NB! · Museums · Science · Mores
Alexandr Radayev
Archive · Art · Moscow · Museums
Ostroukhov's study of a horse, taken for a Velázquez, proved to be by Van Dyck
Ilya Ostroukhov, former director of the Tretyakov Gallery, acquired in the 1920s an unusual study of a bored horse for his collection, having swapped it for a study of Menippus. Ostroukhov was immensely proud of his purchase, believing he had secured so original a Velázquez for his private collection, until
Books · Observations · Mores · Reportage
Visit to a warehouse sale of old things, furniture and books with a 1000 rouble entry fee
Went to a junk sale today. There is an organisation that collects unwanted things and furniture, free of charge or for a small sum for the items or the removal. This cast-off stuff ends up in a warehouse, for entry to which they charged 1000 roubles today, and after
NB! · Observations · Mores
Everyone has crystal, but almost no one uses it
Books · Observations · Society
Interest in one's own history as a glance back after a fall at full stride
Klyuchevsky has these words:. "Why do people so love to study their past, their history? Probably for the same reason that a man who has stumbled in mid-stride likes, once he is back on his feet, to look round at the spot where he fell." When we
Aristocracy · Art · Monarchies · Observations · Mores · Humour
Before you are two remarkably similar portraits
Before you are two remarkably similar portraits. The one in colour shows Charles II, King of England; the second, the English aristocrat and politician Charles Boyle. Evidently, Boyle commissioned an exact copy of the king's portrait, with his own head fitted on to it. The clothes, the pose,
NB!
Two formal portraits of men in Order of the Garter robes, one colour, one black and white
NB! · Observations · Palaeontology · Nature
These organisms lived on the floor of an icy sea 550 million years ago
These organisms lived on the floor of an icy sea 550 million years ago. I do not know whether they are animals or plants, but they are very beautiful, especially Tumblina and Tamga. Were I a designer, I should pay particular attention to these little ones
NB! · Books · Observations · Palaeontology · Nature
Found a most interesting and charming book, "Ancient Monsters of Russia", and in it, vital information about mammoths
NB! · Architecture · Faith · Moscow
In St Basil's Cathedral there are steps in front of the windows; in fact this is an architects' ruse to increase the insolation of the church interiors: a stepped surface reflects more sunlight
NB! · Monarchies · Museums · Mores · Humour
And this is the cradle and feeding chair of the future King of Scotland and England, James VI, the only son of Mary Stuart
And this is the cradle and feeding chair of the future King of Scotland and England, James VI, the only son of Mary Stuart. James and Henry IV were contemporaries. Feel the difference
NB! · Art · London · Observations · Pop Culture · Humour
Miniature early 19th century coffin with skeleton sold at Sotheby's for £3,000
At Sotheby's this 15-centimetre memento mori souvenir from the kit of an early nineteenth-century English soldier sold for £3,000. A thoroughly disagreeable trinket, but there is no disputing about historical tastes..