Tuesday 8 December 2009

Coptic textiles
























































A bit of colour from Madrid Fashion Week

Spring Summer 2010


Agatha Ruiz de la Prada






Lemoniez



Kina Fernández


María Barros


Amaya Arzuaga


Juana Martín


Francis Montesinos


Elio Berhanyer


Ana Locking :)

Alma Aguilar







Sunday 29 November 2009

Smile today

Have you been thinking of that perfect present lately? This beautiful vase will make the day of your loved ones. Some will be happier than others though.



This one's pretty cool too!





Source: Home-designing.com
Ettore Sottsas designed the Shiva vase
Alessandro Bêda designed the Whale vase

Van Gogh's lost painting







The painter on the road to Tarascon, painted in 1988


Quote: Ismail Kadare

... I believe that I must return once more to the vision of the two worlds confronting each other in anticipation of victory: the real world or that of the Arts.

Of course, there exist many differences between them, but there is one of colossal dimensions that stands out above all the rest. And it is the following. While the real world, in its conflict with the Arts, becomes so extremely furious as to rush forward to destroy them, in no case whatsoever, I repeat, in no case whatsoever, do Literature and the Arts ever attack the real world with the intention of harming it, but in fact fight to make it more beautiful, more habitable.

This is the absolute difference between the two. And in this case, this difference constitutes no other than the most sublime confirmation of the true independence of the Arts.



from Ismail Kadare's speech at the Prince of Asturias Awards ceremony, 2009

Painting at Venice Biennale 2009



from EGYPT -------- aDel El sIwi





from BRAZIL --------dElson uChoa






from SPAIN -------- mIquel bArceló







and from AUSTRIA --------Elke Krystufek







Sunday 15 November 2009

and once again, the magic of drawing









Drapery for seated figure
Leonardo Da Vinci, 1470
Louvre Museum

Interesting Japanese concept






Nin




=patience and endurance while waiting for better times



Monday 2 November 2009

Quiz results







And the answer to October quiz is:

110-130 AC


From the exhibition Roman Imperial Painting
24 September 2009 - 17 January 2010
Scuderie del Quirinale, Rome
More info and photos








(So why was I told that the history of painting starts with Giotto? I want my money back)





It's a small world: ancient gold jewellery





I'm really curious about: Byzantine empresses


Irene of Athens




Maria of Alania




Maria of Antioch




Piroska of Hungary/ Irene




and Theodora



...or maybe just fascinated by their representation.