed with the half domes, weight towers, and buttresses crowded around it. It was believed that the circular architecture was to affirm the oneness in humanity and called out the simple ideology of circle of life. The visible and invisible symmetries that were called out from the exterior and interior of the mosque was to evokes God’s perfection through the plain and powerful structure of the dome and the bare stone.

Interior

The interior of the mosque received great recognitions from its clean, spare lines in the structure itself. With the monumental exteriors proclaiming the wealth and power of the Ottoman Empire, the plain symmetrical interiors reminded the sultans should always provide a humble and faithful heart in order to connect and communicate with God. To enter, it was to forget the power, determination, wealth and technical mastery of the Ottoman Empire. Lights were seeped through multitude of tiny windows, and the interchanging of the weak light and dark was interpreted as the insignificance of human. The Selimiye did not only amaze the public with the extravagant symmetrical exterior, it had also astonished the people with the plain symmetrical interior for it had summarized all Ottoman architectural thinking in one simple pure form. (wikipedia)

ath to your Soul: The mode of conception which permeates the fairy tale is also present in the Conversations. In the discussions narrated there, the human soul turns to the two world spheres between which man's life is placed — the material and the supersensible. The deeper nature of man strives to establish a right relationship to both these spheres for the purpose of attaining a free soul understanding that is worthy of man, and of building a harmonious social life. Goethe felt that what he brought to light in the narratives did not come to expression fully in the Conversations. In the all-embracing picture of the fairy tale he had to bring those human soul problems upon which his gaze was directed, nearer to the immeasurably rich world of spiritual life. The striving towards the condition truly worthy of man to which Schiller refers and which Goethe longs to experience, is personified in the Young Man in the fairy tale. His marriage with the Lily, who embodies the realization of the world of Freedom is the union with those forces which slumber in the human soul and when awakened lead to the true inner experience of the free personality. About the time of the beginning of his friendship with Goethe, Schiller was occupying himself with the ideas which found expression in his Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Man. In 1794, he elaborated these letters, which were originally written for the Duke of Augustenberg, for Die Horen. The direction of thought in the verbal discussions and the correspondence which took place at that time between Goethe and Schiller approximated again and again to the orbit of ideas contained in these letters. Schiller's thoughts encountered this question: “What condition of the human soul forces corresponds in the best sense of the word to an existence worthy of man?” “It may be urged that every individual bears within himself, at least in adaptation and destination, a purely ideal man. The great problem of his existence is to bring all the incessant changes of his outer life into conformity with the unchanging unity of this ideal.”Thus writes Schiller in the fourth letter. It is Schiller's aim to build a bridge from man as he is in immediate reality, to the ideal man. There exist in human nature two impulses which hold it back from idealistic perfection when they develop in an unbalanced way —the impulses of the senses and of reason. If the sense impulse has the upper hand man is the servant of his instincts and passions. In action that is irradiated by human consciousness is mingled a force that clouds this consciousness. His acts become the result of an inner necessity. If the reason impulse predominates man strives to suppress the instincts and passions and to give himself up to an abstract necessity that is not sustained by inner warmth. In both cases man is subject to coercion. In the first his sense nature subdues the spiritual; in the second his spiritual nature subdues that of the senses. Neither the one nor the other gives man in the kernel of his being which lies between the material and the spiritual, full and complete freedom. Complete freedom can only be realised in harmonisation of the two impulses. The material sense nature must not be subdued, but ennobled; the instincts and passions must be permeated with spirituality in such a way that they themselves come to be the fulfilment of the spiritual element that has entered into them. And reason must lay hold of the soul nature in man in such a way that it imparts its power to what is merely instinctive and passional, causing man to fulfil its counsels as a matter of course from out of his instinct and with the power of passion. “When we have desire for someone who is worthy of our disdain, we have painful experience of the constraint of Nature. When we are antagonistic to another who merits our respect, we have painful experience of the constraint of the intellect. As soon, however, as he interests our affections and wins our respect, the coercion of feeling and the coercion of reason both disappear, and we begin to love him. A man whose material nature manifests the spiritual qualities of reason, and whose reason manifests the basic power of passion, is a free personality.” Schiller would like to found harmonious social life in human society upon the basis of free personalities. For him the problem of an existence really worthy of man was allied to the problem of the formation of man's social life. This was his answer to the questions facing man-kind at the time when he expressed these thoughts, as a result of the French Revolution (27th Letter). Goethe found deep satisfaction in such ideas. On 26th October, 1794, he writes to Schiller on the subject of the Aesthetic Letters as follows: “I read the manuscript sent to me with the very greatest pleasure; I imbibed it at one draught. These letters pleased and did me good in the same way as a delicious drink that suits our nature is easily imbibed and shows its healthy effects on our tongue through a pleasant humour of the nervous system. How could it be otherwise, since I found such a coherent and noble exposition of what I have long recognized to be true, partly experiencing it, partly longing to experience it in life.”Goethe found that Schiller's Aesthetic Letters expressed all that he longed to experience in life in order to become conscious of an existence that should be really worthy of man. It is therefore comprehensible that in his soul also, thoughts should be stimulated which he tried in his own way to elaborate in Schiller's direction. These thoughts gave birth to the composition that has been interpreted in so many different ways, — namely the enigmatical fairy tale at the end of the narrative which appeared in Die Horen under the title of Conversations of German Emigrants. The fairy tale appeared in this paper in the year 1795. These conversations, like Schiller's Aesthetic Letters, had as their subject the French Revolution. This concluding fairy tale cannot be explained by bringing all sorts of ideas from outside to bear upon it, but only by going back to the conceptions which lived in Goethe's soul at that time.Most of the attempts to interpret this composition are recorded in the book entitled Goethe's Wonder Compositions by Friedrich Meyer von Waldeck Heidelberg (Karl Wintersche Universitätsbuchhandlung). Since the publication of this book new attempts at explanation have of course been made.I have tried to penetrate into the spirit of the fairy tale, taking as my starting point the hypothesis of the Goethean school of thought from the ninetieth year of the eighteenth century onwards, and I first gave expression to what I had discovered in a lecture delivered on 27th October, 1891, to the Goethe Society of Vienna. What I then said has expanded in all directions. But everything that I have since allowed to be printed or that I have said verbally about the fairy tale, is only a further elaboration of the thoughts expressed in that Lecture and my Mystery Play, The Portal of Initiation, published in 1910, is also a result.We must look for the embryonic thought underlying the fairy tale in the Conversations of which it formed the conclusion. In the Conversations Goethe tells of the escape of a certain family from regions devastated by war. In the conversations between the members of this family there lives all that was stimulated in Goethe's conceptual world as a result of his interchange of ideas with Schiller. The conversations revolve around two central points of thought. One of them governs those conceptions of man which make him believe in the existence of some connection between the events of his life, — a connection which is impermeable to the laws of material actuality. The stories told in this connection are in part phantom, and in part describe experiences which seem to reveal a “Wonder” element in contrast to natural law. Goethe did not write these narratives as the result of a tendency towards superstition, but from a much deeper motive. That soothing, mystical feeling which many people have when they hear of something that cannot be explained by the limited reason directed to the facts of natural law, was quite alien to Goethe. But again and again he was faced by the question: does there not exist for the human soul a possibility of emancipating itself from conceptions emanating from mere sense perception and of apprehending a supersensible world in a purely spiritual mode of conception? The impulse towards this kind of activity of the faculty of cognition may of course be a natural human aspiration based on a connection with this supersensible world, — a connection that is hidden from the senses and the understanding bound to them. And the tendency towards experiences which appear to sever natural connections may be only a childish aberration of this justifiable longing of man for a spiritual world. Goethe was interested in the peculiar direction of the soul's activity when giving way to this fondness for the sweets of superstition rather than for the actual content of the tales and stories to which these tendencies give birth in unsophisticated minds.From the second central point of thought flow conceptions concerned with man's moral life, the stimulus for which is derived not from material existence, but from impulses which raise man above the impacts of material sense existence. In this sphere a supersensible world of forces enters into the soul life of man.Rays which must ultimately end in the supersensible proceed from both these central points of thought. And they give rise to the questions about the inner being of man, the connection of the human soul with the sense world on the one side and with the supersensible on the other. Schiller approached this question in a philosophical attitude in his Aesthetic Letters; the abstract philosophical path was not Goethe's. He had to give a picture form to what he wrote, as in the case of the fairy tale of The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily. In Goethe's imagination the different human soul powers assumed the form of figures in the fairy tale, and the whole soul life and soul striving of man was personified in the experiences and the lives of these figures. When anything of this kind is said one has to be prepared for the objection which will come from certain quarters that in this way a composition is lifted out of the realer of imagination, of phantasy, and made into an inartistic, symbolical representation of abstract concepts; the figures are removed from real life and transformed into symbols or even allegories that are not of the nature of art. Such an objection is based on the notion that nothing but abstract ideas can live in the human soul as soon as it leaves the realm of sense materiality. It ignores the fact that there is a living supersensible mode of perception as well as one that is of the senses. And in the fairy tale Goethe moves with his figures in the realm of supersensible perceptions and not of abstract concepts. What is here said about these figures and their experiences is not in any sense a statement that this figure means one thing, and that another. Such symbolical interpretation is as far removed as it could possibly be from the standpoint of this Essay. For it, the Old Man with the Lamp and the Will-o'-the-Wisps in the fairy tale are nothing more nor less than the phantasy figures as they appear in the composition. It is absolutely necessary, however, to look for the particular thought impulses which stimulated the imagination of the poet to create such figures. Goethe's consciousness did not of course lay hold of these thought-impulses in abstract form. He expressed himself in imaginative figures because to his genius any abstract form of thought would have been too lacking in content. The thought-impulse holding sway in the substrata of Goethe's soul had as its outcome the imaginative figure. Thought, as the intermediate stage, lives only subconsciously in his soul and gives the imagination its direction. The student of Goethe's fairy tale needs the thought content, for this alone can enable his soul to follow the course of Goethe's creative phantasy in re-creative imagination. The process of growing into the content of this thought involves nothing more nor less than the adaptation of organs enabling us to live in the atmosphere that Goethe breathed spiritually when he created the fairy tale. This means that we focus our gaze upon the same soul world as Goethe. As a result of Goethe's control of this soul world, living, spiritual forms — not philosophical ideas, burst forth before him. What lives in these spiritual forms lives also in the human soul.Goethe's Standard of the Soul, as Illustrated in his Fairy Story of 'The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily.'

   

Schwetzingen Palace is famous for its beautiful and harmonious gardens.

La Collegiate Saint-Liphard is a historic landmark located in Meung-sur-Loire, a charming town in the Loiret department of France. Its rich history spans centuries and is deeply intertwined with the cultural and religious heritage of the region. In this narrative, we will delve into the captivating history of La Collegiate Saint-Liphard, exploring its origins, architectural significance, and the historical events that have shaped its identity.

 

The origins of La Collegiate Saint-Liphard can be traced back to the 6th century when a monastery was established on the site. The monastery was dedicated to Saint Liphard, a 6th-century hermit who had gained local veneration. Over time, the influence and prominence of the monastery grew, leading to the construction of a larger and more elaborate place of worship.

 

During the 11th century, under the patronage of Count Foulques Nerra of Anjou, the monastery underwent significant expansion and was transformed into a collegiate church. This designation elevated its status, allowing it to have a chapter of canons and enabling it to provide education to the local community. The collegiate church became a center of religious and intellectual life in Meung-sur-Loire.

 

The architecture of La Collegiate Saint-Liphard reflects the various periods of its construction and renovations. The building showcases a harmonious blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles, highlighting the evolution of architectural techniques and artistic trends over the centuries. The impressive façade features intricate carvings and sculptures, depicting biblical scenes and saints. The interior boasts a nave with pointed arches, elegant stained glass windows, and ornate chapels.

 

In the 12th century, a significant event took place at La Collegiate Saint-Liphard that left an indelible mark on its history. In 1168, Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, sought refuge within its walls after fleeing England due to a conflict with King Henry II. He stayed at the collegiate church for a brief period before continuing his journey to Sens. This historic connection to Thomas Becket added to the prestige and allure of La Collegiate Saint-Liphard.

 

Throughout the medieval period, the collegiate church remained a prominent religious institution and continued to flourish under the patronage of various local nobles. It played an essential role in the spiritual and cultural life of Meung-sur-Loire, hosting religious ceremonies, educating students, and supporting charitable activities.

 

However, like many historical sites, La Collegiate Saint-Liphard faced its share of challenges. The Hundred Years' War, which raged between the 14th and 15th centuries, brought destruction and turmoil to the region. The church suffered damages during this period, but it was subsequently restored and rebuilt.

 

In the following centuries, La Collegiate Saint-Liphard underwent several renovations and modifications. The Renaissance era witnessed the addition of decorative elements, such as the retable in the choir and the transformation of some windows. The 17th and 18th centuries brought further alterations, including the construction of a bell tower and the installation of Baroque-style furnishings.

 

The French Revolution, which began in 1789, had a profound impact on religious institutions throughout France, and La Collegiate Saint-Liphard was not exempt from its consequences. The collegiate chapter was dissolved, and the church suffered significant damage during this period. Some of its valuable artifacts were lost or destroyed, and the building itself fell into a state of disrepair.

 

However, in the 19th century, efforts were made to restore and revive La Collegiate Saint-Liphard. Under the guidance of renowned architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, the church underwent a thorough restoration that aimed to preserve its architectural heritage. This restoration project ensured the survival of the building and allowed future generations to appreciate its historical and artistic significance.

 

Today, La Collegiate Saint-Liphard stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of Meung-sur-Loire and its rich cultural heritage. It serves as a place of worship, a popular tourist attraction, and a symbol of the town's history. Visitors can explore its impressive architecture, admire the intricacies of its sculptures, and experience a profound sense of connection to the past.

 

In conclusion, La Collegiate Saint-Liphard in Meung-sur-Loire, Loiret, France, is a remarkable historical landmark with a captivating history. From its humble beginnings as a monastery to its transformation into a collegiate church, it has witnessed the ebb and flow of time and the cultural shifts of the region. Despite challenges and periods of decline, the church has been lovingly restored and stands today as a testament to the enduring legacy of faith, art, and history.

 

Meung-sur-Loire is a commune in the Loiret department, north-central France.

 

It was the site of the Battle of Meung-sur-Loire in 1429.

 

Geography

Meung-sur-Loire lies 15 km to the west of Orléans on the north bank of the river Loire at the confluence with the river Mauves. The Mauves, actually three rivers, have their source in the water table of the productive agricultural region of the Beauce.

 

History

A Gallo-Roman fortified village recorded as Magdunum was built in the marais adjoining the river, which in 409 was fired by the invading Alans. The marais was drained, according to tradition by Saint Liphard around the year 520. The canalisation formed the watercourses known as the mauves. He went on to build the chapel which was to become the monastery and the abbey. His relics were deposited in the church in 1104, the year after Louis VI had founded as fortress.

 

During the 12th century the church was rebuilt in the gothic style, and fortified accommodation for the abbot built alongside. Jeanne d'Arc visited in 1429, and this was the site of the Battle of Meung-sur-Loire. The complex was restored in 1570, again during the 19th century and again in 1985.

 

The river defined the town, in 1857, 38 mills had the right to use the waters of the rivers to power themselves.

 

Fiction

In fiction, it has been described by Alexandre Dumas in The Three Musketeers as the village where d'Artagnan, en route to join the King's Musketeers in Paris, first encounters the villainous Comte de Rochefort. Also in fiction, Meung-sur-Loire is the country home of Chief Inspector Jules Maigret, Georges Simenon's classic crime fiction character. Maigret and his wife Louise eventually retire to their Meung-sur-Loire home, where he spends his time fishing (pike), and she tends, according to her sister, any number of animals.

 

Points of interest

The town is twinned with Lymm in Cheshire, England

Arboretum des Prés des Culands

Château de Meung-sur-Loire

Notable residents

Jean de Meun (c. 1240 – c. 1305), author of the Roman de la Rose

Maurice Larrouy (1882–1939), winner of the 1917 Prix Femina, died in Meung

Gaston Couté (1880-1911), french libertarian poet and song-writer lived here in his childhood and is buried in Meung. A museum in the local of the library is dedicated to his life and works.

Alain Corneau (1943-2010), film director and writer was born in Meung-sur-Loire.

 

The Diocese of Orléans (Latin: Dioecesis Aurelianensis; French: Diocèse d'Orléans) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in France. The diocese currently corresponds to the Départment of Loiret. The current bishop is Jacques André Blaquart, who was appointed in 2010.

 

The diocese has experienced a number of transfers among different metropolitans. In 1622, the diocese was suffragan of the Archdiocese of Paris; previously the diocese had been a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Sens. From 1966 until 2001 it was under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Bourges, but since the provisional reorganisation of French ecclesiastical provinces, it is now subject to the Archdiocese of Tours.

 

After the Revolution it was re-established by the Concordat of 1802. It then included the Departments of Loiret and Loir et Cher, but in 1822 Loir et Cher was moved to the new Diocese of Blois.

 

Jurisdiction

The present Diocese of Orléans differs considerably from that of the old regime; it has lost the arrondissement of Romorantin which has passed to the Diocese of Blois and the canton of Janville, now in the Diocese of Chartres. It includes the arrondissement of Montargis, formerly subject to the Archdiocese of Sens, the arrondissement of Gien, once in the Burgundian Diocese of Auxerre, and the canton of Châtillon sur Loire, once belonging to the Archdiocese of Bourges.

 

History

To Gerbert, Abbot of St. Pierre le Vif at Sens (1046–79), is due a detailed narrative according to which Saint Savinianus and Saint Potentianus were sent to Sens by St. Peter with St. Altinus; the latter, it was said, came to Orléans as its first bishop. Before the ninth century there is no historical trace in the Diocese of Sens of this Apostolic mission of St. Altinus, nor in the Diocese of Orléans before the end of the fifteenth. Diclopitus is the first authentic bishop; he figures among the bishops of Gaul who (about 344) ratified the absolution of St. Athanasius. Other bishops of the early period are: St. Euvertius (who features in the Calendar of the Book of Common Prayer), about 355 to 385, according to M. Cuissard; Anianus (385-453), who invoked the aid of the "patrician" Ætius against the invasion of Attila, and forced the Huns to raise the siege of Orléans [see Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks II.6-7]; St. Prosper (453-63); St. Monitor (about 472); St. Flou (Flosculus), died in 490; St. Eucherius (717-43), native of Orléans and a monk of Jumièges, who protested against the depredations of Waifre, a companion of Charles Martel, and was first exiled by this prince to Cologne, then to Liège, and died at the monastery of St. Trond.

  

Orléans Cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Cross, built from 1278 to 1329; after being pillaged by Huguenots in the 1560s, the Bourbon kings restored it in the 17th century.

After his victory over the Alamanni, the Frankish king Clovis was bent on the sack of Verdun, but the archpriest there obtained mercy for his fellow-citizens. To St. Euspicius and his nephew St. Mesmin (Maximinus), Clovis also gave the domain of Micy, near Orléans at the confluence of the Loire and the Loiret, for a monastery (508). When Euspicius died, the said St. Maximinus became abbot, and during his rule the religious life flourished there notably. The monks of Micy contributed much to the civilization of the Orléans region; they cleared and drained the lands and taught the semi-barbarous inhabitants the worth and dignity of agricultural work. Early in the eighth century, Theodulfus restored the Abbey of Micy and at his request St. Benedict of Aniane sent fourteen monks and visited the abbey himself. The last abbot of Micy, Chapt de Rastignac, was one of the victims of the 1792 "September Massacres", at Paris, in the prison of L'Abbaye.

 

From Micy monastery, which counted many saints, monastic life spread within and around the diocese. St. Liphardus and St. Urbicius founded the Abbey of Meung-sur-Loire; St. Lyé (Lætus) died a recluse in the forest of Orléans; St. Viatre (Viator) in Sologne; St. Doulchard in the forest of Ambly near Bourges. St. Leonard introduced the monastic life into the territory of Limoges; St. Almir, St. Ulphacius, and St. Bomer in the vicinity of Montmirail; St. Avitus (died about 527) in the district of Chartres; St. Calais (died before 536) and St. Leonard of Vendœuvre (died about 570) in the valley of the Sarthe; St. Fraimbault and St. Constantine in the Javron forest, and the aforesaid St. Bomer (died about 560) in the Passais near Laval; St. Leonard of Dunois; St. Alva and St. Ernier in Perche; St. Laumer (died about 590) became Abbot of Corbion. St. Lubin (Leobinus), a monk of Micy, became Bishop of Chartres from 544–56. Finally saint Ay (Agilus), Viscount of Orléans (died after 587), was also a protector of Micy.

 

Saints

Among the notable saints of the diocese are:

St. Baudilus, a Nîmes martyr (third or fourth century)

the deacon St. Lucanus, martyr, patron of Loigny (fifth century)

the anchorite St. Donatus (fifth century)

St. May, abbot of Val Benoît (fifth century)

St. Mesme, virgin and (perhaps) martyr, sister of St. Mesmin (sixth century)

St. Felicule, patroness of Gien (sixth century)

St. Sigismund, King of Burgundy, who, by order of the Merovingian Clodomir, and despite the entreaties of St. Avitus, was thrown (524) into a well with his wife and children

St. Gontran, King of Orléans and Burgundy (561-93), a confessor

St. Loup (Lupus), Archbishop of Sens, born near Orléans, and his mother St. Agia (first half of the seventh century)

St. Gregory, former Bishop of Nicopolis, in Bulgaria, who died a recluse at Pithiviers (1004 or 1007)

St. Rose, Abbess of Ervauville (died 1130)

Blessed Odo of Orléans, Bishop of Cambrai (1105–13)

the leper St. Alpaix, died in 1211 at Cudot where she was visited by queen Adèle of Champagne, widow of Louis VII

St. Guillaume (died 1209), Abbot of Fontainejean and subsequently Archbishop of Bourges

the Dominican Blessed Reginald, dean of the collegiate church of St. Aignan, Orléans (died 1220)

the Englishman St. Richard, who studied theology at Orléans in 1236, Bishop of Chichester in 1244, a friend of St. Edmund of Canterbury

St. Maurus, called to France by St. Innocent, Bishop of Le Mans, and sent thither by St. Benedict, resided at Orléans with four companions in 542. St. Radegonde, on her way from Noyon to Poitiers in 544, and St. Columbanus, exiled from Luxeuil at the close of the sixth century, both visited Orléans. Charlemagne had the church of St. Aignan rebuilt and reconstructed the monastery of St. Pierre le Puellier. In the cathedral of Orléans on 31 December 987, Hugh Capet had his son Robert (born at Orléans) crowned king. Innocent II and St. Bernard visited Fleury and Orléans in 1130.

 

Pilgrimages

The principal pilgrimages of the diocese are: Our Lady of Bethlehem, at Ferrières; Our Lady of Miracles in Orléans city, dating back to the seventh century (Joan of Arc visited the sanctuary on 8 May 1429); Our Lady of Cléry, dating from the thirteenth century, visited by kings Philip the Fair, Philip VI, and especially by Louis XI, who wore in his hat a leaden image of Notre Dame de Cléry and who wished to have his tomb in this sanctuary where Jean de Dunois, one of the heroes of the Hundred Years' War, was also interred.

 

Later history

The people of Orléans were so impressed by the preaching of Blessed Robert of Arbrissel in 1113 that he was invited to found the monastery of La Madeleine, which he re-visited in 1117 with St. Bernard of Thiron. The charitable deeds of king St. Louis at Puiseaux, Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, and Orléans, where he was present at the translation of the relics of St. Aignan (26 October 1259), and where he frequently went to care for the poor of the Hôtel Dieu, are well known. Pierre de Beaufort, Archdeacon of Sully and canon of Orléans, was, as Gregory XI (1371-8), the last pope that France gave to the Church; he created Cardinal Jean de la Tour d'Auvergne, Abbot of St. Benoît-sur Loire. Blessed Jeanne de Valois was Duchess of Orléans and after her separation from Louis XII (1498) she established, early in the sixteenth century, the monastery of L'Annonciade at Châteauneuf-sur-Loire. Etienne Dolet (1509–46), a printer, philologian, and pamphleteer, executed at Paris and looked upon by some as a "martyr of the Renaissance", was a native of Orléans. Cardinal Odet de Coligny, who joined the Reformation about 1560, was Abbot of St. Euvertius, of Fontainejean, Ferrières, and St. Benoît. Admiral Coligny (1519–72) (see Saint Bartholomew's Day) was born at Châtillon-sur-Loing in the present diocese. At the beginning of the religious wars, Orléans was disputed between the followers of the Guise family and of the Protestant Condé. In the vicinity of Orléans, Duke Francis of Guise was assassinated on 3 February 1562.

 

The Calvinist Jacques Bongars, councillor of king Henry IV of France, who collected and edited the chronicles of the Crusades in his "Gesta Dei per Francos", was born at Orléans in 1554. The Jesuit Denis Petav (Petavius), a renowned scholar and theologian, was born at Orléans in 1583. St. Francis of Sales came to Orléans in 1618 and 1619. Venerable Mother Françoise de la Croix (1591–1657), a pupil of St. Vincent de Paul, who founded the congregation of Augustinian Sisters of Charity of Notre Dame, was born at Petay in the diocese. The Miramion family, to which Marie Bonneau is celebrated in the annals of charity under the name of Mme de Miramion (1629–96), belonged by marriage, were from Orléans. St. Jane de Chantal was superior of the Orléans convent of the Visitation in 1627. Mme Guyon, celebrated in the annals of Quietism, was born at Montargis in 1648.

 

France was saved from English domination through the deliverance of Orléans by Joan of Arc (8 May 1429). On 21 July 1455, her rehabilitation was publicly proclaimed at Orléans in a solemn procession, and before her death in November 1458, Isabel Romée, the mother of Joan of Arc, saw a monument erected in honour of her daughter, at Tournelles, near the Orléans bridge. The monument, destroyed by the Huguenots in 1567, was set up again in 1569 when the Catholics were once more masters of the city. Until 1792, and again from 1802 to 1830, finally from 1842 to the present day, a great religious feast, celebrated 8 May of every year at Orléans in honour of Joan of Arc, attracted multitudes.

 

The Church of Orléans was the last in France to take up again the Roman liturgy (1874). The Sainte Croix cathedral, perhaps built and consecrated by St. Euvertius in the fourth century, was destroyed by fire in 999 and rebuilt from 1278 to 1329; the Protestants pillaged and destroyed it from 1562 to 1567; the Bourbon kings restored it in the seventeenth century.

 

Modernity

Prior to the Associations Law of 1901, the Diocese of Orléans counted Franciscans, Benedictines, Missionary Priests of the Society of Mary, Lazarists, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and several orders of teaching Brothers. Among the congregations of women which originated in this diocese must be mentioned: the Calvary Benedictines, a teaching and nursing order founded in 1617 by Princess Antoinette d'Orléans-Longueville, and the Capuchin Leclerc du Tremblay known as Père Joseph; the Sisters of St. Aignan, a teaching order founded in 1853 by Bishop Dupanloup, with mother-house in Orléans.

 

Twentieth-century bishops of Orleans included Guy Riobé, whose opposition to nuclear weapons led to an altercation with a member of Georges Pompidou's government, and his successor, Jean-Marie Lustiger, who was appointed in 1979 after a long interregnum and shortly afterwards translated to Paris.

 

Episcopal Ordinaries

Of the eighth-century bishops, Theodulfus was notable. It is not known when he began to govern, but it is certain that he was already bishop in 798, when Charlemagne sent him into Narbonne and Provence as missus dominicus. Under king Louis le Débonnaire he was accused of aiding the rebellious King of Italy, was deposed and imprisoned four years in a monastery at Angers, but was released when Louis came to Angers in 821, reportedly after hearing Theodulfus sing All Glory, Laud and Honour. The "Capitularies" which Theodulfus addressed to the clergy of Orléans are considered a most important monument of Catholic tradition on the duties of priests and the faithful. His Ritual, his Penitential, his treatise on baptism, confirmation and the Eucharist, his edition of the Bible, a work of fine penmanship preserved in the Puy cathedral, reveal him as one of the foremost men of his time. His fame rests chiefly on his devotion to the spread of learning. The Abbey of Ferrières was then becoming under Alcuin a centre of learning. Theodulfus opened the Abbey of Fleury to the young noblemen sent thither by Charlemagne, invited the clergy to establish free schools in the country districts, and quoted for them, "These that are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament: and they that instruct many to justice, as stars to all eternity" (Dan., xii 3). One monument of his time still survives in the diocese, the apse of the church of Germigny-des-Prés modelled after the imperial chapel, and yet retaining its unique mosaic decoration.

 

Medieval Bishops

Aignan of Orleans, or Agnan (Latin: Anianus) (b. 358 – d. 453), assisted Roman general Flavius Aetius in the defense of the city against Attila the Hun in 451.

Namatius, an ambassador of King Guntram to the Bretons

Eucherius of Orléans

Jonas (821 – 843), who wrote a treatise against the Iconoclasts, also a treatise on the Christian life and a book on the duties of kings

St. Thierry II (1016 – 21)

Jean, consecrated on 1 March 1098

Blessed Philip Berruyer (1234 – 1236)

Blessed Roger le Fort (1321 – 1328)

John Carmichael of Douglasdale (Jean de St Michel)

Regnault de Chartres † (9 Jan 1439 Appointed – 4 Apr 1444 Died)

Pierre Bureau † (20 Nov 1447 Appointed – 10 Dec 1451 Appointed, Bishop of Béziers)

François de Brillac † (3 Nov 1473 Appointed – 22 Dec 1504 Appointed, Archbishop of Aix)

Christophe de Brillac † (19 Jan 1504 Appointed – 4 Feb 1514 Appointed, Archbishop of Tours)

Jean d’Orléans-Longueville † (26 Jun 1521 Appointed – 24 Sep 1533 Died)

Antoine Sanguin de Meudon † (6 Nov 1533 Appointed – 20 Oct 1550 Resigned)

François de Faucon † (20 Oct 1550 Appointed – 12 Oct 1551 Appointed, Bishop of Mâcon)

Pierre du Chastel † (12 Oct 1551 Appointed – 3 Feb 1552 Died)

Jean de Morvillier † (27 Apr 1552 Appointed – 1564 Resigned)

Mathurin de la Saussaye † (6 Sep 1564 Appointed – 9 Feb 1584 Died)

Denis Hurault † (9 Feb 1584 Succeeded – 1586 Resigned)

Germain Vaillant de Guelin † (27 Oct 1586 Appointed – 15 Sep 1587 Died)

Jean de L’Aubespine † (16 Mar 1588 Appointed – 23 Feb 1596 Died)

Early Modern Bishops

Gabriel de L’Aubespine † (15 Mar 1604 Appointed – 15 Aug 1630 Died)

Nicolas de Netz † (27 Jan 1631 Appointed – 20 Jan 1646 Died)

Alphonse d’Elbène † (21 Jan 1647 Appointed – 20 May 1665 Died)

Pierre-Armand du Cambout de Coislin † (29 Mar 1666 Confirmed – 5 Feb 1706 Died)

Louis-Gaston Fleuriau d’Armenonville † (15 Nov 1706 Confirmed – 9 Jun 1733 Died)

Nicolas-Joseph de Paris † (9 Jun 1733 Succeeded – 10 Jan 1754 Resigned)

Louis-Joseph de Montmorency-Laval † (14 Jan 1754 Confirmed – 28 Feb 1758 Resigned)

Louis-Sextius de Jarente de La Bruyère † (13 Mar 1758 Confirmed – 28 May 1788 Died)

Louis-François-Alexandre de Jarente de Senas d’Orgeval † (28 May 1788 Succeeded – 22 Nov 1793 Resigned)

Modern Bishops

Etienne-Alexandre-Jean-Baptiste-Marie Bernier † (9 Apr 1802 Appointed – 1 Oct 1806 Died)

Claude-Louis Rousseau † (22 Mar 1807 Appointed – 7 Oct 1810 Died)

Pierre-Marin Rouph de Varicourt † (8 Aug 1817 Appointed – 9 Dec 1822 Died)

Jean Brumault de Beauregard † (13 Jan 1823 Appointed – Jan 1839 Retired)

François-Nicholas-Madeleine Morlot † (10 Mar 1839 Appointed – 28 Jun 1842 Appointed, Archbishop of Tours)

Jean-Jacques Fayet † (10 Oct 1842 Appointed – 4 Apr 1849 Died)

Félix-Antoine-Philibert Dupanloup † (16 Apr 1849 Appointed – 11 Oct 1878 Died)

Pierre-Hector Coullié (Couillié) † (12 Oct 1878 Succeeded – 14 Jun 1893 Appointed, Archbishop of Lyon)

Stanislas-Arthur-Xavier Touchet † (29 Jan 1894 Appointed – 23 Sep 1926 Died)

Jules-Marie-Victor Courcoux † (20 Dec 1926 Appointed – 28 Mar 1951 Died)

Robert Picard de La Vacquerie † (27 Aug 1951 Appointed – 23 May 1963 Resigned)

Guy-Marie-Joseph Riobé † (23 May 1963 Succeeded – 18 Jul 1978 Died)

Jean-Marie Lustiger † (10 Nov 1979 Appointed – 31 Jan 1981 Appointed, Archbishop of Paris)[3]

René Lucien Picandet † (13 Jun 1981 Appointed – 20 Oct 1997 Died)

Gérard Antoine Daucourt (2 Jul 1998 Appointed – 18 Jun 2002 Appointed, Bishop of Nanterre)

André Louis Fort (28 Nov 2002 Appointed – 27 Jul 2010 Retired)

Jacques André Blaquart (27 Jul 2010 Appointed – )

Harmonious Day....... To all

youtu.be/zaf_6HedAd8

 

Music Lusrica

 

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Calligraphy

 

"the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"

 

Arabic calligraphy

 

Arabic calligraphy is associated with geometric Islamic art (arabesque) on the walls and ceilings of mosques as well as on the page. Contemporary artists in the Islamic world draw on the heritage of calligraphy to use calligraphic inscriptions or abstractions.

 

Instead of recalling something related to the spoken word, calligraphy for Muslims is a visible expression of the highest art of all, the art of the spiritual world. Calligraphy has arguably become the most venerated form of Islamic art because it provides a link between the languages of the Muslims with the religion of Islam. The holy book of Islam, al-Qur'an, has played an important role in the development and evolution of the Arabic language, and by extension, calligraphy in the Arabic alphabet. Proverbs and passages from the Qur'an are still sources for Islamic calligraphy.

 

Calligraphy in Pakistan

 

Throughout Pakistan’s history, government and businesses have often hired artists to paint calligraphic murals for buildings. Usually the source material is Islamic literature, but sometimes it is secular poetry. By the 1970s, Calligraphy was so popular nearly every artist in Pakistan had worked in the art form. While Calligraphy’s popularity has declined since the 1980s, it continues to have a central role in Islamic culture and Pakistani visual arts.

It has been said that the Elves' love of nature and pursuit of living harmoniously with it lead to their unparalleled mastery of "directing growth," influencing plants to grow in ways beneficial to the Elves.

 

Elvish Growth Directors long ago found the species "Plant Leaves 6 x 5" to be quite versatile and unusually flexible, taking advantage of this ability to sculpt magnificent trees and buildings of every imaginable shape. However, it wasn't until elves with spacefaring ambitions were looking for a way to make a uniquely elvish impression on the galaxy did anyone think perhaps Plant Leaves 6 x 5 could be used to form the structure of a vehicle. While this wasn't without its challenges, it did present numerous advantages...

 

Unlike most elements used by sentient beings to build rovers and space ships, Plant Leaves 6 x 5's flexibility allows for unique and surprisingly durable geometries which are seldom possible otherwise. The elves' Botanical Rover takes full advantage of this, twisting and bending the leaves to form its distinctive tube-frame structure which is far more durable than it looks. The elves additionally find that Plant Leaves 6 x 5-based vehicles bring the natural beauty of their homeworld wherever they go, alleviating homesickness and making a statement about their cultural values when making contact with extraterrestrial civilizations. Overall, this makes the use of Plant Leaves 6 x 5 in rovers and ships a point of pride for elves, a unique innovation which to their knowledge they were the first to make use of.

Sakai-shi, Osaka pref. Japan

Step into the ethereal charm of the Garden of Six Qualities, a serene oasis blending traditional Japanese landscaping with timeless philosophical values. Nestled in a peaceful corner, this garden captures the essence of six aesthetic principles: simplicity, naturalness, subtlety, tranquility, asymmetry, and depth. It’s a living testament to the harmonious balance between nature and human artistry.

 

The scene unfolds with moss-covered earth, meticulously arranged stones, and a flowing stream that mirrors the vibrant greenery surrounding it. A delicately carved stone pagoda rises gracefully, symbolizing spiritual elevation amidst the natural world. The wooden bridge, worn smooth with time, invites you to meander through the garden, offering ever-changing perspectives of its carefully curated views. This juxtaposition of rugged natural elements and refined human craftsmanship embodies the wabi-sabi philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection.

 

The architectural integration is subtle yet profound. Bamboo railings blend seamlessly into the organic environment, providing structure without intruding upon the scenery. The interplay of light and shadow across the water’s surface shifts throughout the day, creating an ever-evolving canvas of reflection and serenity.

 

Originally designed as a meditative retreat, the garden is steeped in history, drawing on centuries-old landscaping traditions. Each element has been meticulously placed to encourage introspection and a deep connection with the natural world. Whether you’re an aficionado of Japanese culture or a casual visitor seeking tranquility, the Garden of Six Qualities offers a profound escape from the modern world. It’s a perfect spot to pause, reflect, and capture the delicate interplay of history, nature, and artistry.

Harmonious Tarot - Walter Crane & Ernest Fitzpatrick

I like the ways the colours work here - paint and rust go together, as do the summer-dried fields behind. Even patches of green on the boat find their echoes in the landscape behind.

 

For the Dyxum July Classic Primes challenge, with LA-EA4 and Minolta 24-85 lens at 85mm

I was just trying to make something simple and easy to prepare and shoot today. And saw these tea cups in my prop cabinet...bought a couple of months back but never used.

 

These Chinese tea cups are traditionally used in Chinese wedding tea ceremonies. The words printed on the cup cover at the front "百年好合“ means "a harmonious union lasting a hundred years".

 

Just wanted to play with DOF, glare and lighting. Natural afternoon light from left.

©TOLOS DERECHOS RESERVAOS© Autumn is giving us spectacular sunsets. Oranges, roses, grays and blues in a harmonious explosion of color

One of the many adult Mute Swans on Sale Water Park, living quite harmoniously - for now!!!

Harmonious appearance and completeness of the design idea depend on the #interiordoor. What to choose? Reasons for choosing classic interior doors… Read goo.gl/pAm1k1

Photograph copyright (c) 2013 by Ivan Safyan Abrams. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.

Kasivisvesvara temple was the last to be built in early Chalukya style. This temple was built by the Rashtrakutas in the 8th century. Kashi Vishwanatha temple in Nagara style.

 

Pattadakal, in Karnataka, represents the high point of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Chalukya dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India. An impressive series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary, can be seen there. One masterpiece from the group stands out – the Temple of Virupaksha, built c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband's victory over the kings from the South.

 

Pattadakal represents the high point of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries under the Chalukya dynasty, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from northern and southern India. An impressive series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary, can be seen there.

Three very closely located sites in the State of Karnataka provide a remarkable concentration of religious monuments dating from the great dynasty of the Chalukya (c. 543-757). There are the two successive capital cities - Aihole (ancient Aryapura), Badami, and Pattadakal, the 'City of the Crown Rubies' (Pattada Kisuvolal). The latter was, moreover, for a brief time the third capital city of the Chalukya kingdom; at the time the Pallava occupied Badami (642-55). While Aihole is traditionally considered the 'laboratory' of Chalukya architecture, with such monuments as the Temple of Ladkhan (c. 450) which antedate the dynasty's political successes during the reign of King Pulakeshin I, the city of Pattadakal illustrates the apogee of an eclectic art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries, achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from the north and south of India.

Situated between the Malaprabha River to the north, and a minuscule village to the south, Pattadakal possesses a sort of holy city comprised of an impressive series of eight Hindu temples dedicated to Siva. Somewhat off to the side, towards the village, is the ninth Sivaite sanctuary, the Temple of Papanatha, as well as a Jain temple. In the monumental complex of the central zone are structures whose design was strongly influenced by the architecture of northern India: the temples of Galaganatha and of Kashi Vishveshvara, which are noteworthy for their square-shaped shikharas with curved edges. They stand along with other temples of a pure Dravidian style - Sangameshvara, built between 696 and 733, and Mallikarjuna, built consecutively from 733-44. Cornices decorate the walls of these temples and the roofs are the complex, storeyed type found in southern architecture.

The unexpected and yet harmonious mixture of these styles provided the inspiration for the masterpiece of Chalukya art, the temple of Virupaksha. This Sivaite sanctuary was erected around 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate the victory in 731 of her husband, King Vikramaditya II, over the Pallava and other sovereigns of southern India. The king's admiration for the art of his conquered enemies is borne out by two inscriptions that offer proof that he brought in from the south an architect and a team of sculptors.

Prominently jutting out from the cruciform temple are three porches, a typical Chalukyan feature. They blend perfectly with the majestic three-storey tower and the walls with their overhanging cornices punctuated by narrow pilasters that separate niches filled with marvellous statuary. An overall concept dictated the choice of statues which illustrate the great themes of Siva theology and mythology.

The evocative ruins of the numerous abandoned sanctuaries within the enclosure may be reached, on the west and east sides, through two monumental gates. In the axis of the courtyard, in front of the temple, is a beautiful pavilion containing a colossal black stone statue of Siva's sacred bull, Nandi. The puja, the ritual washing of the bull, takes place there every morning. Enhanced by its relative isolation south of the principal zone, the temple of Papanatha illustrates once again the aesthetic achievement resulting from the incorporation of two different styles. Papanatha has two rooms where the faithful can worship.

On the west is the principal sanctuary, which is covered with a powerful tower in the northern style; to the east is a more modest room, whose roof is crowned with miniature reproductions of buildings in the purest Dravidian style. Experts have found in the detail of the niches, the pediments and the arcature, many contradictory architectural references. The plastic unity of this great monument, however, comes from the remarkable sculptured decoration illustrating the popular epic of the Ramayana, dedicated to Prince Rama, incarnation of Vishnu.

Harmonious Tarot - Walter Crane & Ernest Fitzpatrick

This image captures a serene rural scene featuring a group of cows grazing in a lush green pasture. Accompanying them are several Cattle Egrets, which are commonly seen near cattle, forming a symbiotic relationship. The photo highlights the peaceful coexistence of these two species amidst a natural and verdant landscape. The lighting and colors emphasize the tranquility of the countryside, making it a perfect representation of rural life and wildlife interaction.

Pride and Prejudice: on Raphael Perez's Artwork

   

Raphael Perez, born in 1965, studied art at the College of Visual Arts in Beer Sheva, and from 1995 has been living and working in his studio in Tel Aviv. Today Perez plays an important role in actively promoting the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) art and culture in Tel Aviv, and the internet portal he set up helps artists from the community reach large audiences in Israel and abroad. Hundreds of his artworks are part of private collections in Israel and abroad, and his artworks were shown in several group exhibitions: in Tel Aviv Museum of Art, "Zman Le'Omanut" art gallery, Camera Obscura, The Open House in Jerusalem, Ophir Gallery, The Haifa Forum and other private businesses and galleries.

 

In 2003-4 his paintings and studio appeared in a full-length movie, three student films and two graduation films.

   

Raphael Perez is the first Israeli artist to express his lifestyle as a Gay. His life and the life of the LGBT community are connected and unfold over hundreds of artwork pieces. His art creation is rare and extraordinary by every Israeli and international artistic standard. His sources of inspiration are first and foremost life events intertwined in Jewish and Israeli locality as well as influences and quotes from art history (David Hockney, Matisse). This uniqueness has crossed international borders and has succeeded in moving the LGBT and art communities around the world.

   

This is the first time we meet an Israeli artist who expresses all of his emotions in a previously unknown strength. The subjects of the paintings are the everyday life of couples in everyday places and situations, along with the aspiration to a homosexual relationship and family, equality and public recognition. Perez's works bring forward to the cultural space and to the public discourse the truth about living as LGBT and about relationships, with all of their aspects – casual relationships and sex, the yearning for love, the everyday life and the mundane activities that exist in every romantic relationship – whether by describing two men in an intimate scene in the bathroom, the bedroom or the toilet, a male couple raising a baby or the homosexual version of the Garden of Eden, family dinners, relationship ups and downs, the complexity in sharing a life as well as mundane, everyday life competing with the aspiration to self realization – through Perez's life.

     

Perez's first artworks are personal diaries, which he creates at 14 years of age. He makes sure to hide these diaries, as in them he keeps a personal journal describing his life events in the most genuine way. In these journals he draws thousands of drawings and sketches, next to which he alternately writes and erases his so-called "problematic texts", texts describing his struggle with his sexual orientation. His diaries are filled with obsessive cataloging of details, daily actions, friends and work, as well as repeating themes, such as thoughts, exhibits he has seen, movies, television, books and review of his work.

   

When he is done writing, Perez draws on his diaries. Each layer is done from beginning to end all along the journal. In fact, the work on the diaries never ends.

 

This struggle never ends, and when the emotion is passed on to paper, and it ends its role and becomes meaningless in a way, the visual-graphic side becomes dominant, due to the need to hide the written text, according to Perez. In books and diaries this stands out even more – when he chooses to draw in a style influenced by children's drawings, the characters are cheerful, happy, naïve and do not portray any sexuality, and when he tries drawing as an adult the sketches became more depressed and somber. During these years Perez works with preschool children, teaching them drawing and movement games. Perez says that during this period he completely abandoned the search for a relationship, either with a woman or a man, and working with children has given him existential meaning. This creation continues over 10 years, and Perez creates about 60 books-personal journals in various sizes (notepads, old notebooks, atlases and even old art books).

   

In his early paintings (1998-1999) the transition from relationships with women to relationships with men can be seen, from restraint to emotional outburst in color, lines and composition. Some characters display strong emotional expression. The women are usually drawn in restraint and passiveness, while a happy and loving emotional outburst is expressed in the colors and style of the male paintings.

   

"I fantasized that in a relationship with a woman I could fly in the sky, love, fly. However, I felt I was hiding something; I was choked up, hidden behind a mask, as if there was an internal scream wanting to come out. I was frustrated, I felt threatened…"

   

His first romance with a man in 1999 has drawn out a series of naïve paintings dealing with love and the excitement of performing everyday actions together in the intimate domestic environment.

   

"The excitement from each everyday experience of doing things together and the togetherness was great, so I painted every possible thing I liked doing with him."

   

From the moment the self-oppression and repression stopped, Perez started the process of healing, which was expressed in a burst of artworks, enormous in their size, amount, content and vivid colors – red, pink and white.

   

In 2000 Perez starts painting the huge artworks describing the hangouts of the LGBT community (The Lake, The Pool) and the Tel Avivian balcony paintings describing the masculine world, which, according to him, becomes existent thanks to the painting. Perez has dedicated this year to many series of drawings and paintings of the experience of love, in which he describes his first love for his new partner, and during these months he paints from morning to night. These paintings are the fruit of a long dialogue with David Hockney, and the similarity can be seen both in subjects and in different gestures.

   

In 2001 Perez creates a series of artworks, "Portraits from The Community". Perez describes in large, photorealistic paintings over 20 portraits of active and well-known members of the LGBT community. The emphasis is on the achievements that reflect the community's strong standing in Tel Aviv.

 

As a Tel-Avivian painter, in the past two years Perez has been painting urban landscapes of central locations in his city. Perez wanders around the city and chooses familiar architectural and geographical landmarks, commerce and recreation, and historical sites, and paints them from a homosexual point of view, decorated with the rainbow flag, which provide a sense of belonging to the place. His artworks are characterized by a cheerful joie de vivre and colors, and they also describe encounters and meetings. The touristic nature of his paintings makes them a declaration of Tel Aviv's image as a place where cultural freedom prevails.

 

Perez's Tel Aviv is a city where young families and couples live and fill the streets, the parks, the beach, the houses and the balconies – all the city's spaces. The characters in his paintings are similar, which helps reinforcing the belonging to the LGBT community in Tel Aviv. The collective theme in Perez's artwork interacts with the work of the Israeli artist Yohanan Simon, who dealt with the social aspects of the Kibbutz. Simon, who lived and worked in a Kibbutz, expressed the human model of the Kibbutznik (member of a Kibbutz) and the uniqueness of the Kibbutz members as part of a group where all are equal. Simon's works, and now Perez's, have contributed to the Israeli society what is has been looking for endlessly, which is a sense of identity and belonging.

 

Perez maps his territory and marks his boundaries, and does not forget the historical sites. Unlike other Tel Avivian artists, Perez wishes to present the lives of the residents of the city and the great love in their hearts. By choosing the historical sites in Tel Aviv, he also pays tribute to the artist Nachum Gutman, who loved the city and lived in it his whole life. In his childhood Gutman experienced historical moments (lighting the first oil lamp, first concert, first pavement), and as an adult he recreated the uniqueness of those events while keeping the city's magic.

 

Like Gutman, Perez has also turned the city into an object of love, and it has started adorning itself in rich colors and supplying the energy of a city that wishes to be "the city that never sleeps", combining old and new. Perez meticulously describes the uniqueness and style of the Bauhaus houses and balconies along the modern glass and steel buildings, all from unusual angles in a rectangular format that wishes to imitate the panorama of a diverse city in its centennial celebrations.

   

Daniel Cahana-Levensohn, curator.

       

Interview with the painter Raphael Perez about his family artist book

 

An interview with the painter Raphael Perez about an artist's book he created about his family, the Peretz family from 6 Nissan St. Kiryat Yuval Jerusalem

     

Question: Raphael Perez, tell me about the family artist book you created

 

Answer: I created close to 40 artist books, notebooks, diaries, sketch books and huge books. I dedicated one of the books to my dear family, a book in which I took a childhood photograph of my family, my parents and brothers and sisters.. I pasted the photographs inside a book (the photograph is 10 percent of the total painting) and I drew with acrylic paints, markers and ink on the book and the photograph, so that the image of the photograph was an inspiration to me Build the story that includes page by page..

     

Question: Tell me when you were born, where, and a little about your family

 

Answer: I was born on March 4, 1965 in the Kiryat Yuval neighborhood in Jerusalem

 

I have a twin brother named Miki Peretz and we are seven brothers and sisters, five boys and two girls

   

Question: Tell us a little about your parents

 

Answer: My parents were new immigrants from Morocco, both immigrated young.

 

My mother's name before the wedding was Alice - Aliza ben Yair and my father's name was Shimon Peretz,

 

My mother was born in the Atlas Mountains and was orphaned at a young age and was later adopted by my father's family at the age of 10, so that my mother and father spent childhood and adolescence together....

 

They had a beautiful and happy relationship but sometimes when they argued my mother would say "even when she was a child she was like that..." This means that their acquaintance and relationship dates back to childhood..

     

Question: What did your parents Shimon and Aliza Peretz work for?

 

Answer: My father, Shimon Perez, born in 1928 - worked in a building in his youth and then for thirty years worked as a receptionist at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem... My father's great love was actually art, he loved to draw as a hobby, write, read, solve crossword puzzles and research Regarding the issue of medicinal plants, as a breadwinner he could not fulfill his dream of becoming an artist, in order to support and feed seven children. But we are the next generation, his children are engaged in the world of creativity and education, a field in which both of my parents were engaged during their lives. My father died at the age of 69

   

My mother, Alice Aliza Perez, born in 1934, worked as an assistant to a kindergarten teacher, and later took care of a baby at home. She is a woman of wholehearted giving and caring for children and people, a warm, generous and humble woman.. and took care of us in our childhood for every emotional and physical deficiency.. My mother is right For the year 2023, the 89-year-old is partly happy and happy despite the difficulties of age.. May you have a long life..

   

My mother really loved gardening and nature and both of them together created a magnificent garden, my parents have a relatively large garden so they could grow many types of special and rare medicinal plants and my father even wrote a catalog (unpublished) of medicinal plants and we even had botany students come to us who were interested in the field... today they They also grow ornamental plants, and fruit trees...

   

Question: A book about the brothers and sisters

 

Answer: My elder brother David Perez repented in his mid-twenties.. He was a very sharp, opinionated, curious and very charismatic guy who brought many people back to repentance, and also helped people with problems through the yeshiva and the synagogue to return to the normal path of life, he died young at the age of 56

   

Hana Peretz: My lovely sister, raised eight children, worked in the field of education, a kindergarten teacher, and child care.

 

She has a very large extended family of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren...

   

My brother Avi (Abraham) Peretz studied in Israel at the University of Philosophy and Judaism, he married a wonderful woman named Mira Drumi, a nurse by profession, and together they had three wonderful children, when they moved to the United States in their mid-twenties, where my brother Avi Peretz completed his master's degree in education, worked in the field Education and for the last twenty years is A conservative rabbi

   

The fourth brother is Asher Peretz - a great man of the world, very fond of traveling and has been to magical places all over the world, engaged in the creation of jewelry with two children.

   

I am Rafi Peretz english raphael perez the fifth and after fifteen minutes my twin brother was born

 

My mother still gets confused and can't remember who was born first :-)

   

My twin brother Miki micky - Michael Peretz, a beloved brother (everyone is beloved), a talented industrial designer, he has three children, his wife Revital Peretz Ben, who is a well-known art curator, active and responsible for the art field in Tel Aviv, they are a dynamic and talented couple, full of talents and action

   

The lovely little sister Shlomit Peretz - has been involved in the Bezeq telephone company for almost three decades, and is there in management positions, raising her lovely and beloved child.

     

The art book I dedicated to my family is colorful, rich in details, shows a very intense childhood, happy, cheerful, colorful, ... We were taught to be diligent and to be happy in our part and to see the glass half full in life, to have emotional intelligence and to put the relationship and love at the center with self-fulfillment in work that will interest you us and you will give us satisfaction.

   

Each of us is different in our life decisions and my family is actually a mosaic of the State of Israel that includes both religious and secular people from the entire political spectrum who understand that the secret to unity is mutual respect for each other... when my mother these days is also the family glue in everyone's gatherings on Shabbat and holidays..

   

The personification of the flower couple paintings by the Israeli painter Raphael Perez

 

Raphael Perez, also known as Rafi Peretz, is an Israeli painter who

 

explores his personal and sexual identity through his flower paintings. He created a series of flower paintings from 1995 to 1998, when he was in his early thirties and still in relationships with women, despite feeling gay. His flower paintings reflect his emotional turmoil and his struggle with his sexual orientation. He painted two flowers, one blooming and one wilting, to represent the contrast and conflict between his heterosexual relationships and his true self. He also painted single flowers or two flowers in their prime, to express his longing for a harmonious relationship that matches his nature. He chose sunflowers, white lilies, and red lilies as symbols of expression, purity, and joy, respectively. He painted from real flowers, using different styles and light to create drama and mood. Perez’s paintings of the flower couples are minimalist and focused on the theme of the complex relationship. He omitted any background or context, leaving only the canvas and the drawing of the flower couples. In some of the paintings, he added a very airy abstract surface with thin oil paints that give an atmosphere of watercolors. He also made drawings of flowers in ink, markers and gouache on paper. Later on, he created large acrylic paintings of flowers and still life. Perez’s flower paintings are not mere illustrations or decorations. They are autobiographical and psychological expressions of his inner state and his struggle with his sexuality. He wanted to reveal his loneliness, distress and concealment through these paintings, and to connect with people who are in a similar situation. He deliberately chose only two flowers and no more to intensify the engagement in the charged and complex relationship. Perez also painted and drew couples of men and women with charged psychological states, as well as states of desire for connection and realization of a heterosexual relationship that did not succeed. He used hyperrealism and expressive styles to convey his frozen and calculated state, as well as his mental stress. He used harsh lighting to create contrast and drama, with one side very bright and the other side darker. Perez was influenced by some of the famous artists who painted flowers, such as Van Gogh, who also used sunflowers as a symbol of expression. He also used white lilies and red lilies to convey freshness, cleanliness, purity, color, joy, movement, eruption, and splendor. Perez also painted some single flowers or two flowers in their prime, to show his aspiration for a future where he will have a harmonious relationship. Today, he is 58 years old and in a happy relationship for 10 years with his partner Assaf Henigsberg. He is surrounded by female friends and soulmates and not conflicted with heterosexual relationships as he used to be. He occasionally paints flowers in pots to symbolize home, stability, and peace. Sometimes I paint flowers in pots, which represent home, stability, and solid ground for me. I don’t paint just a couple of flowers, but pots full of flowers that overflow with life. This means that we also have a supportive network of family, friends, and peers around us. We live in a rich, supportive, and protective world. These paintings are a personification of my psychological state, when I had no words to express my feelings to myself. The painting began In 35 years of my creation (starting in 1998), you can read more about how my art and style evolved over time. Perez’s flower paintings are a unique and extraordinary artistic creation that reveals his personal journey and his sexual identity. His work is honest, expressive, and emotional, as well as beautiful and vibrant.

   

The characteristics of the naive painting of the painter Raphael Perez

 

A full interview with the Israeli painter Raphael Perez (Hebrew name: Rafi Peretz) about the ideas behind the naive painting, resume, personal biography and curriculum vitae Question: Raphael Perez Tell us about your work process as a naive painter? Answer: I choose the most iconic and famous buildings in every city and town that are architecturally interesting and have a special shape and place the iconic buildings on boulevards full of trees, bushes, vegetation, flowers. Question: How do you give depth in your naive paintings? Answer: To give depth to the painting, I build the painting with layers of vegetation, after those low famous buildings, followed by a tall avenue of trees, and behind them towers and skyscrapers, in the sky I sometimes put innocent signs of balloons, kites. A recurring motif in some of my paintings is the figure of the painter who is in the center of the boulevard and paints the entire scene unfolding in front of him, also there are two kindergarten teachers who are walking with the kindergarten children with the state flags that I paint, and loving couples hugging and kissing and family paintings of mother, father and child walking in harmony on the boulevard. Question: Raphael Perez, what characterizes your naive painting? Answer: Most naive paintings have the same characteristics (Definition as it appears in Wikipedia) • Tells a simple story to absorb from everyday life, usually with humans. • The representation of the painter's idealization to reality - the mapping of reality. • Failure to maintain perspective - especially details even in distant details. • Extensive use of repeating patterns - many details. • Warm and bright colors. • Sometimes the emphasis is on outlines. • Most of the characters are flat, lack volume • No interest in texture, expression, correct proportions • No interest in anatomy. • There is not much use of light and shade, the colors create a three-dimensional effect. I find these definitions to be valid for all my naive paintings Question: Raphael Perez, why do you choose the city of Tel Aviv? Answer: I was born in Jerusalem, the capital city which I love very much and also paint, I love the special Bauhaus buildings in Tel Aviv, the ornamental buildings that were built a century ago in the 1920s and 1930s, the beautiful boulevards, towers and modern skyscrapers give you the feeling of the hustle and bustle of a large metropolis and there are quite a few low and tall buildings that are architecturally fascinating in their form the special one Also, the move to Tel Aviv, which is the capital of culture, freedom, and secularism, allowed me to live my life as I chose, to live in a relationship with a man, Jerusalem, which is a traditional city, it is more complicated to live a homosexual life, also, the art world takes place mainly in the city of Tel Aviv, and it is possible that from a professional point of view, this allows I can support myself better in Tel Aviv than in any other city in Israel. Question: Raphael Perez, are the paintings of the city of Tel Aviv different from the paintings of the city of Jerusalem? Answer: Most of the paintings of Jerusalem have an emphasis on the color yellow, gold, the color of the old city walls, the subjects I painted in Jerusalem are mainly a type of idealization of a peaceful life between Jews and Arabs and paintings that deal with the Jewish religious world, a number of paintings depict all shades of the currents of Judaism today In contrast, the Tel Aviv paintings are more colorful, with skyscrapers, the sea, balloons and more secular motifs Question: Raphael Perez, tell me about which buildings and their architects you usually choose in your drawings of cities Answer: My favorite buildings are those that have a special shape that anyone can recognize and are the symbols of the city and you will give several examples: In the city of Tel Aviv, my favorite buildings are: the opera building with its unusual geometric shape, the Yisrotel tower with its special head, the Hail Bo Shalom tower that for years was the symbol of the tallest building in Tel Aviv, the Levin house that looks like a Japanese pagoda, the burgundy-colored Nordeau hotel with the special dome at the end of the building, A pair of Alon towers with the special structure of the sea, Bauhaus buildings typical of Tel Aviv with the special balconies and the special staircase, the Yaakov Agam fountain in Dizengoff square appears in a large part of the paintings, many towers that are in the stock exchange complex, the Aviv towers and other tall buildings on Ayalon, in some of the paintings I took plans An outline of future buildings that need to be built in the city and I drew them even before they were built in reality, In the paintings of Jerusalem, I mainly chose the area of the Old City and East Jerusalem, a painting of the walls of the Old City, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the El Akchea Mosque, the Tower of David, most of the famous churches in the city, the right hand of Moses, in most of the paintings the Jew is wearing a blue shirt with a red male cord I was in the youth movement and the Arab with a galabia, and in the paintings of the religious public then, Jews with black suits and white shirts, tallitas, kippahs, special hats, synagogues and more I also created three paintings of the city of Haifa and one painting of Safed In the Haifa paintings I drew the university, the Technion, the famous Egged Tower, the Sail Tower, well-known hotels, of course the Baha'i Gardens and the Baha'i Temple, Haifa Port and the boats and other famous buildings in the city Question: Raphael Perez, have you created series of other cities from around the world? Answer: I created series of New York City with all the iconic and famous buildings such as: the Guggenheim Museum, the famous skyscrapers - the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, Lincoln Center, the famous synagogue in the city, the Statue of Liberty, the flags of the United States and other famous buildings Two paintings of London and all its famous sites, Big Ben, famous monuments, the Ferris wheel, Queen Elizabeth and her family, the double bus, the famous public telephone, palaces, famous churches, well-known monuments I created 4 naive paintings of cities in China, a painting of Shanghai, two paintings of the city of Suzhou and a painting of the World Park in the city of Beijing... I chose the famous skyline of Shanghai with all the famous towers, the famous promenade, temples and old buildings, two Paintings of the city of Suzhou with the famous canals, bridges, special gardens, towers and skyscrapers of the city Question: Raphael Perez What is the general idea that accompanies your paintings Answer: To create a good, beautiful, naive, innocent world in which we will see the innovation of the modern city through the skyscrapers in front of small and low buildings that bring the history and past of each country, all with an abundance of vegetation, boulevards, trees Resume, biography, CV of the painter Rafi Peretz and his family Question: When was Raphael Perez born in hebrew his name rafi peretz? Answer: Raphael Perez in Hebrew his name Rafi Peretz was born on March 4, 1965 Question: Where was Raphael Perez born? Answer: Raphael Perez was born in Jerusalem, Israel Question: What is the full name of Raphael Perez? Answer: His full name is Raphael Perez Question: Which art institution did Raphael Perez graduate from? Answer: Raphael Perez graduated from the Visual Arts Center in Be'er Sheva Question: When did Raphael Perez start painting? Answer: Raphael Perez started painting in 1989 Question: When did you start making a living selling art? Answer: Raphael Perez started making a living selling art in 1999 Question: Where does Raphael Perez live and work? Answer: Since 1995, Raphael Perez has been living and working from his studio in Tel Aviv Question: In which military framework did Raphael Perez serve in the IDF? Answer: Raphael Perez served in the artillery corps Question: Raphael Perez, what jobs did he work after his military service? Answer: Raphael Perez worked for 15 years in education in therapeutic settings for children and taught arts and movement Question: How many brothers and sisters does Raphael Perez, the Israeli painter, have? Answer: There are seven children in total, with the painter 5 sons and two daughters, that means the painter Raphael Perez has 4 more brothers and two sisters Question: What do the brothers and sisters of the painter Raphael Perez do? Answer: The elder brother David Peretz Perez was involved in the field of religious studies, the sister Hana Peretz Perez is involved in the field of education, a kindergarten teacher and child care, the brother Avi Peretz Perez who is in the United States today is a conservative rabbi but in the past was involved in education and therapy, the brother Asher Peretz Perez is involved in the fields of creativity and jewelry The twin brother Mickey Peretz Perez is a well-known industrial designer and seller. The younger sister Shlomit Peretz Perez works in a managerial position at Bezeq. Question: Tell me about the parents of the painter Raphael PerezAnswer: The painter Raphael Perez's parents are Shimon Perez Peretz and Eliza Alice Ben Yair, they were married in 1950 in Jerusalem, both were born in Morocco and immigrated to Israel in 1949, Shimon Peretz worked in a building in his youth and later as a receptionist at the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, Eliza Alice Peretz dealt in child care Kindergarten, working in kindergartens and of course taking care of and raising her seven children

 

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רפי פרץ צייר אמן ישראלי עכשווי מודרני אמנים ישראלים אומנים ישראליים עכשוויים מודרניים האמנים הישראלים העכשוויים המודרניים האומנים הישראליים העכשוויים המודרניים יוצר הומו הומוסקסואל קווירי הומוסקסואליות באמנות הישראלית מגדר אומנות ומגדר אמנות ישראלית עכשווית מודרנית האמנות הישראלית העכשווית המודרנית

 

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مثلي الجنس الفن الغريبة الأعمال الفنية معرض معرض رجل عارية لوحة رجال عراة صورة الجسم الإسرائيلي فنان رسام مثلى الفنانين الرسامين لوحات واقعية مثلي الجنس الشهير صورة كبيرة

 

arte homosexual queer obras de arte galería exposición hombre desnudo pintura hombres desnudos retrato cuerpo artista israelí pintor artistas gay pintores pinturas realistas homoerótico famoso imagen grande

 

гомосексуальное искусство квир произведения искусства галерея выставка мужчина ню живопись голые мужчины портрет тело израильский художник художник геи художники художники реалистичные картины гомоэротика знаменитый большое изображение

 

ομοφυλοφιλική τέχνη queer artworks γκαλερί έκθεση άντρας γυμνή ζωγραφική γυμνοί άντρες πορτραίτο ισραήλ καλλιτέχνης ζωγράφος γκέι καλλιτέχνες ζωγράφοι ρεαλιστικοί πίνακες ομοιορωτική διάσημη μεγάλη εικόνα

 

homosexuelle kunst queer kunstwerke galerie ausstellung mann nackt malerei nackte männer porträtkörper israelischer künstler maler schwule künstler maler realistische gemälde homoerotisch berühmtes großes bild

 

homoseksuele kunst queer kunstwerken galerie tentoonstelling man naakt schilderij naakte mannen portret lichaam Israëlische kunstenaar schilder homo kunstenaars schilders realistische schilderijen homo-erotisch beroemd groot beeld

 

art homosexuel queer oeuvres d'art galerie exposition homme peinture nue hommes nus portrait corps artiste israélien peintre artistes gais peintres peintures réalistes homoérotique célèbre grande image

 

homoseksualna sztuka queer dzieła galeria wystawa mężczyzna nago malarstwo nagi mężczyzna portret ciało izraelski artysta malarz homoseksualiści malarze realistyczni obrazy homoerotyk sławny duży obraz

 

Eşcinsel sanat queer sanat eseri galeri sergi adam çıplak boyama çıplak erkekler portre vücut İsrail sanatçı ressam eşcinsel sanatçılar ressamlar gerçekçi resim sergisi homoerotik ünlü büyük resim

 

समलैंगिक कला क्वीर कलाकृतियों गैलरी प्रदर्शनी आदमी नग्न पेंटिंग नग्न पुरुषों चित्र शरीर इजरायल कलाकार चित्रकार समलैंगिक कलाकारों चित्रकारों यथार्थवादी चित्रों समलैंगिक प्रसिद्ध बड़ी छवि

 

homoseksuell konst queer konstverk galleri utställning man nakenmålning nakna män porträtt kropp israelisk konstnär målare gay konstnärer målare realistiska målningar homoerotisk berömd stor bild

Situated beside Kunming Lake, at the bottom of the Eastern side of Longevity Hill, the Garden of Harmonious Interests, with its exquisite design and distinctive layout, is known as the "garden in the gardens" Amongst the gardens of Northern China, its style is the most representative of the classical gardens of Southern China.

 

When Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) conducted an inspection of South China in 1751, he developed a great affection for the Jichuangyuan Gardens in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, and ordered that a similar garden be built in the Summer Palace and named Huishan Garden. This was the precursor to the Garden of Harmonious Interests. In 1811, it was repaired and given its present name. The garden was rebuilt again in 1893 after its destruction in 1860.

 

Upon entering the palace gate of Garden of Harmonious Interests, visitors would be greeted by a wonderful panorama. Surrounded by slopes on three sides, with a lotus pond at its centre, the garden was comprised of seven pavilions, five halls, numerous corridors and small bridges, all arranged with profusion and elegance. The scene was mirrored in the pond, which was the focus of the garden's natural surroundings, and released a delicate fragrance of lotus. The garden used to be the fishing site of Empress Dowager Cixi . It is said that every time Cixi went to fish, eunuchs secretly dived into the water and hung live fish on her hook, to keep her in good spirits.

 

The garden is remarkable for its eight settings, each with its particular theme. The eight settings are Zaishi Hall, the Momiao Room, Jiuyun Tower, Danbi House, Shuile Pavilion, Zhiyu Bridge, Xunshi Path, and Hanguang Hole. The essence of each of the eight themed settings (or interests) is as follows:

 

- Interest of Seasons

 

The changing beauty of the garden makes it an attraction for visitors throughout the four seasons of the year. In spring, the willows wave in the breeze, switching on their great charm; in summer, abundant lotuses release a delicious fragrance; in fall, the weeping willows turn the garden into a romantic heaven; in winter, the snows waft down to the trees and pavilions, painting an exquisite landscape.

 

- Interest of Water

 

Using the falls from the Back Lake, gardeners built the Yuqin Goroge, through which water trickles across the rocks and makes wonderful sounds, like a musical instrument being played. This is also known as the "interest of sound"

 

- Interest of Bridge

 

Several small bridges span the water, each with their own distinct style. The most notable among them is the Know-the-Fish Bridge, the name of which is derived from an argument about fish between two philosophers of different schools:

 

Zhuang Zi, one of the philosophers, said: "Look! How happy these fish are!" Hui Zi, the other one, replied: "You are not the fish. How can you know they are happy?" Zhuang Zi replied: "You are not me, how can you know that I know?"

 

- Interest of Calligraphy

 

There are many examples of calligraphy in the Garden of Harmonious Interests, such as the Xushi Path stele and stone inscription in the Moyun Room.

 

- Interest of Pavilion

 

In the west corner of the garden stands a pavilion. Viewed from the outside, it gives a visitor the impression that it is a single story high; from the inside, it appears to have two levels. This unusual setting creates an appealing effect of height, and is known as the Interest of Pavilion.

 

- Interest of Painting

 

Hundreds of paintings in various styles line the corridors in a collection to rival the Long Gallery . These works, created on the themes of allusions, sceneries, and historical figures, are treasures of art.

 

- Interest of Corridor

 

Compared to the Long Gallery, the Interest of Corridor is a fascinating collection of twists and turns. Connecting the intricate rooms, it provides visitors a unique chance to view the landscaping of the garden from every angle.

 

- Interest of Imitation

 

Although the Garden of Harmonious Interests should be a royal garden, it was built in the style of a private one, Jichangyuan Garden. Owing to the skill of the landscapers, any visitor to the garden would feel as if they were in Southern China. Therefore, amongst the glorious and resplendent constructions of the Palace, this garden retains its sense of tranquility and refinement.

Step into the ethereal charm of the Garden of Six Qualities, a serene oasis blending traditional Japanese landscaping with timeless philosophical values. Nestled in a peaceful corner, this garden captures the essence of six aesthetic principles: simplicity, naturalness, subtlety, tranquility, asymmetry, and depth. It’s a living testament to the harmonious balance between nature and human artistry.

 

The scene unfolds with moss-covered earth, meticulously arranged stones, and a flowing stream that mirrors the vibrant greenery surrounding it. A delicately carved stone pagoda rises gracefully, symbolizing spiritual elevation amidst the natural world. The wooden bridge, worn smooth with time, invites you to meander through the garden, offering ever-changing perspectives of its carefully curated views. This juxtaposition of rugged natural elements and refined human craftsmanship embodies the wabi-sabi philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection.

 

The architectural integration is subtle yet profound. Bamboo railings blend seamlessly into the organic environment, providing structure without intruding upon the scenery. The interplay of light and shadow across the water’s surface shifts throughout the day, creating an ever-evolving canvas of reflection and serenity.

 

Originally designed as a meditative retreat, the garden is steeped in history, drawing on centuries-old landscaping traditions. Each element has been meticulously placed to encourage introspection and a deep connection with the natural world. Whether you’re an aficionado of Japanese culture or a casual visitor seeking tranquility, the Garden of Six Qualities offers a profound escape from the modern world. It’s a perfect spot to pause, reflect, and capture the delicate interplay of history, nature, and artistry.

Chassis : Ferrari 308 GT4

 

Since the 50s Pininfarina designed all series production Ferraris, but Bertone was back in favour with the complicated mid-engined 4-seater 308 GT4. Gandini penned a daring, modern interpretation for the 2-seater. Less harmonious than the 308 GTB, the Rainbow innovated with its rigid opening roof.

 

2.926 cc

V8

255 CV

 

The Marcello Gandini Creations

Presented by Automotoclub Storico Italiano

 

Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille

Château de Chantilly

Chantilly

France - Frankrijk

June 2019

 

Step into the ethereal charm of the Garden of Six Qualities, a serene oasis blending traditional Japanese landscaping with timeless philosophical values. Nestled in a peaceful corner, this garden captures the essence of six aesthetic principles: simplicity, naturalness, subtlety, tranquility, asymmetry, and depth. It’s a living testament to the harmonious balance between nature and human artistry.

 

The scene unfolds with moss-covered earth, meticulously arranged stones, and a flowing stream that mirrors the vibrant greenery surrounding it. A delicately carved stone pagoda rises gracefully, symbolizing spiritual elevation amidst the natural world. The wooden bridge, worn smooth with time, invites you to meander through the garden, offering ever-changing perspectives of its carefully curated views. This juxtaposition of rugged natural elements and refined human craftsmanship embodies the wabi-sabi philosophy of finding beauty in imperfection.

 

The architectural integration is subtle yet profound. Bamboo railings blend seamlessly into the organic environment, providing structure without intruding upon the scenery. The interplay of light and shadow across the water’s surface shifts throughout the day, creating an ever-evolving canvas of reflection and serenity.

 

Originally designed as a meditative retreat, the garden is steeped in history, drawing on centuries-old landscaping traditions. Each element has been meticulously placed to encourage introspection and a deep connection with the natural world. Whether you’re an aficionado of Japanese culture or a casual visitor seeking tranquility, the Garden of Six Qualities offers a profound escape from the modern world. It’s a perfect spot to pause, reflect, and capture the delicate interplay of history, nature, and artistry.

This is the famous "Lock Bridge," officially known as the "Pont des Arts" -- just to the west of the island in the Seine where Notre Dame is located.

 

You can see all of the historical details here on Wikipedia:

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pont_des_Arts

 

As Wikipedia informs us, "Between 1802 and 1804, under the reign of Napoleon I, a nine-arch metallic bridge for pedestrians was constructed at the location of the present day Pont des Arts: this was the first metal bridge in Paris. The engineers Louis-Alexandre de Cessart and Jacques Dillon initially conceived of a bridge which would resemble a suspended garden, with trees, banks of flowers, and benches.

 

"In 1976, the Inspector of Bridges and Causeways ... reported several deficiencies on the bridge. More specifically, he noted the damage that had been caused by two aerial bombardments sustained during World War I and World War II and the harm done from the multiple collisions caused by boats. The bridge would be closed to circulation in 1977 and, in 1979, suffered a 60 metre collapse after a barge rammed into it.

 

"The present bridge was built between 1981 and 1984 "identically" according to the plans of Louis Arretche, who had decided to reduce the number of arches from nine to seven, allowing the look of the old bridge to be preserved while realigning the new structure with the Pont Neuf. On 27 June 1984, the newly reconstructed bridge was inaugurated by Jacques Chirac, then the mayor of Paris."

 

All of which is great, but it doesn't really do justice to the real nature of the bridge, nor does it explain why it's popularly known as the "Lock Bridge." But you can see what it's all about by simply peeking at this photo: there are thousands -- maybe tens of thousands -- of small padlocks that have been ceremoniously locked around the various loops and wires of the bridge's side -- each one by a couple pledging their love to one another, and typically identified with the initials of the two, and sometimes the date when it was placed there.

 

It's possible that this was all inspired by a French film, "Le Pont des Arts" -- a love story which tells the impossible tale of two youths who have never before met. The movie's action unrolls in Paris between 1979 and 1980, in other words it occurs during the collapsing of the original bridge.

 

Wikipedia finishes its description of the bridge with this wonderful quotation from historian Kenneth Clark in his 1969 book, "Civilization":

 

"I am standing on the Pont des Arts in Paris. On the one side of the Seine is the harmonious, reasonable facade of the Institute of France, built as a college in about 1670. On the other bank is the Louvre, built continuously from the Middle Ages to the nineteenth century: classical architecture at its most splendid and assured. Just visible upstream is the Cathedral of Notre Dame --not perhaps the most lovable of cathedrals, but the most rigorously intellectual façade in the whole of Gothic art. [...]

 

What is civilisation? I do not know. I can't define it in abstract terms --yet. But I think I can recognise it when I see it: and I am looking at it now."

 

Note: I chose this as my "photo of the day" for May 25, 2014.

 

**************************

 

In the spring of 2014, we came to Paris for a week of relaxed vacationing, mostly to wander around and see some old familiar places. It was a “return” trip for both of us, though in my case I think it’s probably been more than 15 years since I was even here on a business trip.

 

Business trips to any city don’t really count as a “visit” -- since they basically involve flying into a busy airport at night, taking a taxi to a generic business-traveler’s hotel (a Hilton in Paris looks just like a Hilton in Cairo), and then spending several days working in the hotel (if the purpose of the trip was a seminar or computer conference), or at a client’s office (also “generic” in most cases — you can’t even tell what floor you’re on when you get off the elevator, because every floor of “open office” layouts is the same). The trip usually ends in the late afternoon or evening of the final day, with a mad dash back to the airport to catch the last plane home to NYC. Thus, a business trip to Paris is almost indistinguishable from a business trip to Omaha. Or Albany. Or Tokyo.

 

But I did make a few “personal” visits to Paris in the 1970s and 1980s, so I looked forward to having the chance to walk through some familiar places along the Left Bank. I’m not so interested in museums, monuments, cathedrals, or other “official” tourist spots (but yes, I have been to the Eiffel Tower, just as I’ve been to the Empire State Building in NYC), so you won’t see any photos of those places in this Flickr set.

 

As a photographer, I now concentrate mostly on people and street scenes. The details of the location don’t matter much to me, though I do try to geotag my photos whenever I can. But for the most part, what you’ll see here are scenes of people and local things in Paris that made me smile as I walked around …

"HYP Fest (Harmonious Youth Participation Festival) is an event refreshing Lebanese culture through the youth.

 

The event aims to promote and educate the wider Australian community about the essence of the Lebanese culture, customs and its rich traditions. HYP Fest endeavours to highlight the contributions and influences the Australian Lebanese community have had on Australian culture, incorporating the best of both worlds into our very existence.

 

HYP Fest represents the unity of the Australian Lebanese people, both young and old with the wider community and is an example of breaking barriers and embracing what Lebanese have to offer- food, dance, music and culture!

 

Since its beginnings two years ago, HYP Fest has been a successful event enjoyed by both the young and old and the broader community and hopes to continue flourishing in the future.

 

The origins of HYP Fest came about through the continuous work Australian Lebanese Welfare (ALW) have done with the Lebanese and Arabic speaking community over the past 25 years. Through many consultations with the Lebanese young people and their concerns about how they were being misrepresented following incidents and media reports, the concept of developing a festival celebrating Lebanese heritage and culture emerged and HYP Fest became a reality. This event is a joint initiative with the Australian Lebanese youth and the greater community to promote and celebrate cultural awareness and harmony through the only way us Lebanese know how to- dance, food and lots of music!" - www.hypfest.com.au

 

See it big.

 

Notes: Single shot, not cropped

ODC Our Daily Challenge: square

ODC Our Daily Challenge: Harmonious

SOOC

There is a harmonious living by the animals and birds in the Isla Espiritu Santo(Holy Ghost Island) The birds like Turkey Vultures, Magnificent Frigate birds, Sea-gulls, Brown Pelicans etc. live there along with Sea Lions and other lives in the ocean. Fascinating place.

Large view is nice.

Nestled along the iconic 17-Mile Drive near Carmel-by-the-Sea, this modern architectural masterpiece seamlessly blends luxury with nature. The home, characterized by its expansive glass windows and clean geometric lines, offers breathtaking views of the lush greenery and the Pacific Ocean. This residence is a prime example of contemporary design, emphasizing natural light and open spaces.

 

Historically, the 17-Mile Drive has been a coveted location since the late 19th century, attracting those seeking both beauty and exclusivity. This home continues that tradition, standing as a testament to innovative design and sustainable living. The large glass panels not only provide panoramic views but also integrate the indoor and outdoor spaces, creating a harmonious living environment.

 

Architecturally, the house features a minimalist aesthetic with a focus on functionality and elegance. The use of natural materials, such as stone and wood, complements the surrounding landscape, while the modern amenities ensure a comfortable and luxurious lifestyle. The open floor plan includes a state-of-the-art kitchen, spacious living areas, and en-suite bedrooms, all designed to maximize the stunning views.

 

The property is not just a home but a sanctuary, offering privacy and tranquility amidst the bustling beauty of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The surrounding area is rich in history and culture, with nearby attractions including Pebble Beach, world-class golf courses, and fine dining establishments. This home is perfect for those who appreciate the finer things in life and seek a retreat that combines modern luxury with natural beauty.

Do perfection and simplicity belong together in a harmonious marriage? IC 3568 is the planetary nebula representation of this idea. The simplicity of its form begets the perfection of its spherical shape.

 

I'm not sure when it gained the name Lemon Slice Nebula but the most common image of this nebula is processed to look fluorescent lime green so that may have had something to do with it. Mine is blue to more closely match the processing I've done with the others. Keeping the OIII emissions (which this one shines so brightly in) solely in the blue channel leaves it a bit dark though so I let it spread to the green channel a little as well to brighten the image.

 

Red: hst_06119_50_wfpc2_f814w_pc_sci + hst_08390_15_wfpc2_f658n_pc_sci

Green: hst_08390_15_wfpc2_f555w_pc_sci

Blue: hst_08390_15_wfpc2_f502n_pc_sci

 

North is up.

LOST TOWN - LA CITTA' PERDUTA with great honor is pleased to invite you to discover a replica of THE DOOR OF THE HELL by Auguste RODIN, a work in 3D consisting of 3907 prims executed in 10 months by an excellent team consisting of:

* Freeloops Zanzibar for the build

* Loda Denfu for textures.

When prims, sculpt, texture, blend together to create something truly harmonious and "artistic" ..... TO BE DISCOVERED !!!

..:: LOST TOWN - LA CITTA' PERDUTA ::.., Land of Glory (169, 185, 22) - Moderate

up to 16/03

 

Welcome to the D.T. Suzuki Museum in Kanazawa, Japan, a serene space dedicated to the life and work of Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, a renowned Buddhist philosopher. This image captures the museum's entrance, where modern design meets tranquility. The building's minimalist architecture features clean lines and a concrete facade, accented by vertical slats that create a dynamic play of light and shadow. The wide, inviting steps and simple handrail lead visitors into this reflective space.

 

The museum's surroundings are thoughtfully integrated with nature. Neatly trimmed hedges and tall trees frame the entrance, offering a peaceful contrast to the stark, contemporary structure. This design reflects Suzuki's teachings on simplicity and mindfulness, making it an ideal spot for contemplation.

 

Inside, the museum houses exhibits that delve into Suzuki's contributions to Buddhist philosophy and Zen. The tranquil atmosphere is enhanced by water features and gardens, providing a harmonious blend of architecture and nature. Large windows allow natural light to fill the space, creating a warm and welcoming environment.

 

Whether you're a scholar of Zen philosophy or simply seeking a quiet retreat, the D.T. Suzuki Museum offers an inspiring journey into the mind of one of Japan's most influential thinkers. The museum's design, both inside and out, embodies the principles of mindfulness and simplicity that Suzuki championed throughout his life.

Mt Rainier and farmland in Washington State... with field from Oregon... removed some clutter such as power lines and poles and a few other changes.

 

StacyYoungArt.com

A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.

 

Some wall paintings are painted on large canvases, which are then attached to the wall (e.g., with marouflage). Whether these works can be accurately called "murals" is a subject of some controversy in the art world, but the technique has been in common use since the late 19th century.

 

HISTORY

Murals of sorts date to Upper Paleolithic times such as the paintings in the Chauvet Cave in Ardèche department of southern France (around 30,000 BC). Many ancient murals have survived in Egyptian tombs (around 3150 BC), the Minoan palaces (Middle period III of the Neopalatial period, 1700-1600 BC) and in Pompeii (around 100 BC - AD 79).

 

During the Middle Ages murals were usually executed on dry plaster (secco). In Italy, circa 1300, the technique of painting of frescos on wet plaster was reintroduced and led to a significant increase in the quality of mural painting.

 

In modern times, the term became more well-known with the Mexican "muralista" art movement (Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, or José Orozco). There are many different styles and techniques. The best-known is probably fresco, which uses water-soluble paints with a damp lime wash, a rapid use of the resulting mixture over a large surface, and often in parts (but with a sense of the whole). The colors lighten as they dry. The marouflage method has also been used for millennia.

 

Murals today are painted in a variety of ways, using oil or water-based media. The styles can vary from abstract to trompe-l'œil (a French term for "fool" or "trick the eye"). Initiated by the works of mural artists like Graham Rust or Rainer Maria Latzke in the 1980s, trompe-l'oeil painting has experienced a renaissance in private and public buildings in Europe. Today, the beauty of a wall mural has become much more widely available with a technique whereby a painting or photographic image is transferred to poster paper or canvas which is then pasted to a wall surface (see wallpaper, Frescography) to give the effect of either a hand-painted mural or realistic scene.

 

TECHNIQUE

In the history of mural several methods have been used:

 

A fresco painting, from the Italian word affresco which derives from the adjective fresco ("fresh"), describes a method in which the paint is applied on plaster on walls or ceilings. The buon fresco technique consists of painting in pigment mixed with water on a thin layer of wet, fresh, lime mortar or plaster. The pigment is then absorbed by the wet plaster; after a number of hours, the plaster dries and reacts with the air: it is this chemical reaction which fixes the pigment particles in the plaster. After this the painting stays for a long time up to centuries in fresh and brilliant colors.

 

Fresco-secco painting is done on dry plaster (secco is "dry" in Italian). The pigments thus require a binding medium, such as egg (tempera), glue or oil to attach the pigment to the wall.

 

Mezzo-fresco is painted on nearly-dry plaster, and was defined by the sixteenth-century author Ignazio Pozzo as "firm enough not to take a thumb-print" so that the pigment only penetrates slightly into the plaster. By the end of the sixteenth century this had largely displaced the buon fresco method, and was used by painters such as Gianbattista Tiepolo or Michelangelo. This technique had, in reduced form, the advantages of a secco work.

 

MATERIAL

In Greco-Roman times, mostly encaustic colors applied in a cold state were used.

 

Tempera painting is one of the oldest known methods in mural painting. In tempera, the pigments are bound in an albuminous medium such as egg yolk or egg white diluted in water.

 

In 16th-century Europe, oil painting on canvas arose as an easier method for mural painting. The advantage was that the artwork could be completed in the artist’s studio and later transported to its destination and there attached to the wall or ceiling. Oil paint can be said to be the least satisfactory medium for murals because of its lack of brilliance in colour. Also the pigments are yellowed by the binder or are more easily affected by atmospheric conditions. The canvas itself is more subject to rapid deterioration than a plaster ground. Different muralists tend to become experts in their preferred medium and application, whether that be oil paints, emulsion or acrylic paints applied by brush, roller or airbrush/aerosols. Clients will often ask for a particular style and the artist may adjust to the appropriate technique.

 

A consultation usually leads to a detailed design and layout of the proposed mural with a price quote that the client approves before the muralist starts on the work. The area to be painted can be gridded to match the design allowing the image to be scaled accurately step by step. In some cases the design is projected straight onto the wall and traced with pencil before painting begins. Some muralists will paint directly without any prior sketching, preferring the spontaneous technique.

 

Once completed the mural can be given coats of varnish or protective acrylic glaze to protect the work from UV rays and surface damage.

 

As an alternative to a hand-painted or airbrushed mural, digitally printed murals can also be applied to surfaces. Already existing murals can be photographed and then be reproduced in near-to-original quality.

 

The disadvantages of pre-fabricated murals and decals are that they are often mass-produced and lack the allure and exclusivity of an original artwork. They are often not fitted to the individual wall sizes of the client and their personal ideas or wishes can not be added to the mural as it progresses. The Frescography technique, a digital manufacturing method (CAM) invented by Rainer Maria Latzke addresses some of the personalisation and size restrictions.

 

Digital techniques are commonly used in advertisements. A "wallscape" is a large advertisement on or attached to the outside wall of a building. Wallscapes can be painted directly on the wall as a mural, or printed on vinyl and securely attached to the wall in the manner of a billboard. Although not strictly classed as murals, large scale printed media are often referred to as such. Advertising murals were traditionally painted onto buildings and shops by sign-writers, later as large scale poster billboards.

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF MURALS

Murals are important in that they bring art into the public sphere. Due to the size, cost, and work involved in creating a mural, muralists must often be commissioned by a sponsor. Often it is the local government or a business, but many murals have been paid for with grants of patronage. For artists, their work gets a wide audience who otherwise might not set foot in an art gallery. A city benefits by the beauty of a work of art.

 

Murals can be a relatively effective tool of social emancipation or achieving a political goal. Murals have sometimes been created against the law, or have been commissioned by local bars and coffeeshops. Often, the visual effects are an enticement to attract public attention to social issues. State-sponsored public art expressions, particularly murals, are often used by totalitarian regimes as a tool of mass-control and propaganda. However, despite the propagandist character of that works, some of them still have an artistic value.

 

Murals can have a dramatic impact whether consciously or subconsciously on the attitudes of passers by, when they are added to areas where people live and work. It can also be argued that the presence of large, public murals can add aesthetic improvement to the daily lives of residents or that of employees at a corporate venue.

 

Other world-famous murals can be found in Mexico, New York, Philadelphia, Belfast, Derry, Los Angeles, Nicaragua, Cuba and in India. They have functioned as an important means of communication for members of socially, ethnically and racially divided communities in times of conflict. They also proved to be an effective tool in establishing a dialogue and hence solving the cleavage in the long run. The Indian state Kerala has exclusive murals. These Kerala mural painting are on walls of Hindu temples. They can be dated from 9th century AD.

 

The San Bartolo murals of the Maya civilization in Guatemala, are the oldest example of this art in Mesoamerica and are dated at 300 BC.

 

Many rural towns have begun using murals to create tourist attractions in order to boost economic income. Colquitt, Georgia is one such town. Colquitt was chosen to host the 2010 Global Mural Conference. The town has more than twelve murals completed, and will host the Conference along with Dothan, Alabama, and Blakely, Georgia. In the summer of 2010, Colquitt will begin work on their Icon Mural.

 

WIKIPEDIA