all roads lead to rome

Covering a familiar subject, the Map Room directs our attention to an interactive and animated study of a thirteenth century reproduction of a Roman illustrated itinerarium—that is, a road map that shows the network of the cursus publicus (previously) of the Empire around the time of the reign of Augustus, called the Tabula Peutingeriana after the sixteenth century Augsburger antiquarians, Konrad Peutinger and his wife Margaretha Welser, who conserved this artefact.  The seven metre long scroll is made a bit more wieldly and accessible by depicting it as a side-scrolling animation with additional features that, for instance, allow one to toggle between the ancient and modern toponyms for places along the routes. Inscribed into the UNESCO registry in 2007, learn more about the unique strip map and the ongoing scholarship surrounding it at the pair of links up top.

old dutch master

Plain Magazine directs our attention to the impressive portfolio of Dutch artist Suzanne Jongmans whose project Mind over Matter materialised over a fortunate shortage in costuming and a bit of improvisation.

Crafting elaborate cauls, collars and headwear out of packing supplies and protective sheaves, Jongmanns poses her subjects in the style of seventeenth century Dutch and Flemish portraiture, perfectly framing the tradition of taking tronies (Dutch for face)—as articulated by painters like Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer and Pieter Brueghel the Elder who strove to capture human visage at its most expressive. The pictured model with a recycled wimple is a faithful homage to Rogier van der Weyden’s 1460 Portret van enn dame.

the pulse of events

On this day in 1947, the longest running series of televised history, scripted or otherwise, aired its pilot on the NBC from the network’s Washington, DC bureau. Meet the Press creator and moderator Martha Roundtree’s inaugural interview (she had previously honed the programme’s format on radio since 1945) was with former US Postmaster General and chairman of the Democratic National Committee James Aloysius Farley. Holding offices more influential and consequential than one might expect, Farley was an interesting character, who voiced strong opposition to the break with tradition on the part of Franklin Roosevelt in seeking a third term as president, subsequently championing the national constitutional referendum for the twenty second amendment that established term limits and defined eligibility to hold high office.
Farley also disagreed with Roosevelt’s 1937 decision to “pack” the Supreme Court, a judicial tool to augment the character of the court by adding extra justices and thus protect reforms enacted under the New Deal that might have otherwise been challenged and reversed by a more conservative-leaning body, as undemocratic. Beforehand, the accomplished statesman and party boss helped overturn Prohibition and made significant strides towards enfranchisement by supporting civil rights and transforming the Democratic party into one of inclusion. After retirement from government, Farley became a senior executive with a large soft-drink concern, remaining with them for over three decades, and lobbied for his beverage to be handled as a “war priority item” along with other provisions and ammunition in order to boost the morale and energy and help rebuild Europe. The soft-drink was established in international markets at government expense. The weekly forum has featured many prominent guests, including every president since JFK, Fidel Castro at the start of his rule in 1959 and featured the first live trans-Atlantic interview via communications satellite with British Prime Minster Harold Wilson. The opening music package features a suite composed by John Williams called “The Mission,” with the title referring to the final, signature part of the movement—reserved for Meet the Press and Special Reports.

plumbline

This incredibly sharp, low angle satellite composite imagery of San Francisco, that we’re served up via Kottke, are the resolute heirs of undertakings like Britain from Above. Click on the image and click through to see it in all its detail as intended.  Given the striking unreality (a few exposures and filters to clear away the clouds but very much a faithful picture) of such vistas, I wonder if we’ve become overly attuned—even with the overview of take-offs and landings—to seeing the world as a something to be charted and parcelled from the perspective of a bombardier. Learn more and discover a larger gallery at the link up top.