Art · Observations · Pop Culture

Costume design by Jean Berain for a guitarist riding a snail, 17th century

One would like to see costumes like this at the Met Gala. In the second half of the 17th century a whole series of such characters was created for Italian comic operas. Mostly this was how lutenists might appear, sometimes in the guise of mermaids and nereids, enthroned upon fantastical

NB! · Coming Up · Art · London

So, on 30 November Sotheby's in London will put up works by Konchalovsky, Goncharova, Roerich, Petrov-Vodkin and a dozen or so other significant names of Russian art

So, on 30 November Sotheby's in London will put up works by Konchalovsky, Goncharova, Roerich, Petrov-Vodkin and a dozen or so other significant names of Russian art. Last year the Russian Sale brought in 40 million dollars. This year, still greater takings are expected.

Architecture · Art · London · People · Society Pages

MUAR director Likhacheva recalls Shchusev's Stalin Prizes and imperial orders

At the opening of the pre-auction exhibition for Sotheby's Russian Sale, MUAR director Elizaveta Likhacheva reminded guests that Alexey Shchusev was a four-time winner of the Stalin Prize and a holder of an order of the Holy Synod. What is meant is the Order of Saint

A steppe mammoth skull with huge curved tusks on a metal stand against a black background.

NB! · Art · Palaeontology · Nature

Steppe mammoth skull measuring about a metre sold for 269,000 euros

A couple of days ago this steppe mammoth skull was sold for €269,000. The price is impressive, but so are the dimensions: one metre ten by one metre twenty by one metre thirty

NB! · Archive · Art

Carel Fabritius's celebrated Goldfinch was sold on 27 February 1896 for 6,200 francs

NB! · Art · Monarchies · Nature · Humour

Louis XV's cat, General, is apparently unaware that the hare will not be getting up again

Louis XV's cat, General, is apparently unaware that the hare will not be getting up again. Painting by Jean-Baptiste Oudry

NB! · Aristocracy · Art · Monarchies · Observations · Humour

Incidentally, the dog of Henrietta of England wears far more interesting earrings than its mistress

NB! · Art · Moscow · Observations · Humour

Almost Carel Fabritius

Almost Carel Fabritius. This is how one would like Moscow's housing-office art to look, but alas, this is a quite different cultural city.

NB! · Art · Mores · Humour

Should you suddenly fancy a European tour of the sixteenth century, take along this aide-mémoire on how lace collars changed shape from decade to decade, so as not to mistake which decade you have landed in

Portrait of an older woman with a tall powdered hairstyle, wearing an order star and sash, seated at a small table with a cup.

Aristocracy · Art · Pop Culture · Humour

Words of praise for Maria Christina of Saxony

⚡️Female Version of the Laughing Mr Candy Meme Discovered. Bravo, Maria Christina of Saxony!

Coming Up · Art · Education

Alisa Bagdonaite shares details of the Kyoto Art Center's residency programme for artists aged 65+

Details at the link: https://www.facebook.com/kyotoartcenter/

Coming Up · Art · Moscow

Meanwhile, in the Great Wine Cellar, that is, at the Winzavod Centre for Contemporary Art, an exhibition of the nominees for the Anatoly Zverev Prize is being prepared, running from 19 October to 21 November

Meanwhile, in the Great Wine Cellar, that is, at the Winzavod Centre for Contemporary Art, an exhibition of the nominees for the Anatoly Zverev Prize is being prepared, running from 19 October to 21 November. The photograph shows, besides the smiling gallerist Alina Pinskaya, the artist Evgeny Muzalevsky beside his