NB! · Geography · Observations · Nature
Summer solstice on 21 June 2023 at 17:57 Moscow time, the longest day of the year
The summer solstice in 2023 will occur on 21 June at 17:57 Moscow time. A reminder that today is the longest day of the year.
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Observations · Science · Society
Submersible Titan with five passengers still missing after dive to the Titanic wreck
The American research submersible Titan, which vanished on Sunday during a dive in the North Atlantic to visit the wreck of the Titanic with five people aboard, has still not been found. The air supply on board should last until the morning of Thursday. One fears terribly for the people
Architecture · Faith · Observations
The stepped tower of St Mary's Church in Burgh St Peter and the crypt of Samuel Boycott
The tower of St Mary's Church in the Norfolk village of Burgh St Peter looks remarkably like a ziggurat. Its stepped form, so uncharacteristic of Georgian Gothic, is in fact connected with funerary architecture. The tower was completed in stages after a vault was built here in 1793
Art · Museums · Observations · Paris
Exhibition “Degas in Black and White” at the National Library of France: 160 rarely shown works
Two in a box. My favourite drawing from the exhibition "Degas in Black and White", drawn from the collection of the Department of Prints and Photography of the National Library of France. In all, the exhibition presents 160 rarely shown works by Edgar Degas: etchings, lithographs, drawings in
Books · London · Monarchies · Observations · Humour
Queen Camilla's book blog grows into a festival at Hampton Court near London
Queen Camilla's modest, not especially talented book blog has grown into a book festival of its own at Hampton Court, the English kings' country palace on the outskirts of London. It stands on the left bank of the River Thames. The festival bears the name of the
Faith · Art · Observations · Humour
Della Robbia relief of Adam and Eve, made in Florence in 1515
On first seeing Giovanni della Robbia's Adam and Eve, I was much amused to find that the serpent-tempter has, quite literally, Eve's face. This polychrome relief in glazed terracotta, illustrating the biblical parable of Adam and Eve, was made in Florence in 1515. Its details
The East · Books · Observations · Humour
Erika Fatland writes that in Uzbekistan the very first English-speaking person she met told her that Alexander the Great was an Uzbek
Erika Fatland writes that in Uzbekistan the very first English-speaking person she met told her that Alexander the Great was an Uzbek. I am immediately reminded of the tale that the Ark came to rest somewhere in the environs of the Kazakh city of Taraz, and, of course, of
Aristocracy · Monarchies · Observations
Descendants of Montezuma II became Spanish grandees and Dukes of Tultengo
You may marvel along with me, if you too had no idea that the descendants of Montezuma Xocoyotzin, the last Aztec emperor, exist today as a European aristocratic family. They bear the title of Dukes of Montezuma de Tultengo. In all, Montezuma II had between 19 and 150 children by
Archive · Art · Museums · Observations · Society
Military regulations of Nicholas I's reign and a portrait of a boy holding one
Portrait of a Boy with a Book. Unknown artist, first half of the nineteenth century. Collection of the Romanov Museum, Kostroma Museum-Reserve. The book reads: “Military Regulations. Left, forward, march.” Two hundred years have passed, and how familiar the wording still is! The first half of the nineteenth century
Observations · Society · Nature · Ethnography
Cacique Raoni awaits help from French presidents in creating a park in Amazonia
Macron embraces Chief Raoni, founder of the movement to save the Amazon. Thanks to Raoni, 12 foundations for the rescue of the rainforests have been created. One of his main goals is the creation of a national park in Amazonia covering some 180,000 square kilometres, for which he has
Books · Moscow · Observations · People · Humour
I wonder how people can find any interest in new books, when all the charm of life lies in old books and manuscripts alone!
A caricature of the Moscow collector Alexey Bakhrushin
NB! · Coming Up · Moscow · Museums · Observations
The Pushkin Museum turns 111 as director Elizaveta Likhacheva invites guests to celebrate
To the country's finest museum, our dear and beloved Pushkin Museum, 111 years old today. Yelizaveta Likhacheva, Director of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, invites you to celebrate this great anniversary