Art · Books · Monarchies · People

Tolkien kept the drawings of Ingahild Grathmer, who turned out to be the Queen of Denmark

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark Proves to Be One of the Acknowledged Illustrators of "The Lord of the Rings" Tolkien once received a letter from a certain Ingahild Grathmer, who sent him her drawings, inspired by the universe of Middle-earth. Although he preferred his books to have

Aristocracy · Books · People

If you like me, let them read me; if I offend, let them cast me into the fire: I seek no trumpet of praise

Prince Ivan Mikhailovich Dolgorukov

NB! · Art · People

Hans Baldung, paintings on the theme of the three (seven) ages of woman and death

Hans Baldung, paintings on the theme of the three (seven) ages of woman and death. 1520s–1540s.

NB! · Observations · People

It's Just That Sort of Day

It's just that sort of day. Dmitri Shostakovich

Archive · Books · People

Glinka on how the partisan Davydov burned his own house in Borodino before the battle

It turns out that the village of Borodino belonged to Denis Davydov, who became famous in the war of 1812. Sergey Nikolayevich Glinka recalls that the partisan Davydov set fire to his own house in Borodino with his own hands, before a battle had even been appointed to take place

Faith · Art · People

Leonardo da Vinci, Adoration of the Magi, 1481-82

The work was never completed, and the monastery of San Donato a Scopeto commissioned the Adoration from Filippino Lippi instead. Leonardo depicted the Magi differently from the accepted manner: they do not walk one after another bearing their gifts, but worship the infant Christ simultaneously, as he sits in the

Books · People · Humour

Every fool will find a greater fool to admire him

The French poet Nicolas Boileau (1636-1711)

Books · Observations · People

Portrait of Jorge Luis Borges, who lived from 1899 to 1986

In my next life I shall try to make more mistakes. Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)

Archive · Books · Science · People

Galileo drew the relief of the Moon in 1609 and refuted the idea of a smooth lunar sphere

Galileo Galilei's Sketches of the Moon, Published in 1610. Galileo began sketching the Moon in 1609, using a telescope of his own improvement. The fruit of his researches was a series of drawings of the Moon which were not its first depiction: shortly before, Thomas Harriot had recorded

NB! · Art · Monarchies · People

Catherine II at 33, still Grand Duchess, in mourning for Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, 1762

Catherine II at 33, still Grand Duchess, in mourning for Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, 1762. Portrait by Vigilius Eriksen, who was one of Catherine's favourite painters.

NB! · Architecture · Monarchies · Moscow · People

Catherine the Great and Her White Hands at the Entrance to the Grand Palace at Tsaritsyno

Archive · Books · People

Dostoevsky on nihilists in his letters to Maykov and Meshchersky

"There is nothing to be said about nihilism. Wait until this upper layer, torn away from the soil of Russia, has rotted through entirely. Do you know, it occurs to me that many of these very same scoundrel-youths, these rotting youths, will end by becoming genuine, firm adherents