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“A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time”*
When the Mughal Empire is spoken of, I am willing to bet that the majority of people will not be overly familiar with this particular dynasty. It is true, that I am (or was) guilty of being ignorant of what this Empire was, in fact, even where it was. However, I am not so remiss as to be unacquainted with the Taj Mahal! This inspiring and beautiful World Wonder is perhaps the best-known monument to arise out of the golden age of the Mughal Empire. There have been many architectural triumphs throughout the ages which have been acknowledged as truly great, but perhaps only a handful with a personal and…
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Power of Love VS Love of Power
A mind free of ignorance, greed, and hatred – peaceful and drama-free sounds nearly too good to be true. However, this state of being is amongst the ideals of Buddhism and basing my opinion simply on those standards, I see no wrong. A fair portion of the world has its qualms with religion – the concept in general, religions and philosophies which are not our own, and especially concepts we know little or nothing about. If you’re religious, so be it. I simply ask that you keep which ever God or gods you follow to yourself and leave me out of it. It’s a sensitive matter which falls amongst other…
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A Letter A Day Keeps The Divorce Lawyer At Bay?
Let’s forget about art for a second, and let’s talk about letters. Perhaps you might think it’s an odd subject choice, but bear with me here. Back in the days of yesteryear (yep, your grandparents’, great-grandparents’…perhaps even as recently as your parents’), how did people communicate when they weren’t directly next-door neighbours? Sure phones were around, and eventually even email. However, the letter was the method of communication which could truly enchant. There is a reason why it’s called a ‘love letter’ after all. As I write this in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, the cynic inside me cannot help but think of the number of failed relationships that haunt…
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Bernini: The Beauty and The Beast
Rome is the city of light, certainly, but it is also the city of water. Tourists may visit for the city’s celebrated history and architecture, but they leave entranced by the babbling fountains which dot the city like stars. What most don’t realize is that most of those fountains were designed by the same man: the astoundingly talented Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Immortalized in countless great works of cinema, from Frederico Felini’s La Dolce Vita to Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love, Bernini’s fountains are essential to the character of this most romantic of cities. His Fontana della Barcaccia on the Spanish Steps even provided the backdrop for Gregory Peck and…
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Klimt, to love him, or leave him alone
Don’t get me wrong, Gustav Klimt was inherently remarkable at all of his accomplishments and I am fond of his work as well as those he influenced (even if they were on the brink of lunacy, Egon Schiele). However, to be quite honest, I’d never heard of him until approximately seventeen months ago – his impact on art history itself was miniscule in comparison with more notable greats. But suddenly he was all I read about and pieces of his art were unexpectedly in the strangest places. In celebration of his 150th birthday (this past Saturday, to be exact), museums the world over are head-over-feet presenting his works to the…
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Liebe und Leidenschaft
Liebe, Angst, Trauer, Freude und Lust sind Gefühle, mit denen wohl jeder schon einmal konfrontiert worden ist. Resultierend aus Emotionen, die wiederum eine Folge aus verschiedenen im Körper ablaufenden chemischen Reaktionen sind, die dann im Gehirn zu einem dieser Gefühle verarbeitet werden und anschließend in der Kontraktion verschiedener, die Gestik und Mimik beeinflussender Muskeln für unsere Umwelt sichtbar werden. Die Rationalität eines Gefühls und seiner Entstehung erscheint in der Selbsterfahrung jedoch häufig irrational, und so ist es auch für den Menschenkenner nicht immer ein Leichtes, verschiedene Gefühlsregungen seines Gegenüber richtig zu deuten. Das mit oder über jemanden Lachen, kann ähnlich missverstanden werden wie das Weinen vor Freude, Wut oder Trauer.…
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Love and Passion in Their Time and Place
What is your least favourite thing about Facebook – the most popular social networking tool in existence? I would have to say, just barely beating the 12 engagements a week which are really just a reminder of how lonely I might be someday, it is undoubtedly the mushy, gushy, self-taken photos of a lip-locked couple. That’s nice, I’m happy for you, but do you really need to plaster it all over my newsfeed? But when did a couple in love start to produce this shuttering, nearly vomit inducing feeling? Certainly artists from the 15th century and beyond were able to find beauty and romance in such imagery. How many of…
This is an interactive art blog in multi languages, you will find new articles on artists, art history, exhibitions, etc. Contributions welcome.
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