Month: April 2020

Jean Duvet

Born in 1485, Duvet was a French engraver and goldsmith. His most famous works are two dozen engravings in a series depicting scenes from the biblical Apocalypse. Published in 1561, the engravings do not depict space or proportion realistically. Rather, they have a distinctive style that is crowded, urgent, and intense, as every available space is filled with detail. Duvet, whose printmaking style is often compared to that of William Blake, began his career copying prints by what artists? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Vlöggelen

As practiced in the eastern Netherlands village of Ootmarsum, the Vlöggelen, or Winging Ceremony, is believed to be the remnant of an ancient spring fertility rite. It is a ritualistic dance through the cobbled streets led by eight unmarried men, linked to form a human chain that advances slowly, “like birds on the wing.” The dancers enter the front doors of shops, inns, and farmhouses to the melody of an old Easter hymn with so many verses that the dancers must read the words pinned to the back of the person in front of them. Later, the men fetch firewood for a huge bonfire that night. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Pyotr Stolypin

Stolypin was the prime minister of Russia from 1906 to 1911 under Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. Stolypin instituted agrarian reforms that improved the welfare of peasants, reasoning that as a landed class they would be more loyal to the tsar. At the same time, he was ruthless in suppressing the growing revolutionary movement and executed hundreds in 1906 and 1907. He was, in turn, assassinated by a revolutionary. What did Tsar Nicholas reportedly say to Stolypin on his deathbed? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Operation Gladio

In 1990, Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti exposed a clandestine NATO “stay-behind” initiative in which cells of agents secretly remained in various nations after WWII, purportedly to conduct sabotage and organize and arm resistance groups in the event of a Soviet invasion. Implicated in multiple bombings, murders, and false-flag operations across Europe, the CIA-backed Operation Gladio was condemned by European Parliament and disbanded. What activities may have been sponsored by Gladio? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Galveston Island FeatherFest

Begun in 2002, the Galveston Island FeatherFest is intended to celebrate the “birds and natural heritage of the Upper Texas Coastal area.” Some 300 species of birds are found on Galveston Island in the springtime as they stop off during their migration north. The FeatherFest allows bird enthusiasts the chance to go on field trips to photograph and watch the birds. Prominent environmental writers, naturalists, and artists are the leaders of these field trips. Seminars, workshops, and lectures on the wildlife in the community are also available, and a FeatherFest Photo Contest is held. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Congreve Rocket

After the British first encountered rocketry in the 1790s in India during the Mysore Wars, Sir William Congreve was asked to develop a similar weapon for Britain. He created the Congreve rocket, which was guided by a long pole, much like a bottle rocket—and was similarly unpredictable. Still, its relatively long range of 2 miles (3 kilometers) was unprecedented, and it had a major impact on the development of modern warfare. What famous American song was inspired by Congreve rockets in action? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary