Observations · Humour

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Engraving titled “Chaussures civiles des Grecs”: cut diagrams of a chlamys and a pharos and drawings of laced Greek sandals.

NB! · Art · Observations · Humour

Greek sandals worn without socks, shown in an engraving by Willemin

Seasonal footwear: classic Greek sandals. As you can see, they are worn without socks

NB! · Observations · Society · People

Thomas, father of Alexandre Dumas, was the son of a slave; in 1793 he was appointed a brigadier general of the revolutionary armies

Thomas, father of Alexandre Dumas, was the son of a slave; in 1793 he was appointed a brigadier general of the revolutionary armies. In that same year the US Senate passed the Fugitive Slave Act. Europe and the States are, after all, very different

Dark wooden post with a finial and two round relief discs in front of an altar draped in white cloth in a stone church.

NB! · Observations · Humour

Carved wooden post with two round rosettes in front of a church altar

👌🏼 impeccable design. Rather orthodox

NB! · Observations

Aww ❤️

Two kneeling figures of chained Moors hold gilded shell-shaped dishes in a panelled interior beside a fireplace.

NB! · Art · Monarchies · Observations · Mores

Louis XIV and the fashion for guéridons, stands in the form of Moors in chains

Stands in the form of Moors, for flowers, sculptures and victuals, were brought into fashion by Louis XIV; they are called guéridons (from the French for 'warlike'). Only it is not clear what is warlike about slaves in chains.

NB! · Art · Monarchies · Observations · People

Only by looking at the wax portrait of Louis XIV can one grasp how innocent and charming all other statues and death masks are, even the eyeless ones

Archive · Books · Observations · Society · Humour

I Once Came Across a Remarkable Letter from the Jewish Writer Vergelis to the Party Bureau of the Union of Soviet Writers of the USSR on the "Vicious Peculiarities" of Jewish Literature

I once came across a remarkable letter from the Jewish writer Vergelis to the Party Bureau of the Union of Soviet Writers of the USSR on the "vicious peculiarities" of Jewish literature. The author surveys the work of several Jewish writers: Hofstein, Albirt, Fefer, Der Nister, Bergelson, Dobrushin,

Archive · Books · Moscow · Observations · Society

In 1949 Alexandr Alexandrovich Fadeyev, then General Secretary and Chairman of the Board of the Writers' Union, appealed to Stalin with a proposal to close the Yiddish-language almanacs and dissolve the associations of Jewish writers

In 1949 Alexandr Alexandrovich Fadeyev, then General Secretary and Chairman of the Board of the Writers' Union, appealed to Stalin with a proposal to close the Yiddish-language almanacs and dissolve the associations of Jewish writers. The letter from the Department of Propaganda and Agitation of the Central Committee

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.

Archive · Observations · Society

In fairness, it should be said that at the time of this libel the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR had 112 players, of whom 66 were Russians, 40 Jews and 6 others

In fairness, it should be said that at the time of this libel the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR had 112 players, of whom 66 were Russians, 40 Jews and 6 others. In 1951-52 fourteen people were admitted to the orchestra, eleven of them Russians and three Jews.

Books · Observations · Humour

Results of a poll of 758 participants, 537 of whom answered in the negative

Are you familiar with the works of the Holy Prepuce? anonymous poll. No – 537 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 71% Not yet, but I'd like to be – 170 👍👍 22% Yes, and I am impressed – 36 ▫️ 5% Yes, but not enthused – 15 ▫️ 2% 👥 758 people voted so far.