plep

18th October
They Still Draw Pictures. Drawings made by Spanish children during the Spanish Civil War, circa 1938.

Lao Tzu: The Tao Teh Ching. A hyperlinked version.
'The Tao Teh Ching consists of 81 chapters divided into two parts: the Upper Part and the Lower Part. The Upper Part, chapters 1 to 37, begins with the word 'Tao' and is known as the Tao Ching (Classic of Tao). The Lower Part, chapters 38 to 81, begins with the words 'Shang Teh' (High Virtue) and is known as the Teh Ching (Classic of Virtue). The Tao Ching and the Teh Ching together constitute the complete work, the Tao Teh Ching. '

Satan's Laundromat. 'This is a Brooklyn-based photolog with an emphasis on strange signage, urban decay, and general weirdness.'

Modern Inuit. 'It is with great anticipation that we share with you a collection of dynamic and inventive sculpture of brothers Napachie and Toonoo Sharky. Both Toonoo and Napachie are comparatively young artists, born in 1970 and 1971 respectively. They have incorporated the best of the traditional world, which was a major factor of the initial appeal of Inuit sculpture, with modern sensibilities and a wholehearted embrace of the technical abilities that modern sculpting techniques have put at their disposal. Their command of both the creative impulse and the expertise of working in the luscious varieties of the local serpentine stone are revealed with each sculpture. Another much anticipated occurence in the Arctic is the arrival of spring and summer and there exists in all of these works an exuberance of spirit that frequently raises a sense of a fine summer day. Most of the works imply some aspect of spring and summer by the very nature of their subject matter, the profusion of birds tha t is an intrinsic aspect of the Arctic summer, the fishing to be done in the freshly flowing streams and the playing outside at long last.'

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, 1882-98.

Wakan Roeishu Anthology. 'The Wakan Roeishu is an anthology of Chinese and Japanese verse written by mid-Heian poet Fujiwara Kinto. This copy of the work was written on an ashide-e handscroll. The inscription reveals that it was copied by Sesonji Koreyuki in 1160. '

Kokin Wakashu Anthology. 'This scroll has no written title, but it contains forty-nine waka poems from the twelfth volume ("Poems of Love, II" ) of the early-Heian, official poetry anthology, the Kokin Wakashu. The poems are written on imported Chinese paper with mica-imprinted bamboo and peach blossom designs. The characters, spacing and continuous script are remarkable. The highly individual style of the calligraphy, traditionally attributed to Ono-no-Michikaze, coupled with the decorative beauty of the paper has led to this scroll being called "the finest of the meibutsu-gire (famous calligraphic works)." '

Astronomy Quilt. 'Demonstrating her mastery of a traditional astronomical imaging technique quilter and astronomy enthusiast Judy Ross has produced this spectacular composition of "Astronomy Quilt Piece of the Week". Her year-long effort resulted in an arrangement for a six by seven foot quilt consisting of 52 individual pieces (11 inches by 8 inches), one for each week ... '

9 Chickweed Lane. Cartoon.

Andy Capp. Cartoon.

How to Road Trip. 'Driving at least once from Connecticut to California should be required for all Americans, but how to survive the trip is less understood. Leslie Harpold offers timeless advice for a tiring journey.'

The Making of Furniture. 'Throughout the 1700s in France, the making of furniture was an elaborate process involving a variety of craftsmen, from the cabinetmaker to the bronze founder to the finisher. The environment of these Parisian artisans, their training, neighborhoods, design sources, and patrons all combined to influence the final products. Much of the veneered furniture in the Getty's collection was the result of this collaboration ... '

Between Heaven and Earth: Images of Christ and the Virgin. 'The Christian belief that Jesus Christ was both human and divine is most evident in the dramatic images that depict his suffering, death, and resurrection. The drawings, prints, and illustrated books in this exhibition explore the various ways Renaissance and Baroque artists gave visual expression to Christ's dual nature ... '

Robert Motherwell: A La Pinture (To Painting). 'Robert Motherwell's A la pintura (To Painting) is a sumptuous artist's book of aquatint images and letterpress texts, and one of the most important examples of this genre. This exhibition displays all 24 sheets of the book held in the special collections of the Research Library at the Getty Research Institute. Filmmaker Michael Blackwood's interview with Motherwell, filmed at Universal Limited Art Editions at the time of the book's creation in 1972, is also featured in the gallery ... '

Surrealist Muse: Lee Miller, Roland Penrose, and Man Ray. 'This exhibition focuses on Lee Miller's role as a source of inspiration for other artists and as a creative artist working in photography. The show traces Miller's life in photographs, paintings, and mixed-media works, from her career as a fashion model in New York in the 1920s to her bohemian life in Europe in the 1930s to her coverage of World War II in Germany as a war correspondent. She inspired paintings, drawings, mixed-media works, and photographs by Man Ray, Roland Penrose, and Pablo Picasso. Miller herself created a highly inventive and significant body of photographs that embraces Surrealism even as it spans the realms of portraiture, fashion, and journalism.'

Scottish Ordnance Survey Town Plans, 1847-95. 'Over 1,900 sheets covering 62 towns - the most detailed maps ever surveyed by Ordnance Survey. '

Kwakiutl Tales. 'This is a collection of myths and folklore from the Kwakiutl Native Americans of British Columbia, Canada. They originally resided on the northern end of Vancouver Island and the adjacent coast. The texts were collected and translated by Franz Boas, who was one of the founders of modern anthropology and linguistics. These stories are much more satisfying for the Western reader than many unfiltered Native American texts, with rich characterizations, earthy humor, spooky supernatural settings, and, for once, actual beginnings, middles and ends. It is obvious that the Kwakuitl were accomplished story tellers. '

The Dirty Children.
'As America's mills and mines expanded in the industrial era, the great need for workers drew even the youngest into labor. '
'Without safety provisions, just compensation, or even fresh air to breathe, children worked and suffered. '
'The gaunt, dirty face of the exploited child appeared as the very image-and the eternal condemnation-of the American working system until reform laws were passed in the early 1900s. '
'One of the most vivid accounts of children at work was written by John Spargo, after a visit to the Appalachian coal mines ... '

Little Miners. 'In the early years of the 20th century, children as young as eight years old worked in the coal mines. The work was hard and the "little boys" grew old and stooped before their time. '
'An 1885 law required boys to be at least twelve to work in the coal breakers and at least fourteen to work inside the mines. A 1902 law raised the age to fourteen to work in the breakers. Although child labor laws did not allow children under fourteen to work in the mines, some states did not have compulsory registration of birth. Boys were passed off as "small for their age" ... '

Origin of Shiva Linga Worship. In Hinduism. 'Lingodbhavamurthy is an iconic representation of Shiva, installed in the rear devakoshta (niche) of the garbagriha (sanctum) of all Shiva temples. The story of Lingodbhavar is that of the attempts of Vishnu and Bhrama to discover the origins (the beginning Aadi and the end Antha) of Shiva, as stated in three of the puranas - the Kurma Purana, the Vayu Purana and Shiva Purana.'
'Vishnu was engaged in his yoganidhra - the slumber of yoga - at the end of a kalpa, in the waters of the great deluge, when there appeared before him, Bhrama emerging from a great illumination. Bhrama introduced himself to Vishnu as the Creator of the Universe, to which Vishnu replied that he was the architect of the Universe. An argument ensued between both as to their superiority over one another, when there appeared before them - a huge lingam of fire - with tongues of flames blazing out of it ... '

The Ten Incarnations of Vishnu. 'The puranas speak of the ten avataars of Vishnu. These incarnations detail the divine help given by Vishnu during various stages of human evolution, by appearing on earth in different forms. These avatars are said to demonstrate that divinity re-establishes Dharma or righteousness and destroys injustice from time to time, by appearing on earth in various incarnations. '

African Painted Houses. 'The art of decorating houses is known throughtout Africa. Lower Nubia, in the Nile valley, is an ancient culture, although house decorations are relatively recent, probably not going back much beyond the late 19th century. It has been suggested that in very early periods, house decorations did exist; for a period of time, this practice was not tenable and the art of decoration may have been preserved but practiced in some other form--not on houses but perhaps on pottery, until conditions again favored the decoration of houses. This idea of the transference of a style or form of decoration from one medium to another, an act which preserves the art even though it appears in a different context, may be more widespread than this. For example, among the Ndebele, the same type of brightly colored and patterned ornamentation is found in clothing and house painting, but not generally on both during the same period. As clothing styles began to conform more to western fashions, the use of color and pattern which had originally been seen in clothing appeared to relocate itself in painted houses ... '

Ma-Africa Art Gallery, the only art gallery in Soweto. Murals and other fine things.

Beaded Splendour. Beadmaking and beadwork in Africa. (Link fixed 19/10/03 - thanks jp).

Illinois State Museum. Great selection of online exhibits :- the Midwest 16,000 years ago; Siberia; state symbols of Illinois; the Information Highway, 1950s style; paperweights, and much more.

Hiroshige: Eight Views of Omi.

Hiroshige: Eight Views of Kanazawa.

Illinois Labour History Society. A virtual guide to labour history in Illinois.

The Charnley-Persky House. Virtual tour and history of a historic Chicago house.

Botticelli: Venus and Mars.

Botticelli: Mystic Nativity.

Botticelli: Adoration of the Kings.

Botticelli: Saint Francis.

Ballparks of Baseball. A gazzetteer; including historic ballparks.

Two Million Galaxies.

Alpha Centauri.

Interstellar Dust Bunnies.
link

17th October
The Vincent van Gogh Gallery.

Glass Wings. 'Welcome to the Glass Wings site. Many fairytales speak of a book that continuously writes itself for the delight of whoever possesses it. We like to imagine our site as being just such a book, only with a variety of chapters and topics all expanding at once as we have the opportunity to present our newest creations to you. It is our desire that in this way we shall rekindle people's appreciation of love, fun, beauty, wisdom and imagination. It is with great pleasure that we present to you our finest work.'

The Atomic Duty of Pvt. Bill Bires. 'This is a short history of Pvt. Bill Bires' military duty with Co."A" 231st Engineer Combat Battalion from Ft. Lewis, Washington. Co. "A" was assigned temporary duty at the Atomic Test Series, Buster-Jangle in the Nevada desert, in the fall of 1951.'
'Co. "A"'s military duty at the test site was unique. While the rest of the battalion built the tent city known as Camp Desert Rock, Co. "A" was sent further into the desert to construct the displays of military equipment and postitioned them around the Ground Zeros for the atomic tests. '
'Thousands of troop observers from all parts of the country were brought forward from Camp Desert Rock to witness these atomic detonations. After the explosions, some were marched or bussed even closer to Ground Zero to see the effects of these explosions on military equipment. They then returned to Camp Desert Rock. '
'Co. "A" would then go to work hauling away the blasted equipment, filling in the foxholes and emplacements they had constructed, sometimes within hours of detonation. This was the Atomic Duty of Pvt. Bill Bires.'

Encyclopaedia Mythica.
Encyclopaedia Mythica: Image Gallery. Many images from various worldwide mythologies.
Encyclopaedia Mythica: Bestiary. 'In the European Middle Ages a bestiary was a collection of stories, each based on a description of certain qualities of an animal, plant, or even stone. The stories presented Christian allegories for moral and religious instruction and admonition. Often illustrated, the earliest known bestiary dates from the 9th century. '
'In this Bestiary you will find descriptions of mythical creatures such as unicorns, dragons, sirens, werewolfs, and other (lesser known) creatures. The entries here can also be found in other areas but are ordered here for your convenience. '

Popular Romances of the West of England.

English Fairy and Other Folk Tales, 1890.

The Texts of Taoism.

Yang Chu's Garden of Pleasure.

T'ai-Shang Kan-Ying P'ien: Treatise of the Exalted One on Response and Retribution.

Yin Chih Wen: The Tract of the Quiet Way.

Lansing's Castle. 'Orlando Mack Barnes, a noted resident of Lansing in the late 19th century, held titles in banking, industry, railroading, and politics. His mansion, built on 4 acres fronted by Main Street and bordered by Washington Avenue, was one of the finest examples Victorian architecture in the Midwest ... '

Constitution of the State of Michigan of 1835.

The Tale of the Kayapo Feather Headdresses. 'How a photographic assignment served as the catalyst in the Smithsonian's acquisition of a collection of beautiful Brazilian Indian feather headdresses.'

"A Few Things in the Way of Curios": Historic Ivories at the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

The Catholic Encyclopaedia.

Forensic Art. 'Welcome to the world of Forensic Art. This site was developed out of the love of forensic art as well as a means of providing a resource to agencies or individuals that may require the services of a forensic artist. The site covers the various facets of forensic art, giving a brief description of each. Take time to view the various pages and contact me if you have any questions regarding a specific issue or on forensic art in general. A Forensic Artist provides many services including composite drawing, three dimensional facial reconstruction, two-dimensional facial reconstruction, decomposition sketches and computer enhanced reconstructions, computer and Hand drawn image-enhancement and age progression. Other services include a hand drawn and computer generated crime scenes, charts and graphs, assemblage of photo lineups, etc. Hopefully this page will help coordinate the needs of the law enforcement community, with the services that we as forensic artists can provide, as well as a means for fellow artists to communicate and swap ideas with each other. '

Art and Oracle: African Art and Rituals of Divination. 'Throughout history, peoples everywhere have sought the intervention of divine powers to understand their fate. The "Art and Oracle" exhibition presents African artifacts created to communicate with ancestors, spirits, and gods in order to obtain insight into human quandaries. The term "divination" describes efforts to foretell future events or to discover hidden knowledge by supernatural means. In Africa, the legacy of such efforts is evident in works that display an especially diverse range of artistic expression. This exhibition assembles a selection of these from some fifty different African cultures. Their design usually reflects a collaborative endeavor, joining the skill and creative talent of artists with the expertise of ritual specialists. In some instances, their combined efforts gave form to divination instruments used to tap into otherwise inaccessible knowledge; in others, they led to the creation of works prescribed to benefit the diviner's clients and enhance their quality of life. The results range from utilitarian implements to the masterpieces presented here, artifacts that reflect the highest level of execution and ingenuity. "Art and Oracle" focuses on some of the most imaginative works of African art inspired by the human quest to reach beyond the limitations of ordinary experience.'

The Sukuma Museum, Tanzania. Wonderful collection of images.

Hiroshige : One Hundred Famous Views of Edo. The ukiyo-e master.

Hiroshige: 36 Views of Mount Fuji.

A Unique Memorial to a Learned Lady. From India, the discovery of a stone portrait of a woman scholar of the tenth century.
'Margal is a small village about 8 kilometers from Kolar (locate - pictures), head quarters of the district of that name, 70 km. south east of Bangalore in Karnataka Though the place boasts of world's deepest gold mines, Margal apparently does not contain anything special. But inside the village lie scattered, the hero-stones, sculptured stones erected by the people centuries ago to commemorate the glorious dead, who fell fighting in the battle or while facing wild beasts, or saving their cattle from the raids. Some of the sculptures depict scenes helpful in reconstructing social history of the period. But the outstanding sculpture is the one which introduces a remarkable woman-scholar of the 10th century, Savinirmadi ... '

Spaceworld. The space art of Erik Victor.

Wenlock Priory. 'These spectacular ruins are the 12th & 13th century remains of a church and claustral buildings belonging to the Cluniac Priory, now under the management of English Heritage. '
'It is said to be the final resting place of St Milburga, the first Abbess, whose bones were found during rebuilding in 1101. Nearby, in Much Wenlock, you can visit St. Milburga's Well which was supposed to have cured eye diseases, and in Victorian times to have helped young women to find sweethearts ... '

Robinson Firemaps of Greater Chicago, 1886.

Chicago and the Great Fire of 1871. 'The Chicago fire of 1871 was a watershed event in the history of cities. Though modern urban centers had been prone to cataclysmic fires for centuries, the rapid development of cities, particularly in 19th-century North America, meant that these fires ar rived more suddenly, burned more rapidly, and destroyed more of the city than had been the case previously. But the Chicago fire's popularity and importance was the result less of its sobering messages to city planners and entrepreneurs. Instead, it spo ke to deeper ambivalences about the new cities that increasingly dominated the 19th century cultural landscape.'
'Chicago's Great Fire of 1871 was more than a conflagration-- it was a media event. In books, paintings, photographs, stereo views, wood engravings, chromolithographs, in all the media visual and written, the Fire became an instant hit. Clearly the s ubject wasn't simply a Midwestern American city stricken by fire-- there were too many of those occurring during this moment in the development of the urban industrial matrix. The Fire resonated with deeper questions, questions asked and answered in the texts and images that flooded forth during the years immediately following. To look at these documents, with their iconography of grief, death, forced humility and resolution, is to see the ways that this event served to bring to the surface deeper confl icts concerning the modern urban-industrial world, the nature of human life within its cities, and the possibility of community within them ... '
Images of the fire.
The ruined city.

Chicago's Downtown circa 1893: Rand McNally's Bird's-Eye Views and Guide to Chicago. 'In honor of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, and in anticipation of the huge crowds that were to come to the Fair, the Chicago mapmaking and publishing firm of Rand McNally produced a series of lavish bird's-eye views of the downtown "loop", still the object of envy throughout the world for its energy, its capital base, and its rapid growth. The views themselves focused on something more subtle, and more central, to the history of American urbanization and its architecture: the way that buildings themselves were coming to symbolize, singularly and in the aggregate, urban power and prestige. '

Contemporary Images of Chicago's Loop.

Leonardo da Vinci: The Virgin of the Rocks.

Titian: Bacchus and Ariadne.

Holbein the Younger: The Ambassadors.

Landscape with a Footbridge.

Hindu Temples of Kerala. A virtual guide, with images.

Pendant Mask: Iyoba, 16th century Benin.

Comet Halley and the Milky Way.
link

16th October
Earth as Art: A Landsat Perspective. 'series of Landsat satellites have imaged the Earth's surface for nearly thirty years, providing data for applications in business, science, education, government, and national security. The Landsat satellite currently in orbit is Landsat 7. The U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center in South Dakota is the primary receiving station for Landsat 7 data, and it distributes these data to researchers around the world ... '

African Voices at the Smithsonian.
'African Voices is a permanent exhibition that examines the diversity, dynamism, and global influence of Africa's peoples and cultures over time in the realms of family, work, community, and the natural environment.'
'Included are historical and contemporary objects from the Museum's collections, as well as commissioned sculptures, textiles, and pottery. Video interactives and sound stations provide selections from contemporary interviews, literature, proverbs, prayers, folk tales, songs, and oral epics.'

Vietnamese Modern Art.
Dinh Quan - Trinh Tuan - Nguyen Thanh Binh - Cong Kim Hoa - Hong Viet Dung - Thanh Chuong - Luc Quoc Nhuong ... and more.

Ten Generations: London Life Since 1700. 'Explore some of London's premier archive, local studies library and museum collections to discover how life in London has changed for the last ten generations of Londoners and visitors to the capital.'
'Ten Generations draws on original evidence held in local collections to tell the stories of how our forebears lived their lives, the changes they will have seen, and some of the historical events they may have witnessed during the last 300 years.'
Communities - Homes - Health - Leisure - Transport - Work

Chinese Scroll Paintings.

ArtNexus: Latin American Art.
Virtual galleries. Superb online collection.

Frank Lloyd Wright: Designs for an American Landscape, 1922-1932. "Architecture is the triumph of Human Imagination over materials, methods, and men, to put man into possession of his own Earth. It is at least the geometric pattern of things, of life, of the human and social world. It is at best that magic framework of reality that we sometimes touch upon when we use the word 'order.' "- Frank Lloyd Wright, 1930, 1937.

The Gettysburg Address at the Library of Congress.

In the Beginning Was the Word: The Russian Church and Native Alaskan Cultures.

Madison's Treasures. 'The documents presented here are among the most significant Madison holographs in the Library of Congress' James Madison collection, the largest single collection of original Madison documents in existence. The majority of these documents relates to two seminal events in which Madison played a major role: the drafting and ratification of the Constitution of the United States (1787-8) and the introduction (1789) in the First Federal Congress of the amendments that became the Bill of Rights. Other documents relate to the freedom of religion, a cause to which Madison was passionately devoted, and to the burning of Washington, D.C., by the British in 1814--perhaps the major embarrassment of Madison's political career. Also included is family and autobiographical information written in Madison's hand.'

Margaret Mead: Human Nature and the Power of Culture. 'To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Margaret Mead's birth, the Library of Congress presents a selection of materials from its extensive Mead collection, which came to the Library after her death. The corpus of notes and other field materials that Mead preserved are available to scholars interested in evaluating and building on her research. Totaling more than 500,000 items, the Margaret Mead Papers and South Pacific Ethnographic Archives is one of the largest collections for a single individual in the Library. The collection includes manuscripts, diaries, letters, field notes, drawings, prints, photographs, sound recordings, and film. For this exhibition, items have been selected from the collection to document major themes in Mead's life and work.'

La Llorona. Latin American fine arts.
Gallery.

The Pudding Project. Graffiti in Germany.

The Dawn of Photography: French Daguerreotypes, 1839–1855. 'This exhibition of some 175 works from the dawn of the photographic era is the first major survey of French daguerreotypes—magically detailed, one-of-a-kind images on silver-plated sheets of copper. With extraordinary precision and a boundless ability to represent the world, daguerreotypes boldly announced a revolution that would forever change the history of visual representation. Drawn from major European and North American museums, as well as from private collections and smaller institutions, the works on view include hitherto unseen examples of scientific, ethnographic, exploratory, and historical documentary photography of the 1840s and 1850s, as well as portraits, city views, landscapes, nude studies, and genre scenes that are renowned as key early monuments in the history of photographic art.'
Images.

The U'wa Struggle. 'Occidental Petroleum and the Colombian government want to drill for oil in the sacred homeland of the U'wa people of the Columbian. Follow the links below to find out more about the U'wa people, their opposition to the oil project, the latest news on their struggle, and what you can do to help.'

Photo Japan: Photos by Philbert Ono.
Tohoku summer festivals - Sumo - Fukagawa Hachiman festival

Festival of Ages. 'Every year on October 22nd Kyoto's Heian Jingu shrine holds a splendid festival called the "Jidai Matsuri" (Festival of Ages). This event is one of the three great annual festivals in the city of Kyoto ... '

Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year). 'The one holiday that most closely touches the heart of the Japanese would be "Oshogatsu" (New Year). Preparations for shogatsu begin a day or two before January 1st with "osoji" (cleaning up the house and business from top to bottom) and preparing the special holiday meal called "osechi ryori" which will be enjoyed for the first three days of the New Year. Businesses are shut down from January 1st through the 3rd and many people return to their home town or leave the country for a vacation. More importantly, Oshogatsu is a time of spiritual renewal embodied with hope for a better year to come. It is customary to visit the shrine, buy an "omikuji" (fortune) and pray for happiness and prosperity ... '

Piyarat. Artist from Thailand. Via Thai Folk Gallery.
Bathing the Buddha Images.
Ravana is Caressing Sida.

Chronology of Lunar and Planetary Exploration. 'This chronology gives a list of a known (successful and unsuccessful) lunar and planetary missions including a few historical missions which were instrumental in the development and evolution of space exploration. '
Lunar - Venus - Mars - Astronauts

Illinois Historical Art Project. Many pictures.

A Century of Progress. The Chicago World's Fair. 'A Century of Progress International Exposition was held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Chicago. Its theme, as given in A Century of Progress Chicago International Exposition of 1933 Statement of its Plan and Purposes and of the Relation of States and Foreign Governments to Them (Chicago, 1933). was to "attempt to demonstrate to an international audience the nature and significance of scientific discoveries, the methods of achieving them, and the changes which their application has wrought in industry and in living conditions." This was done through exhibits that appealed to the public in general, often with miniaturized or replicated processes ... '

Parades, Protests & Politics in Chicago.

The Quick and the Dead: The Souls of Man in Vodou Thought. 'In Vodou both man and cosmos are considered to be of two natures: half metaphysical, half material. The symbol of the cross (fig. 1) is often used to show how these realms reflect each other in the mirror which is the horizontal arm of the cross. "Sound the mirror!" is a formula repeated over and over in the liturgy of Vodou, a call to its devotees to ponder and plumb its deepest secrets ... '

West African Dahomean Vodoun.

New Orleans Voodoo Spiritual Temple.

The Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido by Hiroshige.

Famous Views of the Sixty-Odd Provinces by Hiroshige.

Opera Glass, 'an opera information server on the World Wide Web. ' Libretti, source texts, synopses, and much more.

Sri Guru Raghavendra, patron saint of Mantalayam. Pictures and biography.

Kali Temple of Dakshineswar. 'In the year 1847, the wealthy widow Rani Rasmani prepared to go upon a long pilgrimage to the sacred city of Banaras to express her devotions to the Divine Mother. In those days there was no railway line between Calcutta and Banaras and it was more comfortable for rich persons to make the journey by boat rather than by road. We are told that the convoy of Rani Rasmani consisted of twenty four boats carrying relatives, servants, and supplies. But the night before the pilgrimage began, the Divine Mother, in the form of the goddess Kali, intervened. She appeared to the Rani in a dream and said, "There is not need to go to Banaras. Install my statue in a beautiful temple on the banks of the Ganges river and arrange for my worship there. Then I shall manifest myself in the image and accept worship at that place." Profoundly affected by the dream, the Rani immediately looked for and purchased land, and promptly began construction of the temple ... '

Rhea: Saturn's Second Largest Moon.

Supernova Shockwave.

Investigating the Renaissance. 'Computers and new imaging technologies are fast becoming an integral part of the work of conservation. Conservators and scientists in the Straus Center for Conservation, located in the Fogg Art Museum, have been at the forefront of research into these technologies. '
'This interactive program demonstrates the ways in which computer technology can be harnessed to add to our knowledge about Renaissance paintings and how they were made ... '

The Madonna of the Pinks, by Raphael.

The Mond Crucifixion, by Raphael.

Vision of a Knight.

The Ansidei Madonna.

The Madonna and Child with the Infant Baptist.

The History of Glasgow, Missouri.
link

15th October
Photo Japan: Photo Showcase.
Kyoto temples - Summer in Japan - Tokyo street photos - Harajuku - Kamakura - Nudes and still lifes - Crafts - Kalimantan, Kosovo, Sarawak, Sierra Leone - Mariko Hinaga's hometown - 2002 World Cup

The New York Times Cartoons.
Doonesbury - Rudy Park - Tony Auth - Jeff Danziger - Bill Deore - Glenn McCoy - Pat Oliphant - Ted Rall - Ben Sargent - Tom Toles

The Art of Romare Bearden. 'The complex and colorful art of Romare Bearden (1911-1988) is autobiographical and metaphorical. Rooted in the history of western, African, and Asian art, as well as in literature and music, Bearden found his primary motifs in personal experiences and the life of his community. Born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Bearden moved as a toddler to New York City, participating with his parents in the Great Migration of African Americans to states both north and west. The Bearden home became a meeting place for Harlem Renaissance luminaries including writer Langston Hughes, painter Aaron Douglas, and musician Duke Ellington, all of whom undoubtedly would have stimulated the young artist's imagination ... '
Images.

The Barcelona Pavilion.

Architecture of the Getty Centre.

The Mapuche Nation. Culture, language, history, religion.
'The Mapuche nation is situated in what is known as the Southern Cone of South America, in the area now occupied by the Argentine and Chilean states. In Chile the Mapuche live mainly in the provinces of Bio-Bio, Arauco, Malleco, Cautin, Valdivia, Osorno, Llanquihue and Chiloe. As a result of population growth and hence overcrowding in indigenous reservations, the majority of Mapuche people now live in the large urban centres of Santiago, Concepción, Valparaíso, Temuco and Valdivia. In Argentina the Mapuche live in the provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Neuquén, Rio Negro and Chubut. The Mapuche population in Argentina has grown to around two hundred and fifty thousand. In the Chilean population census of 1992, carried out by the National Institute of Statistics, approximately one million people surveyed declared themselves to be Mapuche.'
'The Mapuche nation is situated in its historical ancestral territory, the Wall-Mapu: Wall; universe, Mapu; land/territory. Mapuche territorial entities are arranged along geographical lines in the following way: Puel mapu: the eastern lands (Pampa and Patagonia of Argentina), the territorial space of the Puelche. Pikun-mapu: the northern lands, the territorial space of the pikunche. Willi mapu: the southern lands, the territorial space of the williche. Pewen mapu: the land of the pewen (araucaria imbricata), the territorial space of the pewenche. Lafken mapu: the land of the sea, the territorial space of the lafkenche. Nag mapu: the land of the plains, the territorial space of the nagche. Wente mapu: the land of the valleys, the territorial space of the wenteche. In line with their territorial origin the Mapuche define themselves as: Puelche: people of the east; Pikunche; people of the north; Williche: people of the south; Pewenche: people of the pewen; Lafkenche: people of the sea, Nagche: people of the plains; or Wenteche: people of the valleys ... '
More at Mapuche International Link.

The Schoolyard Solar System.

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 Collision with Jupiter. 'From July 16 through July 22, 1994, fragments of Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter, with dramatic effect. This was the first collision of two solar system bodies ever to be observed. Shoemaker-Levy 9 consists of 20 discernable fragments with diameters estimated at up to 2 kilometers, which impacted the planet at 60 km/s. The impacts resulted in plumes many thousands of kilometers high, hot "bubbles" of gas in the atmosphere, and large dark "scars" on the atmosphere which have lifetimes at least on the order of weeks. Smaller bits and dust continue to impact the planet. Shoemaker-Levy 9 is gone, but as the Earth- and space-based images show, it did not go quietly ... '
Images.

Alaric's Chinese Language Blog & Study Journal. Useful discussion of techniques for learning a new language - Plep is struggling with basic Nepali, which is nothing like Chinese, but this is a good resource. Thanks to Languagehat for the link.

Animelds. 'One day a word just popped into my head: Angelope. If you just take one letter in Antelope, and change it, it has Angel in it. And a great little image popped into existence in my big black book, along with an insatiable urge to find more of these... things. I immediately started soliciting those around me for ideas, and, in several sessions, quite a collection emerged ... '

Tanjore Paintings. 'Tanjore (a.k.a. Tanjavur) traditional paintings are a very important form of classical Indian school of paintings, finding their origins in the prosperous Chola period of 9th century A.D. The characteristic of Tanjore paintings if the multi-layered process by the the artist creates the paintings, as also the distinctly South Indian accent attributed to the paintings ... '

Mysore Traditional Paintings. 'The Vijayanagar School of Painting (A.D. 1336 to 1665) was very distinct from the earlier styles and has made a great contribution to the Art of India. The pupils of this school specialized in drawing war scenes, folk dances, animal hunting, commercial transactions and everyday life of the common people. The Mysore and Tanjore Traditional Paintings are the off shoots of the Vijayanagar school ... '
Man Fondles Two Women on a Swing.

Dakhani Miniatures.
Adil Shah Playing the Musical Instrument of Tamboor.
African-Indian Merchant.

The Palace of Westminster. 'The site of the Houses of Parliament is the Palace of Westminster, a royal palace and former residence of kings. The layout of the Palace is intricate, with its existing buildings containing nearly 1,200 rooms, 100 staircases and well over 3 kilometres (2 miles) of passages. Among the original historic buildings is Westminster Hall, used nowadays for major public ceremonial events.'
Panoramas of Westminster.

The Smoking Gun 'brings you exclusive documents--cool, confidential, quirky--that can't be found elsewhere on the Web. Using material obtained from government and law enforcement sources, via Freedom of Information requests, and from court files nationwide, we guarantee everything here is 100% authentic.'

Il Pontevecchio, Florence. 'Found between Lungarno Acciaoli and Via Guicciardini. This is the oldest bridge which crosses the Arno at its widest point. It dates back to Roman times and has often been re-built.'

Wang Qingsong. Photography. Thanks to hama7 @ MeFi and Conscientious.

Anglo-Saxon Riddles. Via MeFi.

Symmety and Tessellations. Investigating patterns; great site.

Meshu. An artist from Lesotho, a tiny country in southern Africa.
'Born in the remote village of Queme in the mid 1920's Meshu's early years were, on the surface no different to most other rural Basotho, schooling being interspersed by periods of cattle herding. Gradually his artistic nature began to reveal itself in his love of poetry, essays and stories which he read to his friends and family. His teachers attempted to harness and direct these gifts but Meshu yearned for freedom of expression. His rebellious nature, as it seemed then, forced him to earn a living in any way he could and led to Meshu taking up work as a jockey, a circus labourer, a sweeper in the mines , milk boy and cook. Meshu became involved in the growing political activism of pre independence, Lesotho (then Basotholand). Meshu may have become Southern Africa's first streaker when, in protest over the "whites only" policy of the Maseru Club, he swam naked in the club pool during a ladies coffee morning. Over the years he has been kept under surveillance, barred from entering South Africa and even jailed, for his political activities. This rich tapestry of experience only served to strengthen his artistic resolve and has resulted in the development of a style which is pure Meshu. '
More work by Meshu.

The DeLeon African Biblical Art Gallery. 'This page is dedicated to the African artwork inspired by and depicting the bible. Few recognize the contributions of African artists to the rich cultural and visual history of the bible. I began this online gallery to educate and inspire spiritual people of color. I hope that you can appreciate and share in the hard work that was put into this project. As time and resources permit, I hope to expand the gallery to include more art and historical information ... '
King Solomon meets the Queen of Sheba.
Ethiopian illuminated texts.

Parade of Hindu Deities. 'have compiled the following list by popular request and have tried to classify the deities that appear in Hindu culture and belief.'
Brahma - Vishnu - Lakshmi - Shiva - Parwati - Saraswati.

Lord Shiva in Indian Art.

Tikal at the Met.
'Located deep within the tropical forests of the central Petn of Guatemala, Tikal rose to prominence in the centuries around the turn of the first millennium A.D. Settlements in and near Tikal first emerge in the archaeological record at about 800 B.C., and they were to establish the boundaries of what would become Tikal's urban core ... '
Stone and sacred sculpture.

Woman Applying Powder, Goyo.

Mount Ibuki in Snow, Goyo.

Edgar Fahs Smith Collection of scientific instruments.

The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Jewish memorabilia.

U. Nahon Museum of Italian Jewish Art. Not a big site, but some great images.
Torah crown.

Anti-Monopoly. 'A little professor and his tiny business takes on the Big Business system. '

Millionaire Playboy. 'Welcome to MillionairePlayboy.com. The online magazine for collecting toys, comics, movies, and assorted pop culture artifacts. We cater to the modern day swingin' bachelor.' The Official Shotgun Rules. 'The term Shotgun refers to the front passenger seat of an automobile. Calling "Shotgun" is the act of claiming the position of Shotgun for one's self. As this position is the most coveted of all positions when riding in a car, the following list of rules has been created to ensure that Shotgun can be acquired in a fair and equitable manner by any passenger of an automobile ... '

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis.

Warped Spiral Galaxy.

Holy Pelican by Judith Racz.

The Tree of Life.

Mystical Teachings of the Hebrew Letters.
link