Faith · Art · Madrid · Museums
Nicholas of Tolentino, 1601, Juan Pantoja de la Cruz. Collection of the Prado Museum. The Catholic saint Nicholas of Tolentino (1245-1305) was an Augustinian monk, renowned for his asceticism, and is depicted in the black Augustinian habit with a star on his breast. The bird standing on the dish
Faith · Art · Museums
Before Confession. Alexey Ivanovich Korzukhin, 1876, Tver Regional Picture Gallery. Korzukhin was one of the celebrated group of 14 rebellious top pupils of the Academy of Arts who refused to take part in the Academy's competition for the Grand Gold Medal, which would have given them six years
Faith · Art · Museums · Observations · Paris
One fine cruise morning I am reading, in the ship's saloon, the latest issue of the Louvre's magazine Grande Galerie, whose cover shows a splendid detail from the portrait of one of the greatest mystics of the Church, Saint Bonaventure, by the Spanish painter Zurbarán, from
NB! · Art · Museums · Observations · Paris · Humour
In my opinion, this is perfect. Four ghosts in the first entrée. A drawing by Daniel Rabel for a ballet of 1632. Collection of the Louvre. Positively the brides of the Nazgûl
Art · London · Museums
An Allegory with Venus and Cupid, also known as Venus, Cupid, Folly and Time. Agnolo Bronzino. Venus holds a golden apple, recalling to the viewer the legend of the Judgement of Paris, at which the goddess was declared the fairest of all the goddesses. In her other hand is an
NB! · Art · Moscow · Museums · Heritage
Moscow · Museums · Heritage · Society · Reportage
Soon after the liquidation of the TsIM, the Meyerhold Theatre and Cultural Centre, the Meyerhold Museum closed as well, though this closure passed almost unnoticed by the public. With the TsIM one can still guess at the reasons for what is going on, but why should the blow have fallen
Archaeology · Faith · The East · Museums · Humour
Beauty and spa treatments may turn you into a goddess, but there is no guarantee that it will not be the deity Sobek, who appears in the guise of a crocodile. The proof: specimens from among the three hundred crocodile mummies discovered in the vicinity of the temple of Kom
Architecture · Museums · Science · Saint Petersburg
Look at the Winter Palace from the start of Nevsky Prospect, from Palace Bridge or from the garden by the western façade, and you cannot fail to notice the tower rising above its general bulk. This is the telegraph tower, or optical telegraph tower. A semaphore system of communication was
NB! · Art · Museums · Observations · Saint Petersburg
Vrubel at the Russian Museum, Benois Wing. I don't know, am I the only one with questions about the colour scheme of the room?
Faith · Art · Museums · Saint Petersburg · Humour
The simplest block-shaped Egyptian sculptures of the Middle Kingdom are found in burials and capture the image of the deceased. They are usually furnished with an inscription containing particulars of the departed. The sculptures themselves are easy to remember if you have acquaintances whose photos show a handsome head
NB! · Art · Madrid · Museums · Observations