bridal registry

Courtesy of the Everlasting Blört, we find ourselves quite taken with the endless galleries of deep dives and long tails that comprise the Museum of Ridiculous Interesting Things. Renaissance sexuality and women’s roles is not the most enlightened exhibition to explore, assuredly, but their curation of the sexy symbolism of the weasel and related varmints is indeed edifying and comprehensive.
Branching off from and bringing it all back around to the era’s most iconic depiction from Leonardo in the 1490 portrait Lady with an Ermine (Dama con l'ermellino) of Cecilia Gallerani, mistress of Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, we discover what sort of associations were laden on this poor creature as a companion and signifier of status and hope and generally commissions for marriages. Da Vinci himself would later remark in his own bestiary that the ermine represents moderation, deigning only to eat once a day, and the purity of character to surrender herself to the huntsman rather than sully her fine coat. Speaking of which, the keeping of a pelt from weasel, mink or stoat was referred to as a zibellini, a luxuriant fur flea to drape over ones neck as a charm for getting pregnant, reflecting the rather nonsensical and non sequitur belief that weasels conceived through their ears and gave birth through their mouths, following the Marian tradition of the messenger angle whispering in her ear and Mary proclaiming the news—an homage that does not seem quite ideal in terms of fatherhood and legacy. Much more to discover at the links above.

steinwand

Recently, H and I took a hike around a rock face (Felswand) at the foothills and steepening calved cliffs of the Maulkuppe, near the Milseburg.
A few climbers were out scaling the rocks—which are volcanic phonolite (Phonolith—sounding stone, named after the characteristic clink that this uncommon mineral makes when struck—we’ll have to be more attentive and listen next time) and not the more common basalt formations (see here, here and here) as we’d originally thought made up the mountain side. There are some one hundred climbing paths (Kletterrouten) on the Steinwand—which while it is on private property, is freely accessible for all.

6x6

mistress don’t harm me, mistress don’t harm me henceforth: What is Love medieval style (see also)

octopi, occupy: a history of caricature and other persuasive maps (previously), via Nag on the Lake

degenerate states: a look at myriahedral map projection (see also) and related attempts at squaring the circle

distance disco: your dance party at a safe range, via Swiss Miss

television and telephot: video-conferences envisioned in 1918

knight industries two thousand: Knight Rider theme for eight cellos (see previously)

be a gandlum, not a goldo

This cursed chart of unknown provenance (via Boing Boing—I’m sure that no one is eager to take responsibility for this un-unseeable nightmare for fear of reprisal) that blends, cross-references Lord of the Rings characters (previously) is more proof that idle hands are the tools of Sauron—or rather his hybrid Saurumon. That said, tag yourself. What other ensemble paracosm would you like—if any—the Marvel cinematic universe perhaps, subjected to the same treatment?

an account of the principalities of wallachia and moldavia

Under the imprint of Archibald Constable & Company, Bram Stoker’s Dracula was first published on this date in 1897. Heir to an established literary trope of continental influences invading England (strange how monsters pivot from expressions, repressions of xenophobia to homophobia and there is no unhappy medium), the novel went further in setting archetype, conventions and defining the genre with untold adaptations and interpretations, enduring and rejuvenated through a series of other building on the lore until it was ripe for mass-distribution with the advent of cinema and its attendant possibilities, much like the successful legacy of contemporary authors H. G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle.

sophonisba met de brief van masinissa

Identified as the patron of artists for having painted the portrait of the Virgin Mary by John of Damascus, the Guild of St. Luke—especially in the Low Countries—was a common term for the association representing professional painters through the Renaissance, an organisation that Leipzig-born Nikolas Knüpfer (*1603 – †1655) was admitted to (as a visiting member, bezoekend lid), allowing him to establish a studio in Utrecht, one of his pupils being Jan Steen, where he produced some of his small-scale masterpieces—focused on literary and mythological themes.
Reflecting his penchant for unusual poses, here pictured (1635, through the lens of course of what is familiar) is part of a series on the influential Carthaginian noble woman, powerful in her own right Sophonisba (𐤑𐤐𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋) who famously poisoned herself rather than be captured by Roman forces during the Punic Wars. Sophonisba receives news from her husband, King Masinissa, from the front that a truce has been reached but she must be paid in triumph to the victors—the Romans feeling that she had incited rebellion to begin with and ought to be removed from Carthage. Having none of that, later Sophonisba drinks the goblet of poison, rebuking Masinissa for making their marriage short and bitter.

interregnum

With the act of union adopted by the recalled Rump Parliament on this day in 1659 following the resignation Richard Cromwell after the chaotic death of his father Oliver Cromwell, England and Wales were declared a republican Commonwealth, a maneuverer that set in motion the restoration of the monarchy from exile in 1660 with the proclamation one year to the day later that heir Charles II had been the lawful regent since the death of his predecessor, constitutionally the undoing of all that had transpired in the preceding nineteen years.
In May of 1649, the original Rump Parliament (also called the Long Parliament) took power after the trial and execution of Charles I and this sitting legislature was dissolved in 1653 with executive powers vested in the Army Council, which then elevated Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector of a united British isle—Scots and Irish resistance finally suppressed at the time during what was referred to as the third civil war that ushered in this second, brief republic—Cromwell’s government itself became untenable after a term of five years, punctuated by rampant purges, Irish genocide, cronyism (with political succession an afterthought and apparently a dynastic one was acceptable), harmonisation with religious authorities and the shuttering of the theatres.

✨#12 – boycotting cheese✨

A family acquaintance has been confined to a hotel and Saudi Arabia, one twitter personality reports, and shares this image of a menu card that strikes me as delightfully pure—first insofar as they would go to such lengths to accommodate Western guests, including at a time like this—during the pandemic, whom was stranded and staying for longer than expected plus through the month of Ramadan.
I also like the level of trust vested in a translating algorithm—since absent anything to check it against, why would one have reason to doubt? Also, interestingly, punctuation seems as important as letters, which seems right in hindsight for someone unfamiliar with the script but had not occurred to me before. That said, tag yourself. Foul, fool, full is probably fūl mudammas—stewed, seasoned fava beans—which is very delicious. We had a hard time choosing between Chicken Dump Truck, A Regular Erika or She is Suspicious of Cheese—and wonder what the story is behind dishes such as Friday, Tuna is a Problem and Worried. Beans, gentlemen.