NB! · Aristocracy · Monarchies · Society · People
It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.
Aristocracy · London · Mores · Society · People
In April 1895 Oscar Wilde failed to win his case against the Marquess of Queensberry, the father of his close friend and lover Douglas. The Marquess demanded an end to the affair between Oscar Fingal and his son and accused the writer of sodomy, or, to be precise, sent a
Observations · Society
A concise reply to those who mistakenly equate the rare with the valuable. A limited print run cannot be the root cause of collecting interest in any object unless it possesses certain special and fundamental artistic, technical, material, ideological or circumstantial qualities. Anything at all may be rare, even unique,
NB! · Archive · Society · Paris
Coming Up · Museums · Observations · New York · Society
In 2022 a vast gallery devoted to the Latino experience in the United States will open in New York. The Molina Family Gallery will be housed in the National Museum of American History and will concentrate on the historical and cultural heritage of American Latinos and their contribution to American
Observations · Society · Paris
In places, Paris really does look like a field of ruins. The paving on the Place de la Concorde, for instance, now looks just so. Public works are perhaps the most frequent complaint my Parisian acquaintances make against the administration of Anne Hidalgo, who has run the city since 2014
Faith · Society · Rome
The famous photograph from last year's Palm Sunday service: Pope Francis holds a stylised palm branch, to which the history of the feast is tied. In 2021 all the Easter events in Rome have been altered on account of Covid restrictions. The number of guests at the traditional
Faith · Society · Rome
Palm Sunday was usually marked by Mass in Saint Peter's Square, but for the second year running the ceremony is taking place under strict coronavirus restrictions. In Italy the lockdown will last until Easter Sunday. In today's homily at the Altar of the Chair of Saint
Observations · Society · Humour
The number of people who congratulated me on Culture Worker's Day equals the number of people whom I congratulated on the occasion. But this identity is easily altered. I congratulate all my colleagues, the workers of this most vital sphere, whose efforts and talents, alas, too often remain
Education · Society
Moscow State University is to receive 165 million, Saint Petersburg State University 278.5 million, RANEPA 380 million, the Glazunov Academy 100 million, universities under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education 1.2 billion, those under the Ministry of Health 867 million, those under the Ministry of Agriculture 666
Architecture · Heritage · Society · Paris · Nature
The original roof of Notre-Dame, a masterpiece of engineering, was built in the twelfth century from 13,000 oaks, which is why it was called la forêt (the forest), while the spire was rebuilt in the nineteenth century. After Macron announced that traditional techniques and materials had been chosen
Faith · Books · Society · People
Christine de Pizan's (1364-1430) book "The City of Ladies" (1405) opens with the writer's account of how she was ashamed to be a woman, since women make men's lives so unbearable. Christine confesses that she fell into despair and felt herself