A pair of pointed shoes with pale uppers crossed by black bands, on a smooth wooden surface.

NB! · Museums · Pop Culture · Humour

Eighteenth-century footwear combining silk and leather in its trim

Silk loafers with leather inserts, or leather sandals overlaid with silk appliqué? Eighteenth-century fashion, do stop

Illuminated initial of a medieval manuscript: three crowned men lie in one bed under a pink cover, with a golden angel above them.

NB! · Faith · Art · Books · Humour

Three Magi in One Bed in Medieval Christian Book Miniatures

A picture of three kings in one bed is a common sight in medieval Christian books. They are not up to what you thought. These are the Magi (wise men, kings), to whom an angel is bringing glad tidings

NB! · Observations · Society · Humour

Whom I represent when political channels discuss the possible presidential candidacy of an unexpected woman

Drawing of a man in a tricorn hat and wig holding a large muff in front of him.

NB! · Observations · Mores · Humour

The muff as part of the male wardrobe of the 18th century in a drawing

The weather is clearly no longer summery, but the cold is still some way off? A muff! The sound solution for the progressive gentleman of the eighteenth century

NB! · Archive · Books · Moscow · Observations

A Work by Ivan Zabelin, Written on Commission from the Moscow City Duma

A work by Ivan Zabelin, written on commission from the Moscow City Duma. Happy City Day!

Round miniature of a columned domed interior in a gilded frame, with a nameplate reading J. G. Soufflot below.

NB! · Architecture · Art · Observations · People

Miniatures of the Panthéon in the frame of Louis-Michel van Loo's portrait of Soufflot

A portrait of Soufflot by the Rococo master Louis-Michel van Loo caught my attention for the miniatures set into its frame. They show the façade and the interior of the Panthéon, the architect's principal creation

Portrait of Jacques Germain Soufflot in a red velvet coat at a table with drawings, a reproduction on the left and the framed painting on display on the right.

NB! · Architecture · Paris · People

Jacques Germain Soufflot, architect of the Paris Panthéon and mentor of Bazhenov

The French architect of the eighteenth century Jacques-Germain Soufflot was the author of the Paris Panthéon (the church of Sainte-Geneviève). He interests us because for a time he was the mentor of the Moscow architect Bazhenov

NB! · Faith · The East · Books · Observations · Humour

A 45-metre demon from an Urdu-language book about an island where terrifying voices can be heard, where King Solomon shut away the vanquished unclean spirits

A 45-metre demon from an Urdu-language book about an island where terrifying voices can be heard, where King Solomon shut away the vanquished unclean spirits. This demon, apparently, licked its victims to death. I am perfectly willing to believe it and have no wish to meet him

Screenshot of text with Gramolina's remarks on a Soviet joke, culture as a service and an incident near the museum.

NB! · Cinema · Observations · Humour

Natalya Gramolina on the perception of culture as a service and an incident outside the museum

Old woman, do not spoil my culture! I simply adore Natalya Nikolayevna Gramolina

Carved wooden chair with metal blades on the back, seat and footrest, and armrests ending in dragon heads.

NB! · The East · Art · Cinema · Humour

Chinese iron throne of the 19th century with blades and dragon heads

What the Iron Throne really looks like. China, nineteenth century

NB! · Art · Paris · Humour

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1894-1896

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1894-1896. “So how do you like the Kremlin diet?”

NB! · Faith · Art · Moscow · Observations · Rome

Jules Eugène Lenepveu, Saints in the Catacombs (of Rome)

Jules Eugène Lenepveu, Saints in the Catacombs (of Rome). One more thing I love about Moscow is that there are no mass burials beneath it, as there are under so many European capitals. Only rivers. Somehow life is calmer with that thought