Happy Birthday, Harvard! On this day in 1636, Harvard University was founded by order of the Massachusetts legislature, making it the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It is arguably the most prestigious school in America and amongst the most important in the world. Named after its first benefactor, John Harvard (an […]
Legend has it that the King of Siam would present courtiers—specifically annoying or obnoxious ones—with the royal gift of a White Elephant. Despite the gift’s incredible rarity, the animal was such a burden to sustain that the unpleasant courtier would be ruined financially just trying to keep the animal fed and maintained. Today, the term […]
With the crisp fall weather, so comes the popular autumnal wedding season. Whether black tie or less formal, cufflinks provide just the right punctuation in a handsome groom’s ensemble. Many a bride-to-be has purchased from us a nice dress set for her fiancé to wear on their special day. Similarly, many future grooms have purchased […]
Amber is the ancient, fossilized resin of pine trees. 80% of it is found in Northern Europe, along the Baltic Sea—that large body of water surrounding (and beneath) the Scandanavian countries. Scientists believe it was produced some 44 million years ago. Because the resin was originally soft and sticky, amber pieces sometimes display “inclusions” of […]
We welcome September and its birth flower, the Morning Glory. With its cordate (heart-shaped) leaves and climbing vines, the Morning Glory comes in many colors—usually blues and purples but sometimes in reds or oranges (like those which decorate the hand-painted English Arts & Crafts frame, above).
Nijinsky in Les Orientales (1910), costumes by Bakst (Photo: Druet) For all the acclaim and artistry of The Ballets Russes, the centerpiece of the company—on stage and off—was the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. Born in Kiev (at that time a part of Russia) to traveling Polish ballet dancers, young Waclaw Nizyinski, was trained in dance from a […]
Leon Bakst: Costume rendering of Nijinsky in “Afternoon of a Faun” (1912) After relocating the company from Russia to Paris, The Ballets Russes continued to grow in fame and ambition. Its captain, Sergei Diaghilev’s genius was in identifying and recruiting exquisite talent (dancers, composers, choreographers, and designers) and pulling from them new, wonderful, and (sometimes) shocking […]
Georges Barbier: Vaslav Nijinsky in “Afternoon of a Faun” (1913) Yesterday, in Washington D.C., I had the great fortune to see a wonderful exhibit at the National Gallery: “Diaghilev & The Ballets Russes, 1909-1929: When Art Danced with Music.” Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev (1872-1929) sampled many fields—law, music, art, publishing, art curation—before he discovered his great […]
Fifty years ago today, a 34 year old Georgia preacher mounted the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, took the microphone, and—before a crowd of more than a quarter million people—fixed his place in American history. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is considered one of the most important—and successful—orations in […]
Summer’s end is nigh, the dog days come and gone. But it’s been cool in LEO Design where these French Art Deco Great Dane bookends wait patiently. Come visit them and see our new shipments—arriving in mid-September. Click on the photo to learn more.
On this day in 1724, British artist George Stubbs was born in Liverpool to a leather “currier” (finisher) and merchant. He worked with his father until he was 16, at which point he was apprenticed to a local painter and engraver, a position which didn’t last long—Stubbs did not like the repetitive copying which was […]
It was just an ordinary day in Pompeii: 24 August 79 AD. People were going-about their regular business, bustling-along the marble-clad streets and roadways of the ancient Roman city. Then, without warning, Mons Vesuvius—five miles away—exploded, sending molten rock and poisonous gasses straight up, over 20 miles into the sky. When the dust settled, Pompeii […]
In the decorative arts, the French term Guilloché (pronounced: Ghee-o-shay) refers to the technique of engraving very precise, very intricate, repetitive patterns, usually on metal. When produced using a “Turning Machine,” such mechanically produced guilloché work can achieve much finer, much more accurate, and much more closely spaced lines. Often such guilloché work is enameled-over, […]
Today is the last day of the sun sign, LEO. Our Lion Rampant, above—hand-tooled on copper, in Belgium—bears us a regal farewell: “See you in eleven months!” Meanwhile, LEO Design (the shop and the web site) will continue to serve—throughout the zodiac calendar. Click on the photo to learn more.
To wrap-up this little series on “Leos in Art,” let’s return to Venice—the city of St. Mark and his lion. Last month, my partner and I ended our summer holiday with a few days in Venice. Having been there a couple of times previously, we steered-clear of the well-worn “highlights,” choked with summer tourists (including […]
On this day 1882, under a tent in Moscow (next to the construction site of The Cathedral of Christ the Savior), Russian composer-genius Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky premiered his masterpiece The Year 1812—more popularly known as the 1812 Overture. It had been commissioned by Tsar Alexander II to commemorate Russia’s brave defense of the motherland (and […]
Lions are among the most-widely used creatures in heraldry. After all, “The King of the Forest” is associated closely with royalty and—for centuries—we have invested him with the traits we wish to see in our leaders (royal or otherwise): strength, bravery, majesty, beauty, beneficence. Lions often are viewed as strong and gentle—at the same time—something […]
In the “modern” world, the lion has maintained pride of place in art and architecture. St. Mark, the evangelist, is usually depicted as a winged lion. He is the patron saint of Venice (at least since the Venetians smuggled his remains out of Alexandria, Egypt in 828 AD), therefore lions—winged or otherwise—are plentiful in that […]
As the sun moves-on—next week into Virgo—we have a final chance to showcase a few more Leos in art. Lions have been portrayed in some of the oldest artwork known to historians. For years, the oldest were the Cave Paintings of Lascaux, France (15,000 years old) which depict a pair of lions mating. Since then, […]
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea In a beautiful pea green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above, And sang to a small guitar, ‘O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my […]
The attractive carved design element known as the “Barley Twist” enjoyed a revival in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (as shown in the wooden candlesticks, above). But the use of this design element is thousands of years old. They were originally called “Solomonic Columns” and are believed to have been used in the […]
Craftsmen and artisans have been hand-hammering metals for thousands of years, working them into shapes both useful and beautiful. Decorative metalwork reached its zenith of precision during the Renaissance through the Age of Enlightenment (18th century). During this period, delicacy and refinement were en vogue. A piece was considered finer if it had no sign […]
On 10 August 1792, the “Storming of the Tuileries Palace” effectively brought an end to the French monarchy (later restored in 1814). Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were arrested and locked away—later to be killed. This bloody chapter in French history was followed, exactly one year later, with the official opening of the […]
On this day in 1974, nine Canadian peacekeepers were shot down and killed while flying over Syria, the largest number of Canadian peacekeepers killed while doing their important work. Since then, 9 August has been designated “Peacekeepers’ Day” in Canada, usually observed on the closest Sunday to this date. In an earlier time, a WWI […]
Scuola di San Rocco (c.1902-04) by John Singer Sargent In my opinion (for what it matters), “Art” is the accomplished manipulation of a medium. Some artists manipulate paint, others marble; some artists will manipulate words, while others manipulate vocal notes. Great artists—by definition—are great at doing it. On Sunday I witnessed a Master’s Class […]
This is the first item I ever sold, in my first store, on my first day. It’s a Mortens Studio Saint Bernard sculpture. After selling it, I came across another two years later. I had to buy it—paying three times more for the replacement than for which I had sold the first! Since that day, […]
Today is a landmark day. Today we launch our new (sales-capable!) website and journal. Today we’re grateful to be starting our 19th year of business. And today I celebrate my 50th birthday! Furthermore: Today is the first day of my favorite sun sign, Leo. 1995 seems like yesterday. I remember—very well—awaking on my birthday that […]
