Books · Observations
Portrait of the French Writer Jules Renard
When I think of all the books I still have left to read, I am certain of being happy. The French writer Jules Renard
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Observations
Geography · Maps · Observations
Fra Mauro's world map of 1459 and the division of Europe and Asia along the Volga
A two-metre circular map of the world as it was known in 1459. It is known as the map of the Venetian monk Fra Mauro, or the Carta Fra Mauro, from the island of Murano. The cartographer was Andrea Bianco. It was made for the King of Portugal. Please
Archive · Faith · The East · Books · Observations · People
Abbot Daniel placed a lamp on the Holy Sepulchre on behalf of the whole Russian land
The remarkable Hegumen Daniel, who lived in the twelfth century, describes in his "Life and Pilgrimage of Hegumen Daniel of the Russian Land" how he petitioned King Baldwin I for leave to place a kandilo (a lamp) on the Holy Sepulchre on behalf of the who. Leave was
NB! · Moscow · Observations · Mores
Café Pushkin Marks Its 25th Anniversary
Our beloved Café Pushkin turns 25 today! A truly legendary place: many happy returns
Faith · Observations
The Holy Grail as the chalice of Orthodox communion and the Catholic use of the wafer
Strip away all the mystical footnotes, and the Holy Grail is the chalice of Orthodox communion. In the Catholic Church there is no communion from the chalice. The Catholic Church communicates with a wafer. And whenever the Grail is spoken of, Catholic priests are not what is meant 📖 Parnassian Mockingbird
Observations · Mores · Nature
Horses working in European mines and a fortnight of annual leave in France in 1936
The peculiar, suffering fate of horses rarely comes into focus in historical narratives. For thousands of years horses were humanity's constant companion in everything, from farming and manufacture to war. Of course, we never stop to think that often, where man suffered, horses endured still greater suffering, unnoticed
Architecture · Faith · Observations · Heritage
Fire destroys St Anne's Church in Toronto, the 33rd century-old church in Canada lost since 2021
Fire has destroyed the historic St Anne's Church in Toronto. It is already the 33rd century-old church in Canada to be lost to fire since 2021. What do you suppose lies behind such statistics? 📖 Parnassian Mockingbird
NB! · Observations
Good Evening from the Plus Dacha
Art · Observations · People
A wheat field painted by Van Gogh in the summer of 1888, when he left Paris and set off for Arles
Sometimes we all need to go to Arles
NB! · Geography · Maps · Observations · Nature
In 1539 the Swedish cartographer Olaus Magnus peopled his Carta Marina of Northern Europe with fantastical beasts
In 1539 the Swedish cartographer Olaus Magnus peopled his Carta Marina of Northern Europe with fantastical beasts. Had the map been drawn in our own day, in place of sea serpents it would have featured garbage patches, oil slicks and offshore platforms
Archive · Observations · Paris
Pedestrians on the Rue Mouffetard in 1951
Pedestrians on the Rue Mouffetard in 1951. Photo by Robert Doisneau. The picture reminded me of a woman with a very small dog whom I met yesterday on Solyanka: the mistress was coaxing the little creature to stand on the ground on its own little legs rather than merely sit
Coming Up · Art · Observations
June issue of RBC Style comes with a Lev Povzner cover and launches the RBC Visionaries project
I do so love the tradition of RBC Style appearing in print with art covers conceived and realised together with contemporary artists. In this issue the series continues with a painting by Lev Povzner, a visionary painter and a master of setting riddles and seeking answers to them. RBC marks