The latest fashion . . . is absolutely necessary for a painting. It’s what matters most. —Édouard Manet, 1881 Impressionism, Fashion, and Modernity at The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents a revealing look at the role of fashion in the works of the Impressionists and their contemporaries. Nearly 80 paintings by Impressionist masters such as Manet, Monet, Renoir, ... Read More »
On St. Valentine’s Day jewelry, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones. But who can do more than Shah Jahan who built the Taj Mahal as a memorial to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to their 14th child? Born as Prince Khurram in 1592, Shah Jahan was the fifth son of Mughal Emperor Jahangir ... Read More »
Grand Central Terminal opened its doors to the public at midnight on February 1, 1913. The first train left at 12:20 AM. What began as the new terminal for electric trains transformed the area into prime real estate in Manhattan, called Park Avenue. There was a time when Park Avenue was known as Fourth Avenue, and it was populated mainly ... Read More »
“When I was in Aix, I thought I would be better off elsewhere. Now that I’m here, I miss Aix… when you’re born there, that’s it, nothing else appeals.” The urban haunts of Paris may have provided the grounds for Impressionism’s rise, but Paul Cézanne’s life began (and ended) in the southern, Roman city of Aix-en-Provence. Born the illegitimate ... Read More »
St. Agnes is the patron saint of girls, and legend has it that virgins may see their future husbands in their dreams during the night of St. Agnes’s Eve on January 20. For the ritual to work, the young girl was to go to bed without supper, and undress completely before climbing into bed naked. Lying on her back, with ... Read More »
The gateway to a tropical eden, Phuket is Thailand’s biggest island and is on the western coast. A steady stream of tourists looking for the idyllic beach has helped bolster Phuket’s economy; it is now one of the wealthiest provinces in all of Thailand. Even after the December 26, 2004 tsunami devastated the area, the resilience of both its people ... Read More »
We wish you a very happy Holiday Season and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity. Here are some Christmas quotes that will surely bring festive cheers during the holiday season. Happy Holidays everyone! Working hours are never long enough. Each day is a holiday, and ordinary holidays are grudged as enforced interruptions in an absorbing vocation. ... Read More »
Edvard Munch’s iconic Scream changed the course of art history, and has become one of the most reproduced works of art in the world. It’s become one of the most expensive, too, selling for nearly $120 million in May. The artist was born 149 years ago this week in Ådalsbruk, Norway. Soon after, his family moved to the capital ... Read More »
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