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APPROXIMATE RELEASE DATE: 2014-
HEAD MOLD: "Josefina"
IMPORTANT NOTES: The earliest Rebecca dolls (from 2009/2010) have brighter green eyes, which were later discontinued and replaced with these more subtle ones.
PERSONAL FUN FACT written by my sister: To properly tell the story behind Rebecca, I need to tell the story of another American Girl--in this case an American Girl paper doll that came with a magazine. A gift I was given one year was a year long subscription to American Girl magazine. Based on my research, it was spring of 1998. An adorable paper doll who came with the name Liana Ordover Katz was included, to my surprise and delight. Liana was based on a real girl who sent her family history in to the magazine. I liked the idea of an American Girl based on a real girl, growing up at the same time as me. I was really intrigued by the fact that Liana was Jewish. As a result, I would up doing at least one book report (i believe more than one) on what life was like for the Jewish population in Europe around World War II. I became fascinated by the stories and, for about a year, Liana was my favorite paperdoll and I played with her all the time. I remember she was in the ziploc bag I carried off Dad's boat with me when we had to beach his boat during a family vacation in which, among other disasters, his boat nearly sank! Although initially drawn to Liana's contemporary fashion, I wound up having a lot more fun with the historical clothes meant to represent what her ancestors wore. They fueled my imagination. My favorite outfit to put Liana in was a pretty pink dress that represented her great grandmother Anna, growing up in 1910--right around the same time as Rebecca.
I never really forgot about Liana. Like all other childhood friends who fuel our imagination, she is, in many ways a part of who I am--the stories she helped me create, interests she guided me to, the memories I made. I always wished they made a REAL doll of her. When I first heard about Rebecca Rubin, who came out my sister's senior year of high school, we were not, at the time, collecting dolls. We had taken a hiatus of sorts. However, when I found out that they made an 18 inch Jewish character, I admit I was tickled and it made me think of the what ifs. What if Liana had been a real doll? What Rebecca had been out when we were younger? What if I'd stayed into dolls longer? I remember meeting a woman on one of our few excursions to the American Girl store who said that she had two Rebecca dolls and that Rebecca was her favorite. I remember hearing about Rebecca dolls being raffled off at a bookstore. i was always aware of Rebecca, even before I openly expressed wanting her. For one thing, her outfits are similar to those made for Molly and Samantha and I always preferred the look of their collections.
When they launched Beforever in 2014, several wonderful things were happening. That summer, Nellie O'Malley reminded us of how much we loved American Girls. Before Nellie found us at the flea market one day, we had delved back into Disney, Barbie, Bratz--smaller scale dolls--and, while we had bought a few outfits, found a few duplicated secondhand dolls, and fixed Isabelle's (our first Josefina, not the Girl of the Year) leg, we hadn't really explored them much. The Beforever branding came about and, with it, the return of Samantha Parkington and, best of all, we fell in love with Girl of the Year, Isabelle Palmer. Even before we decided to get Isabelle, I really started to notice Rebecca. I'd always been aware of her and intrigued, but seeing how beautiful she looked in her new, very purple "Meet" ensemble made me REALLY look at her. I think that I wanted Rebecca, actually wanted her, before the end of summer 2014--which, in retrospect is like a lifetime ago. I wasn't working in my classroom and we didn't have our guinea pig Roxxi yet! We were really back into American Girl and I was always looking at all the catalogues and Shelly was cutting up duplicated catalogues to make a collage--which was more like one of those vision walls to manifest dolls and doll clothes really! Every time I looked at Shelly's collage, I saw Rebecca in the Beforever line up and coveted her.
At first, as I jest about "Molly monogamy"--I haven't gotten an American Girl that wasn't a Molly since my 13th birthday, not counting Emily Bennett of course--I tried to persuade Shelly to get Rebecca for herself. Shelly sort of figured me out before I had me figured out and started saying, "If we get her, she'd live in your room." I hadn't gotten a non-Molly in so long that it didn't even seem feasible. I didn't think I could or would--but I think part of me, a tiny part of me, always knew I would get Rebecca for myself one day. The appeal of Rebecca grew even stronger when we got Isabelle Palmer--I couldn't help but notice that the Beforever Rebecca's had the same stunning hazel eyes. I wanted Rebecca since summer of 2014, even before I admitted it to myself.
By the time Shelly got Marie-Grace in 2017, I began to admit, even aloud, that I wanted Rebecca. Shelly, of course, had to get Cecile for Marie. It was around when Shelly got Marie-Grace that we started to acknowledge that she really wanted Cecile and I really wanted Rebecca. 2018 was a difficult year for us. Though Shelly had declared that one of her 2018 goals was to get Cecile, we just didn't really have the spare income. However, when Beforever Molly's mini doll first caught my eye at Barnes and Noble, I began waiting for the full-size doll to appear online and in catalogues. Rebecca, despite several years of yearning, took a backseat to, of course, Molly! Shelly wanted to do something really special for me for Christmas 2018, even though we couldn't really afford it. She knew I really wanted the new Molly and Rebecca--but that Molly would be harder to get later, as she was a Costco exclusive, and Rebecca was still being produced regularly and was popular enough to, perhaps, turn up local. Plan A was the new Molly, Plan B was Rebecca. She looked at Rebecca's and everything!
Once I had the new, really awesome Molly, I remembered again that I really did still want Rebecca. However, because of her popularity, I thought it would make sense to wait until flea market season to come and go--one more season of looking for Rebecca in the wild. Every week, I secretly hoped to find Cecile or Rebecca. I even told Shelly that it didn't make any sense to film another AG collection video without either of them, even though we'd found several cool dolls secondhand. Shelly found a perfect, beautiful Cecile online during summer 2019. Because we'd talked about the two of them in the same context all the time, it felt weird getting Cecile and not having Rebecca. Cecile seemed more tangible before--because she and Marie share a world and wardrobe--more like the girl missing from our family. However, once she was here, it was more obvious that Rebecca wasn't. I think my joy in finally having Cecile was slightly dampened by the fact that I didn't have Rebecca yet, but I was determined to wait out the flea market season before buying one online.
Shelly fixed the canopy bed that Dad made Molly for my tenth birthday and put it in my bedroom one day. I think that, even though we aren't twins, we have the same weird telepathy. The weekend before she fixed the bed, I'd seen it in the closet downstairs and felt a pang that it wasn't usable. The day she was fixing it, unknown to me, I was staining wood with my kids at work and thinking about how the smell of stained wood reminded me of Dad and the things he made for our American Girls. When I saw the canopy bed in my room, I felt that Rebecca was missing--that she had a place in my room.
I'd never really had a major preference as to whether I got an older, more classical Rebecca or the Beforever Rebecca. However, I always did say that if I had the slightest preference, I favored the Beforever version. It was seeing her in her new "Meet" outfit that made me fall in love with her in the first place and I think the Rebecca dolls with eyes like Isabelle's are absolutely gorgeous! Also, I am very fond of the Beforever branding--it happened to launch the summer we rediscovered our passion for American Girl and with the year Isabelle was out. When they redesigned the accessory sets in 2019, I was sure that going the Beforever route was right--I really like the shawl they added to the set! I figured that American Girl would run some kind of sale around the holidays--and I was right! We got Rebecca on the same kind of 20% off sale that they ran when we bought Aduke, Shelly's second Addy. it was a good deal and I'm not ashamed to say that we ordered all the outfits they currently had in stock!
I think Rebecca is such a perfect doll for me. When I started paying more attention to her after the Beforever relaunch, I realized that she was an actress. While I myself would make a terrible actress because I have no poker face and can't tell a lie, I do have a big imagination, love getting into character, and love to role play. I think that the louder colors they added to the collection for Beforever may not look as realistic as some of Rebecca's classic ensembles, but they suit her because she's so vibrant, so flamboyant, such a dreamer. I was drawn to that bit of her personality I could see just in the catalogue spreads.
Having read her book when I got my doll, I was surprised. Her situation with her cousin was similar to what played out in Kirsten's book--a girl is new to the country and a cousin who is already living here helps her learn English--except, of course, that Rebecca was the one teaching the cousin English, not the other way around. It was interesting to see the other side of the story, through Rebecca's eyes. It was interesting to learn about her family and their history too. I think that Rebecca faced similar problems to girls living today. There are things that our parents want for us and things that we want for ourselves. There are traditions that some people feel are obsolete, no matter what time or culture you are from, but that friends and relatives still consider important. And, of course, there was Rebecca's bright personality--completely caught up in acting, like her cousin Max, and letting her imagination run away with her.
There have been so many changes to American Girl since I met Molly in 1996. Some of them have been for the better, others I have not been as pleased with. However, at the end of the day, the heart of American Girl is the same. Rebecca's story has touched my life and imagination just like Molly and Liana Katz before her. She is my full-size historical Liana doll, a beauty dressed up like Samantha, and so much more! Beforever is a big part of my journey as an adult doll collector, and Rebecca is one of my favorite parts of our journey that happened because of the Beforever relaunch!
Two chairs. Properly scanned and post processed the picture is actually quite dark. I wanted something like this when I took the picture, however this is more rough than I expected. Definitely suffered in the cold developer bath. These are my first experimental shots of Ilford Super XP2 35mm film. I shot these on a very overcast day with a Voigtlander Bessa T and Voigtlander 40mm f/1.4 Classic SC lens. I shot these at ISO 400 and paid no real attention to lighting.
The goal was to test diluted C-41 stand development. The film was supposed to be developed at 70 degrees fahrenheit for 45 minutes with inversions at 15 and 30 minutes. C-41 mixed 1:9 so 30ml in a 300 ml soup. All worked fine until I realized the temp in the darkroom was actually 60 degrees - both water and developer. Too late to go back so we got these and foxed with potassium ferricyanide bleach and homemade Ammonium theiosulfate fixer. (both 5 minutes at "room" temperature).
Overall the negatives look ok and the pictures came out. Many were dark and some seemed to suffer from the poor developer temperature. Not a fail, just not inconclusive. The developer is old, but it has been sealed since mixed.
The process is doable so now some more serious controlled tests.
Last night I managed to get the front bogie properly attached, and started the outer frame of the tank section. Gave it a little lamp too :)
Uno ci prova, poi non sempre le cose vanno come ci si aspetta, poi si sa, la Canon 5D mk II ha veramente un autofocus imbarazzante, eh, milioni di foto fuori fuoco, tutta colpa della povera 5D, cosa ci volete fare, mamma Canon l'ha voluta e fatta così... però a dirla tutta il fuoco era corretto, sulla bambina, era la mia posizione sbagliata, un pelino troppo bassa sul livello della fontana di piazza Matteotti, e a fuoco f1.2 (ehhhhh tanta robbba) alla fine il viso del bambino era leggermente fuori dall'asse di fuoco rispetto alla sorella (o presumo che tale sia), alla fine, chissene e avanti che ci si diverte!
Properly excised from skin, still alive and actually moving along. If returned to forest it will release thousands of tick eggs. It needs to be destroyed.
Kepier Hospital (properly the Hospital of St Giles of Kepier) was a medieval hospital at Kepier, Durham, England.
Founding at Gilesgate
The hospital was founded at Gilesgate, Durham, by Bishop Flambard as an almshouse "for the keeping of the poor who enter the same hospital". It was dedicated to God and St Giles, the patron saint of beggars and cripples. The first hospital chapel (now St Giles Church, Gilesgate) was dedicated in June 1112. Other than the church, the original buildings were wooden or wattle-and-daub structures. Flambard endowed the hospital with a range of lands, including the manor of Caldecotes, the mill on Durham's Millburn, and corn from fifteen of his villages. Godric of Finchale was a doorkeeper of the hospital church before settling at Finchale.
Geoffrey Rufus was Bishop of Durham. Rufus employed as a clerk William Cumin, who after Rufus' death in 1140 conspired with King David I of Scotland to seize the see of Durham. David tried to gain control of the English diocese by installing his own candidate into Durham, this being his chancellor, Cumin. In March 1143, Cumin was excommunicated and deprived of his benefices by Pope Innocent II. In 1144, William of St. Barbara, the rightly elected Bishop, was forced to retreat to, and fortify St Giles Church after his abortive entry into Durham was beaten back by Cumin's men. Bishop St. Barbara and his men then retired to Bishopton Castle. Cumin's men then destroyed the nearby hospital. In 1144, Cumin negotiated a settlement of the dispute, in which he relinquished his claims to Durham.
Building at Kepier
The hospital was refounded beside the River Wear at Kepier, c.1180, by Bishop Hugh le Puiset with an establishment of thirteen brethren, serving around thirteen (male) inmates as well as travellers and pilgrims. Puiset bestowed more lands, including the village of Clifton, a lead-mine in Weardale, a peat bog at Newton, and more rights to corn from the Bishop's villages (gillycorn). To further secure the finances of the hospital, Puiset granted a charter allowing the creation of the borough of St Giles, the nucleus of modern Gilesgate, with many burgesses probably drawn from Caldecotes and Clifton.
Kepier was frequently bound up with the politics of the border country, with Edward I and Queen Isabella staying at the hospital on their journeys north. Kepier suffered from raids by the Scots, with goods seized from Durham in 1315 and the raiding of Kepiers' northern possessions.
Dissolution
Kepier Hospital was inspected in 1535 as part of Henry VIII's Valor Ecclesiasticus survey of monasteries. It was shown to be the richest hospital in the diocese, devoting 25% of its gross annual income of £186 0s. 10d. to almsgiving. Kepier maintained four choral chaplains and 10 inmates, and distributed doles to the poor at the gates of £16 5s. a year. Henry ordered the closure of the lesser monastic houses (including Kepier) prompting the doomed Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion. The Master of the Hospital supported the Bishop of Durham in opposing the Pilgrims, but its (lay) steward Sir John Bulmer was executed for participating in the rebellion. Legislation of 1539 extended the suppression to some hospitals, which included Kepier, but spared Sherburn Hospital and Greatham Hospital. Kepier and its lands were granted to Henry's Secretary of State, Sir William Paget, although these soon reverted to the Crown and thence to a succession of lay owners including the Scotsman John Cockburn of Ormiston.
Buildings and paths
The first hospital church remains in use as the parish church of St Giles, Gilesgate. No other buildings from the first hospital survive.
Lay owners of Kepier, the Heath family, made substantial alterations to the hospital site, including laying out of gardens and the erection of a mansion where the chapel and infirmary may have once stood. By 1827 this house had become a 'Kepier Inn' or the 'White Bear'. Kepier Mill survived until 1870, when it was destroyed by fire. Of the hospital site itself, the gatehouse is intact, the mansion survives as ruins, and the farmhouse is in private use. The site is now a Scheduled Monument with Grade I and Grade II* listed building status. The West Range is included on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk register.
Many of the routes of travel between Kepier, Gilesgate and the hospitals lands at Caldecotes and Clifton—by now High Grange (in modern Gilesgate Moor) and Low Grange (in modern Carrville)—exist as public footpaths and bridleways. The tithe barn at High Grange, used to store Kepier's corn, survived until 1964.
Durham is a cathedral city and civil parish in the county of Durham, England. It is the county town and contains the headquarters of Durham County Council, the unitary authority which governs the district of County Durham. It had a population of 48,069 at the 2011 Census.
The city was built on a meander of the River Wear, which surrounds the centre on three sides and creates a narrow neck on the fourth. The surrounding land is hilly, except along the Wear's floodplain to the north and southeast.
Durham was founded in 995 by Anglo-Saxon monks seeking a place safe from Viking raids to house the relics of St Cuthbert. The church the monks built lasted only a century, as it was replaced by the present Durham Cathedral after the Norman Conquest; together with Durham Castle it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the 1070s until 1836 the city was part of the County Palatine of Durham, a semi-independent jurisdiction ruled by the prince bishops of Durham which acted as a geopolitical buffer between the kingdoms of England and Scotland. In 1346, the Battle of Neville's Cross was fought half a mile west of the city, resulting in an English victory. In 1650, the cathedral was used to house Scottish prisoners after their defeat at the Battle of Dunbar. During the Industrial Revolution, the Durham coalfield was heavily exploited, with dozens of collieries operating around the city and in nearby villages. Although these coal pits have now closed, the annual Durham Miners' Gala continues and is a major event for the city and region. Historically, Durham was also known for the manufacture of hosiery, carpets, and mustard.
The city is the home of Durham University, which was founded in 1832 and therefore has a claim to be the third-oldest university in England. The university is a significant employer in the region, alongside the local council and national government at the land registry and passport office. The University Hospital of North Durham and HM Prison Durham are also located close to the city centre. The city also has significant tourism and hospitality sectors.
Toponymy
The name "Durham" comes from the Brythonic element dun, signifying a hill fort and related to -ton, and the Old Norse holme, which translates to island. The Lord Bishop of Durham takes a Latin variation of the city's name in his official signature, which is signed "N. Dunelm". Some attribute the city's name to the legend of the Dun Cow and the milkmaid who in legend guided the monks of Lindisfarne carrying the body of Saint Cuthbert to the site of the present city in 995 AD. Dun Cow Lane is said to be one of the first streets in Durham, being directly to the east of Durham Cathedral and taking its name from a depiction of the city's founding etched in masonry on the south side of the cathedral. The city has been known by a number of names throughout history. The original Nordic Dun Holm was changed to Duresme by the Normans and was known in Latin as Dunelm. The modern form Durham came into use later in the city's history. The north-eastern historian Robert Surtees chronicled the name changes in his History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham but states that it is an "impossibility" to tell when the city's modern name came into being.
Durham is likely to be Gaer Weir in Armes Prydein, derived from Brittonic cajr meaning "an enclosed, defensible site" (cf. Carlisle; Welsh caer) and the river-name Wear.
History
Early history
Archeological evidence suggests a history of settlement in the area since roughly 2000 BC. The present city can clearly be traced back to AD 995, when a group of monks from Lindisfarne chose the strategic high peninsula as a place to settle with the body of Saint Cuthbert, that had previously lain in Chester-le-Street, founding a church there.
City origins, the Dun Cow story
Local legend states that the city was founded in A.D. 995 by divine intervention. The 12th-century chronicler Symeon of Durham recounts that after wandering in the north, Saint Cuthbert's bier miraculously came to a halt at the hill of Warden Law and, despite the effort of the congregation, would not move. Aldhun, Bishop of Chester-le-Street and leader of the order, decreed a holy fast of three days, accompanied by prayers to the saint. During the fast, Saint Cuthbert appeared to a certain monk named Eadmer, with instructions that the coffin should be taken to Dun Holm. After Eadmer's revelation, Aldhun found that he was able to move the bier, but did not know where Dun Holm was.
The legend of the Dun Cow, which is first documented in The Rites of Durham, an anonymous account about Durham Cathedral, published in 1593, builds on Symeon's account. According to this legend, by chance later that day, the monks came across a milkmaid at Mount Joy (southeast of present-day Durham). She stated that she was seeking her lost dun cow, which she had last seen at Dun Holm. The monks, realising that this was a sign from the saint, followed her. They settled at a wooded "hill-island" – a high wooded rock surrounded on three sides by the River Wear. There they erected a shelter for the relics, on the spot where Durham Cathedral would later stand. Symeon states that a modest wooden building erected there shortly thereafter was the first building in the city. Bishop Aldhun subsequently had a stone church built, which was dedicated in September 998. This no longer remains, having been supplanted by the Norman structure.
The legend is interpreted by a Victorian relief stone carving on the north face of the cathedral and, more recently, by the bronze sculpture 'Durham Cow' (1997, Andrew Burton), which reclines by the River Wear in view of the cathedral.
Medieval era
During the medieval period the city gained spiritual prominence as the final resting place of Saint Cuthbert and Saint Bede the Venerable. The shrine of Saint Cuthbert, situated behind the High Altar of Durham Cathedral, was the most important religious site in England until the martyrdom of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury in 1170.
Saint Cuthbert became famous for two reasons. Firstly, the miraculous healing powers he had displayed in life continued after his death, with many stories of those visiting the saint's shrine being cured of all manner of diseases. This led to him being known as the "wonder worker of England". Secondly, after the first translation of his relics in 698 AD, his body was found to be incorruptible. Apart from a brief translation back to Holy Island during the Norman Invasion the saint's relics have remained enshrined to the present day. Saint Bede's bones are also entombed in the cathedral, and these also drew medieval pilgrims to the city.
Durham's geographical position has always given it an important place in the defence of England against the Scots. The city played an important part in the defence of the north, and Durham Castle is the only Norman castle keep never to have suffered a breach. In 1314, the Bishopric of Durham paid the Scots a 'large sum of money' not to burn Durham. The Battle of Neville's Cross took place around half a mile west of the city on 17 October 1346 between the English and Scots and was a disastrous loss for the Scots.
The city suffered from plague outbreaks in 1544, 1589 and 1598.
Bishops of Durham
Owing to the divine providence evidenced in the city's legendary founding, the Bishop of Durham has always enjoyed the formal title "Bishop by Divine Providence" as opposed to other bishops, who are "Bishop by Divine Permission". However, as the north-east of England lay so far from Westminster, the bishops of Durham enjoyed extraordinary powers such as the ability to hold their own parliament, raise their own armies, appoint their own sheriffs and Justices, administer their own laws, levy taxes and customs duties, create fairs and markets, issue charters, salvage shipwrecks, collect revenue from mines, administer the forests and mint their own coins. So far-reaching were the bishop's powers that the steward of Bishop Antony Bek commented in 1299 AD: "There are two kings in England, namely the Lord King of England, wearing a crown in sign of his regality and the Lord Bishop of Durham wearing a mitre in place of a crown, in sign of his regality in the diocese of Durham". All this activity was administered from the castle and buildings surrounding the Palace Green. Many of the original buildings associated with these functions of the county palatine survive on the peninsula that constitutes the ancient city.
From 1071 to 1836 the bishops of Durham ruled the county palatine of Durham. Although the term "prince bishop" has been used as a helpful tool in the understanding the functions of the bishops of Durham in this era, it is not a title they would have recognised. The last bishop to rule the palatinate, Bishop William Van Mildert, is credited with the foundation of Durham University in 1832. Henry VIII curtailed some of the bishop's powers and, in 1538, ordered the destruction of the shrine of Saint Cuthbert.
A UNESCO site describes the role of the bishops in the "buffer state between England and Scotland":
From 1075, the Bishop of Durham became a Prince-Bishop, with the right to raise an army, mint his own coins, and levy taxes. As long as he remained loyal to the king of England, he could govern as a virtually autonomous ruler, reaping the revenue from his territory, but also remaining mindful of his role of protecting England’s northern frontier.
Legal system
The bishops had their own court system, including most notably the Court of Chancery of the County Palatine of Durham and Sadberge. The county also had its own attorney general, whose authority to bring an indictment for criminal matters was tested by central government in the case of R v Mary Ann Cotton (1873). Certain courts and judicial posts for the county were abolished by the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873. Section 2 of the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 and section 41 of the Courts Act 1971 abolished others.
Civil War and Cromwell (1640 to 1660)
The city remained loyal to King Charles I in the English Civil War – from 1642 to the execution of the king in 1649. Charles I came to Durham three times during his reign of 1625–1649. Firstly, he came in 1633 to the cathedral for a majestic service in which he was entertained by the Chapter and Bishop at great expense. He returned during preparations for the First Bishops' War (1639). His final visit to the city came towards the end of the civil war; he escaped from the city as Oliver Cromwell's forces got closer. Local legend stated that he escaped down the Bailey and through Old Elvet. Another local legend has it that Cromwell stayed in a room in the present Royal County Hotel on Old Elvet during the civil war. The room is reputed to be haunted by his ghost. Durham suffered greatly during the civil war (1642–1651) and Commonwealth (1649–1660). This was not due to direct assault by Cromwell or his allies, but to the abolition of the Church of England and the closure of religious institutions pertaining to it. The city has always relied upon the Dean and Chapter and cathedral as an economic force.
The castle suffered considerable damage and dilapidation during the Commonwealth due to the abolition of the office of bishop (whose residence it was). Cromwell confiscated the castle and sold it to the Lord Mayor of London shortly after taking it from the bishop. A similar fate befell the cathedral, it being closed in 1650 and used to incarcerate 3,000 Scottish prisoners, who were marched south after the Battle of Dunbar. Graffiti left by them can still be seen today etched into the interior stone.
At the Restoration in 1660, John Cosin (a former canon) was appointed bishop (in office: 1660–1672) and set about a major restoration project. This included the commissioning of the famous elaborate woodwork in the cathedral choir, the font cover and the Black Staircase in the castle. Bishop Cosin's successor Bishop Lord Nathaniel Crewe (in office: 1674–1721) carried out other renovations both to the city and to the cathedral.
18th century
In the 18th century a plan to turn Durham into a seaport through the digging of a canal north to join the River Team, a tributary of the River Tyne near Gateshead, was proposed by John Smeaton. Nothing came of the plan, but the statue of Neptune in the Market Place was a constant reminder of Durham's maritime possibilities.
The thought of ships docking at the Sands or Millburngate remained fresh in the minds of Durham merchants. In 1758, a new proposal hoped to make the Wear navigable from Durham to Sunderland by altering the river's course, but the increasing size of ships made this impractical. Moreover, Sunderland had grown as the north east's main port and centre for shipping.
In 1787 Durham infirmary was founded.
The 18th century also saw the rise of the trade-union movement in the city.
19th century
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 gave governing power of the town to an elected body. All other aspects of the Bishop's temporal powers were abolished by the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 and returned to the Crown.
The Representation of the People Act 2000 and is regarded as the second most senior bishop and fourth most senior clergyman in the Church of England. The Court of Claims of 1953 granted the traditional right of the bishop to accompany the sovereign at the coronation, reflecting his seniority.
The first census, conducted in 1801, states that Durham City had a population of 7,100. The Industrial Revolution mostly passed the city by. However, the city was well known for carpet making and weaving. Although most of the mediaeval weavers who thrived in the city had left by the 19th century, the city was the home of Hugh MacKay Carpets’ factory, which produced the famous brands of axminster and tufted carpets until the factory went into administration in April 2005. Other important industries were the manufacture of mustard and coal extraction.
The Industrial Revolution also placed the city at the heart of the coalfields, the county's main industry until the 1970s. Practically every village around the city had a coal mine and, although these have since disappeared as part of the regional decline in heavy industry, the traditions, heritage and community spirit are still evident.
The 19th century also saw the founding of Durham University thanks to the benevolence of Bishop William Van Mildert and the Chapter in 1832. Durham Castle became the first college (University College, Durham) and the bishop moved to Auckland Castle as his only residence in the county. Bishop Hatfield's Hall (later Hatfield College, Durham) was added in 1846 specifically for the sons of poorer families, the Principal inaugurating a system new to English university life of advance fees to cover accommodation and communal dining.
The first Durham Miners' Gala was attended by 5,000 miners in 1871 in Wharton Park, and remains the largest socialist trade union event in the world.
20th century
Early in the 20th century coal became depleted, with a particularly important seam worked out in 1927, and in the following Great Depression Durham was among those towns that suffered exceptionally severe hardship. However, the university expanded greatly. St John's College and St Cuthbert's Society were founded on the Bailey, completing the series of colleges in that area of the city. From the early 1950s to early 1970s the university expanded to the south of the city centre. Trevelyan, Van Mildert, Collingwood, and Grey colleges were established, and new buildings for St Aidan's and St Mary's colleges for women, formerly housed on the Bailey, were created. The final 20th century collegiate addition came from the merger of the independent nineteenth-century colleges of the Venerable Bede and St Hild, which joined the university in 1979 as the College of St Hild and St Bede. The 1960s and 70s also saw building on New Elvet. Dunelm House for the use of the students' union was built first, followed by Elvet Riverside, containing lecture theatres and staff offices. To the southeast of the city centre sports facilities were built at Maiden Castle, adjacent to the Iron Age fort of the same name, and the Mountjoy site was developed, starting in 1924, eventually containing the university library, administrative buildings, and facilities for the Faculty of Science.
Durham was not bombed during World War II, though one raid on the night of 30 May 1942 did give rise to the local legend of 'St Cuthbert's Mist'. This states that the Luftwaffe attempted to target Durham, but was thwarted when Cuthbert created a mist that covered both the castle and cathedral, sparing them from bombing. The exact events of the night are disputed by contemporary eyewitnesses. The event continues to be referenced within the city, including inspiring the artwork 'Fogscape #03238' at Durham Lumiere 2015.
'Durham Castle and Cathedral' was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Among the reasons given for the decision were 'Durham Cathedral [being] the largest and most perfect monument of "Norman" style architecture in England', and the cathedral's vaulting being an early and experimental model of the gothic style. Other important UNESCO sites near Durham include Auckland Castle, North of England Lead Mining Museum and Beamish Museum.
Historical
The historic city centre of Durham has changed little over 200 years. It is made up of the peninsula containing the cathedral, palace green, former administrative buildings for the palatine and Durham Castle. This was a strategic defensive decision by the city's founders and gives the cathedral a striking position. So much so that Symeon of Durham stated:
To see Durham is to see the English Sion and by doing so one may save oneself a trip to Jerusalem.
Sir Walter Scott was so inspired by the view of the cathedral from South Street that he wrote "Harold the Dauntless", a poem about Saxons and Vikings set in County Durham and published on 30 January 1817. The following lines from the poem are carved into a stone tablet on Prebends Bridge:
Grey towers of Durham
Yet well I love thy mixed and massive piles
Half church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot
And long to roam those venerable aisles
With records stored of deeds long since forgot.
The old commercial section of the city encompasses the peninsula on three sides, following the River Wear. The peninsula was historically surrounded by the castle wall extending from the castle keep and broken by two gatehouses to the north and west of the enclosure. After extensive remodelling and "much beautification" by the Victorians the walls were removed with the exception of the gatehouse which is still standing on the Bailey.
The medieval city was made up of the cathedral, castle and administrative buildings on the peninsula. The outlying areas were known as the townships and owned by the bishop, the most famous of these being Gilesgate (which still contains the mediaeval St Giles Church), Claypath and Elvet.
The outlying commercial section of the city, especially around the North Road area, saw much change in the 1960s during a redevelopment spearheaded by Durham City Council; however, much of the original mediaeval street plan remains intact in the area close to the cathedral and market place. Most of the mediaeval buildings in the commercial area of the city have disappeared apart from the House of Correction and the Chapel of Saint Andrew, both under Elvet Bridge. Georgian buildings can still be found on the Bailey and Old Elvet most of which make up the colleges of Durham University.
Okay, so I know I put this in the comments under another of my images but I decided I liked it enough to upload it properly.
I don't think you can get any simpler than this! It's just your run of the mill self portrait :) But I like it.
Just because I'm losing, doesn't mean I'm lost,
Doesn't mean I'll stop, doesn't mean I'm in a cross
I just got lost, every river that I tried to cross,
Every door I ever tried was locked,
And I'm just waiting 'til the shine wears off
You might be a big fish, in a little pond,
Doesn't mean you've won,
'Cause along may come,
A bigger one
And you'll be lost,
Every river that you try to cross,
Every gun you ever held went off,
And I'm just waiting 'til the firing stops,
And I'm just waiting 'til the shine wears off.
Lyrics, from this song, I love them, and I love it.
www.youtube.com/user/coldplaytv?blend=1&ob=4#play/upl...
AND, you've gotta love it even more live!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-RjMRP5IbI&feature=fvw
Thanks for the comments and faves, they make me smile :)
"Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew – also known as Saint Peter's Cathedral in the United Kingdom – is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, whose statues look down from the three high gables of the famous West Front. Although it was founded in the Anglo-Saxon period, its architecture is mainly Norman, following a rebuilding in the 12th century. With Durham and Ely cathedrals, it is one of the most important 12th-century buildings in England to have remained largely intact, despite extensions and restoration.
Peterborough Cathedral is known for its imposing Early English Gothic West Front (façade) which, with its three enormous arches, is without architectural precedent and with no direct successor. The appearance is slightly asymmetrical, as one of the two towers that rise from behind the façade was never completed (the tower on the right as one faces the building), but this is only visible from a distance.
Peterborough is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, with a population of 202,110 in 2017. Historically part of Northamptonshire, it is 76 miles (122 km) north of London, on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea 30 miles (48 km) to the north-east. The railway station is an important stop on the East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh. The city is also 70 miles (110 km) east of Birmingham, 38 miles (61 km) east of Leicester, 81 miles (130 km) south of Kingston upon Hull and 65 miles (105 km) west of Norwich.
The local topography is flat, and in some places the land lies below sea level, for example in parts of the Fens to the east of Peterborough. Human settlement in the area began before the Bronze Age, as can be seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east of the current city centre, also with evidence of Roman occupation. The Anglo-Saxon period saw the establishment of a monastery, Medeshamstede, which later became Peterborough Cathedral.
The population grew rapidly after the railways arrived in the 19th century, and Peterborough became an industrial centre, particularly known for its brick manufacture. After the Second World War, growth was limited until designation as a New Town in the 1960s. Housing and population are expanding and a £1 billion regeneration of the city centre and immediately surrounding area is under way. Industrial employment has fallen since then, a significant proportion of new jobs being in financial services and distribution." - info from Wikipedia.
Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.
Now on Instagram.
Great Egret
Harts Landing
Sarasota, Florida
I love photographing these beautiful birds! I love the challenge of getting the white feathers exposed properly. I think they look so serious at times.
Exeter Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon, in South West England. The present building was complete by about 1400, and has several notable features, including an early set of misericords, an astronomical clock and the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England.
The founding of the cathedral at Exeter, dedicated to Saint Peter, dates from 1050, when the seat of the bishop of Devon and Cornwall was transferred from Crediton because of a fear of sea-raids. A Saxon minster already existing within the town (and dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Peter) was used by Leofric as his seat, but services were often held out of doors, close to the site of the present cathedral building.
In 1107 William Warelwast was appointed to the see, and this was the catalyst for the building of a new cathedral in the Norman style. Its official foundation was in 1133, during Warelwast's time, but it took many more years to complete. Following the appointment of Walter Bronescombe as bishop in 1258, the building was already recognised as outmoded, and it was rebuilt in the Decorated Gothic style, following the example of Salisbury. However, much of the Norman building was kept, including the two massive square towers and part of the walls. It was constructed entirely of local stone, including Purbeck Marble. The new cathedral was complete by about 1400, apart from the addition of the chapter house and chantry chapels.
During the Second World War, Exeter was one of the targets of a German air offensive against British cities of cultural and historical importance, which became known as the "Baedeker Blitz". On 4 May 1942 an early-morning air raid took place over Exeter. The cathedral sustained a direct hit by a large high-explosive bomb on the chapel of St James, completely demolishing it. The muniment room above, three bays of the aisle and two flying buttresses were also destroyed in the blast. The medieval wooden screen opposite the chapel was smashed into many pieces by the blast, but it has been reconstructed and restored. Many of the cathedral's most important artefacts, such as the ancient glass (including the great east window), the misericords, the bishop's throne, the Exeter Book, the ancient charters (of King Athelstan and Edward the Confessor) and other precious documents from the library had been removed in anticipation of such an attack. The precious effigy of Walter Branscombe had been protected by sand bags. Subsequent repairs and the clearance of the area around the western end of the building uncovered portions of earlier structures, including remains of the Roman city and of the original Norman cathedral. Wikipedia
Otherworld Island Simwide Set:
CONTENTS:
A) REZ ANCHORS>
To properly rez the anchhors poston them at for a ground level rez. Otherwise rez at 135.0, 125.0, Desired Height. It is recommended you keep the edit menu open and the rez anchor selected before clicking the "Rez" button so you can easily find and then delete the rez anchor once you have finalized t rezing.
[CC] OtherWorld Plateau Only: Has only the Basaltic Plateau, no Water Features, Crystals or Basaltic Columns.
Total Land Impact 464
[CC] OtherWorld P&B: Rezzes the Plateau and Columnar Basalt formations, no Crystals or Water Features:
Land Impact:
464 Plateau
637 Columnar Basalt Formations
Total: 1101 Land Impact
[CC] OtherWorld P&B&C: Rezzes the Plateau and Columnar Basalt formations and Crystals. No Water Features:
Land Impact:
464 Plateau
637 Columnar Basalt Formations
144 Crystals
Total: 1245 Land Impact
[CC] OtherWorld Full Geology: Rezzes the Plateau and Columnar Basalt formations and Crystals and Water Features:
Land Impact:
464 Plateau
637 Columnar Basalt Formations
144 Crystals
142 Water Features
Total: 1387
[CC] OtherWorld Architecture: Rezzes ONLY the architecture designed for the Otherworld region. Does not include positioned furniture.
Does not include Fantasy Faire specific structures like the access paths or the FaireChyde dock.
Does not include any of the geological elements like the cliffs or basaltic columns. The paths and architecture
were created for a sim wide prim budget and are high in detail and thus have a larger LI. All detail and parts
are independent though, so you can cut out in detail as needed and LI budget allows.
Land Impact:
101 Arches
155 Emerald Lounge
67 Hanging Lounge
323 Paths
86 Pier
204 Plateau Pavilion
129 Tree Lounge
Total> 1065
B) INCLUDED SETS>
The following sets were used on the landscaping and thus are included as part of this bundle. Please refer to each set for its specific list of contents and instructions. If you arleady own any of these sets you can request a rebate by writing the ones you already own down on a notecard, along with your name. I will research your purchase history and send issue you the rebate.
[CC] Cerridwen's Island Paths and Structure Set 1.1
[CC] Nayad v2 Water Set
[CC] Basaltic Columns Set
C) OTHERWORLD ISLAND TEXTURES
The island set contains a box with 14 full perm textures (including diffuse/color, normal/bumpiness and specular/shininess) used on the rock faces, moss, pebbles and
terrain, for you to use on your island customization. These textures are for your personal use only and they are not to be sold, gifted or redistributed in any way.
D) TERRAIN RAW FILE
You can request me personally for the Otherworld Island .raw terrain file after purchase at hlokenende12@gmail.com and I will mail you a copy of the current .raw file, for you to use on your own sim.
Note: Does not include the Fae Tree nor the flora used in the landscaping. All landscaping (besides the Nayad Water Set, Columnar Basalt Set and Cerridwen's Island P&S Set) and plant sets are sold separately.
Another American vagrant found during lockdown that fortunately remained until we could go and see it at Barcombe Cross, East Sussex. Like all American "sparrows" it is actually a bunting, but also like nearly all American sparrows it has a colourful head pattern along with an assortment of wing-bars, contrasting tramlines on its mantle and a generally perky appearance. Plus its properly rare in Britain! Smart bird, much appreciated.
"Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew – also known as Saint Peter's Cathedral in the United Kingdom – is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, whose statues look down from the three high gables of the famous West Front. Although it was founded in the Anglo-Saxon period, its architecture is mainly Norman, following a rebuilding in the 12th century. With Durham and Ely cathedrals, it is one of the most important 12th-century buildings in England to have remained largely intact, despite extensions and restoration.
Peterborough Cathedral is known for its imposing Early English Gothic West Front (façade) which, with its three enormous arches, is without architectural precedent and with no direct successor. The appearance is slightly asymmetrical, as one of the two towers that rise from behind the façade was never completed (the tower on the right as one faces the building), but this is only visible from a distance.
Peterborough is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, with a population of 202,110 in 2017. Historically part of Northamptonshire, it is 76 miles (122 km) north of London, on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea 30 miles (48 km) to the north-east. The railway station is an important stop on the East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh. The city is also 70 miles (110 km) east of Birmingham, 38 miles (61 km) east of Leicester, 81 miles (130 km) south of Kingston upon Hull and 65 miles (105 km) west of Norwich.
The local topography is flat, and in some places the land lies below sea level, for example in parts of the Fens to the east of Peterborough. Human settlement in the area began before the Bronze Age, as can be seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east of the current city centre, also with evidence of Roman occupation. The Anglo-Saxon period saw the establishment of a monastery, Medeshamstede, which later became Peterborough Cathedral.
The population grew rapidly after the railways arrived in the 19th century, and Peterborough became an industrial centre, particularly known for its brick manufacture. After the Second World War, growth was limited until designation as a New Town in the 1960s. Housing and population are expanding and a £1 billion regeneration of the city centre and immediately surrounding area is under way. Industrial employment has fallen since then, a significant proportion of new jobs being in financial services and distribution." - info from Wikipedia.
Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.
Now on Instagram.
They're doing this rehab properly, taking it all down to the basics. These floors were made of wood and then fire retardant materials of the time between them to make it strong and resilient. 100 years later and they're still here.
Shiny, light pink nails, fresh from a visit to the nail salon!
Finally things opened up enough around here, to be able to allow having my nails done . What a relief to be pleased to let people see properly trimmed and filled finger nails again! I'm sure many of you ladies have had that feeling!
They were following the rules as to mask-wearing, occupancy restrictions and social distancing. It took me 4 days from when I called to make the appointment, till they could do my nails. And I felt right at home there, with the ladies. Though a man did come in with his wife and they both got a pedicure. He didn't get any polish, and as he walked past on the way out, commented about how nice "all you ladies look with your pretty nails." (I was wearing flats, blue capris and a black tee blouse, with my purse by my chair.) And, yes, it's nice to be appreciated!
A big benefit to my shorter nails: I can type quite a bit more efficiently now... And my wife didn't even complain, since my claws were quite noticeable and these, though pink and shiny, are much less so.
Next step: a pedicure...
Mandy
Properlies to Jamdek for posting at last a decent hi res version, you'd have thought we would of had one?
A rare day for the both of us here, when we knew we'd brought it that day. This was the piece we wanted to have dropped at Banksy's 'Walls on Fire' jam in Bristol the week before....except we hit the bar on the Saturday night and the rest - you guessed it.
Finally properly back home - 3000kms, one and a half weeks and two of the best places in New South Wales - New England and Green Cape.
This is the lighthouse at Green Cape. Unfortunately the light is no longer in operation due to the man hours required to run it (it was retired in 1996). There is a smaller, automated light which runs beside it. But it still stands as an impressive monument at the head of the Cape.
Exeter cathedral, Devon, UK
Exeter Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon, in South West England. The present building was complete by about 1400, and has several notable features, including an early set of misericords, an astronomical clock and the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England. The founding of the cathedral at Exeter, dedicated to Saint Peter, dates from 1050, when the seat of the bishop of Devon and Cornwall was transferred from Crediton because of a fear of sea-raids. A Saxon minster already existing within the town (and dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Peter) was used by Leofric as his seat, but services were often held out of doors, close to the site of the present cathedral building. Notable features of the interior include the misericords, the minstrels' gallery, the astronomical clock and the organ. Notable architectural features of the interior include the multiribbed ceiling and the compound piers in the nave arcade. The 18-metre-high bishop's throne in the choir was made from Devon oak between 1312 and 1316; the nearby choir stalls were made by George Gilbert Scott in the 1870s. The Great East Window contains much 14th-century glass, and there are over 400 ceiling bosses, one of which depicts the murder of Thomas Becket. The bosses can be seen at the peak of the vaulted ceiling, joining the ribs together. Because there is no centre tower, Exeter Cathedral has the longest uninterrupted medieval vaulted ceiling in the world, at about 96 m
28 August, 2021 - 14 September, 2021
Art as Mindfulness : Art as Expression II - Music & Emotions
"How would you express your emotions through an image?
How can music play a part in helping you achieve that?
Experience an immersive exhibition full of meanings and emotions"
Please don't forget to get the Exhibition HUD at the entrance by clicking the sign at the landing point. You'll need to accept the "Void Experience" for the HUD to function properly.
Taxi :
Although many who know me will claim I'm full of shit. I was properly potty trained on this wooden throne. Imagine my surprise when my parents showed up recently with my potty chair in tow. Unbelievable, but an invaluable opportunity to make something of it. I've been exploring how to photograph this as part of My Life In A Dome. Perhaps this humor is too "on the nose" but it made me smile as I stood in the checkout line with Baby Ruth in hand, knowing what I was going to do with it. You either get the joke or you don't. No matter.
Toyo 45CF 4x5, 150mm Schneider Xenar,
Ilford Fp4+, PMK Pyro, natural light.
Exeter cathedral, Devon, UK
Exeter Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon, in South West England. The present building was complete by about 1400, and has several notable features, including an early set of misericords, an astronomical clock and the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England. The founding of the cathedral at Exeter, dedicated to Saint Peter, dates from 1050, when the seat of the bishop of Devon and Cornwall was transferred from Crediton because of a fear of sea-raids. A Saxon minster already existing within the town (and dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Peter) was used by Leofric as his seat, but services were often held out of doors, close to the site of the present cathedral building. Notable features of the interior include the misericords, the minstrels' gallery, the astronomical clock and the organ. Notable architectural features of the interior include the multiribbed ceiling and the compound piers in the nave arcade. The 18-metre-high bishop's throne in the choir was made from Devon oak between 1312 and 1316; the nearby choir stalls were made by George Gilbert Scott in the 1870s. The Great East Window contains much 14th-century glass, and there are over 400 ceiling bosses, one of which depicts the murder of Thomas Becket. The bosses can be seen at the peak of the vaulted ceiling, joining the ribs together. Because there is no centre tower, Exeter Cathedral has the longest uninterrupted medieval vaulted ceiling in the world, at about 96 m
Long out of production, I managed to pick up this part-assembled one recently. The body shell has suffered some stress and is bent in practically every dimension, but white metal is a soft and yielding material so a little persuasion should get it all straight again. The same goes for the floor, seats and wheels/axles, which also require tweaking to line up properly. That said, it is a model which captures the essential lines of the Viceroy coach and will in due course get the makeover it deserves.
"Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew – also known as Saint Peter's Cathedral in the United Kingdom – is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, whose statues look down from the three high gables of the famous West Front. Although it was founded in the Anglo-Saxon period, its architecture is mainly Norman, following a rebuilding in the 12th century. With Durham and Ely cathedrals, it is one of the most important 12th-century buildings in England to have remained largely intact, despite extensions and restoration.
Peterborough Cathedral is known for its imposing Early English Gothic West Front (façade) which, with its three enormous arches, is without architectural precedent and with no direct successor. The appearance is slightly asymmetrical, as one of the two towers that rise from behind the façade was never completed (the tower on the right as one faces the building), but this is only visible from a distance.
Peterborough is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England, with a population of 202,110 in 2017. Historically part of Northamptonshire, it is 76 miles (122 km) north of London, on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea 30 miles (48 km) to the north-east. The railway station is an important stop on the East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh. The city is also 70 miles (110 km) east of Birmingham, 38 miles (61 km) east of Leicester, 81 miles (130 km) south of Kingston upon Hull and 65 miles (105 km) west of Norwich.
The local topography is flat, and in some places the land lies below sea level, for example in parts of the Fens to the east of Peterborough. Human settlement in the area began before the Bronze Age, as can be seen at the Flag Fen archaeological site to the east of the current city centre, also with evidence of Roman occupation. The Anglo-Saxon period saw the establishment of a monastery, Medeshamstede, which later became Peterborough Cathedral.
The population grew rapidly after the railways arrived in the 19th century, and Peterborough became an industrial centre, particularly known for its brick manufacture. After the Second World War, growth was limited until designation as a New Town in the 1960s. Housing and population are expanding and a £1 billion regeneration of the city centre and immediately surrounding area is under way. Industrial employment has fallen since then, a significant proportion of new jobs being in financial services and distribution." - info from Wikipedia.
Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.
Now on Instagram.
Now, I'll properly introduce Marie, my Pullip Hello Kitty!^^~ Yes, she got a new name since arrived... because I think her old name "Penélope" will match better my future Byul Maya!=) And I'd like a kitty name to her!^^~ Since I love Marie, from Aristocats, I think it's a lovely homage!♥
***
Agora vou apresentar direitinho minha Pullip Hello Kitty, a Marie. É, desde que ela chegou e apresentei aqui, na caixa, ela mudou de novo... porque... bem, minha criatividade para nomes está se esgotando XD, e eu acho que Penélope vai combinar melhor com a Byul Maya que pretendo não demorar muitoooo para trazer aqui pra casa!<3 E também achei que, assim, com essa peruca, ela ficou com mais cara de Marie, que é a gatinha nenê super adorável de Aristogatas!=)~ O sobrenome White é homenagem para a própria Hello Kitty !=)
Bom, ela tinha que ter um nome de gatinha!^^
Essa peruca é a da For my Doll que comentei em algumas fotos, chegou semana passada!=) É linda, mas fiquei meio p. da vida porque a franja veio despontada!D: Sim, é só aparar, mas já estraguei uma peruca da Leeke cortando a franja, sabe, então vou esperar um dia que eu esteja inspirada para fazer isso!='D
Agora ela e a Mylene, minha My Melody, estão quase gêmeas!<3
E cabou-se o feriado. Fuuuuuu- D:
Invader Rubikcubist | MiMa Bruxelles 22/10/2022 16h47
It is recommended to use your smartphone to view the artworks properly. We are looking at Rubik Malicent from 2009 here.
Invader Rubikcubist
From 24/06/2022 till 08/01/2023 Invader had an exhibition in the MiMa Museum (Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art) in Bruxelles (Molenbeek Saint-Jean) under the titel Invader Rubikcubist.
Since the late 1990's, Invader has been clandestinely invading the street of the world with his mosaics which appear as if they have come straight out of an old school video game. There are now more than 4,000 of them scattered across 80 cities around the world; in the suburbs of Tokyo, on the letters of the Hollywood sign, atop of the Tour Eiffel, in the Tunesian desert, since one of his creations is orbiting the Earth 16 times a day aboard the ISS space station.
In 2003, for the first time, Invader introduced references to a cult object into his compositions; the Rubik's Sube. A year later, he created Rubik's Space One, a small sculpture composed of nine cubes. This was the starting point of the movement that the artist has called "Rubikcubism", a nod to Braque and Picasso's cubism and the name of the Hungarian inventor of the famous brainteaser.
[ MiMa 2022 ]
Installation by Tomoko Fuse, Freising 2015
Healthwise not really fit properly (bad cold), I wanted to be for one day at Schafhof / “European House of Art - Upper Bavaria – Schafhof”!
Ori-friends told me to come, because the Exhibition with an installation by Tomoko Fuse and works by Heinz Strobl is so interesting! And at the last weekend there was “Origami to join in“/Origami zum Mitmachen. Well, so I drove to Freising with lot of lozenges to cool down my cough, if necessary :)!!
The exhibition of both artists is really great and impressive!!
On last Sunday, when I was there, one could participate Origami-Workshops and a panel talk with Paulo Mulatinho, Silke Schröder/Viereck Vlg , Heinz Strobl and Fritz Dettenhofer/ Galerie 13.
I was very glad to be there too! It was a wonderful Origami-Day!!
The exhibition will run until 11.octobre, 2015.
So, if you are in this region of Bavaria stop by and make a visit! You will enjoy it!
Some more information about the exhibition:
schafhof-kuenstlerhaus.bezirk-oberbayern.de/index.phtml?N...
and the “Schafhof”:
Surprisingly a properly rare car, this one. This is one of just 4 on the roads at the moment! Diesels must've been very unpopular. There were only two diesel engines offered for the Tipo- this and the 1.9.
I saw many of these whilst on holiday in Greece, so I didn't bother photographing them, but I'd definitely consider photographing all Tipos back in the UK. This one looked nice and original with proper RHD with original plates and what I think are original wheeltrims? Wasn't in bad shape compared with a lot of Tipos.
The vehicle details for M144 LAA are:
Date of Liability 01 04 2014
Date of First Registration 07 09 1994
Year of Manufacture 1994
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1697cc
CO₂ Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type HEAVY OIL
Export Marker N
Vehicle Status Licence Not Due
Vehicle Colour BLUE
Vehicle Type Approval Not Available
I've been wanting to properly shoot the New Year's Eve fireworks for several years now. Two years ago I got them from my window, coming up from behind the opposite building. Last year I couldn't get a single decent photo because of a snow storm. This time? Well, see for yourself.
We were running late and almost missed the fireworks. I mean that literally by the way. We had to run so I could get to this location in time. People were everywhere, so it's where I had to set up, basically with one foot (and one tripod leg) below water. Unfortunately the trees blocked the view, but I think it turned out okay nonetheless. That building is of course Kalmar Castle. It wasn't midnight however, but around 5 PM. Hence there were still seven hours left of 2011.
Otto Mueller (Liebau 1874 - 1930 Breslau)
Drei Mädchen im Profil, 1921
Three Girls in Profile, 1921
Kreidelithografie/Chalk lithograph
Aus/From: Erste Jahresgabe des Kreises graphischer Künstler und Sammler, Leipzig 1921
The Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe is buying back from Rinah Alexander Lior of Israel some 75 Expressionist prints, held in eight portfolios, as well as an art book. Ms. Lior is the niece and rightful heir of Dr. Hermann Haymann of Badenweiler, a Jewish doctor who originally owned the works of art.
In 1943 the Kunsthalle acquired a large collection of various books and portfolios of prints and drawings from the regional tax office in Müllheim. Five years earlier, in 1938, Haymann had been forced to pledge these works on paper as security against debts incurred through the Jewish Property Tax and the Reich Flight Tax, which were mandatorily imposed on Jewish citizens by the Nazis. Only by pledging the collection was Haymann thus able to leave Germany for the United States. After the war, this acquisition was properly reported to the US Office of Military Government as a purchase from “Jewish assets” and the artworks were returned to Hermann Haymann in 1951. However, as part of ongoing provenance research at the Kunsthalle Karlsruhe a further eight portfolios and an art book have been found, which were apparently forgotten at the time of the restitution. After determining and locating the rightful owner, they have now been re-acquired by the Kunsthalle.
From 16 April to 3 July 2016, an exhibition will be held in memory of Herrmann Haymann and the fate of Jewish citizens in Baden-Württemberg and will feature this historical accession of works on paper.
Erworben aus „jüdischem Vermögen“
Grafische Blätter der Sammlung Haymann
16. April - 17. Juli 2016
Die Kunsthalle hat im Jahr 1943 ein großes Konvolut an Büchern und Grafikmappen vom Finanzamt Müllheim erworben. Der jüdische Arzt und Kunstsammler Hermann Haymann aus Badenweiler musste die Papierarbeiten 1938 verpfänden, um mit dem Erlös die Judenvermögensabgabe und die bei seiner Ausreise aus Deutschland in die USA obligatorisch zu leistende Reichsfluchtsteuer zu begleichen. Nach dem Krieg wurde diese Erwerbung ordnungsgemäß bei der US -amerikanischen Militärregierung als Ankauf aus „jüdischem Vermögen“ gemeldet und die Kunstwerke 1951 an Hermann Haymann restituiert. Im Rahmen der Provenienzforschung wurden acht Grafikmappen mit 75 expressionistischen Druckgrafiken und ein Kunstbuch gefunden, die man damals offenbar vergessen hat.
Es ist gelungen, die rechtmäßige Erbin nach Hermann Haymann zu ermitteln. Frau Rina Lior Alexander aus Israel ist seine Nichte und letzte noch lebende Verwandte. Da sie auf eine Rücknahme der Kunstwerke verzichtet hat, wurden sie nun von der Kunsthalle zurückgekauft.
Diesem besonderen Sammlungszugang wird vom 16. April bis 3. Juli 2016 eine Ausstellung gewidmet, um die Erinnerung an Herrmann Haymann und das Schicksal der Juden in Baden -Württemberg zu wahren.
www.kunsthalle-karlsruhe.de/de/ausstellungen/erworben-aus...
The foundation of the collection consists of 205 mostly French and Dutch paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries which Margravine Karoline Luise acquired 1759-1776. From this collection originate significant works, such as The portrait of a young man by Frans van Mieris the Elder, The winter landscape with lime kiln of Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, The Lacemaker by Gerard Dou, the Still Life with hunting equipment and dead partridge of Willem van Aelst, The Peace in the Chicken yard by Melchior de Hondecoeter as well as a self-portrait by Rembrandt van Rijn. In addition, four still lifes of Jean Siméon Chardin and two pastoral scenes by François Boucher, having been commissioned directly by the Marchioness from artists.
A first significant expansion the museum received in 1858 by the collection of canon Johann Baptist von Hirscher (1788-1865) with works of religious art of the 15th and 16th centuries. This group includes works such as two tablets of the Sterzinger altar and the wing fragment The sacramental blessing of Bartholomew Zeitblom. From 1899 to 1920, the native of Baden painter Hans Thoma held the position of Director of the Kunsthalle. He acquired old masterly paintings as the tauberbischofsheim altarpiece by Matthias Grünewald and drove the expansion of the collection with art of the 19th century forward. Only his successors expanded the holdings of the Art Gallery with works of Impressionism and the following generations of artists.
The permanent exhibition in the main building includes approximately 800 paintings and sculptures. Among the outstanding works of art of the Department German painters of the late Gothic and Renaissance are the Christ as Man of Sorrows by Albrecht Dürer, the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion by Matthias Grünewald, Maria with the Child by Lucas Cranach the Elder, the portrait of Sebastian Brant by Hans Burgkmair the elder and The Nativity of Hans Baldung. Whose Margrave panel due to property disputes in 2006 made it in the headlines and also led to political conflicts. One of the biggest buying successes which a German museum in the postwar period was able to land concerns the successive acquisition of six of the seven known pieces of a Passion altar in 1450 - the notname of the artist after this work "Master of the Karlsruhe Passion" - a seventh piece is located in German public ownership (Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne).
In the department of Dutch and Flemish paintings of the 16th century can be found, in addition to the aforementioned works, the portrait of the Marchesa Veronica Spinola Doria by Peter Paul Rubens, Moses strikes the rock and water flows for the thirsty people of Israel of Jacob Jordaens, the still life with kitchen tools and foods of Frans Snyders, the village festival of David Teniers the younger, the still life with lemon, oranges and filled clay pot by Willem Kalf, a Young couple having breakfast by Gabriel Metsu, in the bedroom of Pieter de Hooch, the great group of trees at the waterfront of Jacob Izaaksoon van Ruisdael, a river landscape with a milkmaid of Aelbert Jacobsz. Cuyp as well as a trompe-l'œil still life of Samuel van Hoogstraten.
Further examples of French paintings of the 17th and 18th centuries are, the adoration of the golden calf of Claude Lorrain, preparations for dance class of the Le Nain brothers, the portrait of Marshal Charles-Auguste de Matignon by Hyacinthe Rigaud, the portrait of a young nobleman in hunting costume of Nicolas de Largillière, The storm of Claude Joseph Vernet and The minuet of Nicolas Lancret. From the 19th century can be found with Rocky wooded valley at Civita Castellana by Gustave Courbet, The Lamentation of Eugène Delacroix, the children portrait Le petit Lange of Édouard Manet, the portrait of Madame Jeantaud by Edgar Degas, the landscape June morning near Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, homes in Le Pouldu Paul Gauguin and views to the sea at L'Estaque by Paul Cézanne further works of French artists at Kunsthalle.
One focus of the collection is the German painting and sculpture of the 19th century. From Joseph Anton Koch, the Kunsthalle possesses a Heroic landscape with rainbow, from Georg Friedrich Kersting the painting The painter Gerhard Kügelgen in his studio, from Caspar David Friedrich the landscape rocky reef on the sea beach and from Karl Blechen view to the Monastery of Santa Scolastica. Other important works of this department are the disruption of Adolph Menzel as well as the young self-portrait, the portrait Nanna Risi and The Banquet of Plato of Anselm Feuerbach.
For the presentation of the complex of oeuvres by Hans Thoma, a whole wing in 1909 at the Kunsthalle was installed. Main oeuvres of the arts are, for example, the genre picture The siblings as well as, created on behalf of the grand-ducal family, Thoma Chapel with its religious themes.
Of the German contemporaries of Hans Thoma, Max Liebermann on the beach of Noordwijk and Lovis Corinth with a portrait of his wife in the museum are represented. Furthermore the Kunsthalle owns works by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, Carl Spitzweg, Arnold Böcklin, Hans von Marées, Wilhelm Leibl, Fritz von Uhde, Wilhelm Trübner and Max Klinger.
In the building of the adjacent Orangerie works of the collection and new acquisitions from the years after 1952 can be seen. In two integrated graphics cabinets the Kupferstichkabinett (gallery of prints) gives insight into its inventory of contemporary art on paper. From the period after 1945, the works Arabs with footprints by Jean Dubuffet, Sponge Relief RE 48; Sol. 1960 by Yves Klein, Honoring the square: Yellow center of Josef Albers, the cityscape F by Gerhard Richter and the Fixe idea by Georg Baselitz in the Kunsthalle. The collection of classical modernism wandered into the main building. Examples of paintings from the period to 1945 are The Eiffel Tower by Robert Delaunay, the Improvisation 13 by Wassily Kandinsky, Deers in the Forest II by Franz Marc, People at the Blue lake of August Macke, the self-portrait The painter of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, the Merzpicture 21b by Kurt Schwitters, the forest of Max Ernst, Tower gate II by Lyonel Feininger, the Seven Deadly Sins of Otto Dix and the removal of the Sphinxes by Max Beckmann. In addition, the museum regularly shows special exhibitions.
Sammlung
Den Grundstock der Sammlung bilden 205 meist französische und niederländische Gemälde des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts, welche Markgräfin Karoline Luise zwischen 1759 und 1776 erwarb. Aus dieser Sammlung stammen bedeutende Arbeiten, wie das Bildnis eines jungen Mannes von Frans van Mieris der Ältere, die Winterlandschaft mit Kalkofen von Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, Die Spitzenklöpplerin von Gerard Dou, das Stillleben mit Jagdgeräten und totem Rebhuhn von Willem van Aelst, Der Friede im Hühnerhof von Melchior de Hondecoeter sowie ein Selbstbildnis von Rembrandt van Rijn. Hinzu kommen vier Stillleben von Jean Siméon Chardin und zwei Schäferszenen von François Boucher, die die Markgräfin bei Künstlern direkt in Auftrag gegeben hatte.
Eine erste wesentliche Erweiterung erhielt das Museum 1858 durch die Sammlung des Domkapitulars Johann Baptist von Hirscher (1788–1865) mit Werken religiöser Kunst des 15. und 16. Jahrhunderts. Zu dieser Gruppe gehören Werke wie zwei Tafeln des Sterzinger Altars und das Flügelfragment Der sakramentale Segen von Bartholomäus Zeitblom. Von 1899 bis 1920 bekleidete der aus Baden stammende Maler Hans Thoma die Position des Direktors der Kunsthalle. Er erwarb altmeisterliche Gemälde wie den Tauberbischofsheimer Altar von Matthias Grünewald und trieb den Ausbau der Sammlung mit Kunst des 19. Jahrhunderts voran. Erst seine Nachfolger erweiterten die Bestände der Kunsthalle um Werke des Impressionismus und der folgenden Künstlergenerationen.
Die Dauerausstellung im Hauptgebäude umfasst rund 800 Gemälde und Skulpturen. Zu den herausragenden Kunstwerken der Abteilung deutsche Maler der Spätgotik und Renaissance gehören der Christus als Schmerzensmann von Albrecht Dürer, die Kreuztragung und Kreuzigung von Matthias Grünewald, Maria mit dem Kinde von Lucas Cranach der Ältere, das Bildnis Sebastian Brants von Hans Burgkmair der Ältere und die Die Geburt Christi von Hans Baldung. Dessen Markgrafentafel geriet durch Eigentumsstreitigkeiten 2006 in die Schlagzeilen und führte auch zu politischen Auseinandersetzungen. Einer der größten Ankaufserfolge, welche ein deutsches Museum in der Nachkriegszeit verbuchen konnte, betrifft den sukzessiven Erwerb von sechs der sieben bekannten Tafeln eines Passionsaltars um 1450 – der Notname des Malers nach diesem Werk „Meister der Karlsruher Passion“ – eine siebte Tafel befindet sich in deutschem öffentlichen Besitz (Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Köln).
In der Abteilung niederländischer und flämischer Malerei des 16. Jahrhunderts finden sich, neben den erwähnten Werken, das Bildnis der Marchesa Veronica Spinola Doria von Peter Paul Rubens, Moses schlägt Wasser aus dem Felsen von Jacob Jordaens, das Stillleben mit Küchengeräten und Lebensmitteln von Frans Snyders, das Dorffest von David Teniers dem Jüngeren, das Stillleben mit Zitrone, Orangen und gefülltem Römer von Willem Kalf, ein Junges Paar beim Frühstück von Gabriel Metsu, Im Schlafzimmer von Pieter de Hooch, die Große Baumgruppe am Wasser von Jacob Izaaksoon van Ruisdael, eine Flusslandschaft mit Melkerin von Aelbert Jacobsz. Cuyp sowie ein Augenbetrüger-Stillleben von Samuel van Hoogstraten.
Weitere Beispiele französischer Malerei des 17. bzw. 18. Jahrhunderts sind Die Anbetung des Goldeen Kalbes von Claude Lorrain, die Vorbereitung zur Tanzstunde der Brüder Le Nain, das Bildnis des Marschalls Charles-Auguste de Matignon von Hyacinthe Rigaud, das Bildnis eines jungen Edelmannes im Jagdkostüm von Nicolas de Largillière, Der Sturm von Claude Joseph Vernet und Das Menuett von Nicolas Lancret. Aus dem 19. Jahrhundert finden sich mit Felsiges Waldtal bei Cività Castellana von Gustave Courbet, Die Beweinung Christi von Eugène Delacroix, dem Kinderbildnis Le petit Lange von Édouard Manet, dem Bildnis der Madame Jeantaud von Edgar Degas, dem Landschaftsbild Junimorgen bei Pontoise von Camille Pissarro, Häuser in Le Pouldu von Paul Gauguin und Blick auf das Meer bei L’Estaque von Paul Cézanne weitere Arbeiten französischer Künstler in der Kunsthalle.
Einen Schwerpunkt der Sammlung bildet die deutsche Malerei und Skulptur des 19. Jahrhunderts. Von Joseph Anton Koch besitzt die Kunsthalle eine Heroische Landschaft mit Regenbogen, von Georg Friedrich Kersting das Gemälde Der Maler Gerhard Kügelgen in seinem Atelier, von Caspar David Friedrich das Landschaftsbild Felsenriff am Meeresstrand und von Karl Blechen den Blick auf das Kloster Santa Scolastica. Weitere bedeutende Werke dieser Abteilung sind Die Störung von Adolph Menzel sowie das Jugendliche Selbstbildnis, das Bildnis Nanna Risi und Das Gastmahl des Plato von Anselm Feuerbach.
Für die Präsentation des Werkkomplexes von Hans Thoma wurde 1909 in der Kunsthalle ein ganzer Gebäudetrakt errichtet. Hauptwerke des Künstlers sind etwa das Genrebild Die Geschwister sowie die, im Auftrag der großherzöglichen Familie geschaffene, Thoma-Kapelle mit ihren religiösen Themen.
Von den deutschen Zeitgenossen Hans Thomas sind Max Liebermann mit Am Strand von Noordwijk und Lovis Corinth mit einem Bildnis seiner Frau im Museum vertreten. Darüber hinaus besitzt die Kunsthalle Werke von Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, Carl Spitzweg, Arnold Böcklin, Hans von Marées, Wilhelm Leibl, Fritz von Uhde, Wilhelm Trübner und Max Klinger.
Im Gebäude der benachbarten Orangerie sind Werke der Sammlung und Neuankäufe aus den Jahren nach 1952 zu sehen. In zwei integrierten Grafikkabinetten gibt das Kupferstichkabinett Einblick in seinen Bestand zeitgenössischer Kunst auf Papier. Aus der Zeit nach 1945 finden sich die Arbeiten Araber mit Fußspuren von Jean Dubuffet, Schwammrelief >RE 48:Sol.1960< von Yves Klein, Ehrung des Quadrates: Gelbes Zentrum von Josef Albers, das Stadtbild F von Gerhard Richter und die Fixe Idee von Georg Baselitz in der Kunsthalle. Die Sammlung der Klassischen Moderne wanderte in das Hauptgebäude. Beispiele für Gemälde aus der Zeit bis 1945 sind Der Eiffelturm von Robert Delaunay, die Improvisation 13 von Wassily Kandinsky, Rehe im Wald II von Franz Marc, Leute am blauen See von August Macke, das Selbstbildnis Der Maler von Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, das Merzbild 21b von Kurt Schwitters, Der Wald von Max Ernst, Torturm II von Lyonel Feininger, Die Sieben Todsünden von Otto Dix und der Abtransport der Sphinxe von Max Beckmann. Darüber hinaus zeigt das Museum regelmäßig Sonderausstellungen.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staatliche_Kunsthalle_Karlsruhe
Another one of those rare photographic moments where something appears in a photograph only when it gets to the computer screen.
I had my arms outstretched with my camera to get close to the flower, concentrating so hard on keeping steady, I had no idea if I was focussed properly and certainly no idea that a tiny caterpillar was in the middle of its lunch.
St Giles' Cathedral, more properly termed the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Today it is sometimes regarded as the "Mother Church of Presbyterianism". The cathedral is dedicated to Saint Giles, the patron saint of Edinburgh, as well as of cripples and lepers.
St Giles’ was founded in about 1124, as a small parish church, presumably in the Romanesque style of architecture.
In the 14th century, the little church was replaced by the much grander, Gothic building which is, in essence, what we see today.
In 1633, Charles I made St Giles’ into a cathedral, by royal decree, but his attempt to reorganise the interior was short-lived, for his unpopular ecclesiastical policies led to civil war. With the return of peace, the population of Edinburgh grew and there was no longer room for all the parishioners in the chancel. By 1699 the interior had been divided by solid stone walls into four entirely self-contained churches: the former chancel was now called the High Kirk, the crossing and part of the nave formed the Old Kirk, the Tolbooth Kirk occupied most of west end, with Haddo’s Hole Kirk in the north-west corner. Each of these churches had its own minister and congregation.
By the 1820s, with the demolition of the Luckenbooths from the High Street and removal of the shops in Parliament Close, the exterior of St Giles was fully exposed for the first time in centuries and could be seen to be in poor condition and an embarrassment to the city. In 1829, architect William Burn was appointed to carry out a restoration and to beautify and preserve the building. This process demolished some chapels to improve the symmetry of the external appearance, inserted new, more standard, window openings and tracery, and encased much of the exterior in a skin of smooth ashlar. This is also when the lath and plaster ceiling at the west end (pictured) was painted blue.
DS - the two letters which haunt Citroen. The DS of 1955 was arguably the most advanced and beautiful car in the world at launch.
It is true that many of the ingredients had already been tried out before. The car looked like a hovercar, and rode that way too. The DS lived on to 1975, when it still looked futuristic. Its replacement, the CX was also advanced and comfortable, the Wankel rotary engine it was set to debut with was problematic however, and the funding drain of a new car, with an engine that wasn't working properly caused Citroen into bankruptcy and the arms of Peugeot parent PSA.
PSA was keen to stop some of teh madness, and though the y allowed the CX and GS to continue, they closed down the exclusive Maserati-engined SM luxury coupe line early (having been unable to move the car successfully in the US - bizarrely due to the high-variable suspension making the car fall foul of US Headlight laws!). The rest of the Citroen range was rationlised over time to share platforms and mechanical systems with Peugeot, and gradually, the brand lost much of its inventive distinctiveness in the name of cost rationalisation.
Sadly, by the 1990s, Citroen became the 'cost-brand' arm of PSA, selling average cars on cost and a long-revered name rather than style and innovation.
Fortunately, it was seen that this was not going to be a road to success, as the European (and American) markets were now been competitively fought by competent and increasing innovative, quality Japanese and Korean brands, and that to survive, it was in the interest of European marques to provide content that customers valued and would pay for.
Enter the DS.
The brand has now gained greater planning freedom, and is known as DS Automobiles, but at it genesis with the Citroen DS3 (and Citroen C3/C4 derivative) in 2009, the sub-rand intent was to provide vehicles of stylistic distinction and material quality (somewhat like the relaunch of Mini).
The DS5, an EMP2 chassis derivative sat at the top of the range at launch in 2011. The car could be described in many disparate terms that do not do the whole justice. The car rides on a long wheelbase. The car is shaped somewhere between a hatchback, wagon and an MPV. Chrome highlights, including a spear running from the headlamps up to the 2nd A-pillar and a curious beltline liven up the exterior, but the real party trick is the interior.
The car seats are embossed in what is known as 'watchstrap' trim, kind of like a gentleman's 1970s era watchband. The car has three sunroofs. One small one over each front seat, and a large one over the rear row. The car has an aeroplane flight deck control deck with buttons on the roof between the sunroofs that mirror those on the centre console. Luxury is high, with massage seats, sat nav, heated seats and other luxuries.
You will note the miniland fig standing with the car is wearing my trademark navy and white stripe pullover - I definitely have a soft spot for the DS5 - its looks, its luxury and its precipitous depreciation. I periodically temped to pick up a 3-year old car at half of its original price, to cruise around with my butt gently warmed and massaged by the seats.
More info at wikipedia:
This Lego miniland-scale Citroen DS5 has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 115th Build Challenge, - "The French Connection", - for vehicles with some connection with France.