2017年9月30日星期六

Tarxien Temples, Malta




The Tarxien Temples are an archaeological complex in Tarxien, Malta. They date to approximately 3150 BC. The site was accepted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992 along with the other Megalithic temples on the island of Malta.

The Tarxien Temples site consists of a complex of four megalithic structures built between 3600 and 2500 BC and re-used between 2400 and 1500 BC. Discovered in 1913 by local farmers, the site was extensively excavated between 1915 and 1919, with a number of minor interventions carried out in the 1920s, by Sir Themistocles Zammit, Director of Museums at the time.

The earliest of the four structures, located at the easternmost end of the site and built sometime between 3600 and 3200 BC, survives only to near ground level although its five-apse plan is still clearly visible. The South Temple, the most highly decorated of megalithic buildings with its relief sculpture and the lower part of a colossal statue of a skirted figure, and the East Temple, with its well-cut slab walls and ‘oracle’ holes, were built between 3150 and 2500 BC. The Central Temple was constructed with its unique six-apse plan and contains evidence of arched roofing.

Of the four structures, three were substantially reconstructed by Zammit during the excavation itself with further interventions taking place in the 1960s. They contain highly decorated stone blocks and screens, reliefs of domestic animals and spirals, the colossal statue and a number of altars, one of which contained a flint knife and animal bones. Their location and the relationship with the temple itself are our best indications of the type of activities which took place on site. Tarxien has also contributed to the study of the construction of these megalithic structures with the discovery of stone spheres which have been interpreted as being stone rollers, used as aids to transportation of the megaliths. Remains of cremation found at the centre of the South temple indicate that the site was re-used as a Bronze Age cremation cemetery, between 2400 and 1500 BC.

The Tarxien consist of three separate, but attached, temple structures. The main entrance is a reconstruction dating from 1956, when the whole site was restored. At the same time, many of the decorated slabs discovered on site were relocated indoors for protection at the Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. The first temple has been dated to approximately 3100 BC and is the most elaborately decorated of the temples of Malta. The middle temple dates to about 3000 BC, and is unique in that, unlike the rest of the Maltese temples, it has three pairs of apses instead of the usual two. The east temple is dated at around 3100 BC. The remains of another temple, smaller, and older, having been dated to 3250 BC, are visible further towards the east.

Of particular interest at the temple site is the rich and intricate stonework, which includes depictions of domestic animals carved in relief, altars, and screens decorated with spiral designs and other patterns. Demonstrative of the skill of the builders is a chamber set into the thickness of the wall between the South and Central temples and containing a relief showing a bull and a sow.

Excavation of the site reveals that it was used extensively for rituals, which probably involved animal sacrifice. Especially interesting is that Tarxien provides rare insight into how the megaliths were constructed: stone rollers were left outside the South temple. Additionally, evidence of cremation has been found at the center of the South temple, which is an indicator that the site was reused as a Bronze Age cremation cemetery.

The large stone blocks were discovered in 1914 by local farmers ploughing a field. After the accidental discovery of the nearby Tarxien hypogeum in 1913, the proprietor of the land underneath which the temples were buried figured that the large stones that were continually struck by workers' ploughs may also have had some archaeological value. On that notion, he contacted the director of the National Museum, Sir Themistocles Zammit, who began to dig even on his first inspection of the site, where he discovered the center of the temple compound. It was not long before Zammit found himself standing in what appeared to be an apse formed by a semicircle of enormous hewn stones. Over the course of three years, Zammit enlisted the help of local farmers and townspeople for an excavation project of unprecedented scale in Malta. By 1920, Zammit had identified and carried out restoration work on five separate but interconnected temples, all yielding a remarkable collection of artifacts, including the famous "fat lady" statue (a representation of a Mother Goddess or a fertility charm) (in fact,according to the Malta Archaelological Museum, the "fat lady"statue is sexless, and could represent either a man or a woman) and several unique examples of prehistoric relief, including ships. The temples were included on the Antiquities List of 1925. Further excavations at the temples were conducted in the post-World War II period under the directorship of Dr. J.G. Baldacchino.

An elevated walkway was completed in 2012. This provides visitors with the opportunity to view the prehistoric remains from a unique viewpoint. The construction of a Shelter, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2007-2013 as part of the Archaeological Heritage Conservation Project, was also finalised.

Protective tent-like shelters, similar to those at Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra, were built around the Tarxien Temples in 2015, being completed in December of that year.

The discovery of the complex did much to further Malta's national identity, solidly confirming the existence of a thriving ancient culture on the island. Also, the general interest aroused by the finds engendered for the first time a public concern for the protection of Malta's historical treasures, including a need for management of the sites, the promulgation of laws, and other measures to protect and preserve monuments. At the same time, Sir Themistocles' thorough method in excavating the site paved the way for a new scientific approach to archaeology.


https://hisour.com/exhibition/tarxien-temples-malta/

Tal-Pilar Chapel, Il-Belt Valletta, Malta




Tal-Pilar Chapel (The Church of Our Lady of the Pillar) is a 17th-century church located in Valletta, Malta.

The church was built in the 1670s as the church of the Aragonese knights. It was built adjacent to the Auberge d'Aragon. The cornerstone was laid by Grandmaster Nicolas Cotoner and its construction was financed mainly by the Balì of Majorca Raimondo de Soler and Felice Inniges de Ayerba, the Bali of Caspe'. The latter was buried in the same church in front of the high altar. The church that was built in 1670 was damaged by the earthquake of 1693. Thus the church was remodelled on the plans of Romano Carapecchia. The church was completed in 1718. It was funded by Grandmaster Ramon Perellos y Roccaful. The rebuilt church was commissioned in 1719 under the reign of Ramon Perellos y Roccafula. In 1866 Francesco Spiteri Agius (1824-1887) founded the Instituto Catechistico for girls .

The church has a narrow façade ingeniously modelled into three bays on two levels with the centre bays projecting slightly. The composition gives the impression that the façade is larger than it actually is. In the remodelling of the church Carapecchia accentuated the vertical dimension of the façade by having superimposed pilasters of equal heights. The upper columns and pilasters are slightly more slender than the lower ones. The interior is highly decorated with sculpture.

The titular painting, depicting Our Lady appearing to St James, was done by Stefano Erardi. On top of the painting is another painting of the Eternal Father. The ceiling was painted by Gian Nikola Buhagiar. It depicts the coronation of Our Lady. The painting was donated by Grandmaster Perellos since at the corner one can see his coat of arms. There are also four other paintings depicting the Nativity of Mary, the Marriage of Mary, the Annunciation and the Visitation. On top of the organ gallery one can see a painting on the wall that depicts Grandmaster Perellos greeting the Balì of Majorca Raimondo de Soler.

The temple underwent extensive restoration work from 1989 to 1991 under the Valletta Rehabilitation Project. In 2007 it was transferred under the supervision of Heritage Malta to make available to visitors . The facility is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.

The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.


https://hisour.com/exhibition/tal-pilar-chapel-il-belt-valletta-malta/

2017年9月29日星期五

Ta' Kola Windmill, Xaghra, Malta




Ta' Kola Windmill (Maltese: Il-Mitħna ta' Kola), is a windmill in the village of Xagħra, on the island of Gozo in the Maltese archipelago. It was built in 1725 by the Fondazione Vilhena of Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena, and was rebuilt in the 1780s. It became a museum in 1992.

Ta’ Kola Windmill in Xagħra, Gozo, is one of the few surviving windmills on the Maltese Islands dating back to the Knights’ Period. Its origins go back to 1725 during the magistracy of Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena (1722-36). The mill was first built in 1725 during the reign of the Order of the Knights of Malta, on the order of Grand Master António Manoel de Vilhena , to meet the economic needs of a growing population . As its construction seems to have incorporated bad quality stones and mortar, it had to be dismantled and reconstructed during the 1780s.

The windmill’s name Ta’ Kola is connected with the last miller, Ġuzeppi Grech who was popularly known as Żeppu ta’ Kola (Joseph the son of Nikola). The name comes from that of its last conductor, the miller Gużeppi Grech, called by the locals with the nickname of Żeppu ta 'Kola .

The mill, located in Hunting, a village on the island of Maltese in Gozo, offers visitors a splitting of life on the small island during the 18th century.

Its architecture reflects the typical Maltese windmills of the time, with a series of rooms used for differentiated uses and distributed in a two storey building, built around a central stone cylinder tower .

Like many other Maltese windmills, it has a round central tower surrounded by a number of rooms. The sails and milling machinery have been restored, as have the miller's living-quarters. The museum also contains a large collection of traditional tools, mostly for wood- and iron-working.

Apart from operating the windmill, the miller would likely have performed several secondary jobs to keep himself employed when weather conditions made it impossible to operate the mill. When the wind was favourable for the mill to be operated, the miller would let the locals know by blowing through a triton-shell (Maltese bronja) and villagers would then bring their cereals to be ground into flour.

Its construction follows a plan which is echoed in most Maltese windmills of the period and consists of a number of rooms on two floors surrounding the centrally-placed cylindrical stone tower. The latter houses the milling mechanism which consists of two circular hard-wearing stones placed on top of each other to crush the grain forced between the two rotating surfaces.

On the ground floor of the windmill one can observe the workshop premises containing a vast array of tools, some of which were originally manufactured by the owners of the mill. On the first floor, the living quarters of the miller including the kitchen, dining room and bedrooms, have been recreated using traditional furniture and items related to Gozitan crafts. In the kitchen one may find traditional utensils and cooking ware which are today hard to come across.

The central tower houses the milling mechanism, consisting of two overlapping stone circles.

The lower floor was used as a workshop, while the upper floor was the miller's house.


https://hisour.com/exhibition/ta-kola-windmill-xaghra-malta/

Ta' Hagrat Temples, L-Imgarr, Malta


The Ta' Ħaġrat temples in Mġarr, Malta is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with several other Megalithic temples. They are amongst the most ancient religious sites on Earth. The larger Ta' Ħaġrat temple dates from the Ġgantija phase (3600–3200 BCE); the smaller is dated to the Saflieni phase (3300–3000 BCE).

Set in the heart of Mġarr, a village in Northwest Malta, and smaller than most other sites of a similar nature, Ta’ Ħaġrat is home to two well-preserved structures. The site was excavated between 1923 and 1926 with some other minor interventions in 1953 and in the 1960s. The larger of the two buildings dates from the earliest phases of megalithic construction – the Ġgantija phase (3600 – 3200 BC).

This structure has a monumental doorway and facade which give the site two of its most awe-inspiring and renowned characteristics. Other features include a bench, running along the facade’s length, as well as a courtyard, measuring approximately 2.5m by 4.5m, surrounded by a raised stone kerb. This space, accessible through the entrance corridor of the temple, provides access to three chambers through megalithic doorways. The main doorway of this structure was restored in 1937 with the replacement of the door lintel in its original position. The smaller structure, built on a 4-apse plan, is linked to the earlier one through a doorway in the eastern room.

The dating of this building is still uncertain although the finds indicate a Saflieni phase (3,300 – 3,000 BC) date. Ceramic material from both earlier and later periods were also found within the site indicating that the site was used both before and after the construction of the Temples.

The excavation of plentiful pottery deposits show that a village stood on the site and predates the temples themselves. This early pottery is dated to the Mġarr phase (3800-3600 BCE).

Ta' Ħaġrat is built out of lower coralline limestone, the oldest exposed rock in the Maltese Islands. The complex contains two adjacent temples. The smaller temple abuts the major one on the northern side.

The two parts are less regularly planned and smaller in size than many of the other neolithic temples in Malta. Unlike other megalithic temples in Malta no decorated blocks were discovered; however a number of artifacts were found. Perhaps most intriguing is a scale model of a temple, sculpted in globigerina limestone.

The model is roofed and shows the typical structure of a Maltese temple including a trilithon façade, narrow-broad walling technique and upper layers of horizontal corbelling.

Major Temple:
The Ġgantija phase temple is typically trefoil, with a concave façade opening onto a spacious semicircular forecourt. The façade contains a monumental doorway in the center and a bench at its base. Two steps lead up to the main entrance and a corridor flanked by upright megaliths of coralline limestone.

The corridor leads into a central torba (a cement-like material) court, radiating three semi-circular chambers. These were partially walled off at some time in the Saflieni phase; pottery shards were recovered from the internal packing of this wall. The apses are constructed with roughly-hewn stone walls and have a rock floor. Corbelling visible on the walls of the apses suggest that the temple was roofed.

Minor Temple:
The Saflieni phase temple rests to the north and is six and a half meters long. It is entered through the eastern apse of the larger temple. Smaller stones have been used in its construction and it exhibits irregularities in design considered archaic or provincial.

Excavation:
The site was excavated between 1923 and 1926 by Sir Temi Zammit, then Director of Museums. The site was again excavated by John Davies Evans in 1954, and British archaeologist David Trump accurately dated the complex in the 1961 excavation.

The temple was included on the Antiquities List of 1925.


https://hisour.com/partner/europe/ta-hagrat-temples-l-imgarr-malta/

2017年9月28日星期四

Lady in a black dress by Teodor Axentowicz


A lady in a black dress gracefully sitting on a soft velvet bed. Her open chest black Long dress use noble fabric production.

Axentowicz gained recognition as a portraitist, painter of beautiful women and author of genre scenes showing huts and customs.aristocracy.

Author
Teodor Axentowicz
Title: Portret damy w czarnej sukni.
Date 1906
Medium pastel on paper
Dimensions 192 x 101 cm
Muzeum Narodowe w Poznaniu


Teodor Axentowicz
May 13, 1859 - Aug 26, 1938

Teodor Axentowicz was a Polish-Armenian painter and university professor. He was a portraist,also dealt with illustrative graphics and poster design while worked as an illustrator in magazines and made copies of paintings by former masters, among others. Axentowicz was famous for his portraits and subtle scenes of Hutsul life, set in the Carpathians. He was also the rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków.

Between 1879 and 1882 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. From there he moved to Paris, where he was a student of Carolus-Duran and continued his education until 1895. During that time he started a long-time cooperation with various journals and started his career as a copyist, duplicating the works of Tizian and Botticelli for Le Monde illustré. He also made numerous travels to London and Rome, where he prepared a set of portraits, one of the first in his career.

[pt_view id="e6abd99teh"]

In the years 1890-1899 he made many trips to London and Rome, where he painted portraits of women and the Polish aristocracy. In 1894 he started collaboration with Wojciech Kossak and Jan Styka during the preparation of the Racławice Panorama, one of the largest panoramic paintings in the history of Polish art. The following year he moved to Kraków, where he became a professor at the local Academy of Fine Arts. He was also active in the local society and cooperated with various societies devoted to propagation of arts and crafts. In 1897 he founded an artistic conservatory for women and soon afterwards became one of the founders of the Sztuka society.

In 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair, Axentowicz received a Special Commemorative Award in recognition of distinguished service in connection with various national sections of the Department of Art. In 1910 he became the rector of the Academy and since 1928 was also an honorary member of the Zachęta Society. While in Paris, he received the prestigious title of Officier d'Académie Ordre des Palmes Académiques and Member of Académie des Beaux-Arts.

He was awarded many gold metals at both national and international exhibitions. Throughout his life he had numerous exhibitions, both in Poland and abroad. In addition to Society of Polish Artists "Sztuka", he was also a member of Hagenbund and a founding member of the Vienna Secession.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/drawings/lady-black-dress-teodor-axentowicz/

Rudowłosa by Teodor Axentowicz


Red hair woman wear a afternoon dress with puffed elbow-length sleeves. simplistic in design, yet extravagant by the choice of materials used. The sheer overlayer is enhanced by the solid lamé underlayers and a sense of luxury.

Axentowicz gained recognition as a portraitist, painter of beautiful women and author of genre scenes showing huts and customs. In the years 1890-1899 he made many trips to London and Rome, where he painted portraits of women and the Polish aristocracy.

Artist: Teodor Axentowicz
Title: Rudowłosa
Date circa 1899
Medium pastel on paper
Dimensions 40 × 56 cm (15.7 × 22 in)
Current location
National Museum in Poznań
Raczyński Palace in Rogalin


Teodor Axentowicz
May 13, 1859 - Aug 26, 1938

Teodor Axentowicz was a Polish-Armenian painter and university professor. He was a portraist,also dealt with illustrative graphics and poster design while worked as an illustrator in magazines and made copies of paintings by former masters, among others. Axentowicz was famous for his portraits and subtle scenes of Hutsul life, set in the Carpathians. He was also the rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków.

Between 1879 and 1882 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. From there he moved to Paris, where he was a student of Carolus-Duran and continued his education until 1895. During that time he started a long-time cooperation with various journals and started his career as a copyist, duplicating the works of Tizian and Botticelli for Le Monde illustré. He also made numerous travels to London and Rome, where he prepared a set of portraits, one of the first in his career.

[pt_view id="e6abd99teh"]

In the years 1890-1899 he made many trips to London and Rome, where he painted portraits of women and the Polish aristocracy. In 1894 he started collaboration with Wojciech Kossak and Jan Styka during the preparation of the Racławice Panorama, one of the largest panoramic paintings in the history of Polish art. The following year he moved to Kraków, where he became a professor at the local Academy of Fine Arts. He was also active in the local society and cooperated with various societies devoted to propagation of arts and crafts. In 1897 he founded an artistic conservatory for women and soon afterwards became one of the founders of the Sztuka society.

In 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair, Axentowicz received a Special Commemorative Award in recognition of distinguished service in connection with various national sections of the Department of Art. In 1910 he became the rector of the Academy and since 1928 was also an honorary member of the Zachęta Society. While in Paris, he received the prestigious title of Officier d'Académie Ordre des Palmes Académiques and Member of Académie des Beaux-Arts.

He was awarded many gold metals at both national and international exhibitions. Throughout his life he had numerous exhibitions, both in Poland and abroad. In addition to Society of Polish Artists "Sztuka", he was also a member of Hagenbund and a founding member of the Vienna Secession.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/drawings/rudowlosa-teodor-axentowicz/

Portrait de femme by Teodor Axentowicz


Axentowicz gained recognition as a portraitist, painter of beautiful women and author of genre scenes showing huts and customs. In the years 1890-1899 he made many trips to London and Rome, where he painted portraits of women and the Polish aristocracy.

Title: Portrait de femme.
Author:Teodor Axentowicz
Date 1898
Pastel on paper


Teodor Axentowicz
May 13, 1859 - Aug 26, 1938

Teodor Axentowicz was a Polish-Armenian painter and university professor. He was a portraist,also dealt with illustrative graphics and poster design while worked as an illustrator in magazines and made copies of paintings by former masters, among others. Axentowicz was famous for his portraits and subtle scenes of Hutsul life, set in the Carpathians. He was also the rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków.

Between 1879 and 1882 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. From there he moved to Paris, where he was a student of Carolus-Duran and continued his education until 1895. During that time he started a long-time cooperation with various journals and started his career as a copyist, duplicating the works of Tizian and Botticelli for Le Monde illustré. He also made numerous travels to London and Rome, where he prepared a set of portraits, one of the first in his career.

[pt_view id="e6abd99teh"]

In the years 1890-1899 he made many trips to London and Rome, where he painted portraits of women and the Polish aristocracy. In 1894 he started collaboration with Wojciech Kossak and Jan Styka during the preparation of the Racławice Panorama, one of the largest panoramic paintings in the history of Polish art. The following year he moved to Kraków, where he became a professor at the local Academy of Fine Arts. He was also active in the local society and cooperated with various societies devoted to propagation of arts and crafts. In 1897 he founded an artistic conservatory for women and soon afterwards became one of the founders of the Sztuka society.

In 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair, Axentowicz received a Special Commemorative Award in recognition of distinguished service in connection with various national sections of the Department of Art. In 1910 he became the rector of the Academy and since 1928 was also an honorary member of the Zachęta Society. While in Paris, he received the prestigious title of Officier d'Académie Ordre des Palmes Académiques and Member of Académie des Beaux-Arts.

He was awarded many gold metals at both national and international exhibitions. Throughout his life he had numerous exhibitions, both in Poland and abroad. In addition to Society of Polish Artists "Sztuka", he was also a member of Hagenbund and a founding member of the Vienna Secession.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/chalk/portrait-de-femme-teodor-axentowicz/

Untitled by Ayrz in Rua Rodrigues Sampaio 6 Lisboa


There are 7 storeys in this gable, which rise in a spiral, the body of a horse and his own ghost skeleton. Around him, some smiling fish swim. The piece was made in blue and pale pink that has characterized the work of the author.

This piece is part of the "1st Anniversary of the Montana Shop and Gallery Lisbon" project.

From the collection of
Galeria de Arte Urbana

Details
Title: untitled
Creator: Aryz
Date: 2011/2011
Location: Rua Rodrigues Sampaio, 6, Lisboa, Portugal (38°43'16" N 9°8'41" W)
Location Created: Rua Rodrigues Sampaio, 6, Lisboa
Technique: Painting
Type: Painting
Rights: 2013 | José Vicente | GAU | DPC | CML
Medium: Wall


Ayrz

Ayrz is a Spainish artist usually creates large format paintings but he finds himself on smaller walls as well, with equally effective result. Currently, he is one of the most interesting and popular characters on the international street art scene.

Ayrz, one of the most important artists in the history of street art. Currently, the leading modern art representatives in Brazil, they exhibit their paintings, sculptures and installations in the most prominent art institutions in the world.

[pt_view id="65dde7b1zd"]

Inspired and affected by surroundings conditions, ARYZ promptly cast his original concept overboard, in order to share his vision of “Positive-Propaganda” with the people living there.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/mural/untitled-ayrz-rua-rodrigues-sampaio-6-lisboa/

Positive Propaganda by Ayrz in Munich Germany


Located directly opposite of the wall is a – let’s call it – “place of refuge” for economic and war refugees from culturally very diverse countries, whose children have to play in this dreary place day in, day out, while their parents are plagued with worries about their seemingly hopeless situations. Inspired and affected by these surroundings and the conditions there, ARYZ promptly cast his original concept overboard, in order to share his vision of “Positive-Propaganda” with the people living there.

ARYZ collaborated with us to complete his first large-format artwork in Germany, with Amnesty International the original creative concept was to create a corresponding progressive artwork on the subject of “international arms trade”.

From the collection of
POSITIVE-PROPAGANDA e.V.

Title: Positive Propaganda
Creator: ARYZ
Date: 2013
Location: Munich, Germany
Location Created: Munich, Germany
location:lon: 11.5498624
location:lat: 48.1581854
Type: Mural


Ayrz

Ayrz is a Spainish artist usually creates large format paintings but he finds himself on smaller walls as well, with equally effective result. Currently, he is one of the most interesting and popular characters on the international street art scene.

Ayrz, one of the most important artists in the history of street art. Currently, the leading modern art representatives in Brazil, they exhibit their paintings, sculptures and installations in the most prominent art institutions in the world.

[pt_view id="65dde7b1zd"]

Inspired and affected by surroundings conditions, ARYZ promptly cast his original concept overboard, in order to share his vision of “Positive-Propaganda” with the people living there.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/mural/positive-propaganda-ayrz-munich-germany/

Untitled by Ayrz in al Politechniki 16 Lodz


On the spot of old soviet mural Spanish street artist Aryz made a new piece using mostly spray paint and paint rollers. Urban Forms Gallery is a permanent street art exhibition in public space. To date it consists of 30 large format paintings created directly on the front of the buildings placed in the city center. They form an artistic trail visible for citizens and tourists alike.

Ayrz is one of the most interesting and popular characters on the international street art scene.

From the collection of
Urban Forms Gallery

Details
Title: Untitled
Creator: Aryz
Date: 2012-09
Location: Poland, Lodz, al. Politechniki, 16
Location Created: Poland, Lodz, al. Politechniki, 16


Ayrz

Ayrz is a Spainish artist usually creates large format paintings but he finds himself on smaller walls as well, with equally effective result. Currently, he is one of the most interesting and popular characters on the international street art scene.

Ayrz, one of the most important artists in the history of street art. Currently, the leading modern art representatives in Brazil, they exhibit their paintings, sculptures and installations in the most prominent art institutions in the world.

[pt_view id="65dde7b1zd"]

Inspired and affected by surroundings conditions, ARYZ promptly cast his original concept overboard, in order to share his vision of “Positive-Propaganda” with the people living there.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/mural/untitled-ayrz-al-politechniki-16-lodz/

Untitled by Ayrz in ulice Pomorska 67 Lodz


Spanish artist usually creates large format paintings but he finds himself on smaller walls as well, with equally effective result. Urban Forms Gallery is a permanent street art exhibition in public space. To date it consists of 30 large format paintings created directly on the front of the buildings placed in the city center. They form an artistic trail visible for citizens and tourists alike.

Ayrz is one of the most interesting and popular characters on the international street art scene.

From the collection of
Urban Forms Gallery

Details
Title: Untitled
Creator: Aryz
Date: 2011-09
Location: ulice Pomorska 67, Lodz, Poland
Location Created: ulice Pomorska 67, Lodz,


Ayrz

Ayrz is a Spainish artist usually creates large format paintings but he finds himself on smaller walls as well, with equally effective result. Currently, he is one of the most interesting and popular characters on the international street art scene.

Ayrz, one of the most important artists in the history of street art. Currently, the leading modern art representatives in Brazil, they exhibit their paintings, sculptures and installations in the most prominent art institutions in the world.

[pt_view id="65dde7b1zd"]

Inspired and affected by surroundings conditions, ARYZ promptly cast his original concept overboard, in order to share his vision of “Positive-Propaganda” with the people living there.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/mural/untitled-ayrz-ulice-pomorska-67-lodz/

Untitled by Ayrz From Urban Forms Gallery


Twins from Sao Paolo, pillars and one of the most important artists in the history of street art. Currently, the leading modern art representatives in Brazil, they exhibit their paintings, sculptures and installations in the most prominent art institutions in the world.

This mural made i co-operation with Spain artist Aryz. Urban Forms Foundation for the Google Art Project presents a collection of mural painting displayed in the streets of Lodz, Poland. Urban Forms Gallery is a permanent street art exhibition in public space. To date it consists of 30 large format paintings created directly on the front of the buildings placed in the city center. They form an artistic trail visible for citizens and tourists alike.

From the collection of
Urban Forms Gallery

Details
Title: Untitled
Creator: Os Gemeos, Aryz
Date: 2012-08
Location: Poland, Lodz, ul. Roosevelta, 5
Location Created: Poland, Lodz, ul. Roosevelta, 5


Ayrz

Ayrz is a Spainish artist usually creates large format paintings but he finds himself on smaller walls as well, with equally effective result. Currently, he is one of the most interesting and popular characters on the international street art scene.

Ayrz, one of the most important artists in the history of street art. Currently, the leading modern art representatives in Brazil, they exhibit their paintings, sculptures and installations in the most prominent art institutions in the world.

[pt_view id="65dde7b1zd"]

Inspired and affected by surroundings conditions, ARYZ promptly cast his original concept overboard, in order to share his vision of “Positive-Propaganda” with the people living there.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/mural/untitled-ayrz-urban-forms-gallery/

ALL IN ONE by Ayrz From Estilo Libre


Mural realizado en el marco del festival de Meeting of Styles, All in One; Buenos Aires, Argentina 2012. Mural by artist ARYZ (Spain), painted at the corner of Av. Independencia and Chacabuco Street, San Telmo.

The Second Edition of the International Urban Art Festival in the city of Buenos Aires brought together more than 100 local and international urban artists who had been painting between November 22 and 26, 2012, under the motto: ALL IN ONE, The MOS Buenos Aires 2012 was centered in the Barracas district, in the surroundings of the Centro Metropolitano de Diseño (Metropolitan Design Center).

From the collection of
Estilo Libre

Details
Title: untitled
Creator: ARYZ
Date: 2012-11-11 - 2012-11-11
Location: Av Independencia 602-700, Buenos Aires
Location Created: Av Independencia 602-700, Buenos Aires
Type: street art


Ayrz

Ayrz is a Spainish artist usually creates large format paintings but he finds himself on smaller walls as well, with equally effective result. Currently, he is one of the most interesting and popular characters on the international street art scene.

Ayrz, one of the most important artists in the history of street art. Currently, the leading modern art representatives in Brazil, they exhibit their paintings, sculptures and installations in the most prominent art institutions in the world.

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Inspired and affected by surroundings conditions, ARYZ promptly cast his original concept overboard, in order to share his vision of “Positive-Propaganda” with the people living there.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/mural/one-ayrz-estilo-libre/

Red Sky with Birds by Dia Azzawi


Made in response to the massacre of Palestinian refugees in Beirut by Christian Lebanese Phalangists, the killings took place over several days in refugee camps kept under guard by the Israeli Defence Force. Al-Azzawi explains how working from imagination, he delineated the scenes of chaos and horror in a semi-abstract style to create a work that is not a propaganda piece, but which documents a tragedy.

From the collection of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art
Details
Title: Red Sky with Birds
Date Created: 1981
painter: Dia Azzawi
Physical Dimensions: w2002 x h1200 mm
Alternate Title: سماء حمراء وطيور
Type: paintings
Medium: oil on canvas


Dia Azzawi

Dia Azzawi (born 1939) is an Iraqi visual artist often regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Arab art. He lives in London and Doha. Dia al-Azzawi, an Iraqi-born painter, is an outstanding and world-class artist, art consultant, and author. Al-Azzawi’s work includes sculptures, prints, and drawings, as well as books through which visual art interacts with prose and poetry.

Poetry and folkloric memory drawn from ancient and contemporary Iraqi and Arab histories resonate in the artwork of internationally renowned Dia Al Azzawi. Azzawi’s acute understanding of antiquity and cultural heritage is evident in paintings, sculptures and prints that capture historical moments, often on a monumental scale. The artist’s awareness and sensitivity to representations of human suffering and turmoil carry through his work, as does his attempt to interlace space and time to demonstrate the eternal solidarity between different cultures and civilisations.

[pt_view id="a448707w5z"]

Dia Al-Azawwi is regarded as one of Iraq’s most influential Modern artists, creating works that merge contemporary techniques with references to ancient traditions. A former archaeology student, Al-Azawwi grew up captivated by the artefacts of the Iraq Museum, which continued to hold an influence when he studied at Iraq’s Institute of Fine Art.

In 1969, Al-Azawwi became a founding member of Iraq’s New Vision Group, its members united not by style, but by a desire to change an art scene they felt had grown rigid. Having moved to the UK in, Al-Azzawi found that by viewing Iraq from afar, he could understand more about Iraqi and Arabic culture than if he had remained.

Throughout the Middle East and the Western world, the works of al-Azzawi are highly valued for their uniqueness and cultural value. He became globally recognized as an artist and painter with participation in more than sixty-four exhibitions, which promoted Islamic and Arab art.

Al-Azzawi influenced the emergence of other Iraqi artists such as Maysaloun Faraj. He has also received several awards for his outstanding works.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/paintings/red-sky-birds-dia-azzawi/

Majnun Layla Temptation by Dia Azzawi


Dia Azzawi is a prominent artist of the Iraq school who played a role in the promotion of Iraqi and Arab art to wider audiences, notably through numerous publications and exhibitions of his contemporaries’ works. Al-Azzawi explains how working from imagination, he delineated the scenes of chaos and horror in a semi-abstract style to create a work that is not a propaganda piece, but which documents a tragedy.

Title: Majnun Layla (Temptation)
Date Created: 1995
painter: Dia Azzawi
Physical Dimensions: w2007 x h1610 mm
Alternate Title: (مجنون ليلى (الغواية
Type: paintings
Medium: acrylic on canvas
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art


Dia Azzawi

Dia Azzawi (born 1939) is an Iraqi visual artist often regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Arab art. He lives in London and Doha. Dia al-Azzawi, an Iraqi-born painter, is an outstanding and world-class artist, art consultant, and author. Al-Azzawi’s work includes sculptures, prints, and drawings, as well as books through which visual art interacts with prose and poetry.

Poetry and folkloric memory drawn from ancient and contemporary Iraqi and Arab histories resonate in the artwork of internationally renowned Dia Al Azzawi. Azzawi’s acute understanding of antiquity and cultural heritage is evident in paintings, sculptures and prints that capture historical moments, often on a monumental scale. The artist’s awareness and sensitivity to representations of human suffering and turmoil carry through his work, as does his attempt to interlace space and time to demonstrate the eternal solidarity between different cultures and civilisations.

[pt_view id="a448707w5z"]

Dia Al-Azawwi is regarded as one of Iraq’s most influential Modern artists, creating works that merge contemporary techniques with references to ancient traditions. A former archaeology student, Al-Azawwi grew up captivated by the artefacts of the Iraq Museum, which continued to hold an influence when he studied at Iraq’s Institute of Fine Art.

In 1969, Al-Azawwi became a founding member of Iraq’s New Vision Group, its members united not by style, but by a desire to change an art scene they felt had grown rigid. Having moved to the UK in, Al-Azzawi found that by viewing Iraq from afar, he could understand more about Iraqi and Arabic culture than if he had remained.

Throughout the Middle East and the Western world, the works of al-Azzawi are highly valued for their uniqueness and cultural value. He became globally recognized as an artist and painter with participation in more than sixty-four exhibitions, which promoted Islamic and Arab art.

Al-Azzawi influenced the emergence of other Iraqi artists such as Maysaloun Faraj. He has also received several awards for his outstanding works.
https://hisour.com/art-medium/paintings/majnun-layla-temptation-dia-azzawi/

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, WNET New York




The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is a four-acre (1.6 ha) memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt that celebrates the Four Freedoms he articulated in his 1941 State of the Union address. It is located adjacent to the historic Smallpox Hospital in New York City at the southernmost point of Roosevelt Island, in the East River between Manhattan Island and Queens. It was designed by the architect Louis Kahn.

Shaped by the architect Louis I. Kahn, Four Freedoms Park is situated directly across from the United Nations and was completed in honor of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech that changed history.

Four Freedoms park is named for Franklin D. Roosevelt's sobering Four Freedoms speech. Learn the story of how a landfill became a New York landmark.

President Roosevelt made his Four Freedoms speech to the United States Congress in 1941. The Four Freedoms speech has inspired and been incorporated in the Four Freedoms Monument in Florida, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C., and Norman Rockwell's series of paintings called the Four Freedoms.

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The four-acre park stands at the southernmost point of Roosevelt Island. Looking south, the visitor has a clear view of the United Nations building; to the north of the park is the Queensboro Bridge, which spans the East River. Approaching from the north, the visitor passes between a double row of trees that narrow as they approach the point, framing views of the New York skyline and the harbor. The memorial is a procession of elegant open-air spaces, culminating in a 3,600-square-foot (330 m2) plaza surrounded by 28 blocks of North Carolina granite, each weighing 36 tons. The courtyard contains a bust of Roosevelt, sculpted in 1933 by Jo Davidson.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the only child of James Roosevelt and Sara Ann Delano. The family lived at Springwood, their estate in the Hudson River Valley.

At age 23, in 1905, FDR married Eleanor Roosevelt, with whom he had six children.

FDR served as New York State Senator and Governor. This photo was taken in 1910 around the time he became New York State Senator.

The Great Depression hit in the middle of FDR's governorship. Roosevelt lowered utility rates, reduced taxes and created a state agency to aid the unemployed. Photo: FDR and family

When FDR was elected president in 1932, he enacted an even more ambitious plan for the nation's economic recovery: The New Deal. Photo: FDR and his Mother in Hyde Park, NY (1933).

In 1941, FDR prepared a bold response to critics of U.S. involvement in WWII: His Four Freedoms Speech. Video: Construction on Four Freedoms Park.

FDR died in 1945, but it wasn't until the 1970's that Welfare Island became Roosevelt Island and architect Louis I. Kahn was commissioned to design a monument. Video: Construction on Four Freedoms Park.

"It was the commission of a lifetime and he took it very very seriously." - Nathaniel Kahn (son of Louis I. Kahn). Image: An early sketch of Four Freedoms Park via Louis I. Kahn.

But, in 1974, Louis I. Kahn died and the project was put on hold. It wasn't until early 2010 that workers broke ground on Four Freedoms Park. Photo: FDR statue construction.

In the 1990s, Louis I. Kahn's son made a documentary about his father. In researching his fathers blueprints, he came across designs that had never been built. Among them: The Roosevelt Memorial.

Building the park and memorial on an island presented logistical challenges for the builders. Video: Construction on Four Freedoms Park.

On October 17, 2012, almost three years after construction began, Four Freedoms Park opened to the public.

"As familiar as I was with construction drawings and the design, there are all these amazing things that we discovered as we built the project" - Gina Pollara (Supervising Architect, Four Freedoms Park).

The New York Times wrote that the FDR memorial on Roosevelt Island would "face the sea he loved, the Atlantic he bridged, the Europe he helped to save, the United Nations he inspired."

"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms." - Franklin D. Roosevelt (excerpted from his Four Freedoms Speech).

At the point, the monument itself is a simplified, roofless version of a Greek temple in granite. Excerpts from Roosevelt's Four Freedoms speech are carved on the walls of this room-like space, which is open to the sky above.

The memorial is constructed entirely in Mount Airy Granite sourced from the North Carolina Granite Corporation. Over 140,000 cubic feet (4,000 m3) of Mount Airy Granite was used in the memorial's construction. In contrast with the hard granite forms, Kahn placed five copper-beech trees at the memorial's entrance and 120 little-leaf lindens in allées leading up to the monument.
https://hisour.com/story/franklin-d-roosevelt-four-freedoms-park-wnet-new-york/

Saving Wilton's Music Hall


Wilton's produces imaginative, distinctive work that has roots in the early music hall tradition but reinterpreted for an audience of today, which means presenting a diverse and distinct programme including opera, puppetry, classical music, cabaret, dance, and magic. Situated at the heart of the historic East End within easy walking distance from The Tower of London, the River Thames and the City, it is a focus for theatrical and East End history, as well as a living theatre, concert hall, public bar and heritage site.

The venue recently underwent an extensive programme of restoration work. The theatre did not close at any point during the building works: instead running an interim arts programme called The Chrysalis Club. The award-winning spaces reopened in October 2015.

Once one of London's leading Grand Music Halls, by 1964 Wilton's Music Hall was destined for demolition. It took decades of passionate campaigning to bring the building back to life and then to make it safe. Conservative repair was finally completed in October 2015 and we look back at the long journey it took to save Wilton's.

Wilton's Music Hall had been taken over by the Wesleyan East End Mission in 1888, transforming its reputation as a centre of vice to one of moral guidance. Staying until 1956 the Mission was Wilton's longest serving tenants.

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The charitably funded Mission could not maintain the building and sold the decaying structure to Coppermill Rag Merchants who used the hall as a warehouse for sorting materials.

London's East End had been badly damaged in the Blitz; much of the surviving buildings were demolished during subsequent slum clearances. This notice lists Wilton's at Nos. 1/4 Grace's Alley as scheduled for demolition.

Although badly damaged, Wilton's was one of few surviving Victorian music halls. Its significance and looming destruction alarmed preservationists and veteran performers.

Building surveyor and theatre historian John Earl took an early interest in Wilton's and prepared a briefing to combat the London County Council (LCC) at a planning meeting to discuss preservation or demolition

Writer and broadcaster John Betjeman, as a well-known public figure, presented the case and successfully convinced the LCC that Wilton's was worth preserving.

The LCC, soon to be renamed the Greater London Council (GLC) took ownership of the site.

Wilton's survived but over the following years almost the entire surrounding neighbourhood was razed, with few immediate replacements.

The Campaign Begins
Spike Milligan, the famous comedian and writer, took the lead in campaigning for Wilton's in 1970. The GLC owned the site but responsibility for reinvigorating Wilton's would rely on external groups.

Spike wrote to the great and the good to highlight Wilton's plight. This cheeky message to HRH Prince Charles eventually convinced him to become the first patron in 1971; a position he revived in 2006.

As a successful television star himself, Spike convinced the BBC Head of Comedy, Michael Mills, to produce a television special 'The Handsomest Hall in Town' in 1970, featuring major variety stars of the day.

The production crew were able to make cosmetic improvements to the hall but the building remained in a perilous state. Plans were considered for full restoration but momentum could not be sustained, nor sufficient funds raised.

Grand Plans
In 1972 after the initial surge of interest lapsed, Peter Honri took charge of the campaign for Wilton's. Honri had music hall in his blood, as the grandson of music hall star Percy Honri. Along with actor Marius Goring, Honri established the first Trust for the Restoration of Wilton's. He wrote tirelessly to the leading lights of entertainment to raise awareness of Wilton's struggle.

The Trust drew up plans which would include a school of music hall. A disagreement with the GLC erupted when the Trust was denied the lease in favour of the 'socialist' Half Moon Theatre company.

The bitter fight for control delayed any substantial repairs to the building but eventually put the lease back in the hands of the Trust who wished to promote Wilton's as a centre for variety entertainment

The battle for Wilton's had split the Trust members and in 1978 new plans were drawn up on a smaller scale by Peter Honri and architect Peter Newson.

Peter Honri wrote an 'Artistic Blueprint for Wilton's'; the first document to look at programming the venue again as a theatre. It was strongly devoted to variety entertainment and catering in the spirit of the original.

Peters Honri and Newson, enlisted the help of Peters Drew who was redeveloping the nearby Katherine Docks and Delaney, Vicar at the historic All Hallows by the Tower. The group created the new London Music Hall Protection Society.

A launch party was held at All Hallows by the Tower and the project began to build momentum.

Rev. Peter Delaney introduced Liza Minnelli to Wilton's. She went on to host a fundraising gala in support of Wilton's at the Café Royal.

The building was too dangerous to host performances so fundraising events had to be held elsewhere.

A series of events: Wilton's on the Green, on the River, at the NFT, raised awareness but only a small amount of revenue.

Eventually sufficient funds were raised to do initial repairs, first to the exterior of Wilton's, and a new charitable London Music Hall Trust was established.

The auditorium roof was repaired but the building still remained unsafe for performances.

By the mid-1980s momentum had slowed and many of the original Trust founders were no longer involved with the project. The new Trust changed direction from fundraising to more commercial activities, inspired by the rapid redevelopment of London's Docklands.

New proposals were drawn up which looked less at the restoration of Wilton's and instead at the redevelopment of the area as a themed retail centre called Wilton's World.

Although Wilton's could not be used for live performance it was often used as a location for film, television and music videos. The risqué video for Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax was banned by both BBC and MTV.

Whilst the building could be made to look glamorous on screen, the reality was that the structure and especially the front houses were deteriorating.

Wilton's World never developed beyond a concept and income relied on film shoot hires and occasional tours of the derelict site.

Wilton's runs a popular theatrical programme, as well as learning and outreach programme, activites and history tours.

As well as hosting events, filming and community groups.

And the Mahogany Bar serves guests every night of the week, a suitable end to 50 years of fighting for survival.
https://hisour.com/story/saving-wiltons-music-hall/

2017年9月27日星期三

The White House Virtual Tour: The Ground Floor




The Ground Floor is made up of the Diplomatic Reception Room, Map Room, China Room, Vermeil Room, Library, the main kitchen, and other offices.

Ground Floor Corridor:
Until 1902, the Ground Floor in the White House served as utilitarian space used by servants. As a result, by the end of the 19th century, James Hoban’s original groin vaulting in the wide corridor of this floor had been cut through in numerous places to accommodate pipes and ducts. The furnace room (now the Diplomatic Reception Room) also jutted into the corridor.

When McKim, Mead, & White created a new guest entrance in the East Wing during the 1902 renovation of the White House, they transformed much of the Ground Floor into public space. All intrusions were removed, the vaulting was restored, and the refurbished corridor received rugs and seating furniture.

At First Lady Edith Roosevelt’s initiative, two cabinets were purchased for the corridor in 1904 to display pieces of dinner and dessert services used by former presidents. Mrs. Roosevelt also decided to hang portraits of first ladies in this space, inaugurating a tradition that has been retained to the present.

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Library:
Most of the Ground Floor rooms were service areas until the Theodore Roosevelt renovation of 1902; this room was generally used as the laundry. Thereafter it became a gentleman’s anteroom and then a library in 1935.

Originally compiled in 1961 and updated in 2005, the official White House Library contains approximately 2,800 works of American life and thought.

In the modern era, the room has been a favorite for media tapings.

Vermeil Room:
The room takes its name from the large collection of vermeil (gilded silver) received by the White House in 1958 as a bequest of Margaret Thompson Biddle, selections of which have been on display in this room ever since. The collection of almost 1,600 pieces contains examples of work by the most prominent English and French silversmiths working in the 18th and 19th centuries. Pieces from the vermeil collection are also on display throughout the house.

Until the end of the 19th century, Ground Floor rooms were the domain of White House servants, who probably used this room as a bedroom or storeroom. During a complete renovation of the White House for President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902, this room became a coat/dressing room for female guests. Later, it was used as an office, waiting room, conference room, and billiard room. Since the Nixon administration, it has served as a sitting room.

China Room:
Since 1917, the Ground Floor room known as the China Room has been used as an exhibition space for examples of ceramics, glass, and silver used in the White House or owned by the first families. Throughout the 19th century, this room, like the rest of the Ground Floor, had been used by White House servants. It became a public space in 1902, when it was transformed into a coat/dressing room during the Theodore Roosevelt renovation of the White House.

When she became first lady in 1889, Caroline Harrison continued to pursue the Victorian art form of china painting. This hobby and her interest in history (she was the first president of the Daughters of the American Revolution) led her to take an active interest in collecting and preserving White House tableware used in previous administrations. Although she planned to have a cabinet built in the State Dining Room to display examples of White House china services, her idea was not executed before her premature death in 1892, while her husband was running unsuccessfully for re-election.

In 1901, Mrs. McKinley allowed journalist Abby Gunn Baker to survey the surviving White House service pieces which resulted in a scholarly article. In 1904, Mrs. Roosevelt had two cabinets made for the newly refurbished Ground Floor Corridor to display samples of White House china chosen for this purpose by Ms. Baker, and together they publicized their search for past White House tableware and actively collected examples to supplement what had survived at the White House.

Ellen Wilson decided to devote an entire room to display the growing collection of White House china, but her death in 1914 meant that the “Presidential Collection Room” was not completed until 1917 under Wilson’s second wife, Edith. Abby Gunn Baker was again asked to select and arrange the china, silver, and glassware installed in built-in cabinets around the room.

East Garden Room:
This room, at the west end of the East Terrace, is the intersection between the Residence and the East Wing. Double doors in the northwest corner provide entry into the Ground Floor Corridor within the original walls of the White House. The glazed south wall is an extension of the East Colonnade facade, with a door opening into the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden.

Coming down the colonnade, guests first see an enormous bronze bust of Abraham Lincoln by Gutzon Borglum in a niche in the west wall, to the right of which hang display panels - historic photographs most of the year, and often official Christmas cards during the holiday season. Large portraits of four former presidents hang on the other two walls.

Until the end of the 19th century, Ground Floor rooms were the domain of White House servants, who probably used this room as a bedroom or storeroom. During a complete renovation of the White House for President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902, this room became a coat/dressing room for female guests. Later, it was used as an office, waiting room, conference room, and billiard room. Since the Nixon administration, it has served as a sitting room.
https://hisour.com/story/white-house-virtual-tour-ground-floor/

Festa del Redentore, Celebrating the end of the plague, Italian Youth Committee UNESCO


The best party in Venice is the 440-year-old Festa del Redentore. Every year a remarkable 25,000 fireworks explode over Serenissima, as locals take to boats and reclaim their canals. But this festival has a dark and dreadful past, one which led to a surprising Italian innovation.

The Festa del Redentore is an event held in Venice the third Sunday of July where the fireworks play an important role. On Saturday, the eve of the festival, fireworks are let off. Preparations begin early in the morning when people begin to decorate their boats, or the small wooden terraces on rooftops from where they can admire the fireworks. At sunset, Saint Mark's basin begins to fill with up with boats of all kinds, festooned with balloons and garlands, and thousands of Venetians await the fireworks while dining on the boats.

Around 10 o'clock at night, from pontoons placed nearby the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, the fireworks begin and Saint Mark's basin becomes one of the most atmospheric stages in the world. The fireworks last for around 45 to 60 minutes, illuminating the night and arousing intense emotions in both Venetians and visitors. Once the fireworks are over, the young people of the city head off to the Lido, where they sit on the sand and wait for dawn.A bridge of barges is built connecting Giudecca to the rest of Venice. Sunday is devoted to religious celebrations.

The Redentore began as a feast - held on the day of the Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer - to give thanks for the end of the terrible plague of 1576, which killed 50,000 people, including the great painter Tiziano Vecellio (Titian). The Doge Alvise I Mocenigo promised to build a magnificent church if the plague ended. Andrea Palladio was commissioned, assisted by Da Ponte, to build a majestic church on the Island of Giudecca. The church, known as Il Redentore, was consecrated in 1592, and is one of the most important examples of Palladian religious architecture. After the foundation stone was laid, a small wooden church was temporarily built, along with temporary bridge of barges from the Zattere, so that the Doge Sebastian Venier could walk in procession as far as the tabernacle. Afterwards, the Doge made a pilgrimage to the Church of Redentore every year.

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The extraordinary story of the Festa del Redentore begins with the ordinary black rat. These seemingly harmless rodents arrived in Venice on one of the Republic’s many merchant galleys. But instead of bringing exotic spices from faraway lands, they brought something much more sinister. The plague.

The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people in Eurasia and peaking in Europe in the years 1346–1353. The plague created a series of religious, social, and economic upheavals, which had profound effects on the course of European history.

The Black Death is thought to have originated in the arid plains of Central Asia, where it then travelled along the Silk Road, reaching Crimea by 1343. From there, it was most likely carried by Oriental rat fleas living on the black rats that were regular passengers on merchant ships. Spreading throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, the Black Death is estimated to have killed 30–60% of Europe's total population.

There are many lazaretto hospitals around the world, but Venice built the first. It is one of the earliest examples of risk management. In fact, the word “quarantine” also comes from this time.These godforsaken places don’t show up on the average tourist map. But come with us, if you dare, for a rare walk inside...

Today we associate the fearful mask of the plague doctor with death. But actually, these dark figures were the superheroes of their day. Their costume was like an early hazmat suit, with long beaks filled with aromatic herbs which were thought to ward off disease by purifying the air.

Venice ultimately saved itself from the plague—by putting in place an innovative quarantine strategy. But at the time the credit was given to Christ the Redeemer.To thank God for deliverance from plague, Republic of Venice made true on their promise to build a church: Il Redentore.

The church of Redentore was designed in 1577 by one of Italy’s most influential architects of all, Andrea Palladio.

Palladian architecture features Roman and Greek styles. For nearly 500 years it has inspired architects around the world.

The location of the church on an island in the Giudecca canal means that to reach it you must cross the water, a symbolic religious ritual.

In 1577, the city of Venice held a religious procession on a bridge of boats to arrive at the Giudecca island and lay the foundation stone of Il Redentore. Ever since, the same tradition has been repeated in pretty much the same way. This is now one of the most important events of the modern festival.

Venetians continue to construct the temporary bridge every year during the festival, and take part in the historic and symbolic crossing to the church of Redentore.

From unspeakable darkness, the people of Venice created an innovative risk management strategy, a magnificent church, and a powerful celebration of life that lives on today. And it doesn’t end there. A modern Redentore tradition has been added. As day turns to night, the people come together to enjoy the most anticipated event of all: the fireworks.
https://hisour.com/story/festa-del-redentore-celebrating-end-plague-italian-youth-committee-unesco/

2017年9月26日星期二

Fashion in the Ringstrasse era, Wien Museum Karlsplatz


When sophisticated Viennese society kitted itself out with a new wardrobe, Tall, stiff collars characterize the period, as do women's broad hats and full "Gibson Girl" hairstyles. A new, columnar silhouette introduced by the couturiers of Paris late in the decade signaled the approaching abandonment of the corset as an indispensable garment.

Elegance and opulence were at the top of the wish-list. The major fashion trends of the “Ringstraße era” make a grand entrance at Wien Museum: extravagant ball gowns and effusive hats, wedding dresses and widow‘s weeds, corsets and ankle boots.

With the decline of the bustle, sleeves began to increase in size and the 1830s silhouette of an hourglass shape became popular again. The fashionable silhouette in the early 20th century was that of a confident woman, with full low chest and curvy hips. The "health corset" of this period removed pressure from the abdomen and created an S-curve silhouette.

the silhouette slimmed and elongated by a considerable amount. Blouses and dresses were full in front and puffed into a "pigeon breast" shape of the early 20th century that looked over the narrow waist, which sloped from back to front and was often accented with a sash or belt. Necklines were supported by very high boned collars.

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Skirts brushed the floor, often with a train, even for day dresses, in mid-decade. The fashion houses of Paris began to show a new silhouette, with a thicker waist, flatter bust, and narrower hips. By the end of the decade the most fashionable skirts cleared the floor and approached the ankle. The overall silhouette narrowed and straightened, beginning a trend that would continue.

‘What should I wear, and when?’
For ladies and gentlemen who belonged to ‘society’, this was a never-ending question, whatever the season and whatever the occasion. There was a visiting outfit for receiving or making social calls; a tea gown or suit for afternoon tea; a ‘turftoilette’ for attending the races; a promenading outfit for taking the air; and a special set of clothes, known as a ‘Firnis costume’, worn only for exhibition openings.

A lady was only ‘properly’ dressed when equipped with a hat, gloves and a fan, and would never leave the house unless accompanied by these accessories. Displaying one’s spending power, along with adherence to a strict etiquette, governed the everyday lives of most prosperous families in the late nineteenth century; and an ability to understand the finest nuances of taste and appearance was one of the keys to social success.

Women’s clothing was decorative, symbolic and extremely flamboyant.

Men’s fashion, by contrast, was expected to conform to the bourgeois ideals of hard work and thriftiness, and so was generally characterized by a simple and functional style and restrained colors.

Negligé, sometimes still known as deshabillé in the nineteenth century, referred to an elegant house and matinée gown. This garment, often elaborately designed with plissées and square patches of embroidery, was worn by the lady of the house at breakfast.

Only close female friends and married men were permitted to see her in this dress; it was never worn for formal visits. The cut was similar to a day dress, but somewhat more comfortable, and it was no accident that the negligé was known as a woman’s ‘victory robe’.

The trotteur (from the French for ‘run’, ‘trot’, ‘suitable for walking’), a severely cut suit made of densely woven woollen fabrics, became the most common term for English tailored costumes at the end of the nineteenth century.

Arriving as the ‘tailor-made’ from England in 1887, the trotteur became increasingly popular. It was intended to be worn only for when leaving the house to do errands or make calls in the mornings, and was accompanied by a suitable shirt. The trotteur was the predecessor to today’s costume.

One of the great pleasures of Viennese society was the daily promenade along the Ringstrasse, a continuance of the older tradition of walking along the city walls.

The famous Sirk-Ecke (Sirk corner) was always the busiest spot, and critic Ludwig Hevesi wrote, “Every evening, the short stretch of pavement between Kärntner Gate and Schwarzenberg Square (but only on the city side), becomes a terrifying mass of people, a swarm of urban humanity, arm in arm with itself, pouring over and over itself like a wave, as if a conspiracy were creeping up on Vienna under cover of darkness. At the notorious corner, where, as if obeying some unseen command, everyone turns as one to go back again, the various groups press inexorably towards each other, preventing any further movement: the Order of the Knights of Fashion, the Bemonocled Aristocracy, the Creased-Trouserocracy.”

Carl Schuster who was born in Purkersdorf and created this painting was an artist and illustrator in Vienna.

Around 1850, men’s fashion saw the arrival of the double-breasted frock coat with overlapping knee-length coat-tails from the waist. As formal daywear, this retained its popularity until around 1930, usually with the coat itself entirely in black and the trousers in black and grey vertically striped fabric.

Tailleur generally referred to a gown or outfit in a French style, implying a feminine cut and the use of soft fabrics such as velvet or taffeta – chosen according to the time of year – embellished with ribbons, braiding and gemstones.

Women wore such a gown when walking out at midday or to meet friends at the patisserie, and accompanied it with a fantastically elaborate blouse made of lace, muslin or silk, along with a fur or feather boa, a gold or silver purse and, of course, a fashionable hat and gloves.

This enchanting spring or summer gown would have been ideal for walking in the city park or the Prater or for a stroll in the garden. The ‘hourglass figure’ was characterised by wide leg-of-mutton sleeves, a close-fitting upper gown, a narrow-laced wasp waist and a skirt that stretched smoothly and tightly over the hips to the knee before flaring out into a bell-like skirt.

Men’s suits took a step forward in the 1860s. The jacket gave way to the single-breasted frock coat, loosely cut and worn with trousers in the same fabric.

By the end of the nineteenth century, this kind of suit was being worn tailored close to the body with a small lapel, the forerunner of the everyday suits of the twentieth century.

Depending on fashion, the suit could (and still can) be worn single or double-breasted, with a narrow or broad lapel, loosely cut or tailored and with or without padded shoulders.

Visiting or calling clothes were required for social introductions or for attending afternoon tea. The cut and colour of each gown was adapted to the vogue of the time, but a small train was essential. These dresses were elaborately made from taffeta, grosgrain, satin, tulle and soft wollen materials. This variegated blue gown, with its pleated sleeves and fitted waist, is typical of the kind of dresses first to be worn with a tournure.

A tournure, or bustle, could be created with the help of either a small crescent-shaped cushion, stuffed with horsehair, or by using a semi-circular frame of steel rings incorporated into the centre of the petticoat at the back. Its function was to support the padding and gathering of the upper gown in order to create an overly large derrière.

The tournure was so popular that its name became synonymous not only with the dress itself, but also with the entire history of clothing at this time.

The unwritten rule that one should wear a different outfit for each kind of daytime social occasion resulted in special outfits being created even to attend the opening of an exhibition. Such events were known in Vienna as ‘Firnisstage’ (Varnish Days). These were seen as occasions where the members of certain social circles, who would often be well acquainted with each other already, could meet in a more intimate setting than usual.

Clothes for a Firnisstag should be a little more elaborate than one’s usual attire, even a little more daring. This silk dress is a typical example; note how it closely hugs the body, its conspicuous, flamingo-pink colour, the creamy tulle lace netting, the boned collar and coquettish rosette feature.

The term ‘turf toilette’ refers to an extravagant dress that was intended to be worn to the races. In Vienna, the first day of May was the most important date in the racing calendar. If the weather was good, then the whole of aristocratic society, from the Emperor to the landed gentry, would drive down to Freudenau via the Prater Hauptallee in their smartest carriages, often cheered on by the rest of the town.

“The most blue-blooded of princesses, accompanied by muses from Thalia’s and Terpsichore’s bower,” wrote a contemporary visitor, “appeared in their newest, most costly spring garments to take part in this magnificent display.”

All kinds of sartorial rules governed an appearance at the theatre, opera or concert. The important factors to be considered were the time of year, the seats (box or stalls?), the performance (an operetta, or something more highbrow?) and the time of day. Hats could be worn in a box, but not in the stalls. Dresses must be buttoned up to the neck except during the season (carnival time), when they were permitted to reveal a little of the décolleté.

Etiquette demanded that one should dress more seriously for the theatre, and with elegant restraint for an operetta or revue, as on these occasions fashion should be left to the voyantes, the demi-monde of women who could never enter society.

A ballgown, on the other hand, allowed a woman to make the most of her attractions, although here too, of course, she had to remember the demands of social etiquette.

The neckline, which was often wide, was only allowed to reveal a hint of bosom, and young girls were urged to be modest. The dress would generally have short sleeves or shoulder straps, and often be decorated in the most extravagantly spendthrift manner with lace, tassels, artificial flowers, pearls and paste jewellery.

Heavy fabrics were sometimes preferred, but dresses could also be made of dainty materials such as peau de soie, brocade, velvet, taffeta, moiré, muslin, tulle and organdie, often combined, and could be matte or shiny in a variety of intoxicating colours.

Fans were required when out walking, on excursions and when horse riding; when seated in a box at the theatre; at the ball; for flirtation and to go out in public without being recognised. Ideally, this important accessory would be adapted in colour and fabric to the occasion and to the clothes one was wearing. The fan shown here is an elaborately designed ball fan made of costly material. Fans, known in Vienna as Waderl, reached the height of their popularity in the eighteenth century, but remained an indispensable, if fragile, accessory for adornment, collection, practical use and flirtation well into the twentieth century.

White bridal gowns were first worn in the nineteenth century. They became fashionable in part due to the influence of Classicism, where women were often depicted wearing white, but also after a number of aristocratic brides chose to wear them.

Queen Victoria of England, Empress Eugénie of France and Empress Elisabeth of Austria all wore white at their weddings. The colour symbolised purity, chastity and virginity.

Of course, it was only the well-off families who could afford a white dress for the ‘most important day’ in their daughters’ lives.

This is an example of a particularly fashionable bridal gown in the style of designer Paul Poiret (1879–1944), who was inspired by the Ballet Russes and its oriental costumes. It has a rather high waist on a lace bodice that is sleeveless at the top, giving way to lightly draped panels at the sides.

The back of the dress is emphasised with a particularly large weave. In accordance with the demands of etiquette, the cut conceals the entire body. The dress is closed with a high boned collar and three-quarter-length sleeves.

This combination is typical of the outfit conventionally worn at weddings and receptions. At the wedding, the bridegroom wore a small bunch of rosemary or myrtle in his buttonhole. The groom’s ceremonial dress developed from the frock coat after 1850, but its origins are to be found in the cutaway, the English riding jacket of the early nineteenth century.

The cutaway was a tailcoat with cut-back tails, rather like a swallow-tail coat. It was always single-breasted with a tapered lapel, in a black or grey fabric, worn from around 1900 with black-and-grey striped cuffless trousers.

It may seem strange today that a bride should wear black, but in the nineteenth century it was a common sight. The ‘black silk’ was often a woman’s best dress if she was not from a wealthy family.

It could fulfil a variety of functions. It could be worn as it was for making and receiving calls, it could be combined with jewellery for parties and, if needed, it could even be worn as mourning.

In this way, it is a direct predecessor of today’s ‘little black dress’, and as such formed an essential part of any bride’s trousseau. However, when it came to weddings, even poorer brides liked to wear a white veil and carry an appropriate bouquet.

Fashion journals constantly discussed the newest bridal wear, but generally advised brides they should on no account wear a pure white dress, as these would make you look pale. Instead, an ‘off-white’ dress was recommended in satin, peau de soie, taffeta or crêpe de chine.

Bridal gowns were often adorned with myrtle and rosemary, evergreen symbols of love, and with orange blossom, which represented fruitfulness.

Mourning symbolised humility and respect for the dead. The requirement to be seen to be mourning was a particular burden for women, who were expected to wear ‘widow’s weeds’ for at least a year. Noble widows such as Queen Victoria and Maria Theresa wore their mourning until they died.

A mourning outfit had to be black and made in a matte material that did not reflect the light. Crêpe was particularly associated with mourning, but while for men a simple black crêpe band around the arm was sufficient, women were obliged to wear black dresses, hats and heavy crêpe veils.

It was not until the second year of mourning that a woman was permitted to wear colours again, and then only discreet colours such as grey or mauve.

A ‘city fur’ was a status symbol for a man of distinction. This was a typical winter coat made of heavy wool fabric with a fur collar, passemente fastenings and a fur lining.

Rudolf von Alt, son of the artist Jakob Alt, depicted scenes from his era in more than a thousand watercolours. Many of them feature Vienna, and his style particularly lends itself to revealing the atmosphere of a place.

Here we see a tableau of ‘Rich and Poor’ in front of the opera house; an officer in uniform, a man of the world in his frock coat and top hat, an elegant Viennese lady in intoxicating silks, wearing a little round hat hat and carrying a filigree parasol, and a poor girl, selling violets.

All life is spread before us: at the crossroads of the Vienna State Opera.
https://hisour.com/story/fashion-ringstrasse-era-wien-museum-karlsplatz/

The White House Virtual Tour : The State Floor




The White House, excluding the wings, constructed between 1792 and 1800, is the official residence of the President of the United States and a living museum of American history. The White House’s collection of fine and decorative arts includes historic objects associated with the White House and the Presidency and significant or representative works by a variety of American and European artists and craftsmen that are consistent with the historic character of the house.

Since 1800 when the first work of art, the full-length portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, was acquired for the President's House, objects including paintings, sculpture, furniture, and china have been purchased by, or donated to, the White House for the enjoyment of the First Families and their guests in this ever-changing historic structure. The public also is welcomed into the public rooms to learn about the White House - its history, occupants, and collection.

Entrance Hall:
Overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue, this hall serves as a grand foyer for the official reception rooms on the State Floor. During events, the United States Marine Band often performs in this location. Under President Thomas Jefferson, artifacts acquired by explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark (1803-6) and Zebulon Pike (1805-7) were displayed in the Entrance Hall. The grand staircase leads from the State Floor to the Second Floor and is used primarily for ceremonial occasions. On the lowest landing, President Ronald Reagan took his second oath of office on January 20, 1985. Since inauguration day fell on a Sunday, a private ceremony was held in the White House that day with the official ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on the Monday following.

Until 1902 two large staircases led from the State Floor to the Second Floor. A staircase at the west end of the Cross Hall that led to the Family Quarters was removed in 1902 to enlarge the State Dining Room. The winding staircase to the east of the Entrance Hall led to the rooms on the east end of the Second Floor that were used as the presidential offices before the creation of the West Wing. When the 1902 Grand Staircase was rebuilt during the Truman renovation, it was redirected to open into the Entrance Hall for more dramatic formal descents from the Second Floor.

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Cross Hall:
Behind the Entrance Hall is this central corridor that extends between the East Room and the State Dining Room.

In 1837, to conserve heat in the state rooms, a glass screen was installed between the columns.

In 1882, it was replaced by a screen of stained glass made by Louis C. Tiffany. Removed in 1902 and sold at auction, the Tiffany screen is believed to have been destroyed in a fire in 1923.

East Room:
The largest room in the house, the East Room was designated by architect James Hoban as the "Public Audience Room.” It normally contains little furniture and traditionally is used for large gatherings, such as press conferences, bill-signing ceremonies, after-dinner entertaining, concerts, weddings, funerals, and award presentations.

Five presidential daughters have been married in the room, most recently Lynda Johnson in 1967. During her four-month occupancy of the President’s House in the winter of 1800-1801, Abigail Adams had her laundry hung out to dry in the unfinished East Room. President Thomas Jefferson partitioned the south end as a bedroom and office for his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, later co-leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition. James Madison later met with his cabinet in these southern rooms.

The East Room was completed architecturally during the White House’s restoration following its burning in 1814, but the room was not fully furnished until 1829, during Andrew Jackson’s administration. The East Room was the site of frequent activity during the Civil War. Union troops were quartered here for a period. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln held a large reception here in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant shortly before his appointment as head of all the Union forces. Following his assassination in 1865, Lincoln lay in state in the East Room, as have all of the presidents who died in office with the exception of President James A. Garfield, as the East Room was being renovated at the time of his assassination.

In recent history, the East Room has served as the site of many important events including the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford’s swearing in as President in 1974, and the signing of the Camp David Accords in 1978. On March 23, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in this historic room.

Green Room:
Throughout much of its existence, the Green Room has served as a parlor for teas and receptions. Here, Frances Cleveland held her first White House reception, and Edith Roosevelt received guests before the Friday musicales and concerts held in the adjoining East Room. Under Thomas Jefferson, it was a dining room with a green canvas floor cloth.

By 1825, under John Quincy Adams, the room had become the “Green Drawing Room,” named for the color of the draperies and upholsteries.

In 1862, Willie Lincoln died in the White House of typhoid fever, and his grieving parents placed his open casket in the Green Room. An account of the time stated that Mrs. Lincoln never again entered the room.

The Blue Room:
Architect James Hoban’s 1792 plan for the White House included three stacked oval rooms in the center of the building that form a projecting bow on the south side. This room was known by its shape - "Elliptical", "Oval", or "Circular" - until the color was changed to blue in 1837 under Martin Van Buren and a new name emerged. When it was completely furnished by First Lady Dolley Madison, this room became the principal formal drawing room of the White House, and the Madisons received their first guests there on New Year's Day, 1810.

Among the objects which Dolley Madison had removed to safety in 1814, before evacuating the house to British troops, were the red velvet draperies hanging in this room. In the refurnishing of the house after the fire of 1814, President and Mrs. James Monroe ordered mahogany furniture for this room, but the purchasing agents in France substituted a 53-piece suite of gilded furniture made in Paris by Pierre-Antoine Bellangé. Although most of this suite was sold at auction in 1860, eight original pieces have been returned to the room since 1961.

Although special meetings, luncheons, and dinners have been held in the room, it continues to be used for the purpose first intended - the formal reception room of the White House. It is here that the President and his wife often receive guests during receptions. The first Chinese delegation to present diplomatic credentials was received by President Rutherford B. Hayes in the Blue Room in 1878. Family events held here include the June 2, 1886 wedding of Grover Cleveland, the only President to marry in the White House. Since 1961 (excepting 1962 and 1969), the principal White House Christmas tree has been placed in the center of the room.

Red Room:
The most striking element of this room is its vibrant red color scheme. This parlor has been known as the “Red Room” since 1845, when a suite of furniture upholstered in “Crimson Plush” was introduced to the room. During Thomas Jefferson’s occupancy of the White House, the Red Room was called the "President's Anti-chamber," a room set aside for those having appointments with the President, whose office was in the adjacent room now used as the State Dining Room.

Since then it has been a favorite of President's wives as their "private parlor" to receive friends and official callers. Inventories of the John Quincy Adams administration note that a pianoforte had been placed in the room. Musical instruments of various descriptions continued to be played here throughout the 19th century, and White House visitors sometimes referred to it as the "Music Room."

Before 19th-century state dinners, the guests would be greeted by the President and his wife in the Red Room. On one such occasion, at a dinner given by out-going President Grant for his successor, Rutherford B. Hayes, guests dined in the State Dining Room unaware that in the Red Room the Chief Justice of the United States had just administered the oath of office to the President-elect while President Grant witnessed the ceremony.

Because the 1877 Inauguration Day fell on a Sunday, the oath was administered on Saturday evening with the public ceremonies at the Capital taking place the following Monday. Theodore Roosevelt used the Red Room as a "smoking room" where male guests adjourned after dinner for cigars and brandy. The room continues to be used today as a parlor for guests after dinner and during receptions.

State Dining Room:
This room was Thomas Jefferson’s Cabinet room and office, where he and his secretary, Meriwether Lewis, planned the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1802. Since 1809, however, it has served as the State Dining Room, with the smaller Family Dining Room to its north. Prior to its enlargement in 1902, 35-40 guests could be seated at a rectangular dining table, 50-65 at an I-shaped table.

In 1902, with the removal of a staircase at this end of the Cross Hall, the State Dining Room was enlarged and completely redesigned for President Theodore Roosevelt. Remaining from that renovation are the oak paneling (first painted in 1952), the three eagle-pedestal side tables, and the lighting fixtures (gilded in 1961). Wild animal heads that had been hung on the dark wooden walls were removed in the 1920s. Today, using circular tables, as many as 140 guests can dine in the room for formal events.
https://hisour.com/story/white-house-virtual-tour-state-floor/

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