NB! · Archaeology · Monarchies · Museums · Heritage · Paris · Rome

A Long-Awaited Reunion!

A long-awaited reunion! A copy of the finger recently discovered in the Louvre is being fitted to the hand of the Emperor Constantine in the Capitoline Museums

Archaeology · Museums · Heritage · Paris · Rome

Bronze finger in the Louvre found to belong to the colossal statue of Constantine I in Rome

In 1858 the Louvre acquired part of the collection of the bankrupt Marquis Giampietro Campana. His property was divided between the English, the Russians and the French, and enriched the national museums. Among other things, France came into possession of an enormous bronze finger, 38 centimetres long. As early as

NB! · Monarchies · Museums · Paris · People

The child's dragoon uniform of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, first President of the French Republic and nephew of Napoleon

The child's dragoon uniform of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, first President of the French Republic and nephew of Napoleon. From the celebrated collection of fine objects assembled by Émile Hermès, now on display at Versailles

Wax figure with empty eye sockets, light curls, a white collar and armour, displayed behind glass.

NB! · Art · Monarchies · Museums

Wax statue of Prince George of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne, at Rosenborg Castle

The eyeless wax statue of Prince George of Denmark at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen. George was the husband of Queen Anne of England

Wooden doll with movable arms and legs on a transparent stand in a museum display with burgundy fabric.

NB! · Archaeology · Museums · Rome

Wooden doll with movable limbs from the sarcophagus of a Roman girl of the 2nd century, found in 1889

This toy was found in 1889 in the sarcophagus of a 17-year-old Roman girl who died in the 2nd century AD. The beautifully preserved wooden doll has articulated limbs and a gold ring on the index finger of its left hand

Two antique black leather shoes on stands in a museum display, one with straps and a buckle.

NB! · Museums · Observations · People · Humour

Talleyrand's orthopaedic shoes that compensated for his lameness

Talleyrand's celebrated shoes, compensating, as far as may be, for his lameness. One thing can be said: in 200 years orthopaedics has come a very long way.

Engraving of a man kneeling to fit a shoe on a seated lady through a screen marked PATENT and topped with a royal coat of arms.

NB! · Museums · Mores · Humour

Victorian device for shoe fitting that hid everything above the ankle

A Victorian device for the discreet fitting of shoes. The salesman sees only the ankle; he cannot peer up the skirt or meet the lady's eye, and is obliged to gaze at nothing but the royal coat of arms

NB! · Art · Museums · Humour

The Conductor of the Monkey Orchestra, Meissen, Mid-Eighteenth Century

A reliquary shaped like a figure holding a crowned sphere in its hands, in a glass case on a church column.

NB! · Faith · Art · Museums

Reliquary of Saint Justus, executed at 13, in the form of a cephalophore

The decapitated who carry their own heads as instruments of their passion are called cephalophores. This rare reliquary, in the form of a man holding his own head in his hands, is dedicated to Saint Justus, executed at the age of 13

NB! · Moscow · Museums · People

Irina Antonova Turns 96 Today

Irina Antonova turned 96 today. Antonova gave 73 years to the Pushkin Museum, serving as its director for 52 of them

Archaeology · Museums · Science

Mummy of a 2.54-metre Native American found near San Diego in 1895 proved to be a fake

In 1895 the mummified body of an Indian 2.54 metres long was discovered near San Diego. The mummy was declared to be the remains of the tallest man who had ever lived. By the scientists' estimate, in life the man found might have stood taller than 274 centimetres.

NB! · Art · Museums

La Luxure - French

La Luxure - French for "lust". Porcelain cup from the "Seven Deadly Sins" service, 1800