Jan Mandijn

Jan Mandijn or Jan Mandyn (c. 1500, Haarlem – c. 1560, Antwerp) was a Dutch Renaissance painter, who worked in Antwerp after 1530.
Biography.
Mandijn trained in Haarlem. He moved to Antwerp in 1530.
He was the teacher of Jan van der Elburcht, Gillis Mostaert and Bartholomeus Spranger. He died in Antwerp.
Work.
Only one signed work of Mandijn survives, the "Temptation of Saint Anthony" (Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem). It is similar in style to Hieronymus Bosch and that is why he is called a follower of Bosch. This is confirmed by the early biographer Karel van Mander who wrote that Mandijn was good at painting spooky and funny scenes like Hieronymus Bosch. The 'Temptation' is inspired by Bosch's work, but Mandijn's style was freer and looser and the colours and fantastic creatures are less harmonious. As a result, the whole is less powerful than Bosch. Mandijn's paintings incorporate the elements typical of Bosch such as hybrid demons composed of various parts of insects, amphibians, reptiles and birds.
The stylistic features of Mandijn's style have been identified in a series of Antwerp 'devil pictures' that have been attributed to him, such as the "Temptation of Saint Christopher" (Alte Pinakothek in Munich).
A recent study showed that Mandijn was also proficient in the "antique" manner. In 1552, for instance, the painter and his workshop completed a monumental altarpiece in a classicizing style for the Church of Saint Eustace in Zichem. The triptych with scenes from the life of Saint Eustace is still preserved in the afore-mentioned church.


Olga Petrova

Olga Petrova (born Muriel Harding; 10 May 1884 – 30 November 1977) was a British-American actress, screenwriter and playwright.
Life and career.
Born Muriel Harding in England, she moved to the United States and became a star of vaudeville using the stage name Olga Petrova. She starred in a number of films for Solax Studios and was Metro Pictures first star, usually given the role of a femme fatale. During her seven years in film, Petrova appeared in more than two dozen films and wrote the script for several others. Most of her films are now lost, including what she considered her best pictures, those directed by Maurice Tourneur. The Library of Congress Silent Feature Film Database indicates three of her films survive: "The Vampire" (1915), "Extravagance" (1916) and "The Waiting Soul" (1918).
In 1913, she met local physician John Dillon Stewart in Indianapolis, Indiana, and quickly became engaged to be married. They married March 31 in Kansas City. Stewart moved his practice to New York City to be near her primary base of operations.
Petrova left the film industry in 1918 but continued to act in Broadway productions. During the 1920s, she wrote three plays and toured the U.S. with a theater troupe. She also interviewed a number of prominent film stars on paid assignment for "Shadowland" magazine, "Motion Picture Magazine", and "Photoplay Journal", including Marion Davies, Mary Pickford, Theda Bara, Alla Nazimova, Norma Talmadge, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., and Rudolf Valentino. In 1942, she published her autobiography "Butter with My Bread". She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She made several visits to Saranac Lake, New York at the height of her fame at the request of theatrical agent William Morris. In the summer of 1921, she turned the first shovel of earth for a housing project sponsored by the chamber of commerce at a lot on Lake Street donated by Walter Jenkins. The Petrova School on Petrova Avenue bears the name of this famous visitor to Saranac Lake, New York.
Olga Petrova died in 1977 in Clearwater, Florida, aged 93. She had no children.


Strzemie coat of arms

Strzemię (Polish for "Stirrup") is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by several "szlachta" families under the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Blazon.
Gules, a stirrup Or.
Notable bearers.
Notable bearers of this Coat of Arms have included:


Boylan

Boylan is an Irish surname. Notable people with the surname include:


List of Pennsylvania state historical markers in Chester County

This is a list of the Pennsylvania state historical markers in Chester County.
This is intended to be a complete list of the official state historical markers placed in Chester County, Pennsylvania, by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). The locations of the historical markers, as well as the latitude and longitude coordinates as provided by the PHMC's database, are included below when available. There are 63 historical markers located in Chester County.


Clearing the Trail

Clearing the Trail is a lost 1928 silent film western directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring Hoot Gibson. It was produced and released through Universal Pictures.


Samarian spinel

The Samarian Spinel is a spinel gemstone that is the largest of its kind in the world. It is part of the Iranian Crown Jewels.
Origins.
It and a smaller spinel were captured by the Persian King Nadir Shah during his 18th-century conquest of India. The smaller of the two spinels bears a 350-year-old inscription attributing its ownership to Jahangir, a Mughal Emperor of India. Legend states that in response to court criticism for having inscribed his own name on the stone, the Emperor proclaimed "This stone shall make my name more famous than the entire dynasty of Tamerlane!" His prediction proved somewhat correct as the Tamerlane dynasty was overthrown after 230 years, while Jahangir's name lives on inscribed on a number of gemstones found in the Iranian treasury.
The Samarian spinel has a hole in it. According to a diary entry of the court physician to the Iranian Shah Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, the King told the physician that the stone once adorned the neck of the biblical golden calf, which the Israelites are said to have made while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments. A diamond was added later to conceal the hole.


Bernd Hartmann

Bernd Hartmann (11 October 1905 in Wiedenbrück – 28 October 1972 in Rheda-Wiedenbrück), aliases Bernd Hartmann-Wiedenbrück and Bernd Hartmann-Lintel, was an academic sculptor and sacral artist. He belonged to the "Wiedenbrücker Schule" school of arts.
Hartmann came from a family of artists. His father "Heinrich Hartmann" (1868–1937) and his brother "Hubert Hartmann" (1915–2006) were also sculptors. After having been trained in Wiedenbrück between 1920 and 1924, Bernd Hartmann at first worked in Kleve, Osnabrück and Düsseldorf. From 1927 to 1935, he studied in Munich, followed by professorships in Münster and Munich. During the time of National Socialism, 20 of his works were exhibited at the "Great German Arts Exhibition" in the Munich "House of Arts". Many of his works from this period have to be considered Nazi propaganda art, e.g. the statues "Minenstecher" (Land Mine Searcher, 1940, sold to Adolf Hitler for a price of 5,900 reichsmark) and "Schütze" (Rifleman, sold to Hitler for a price of 14,000 reichsmark).
After the end of World War II, Bernd Hartmann moved back to his native region and predominantly produced religious art. In 1956, he married the artist Ima Rochelle. Bernd Hartmann died in 1972. In Rheda-Wiedenbrück, the street where he lived is named after him. Furthermore, a sculpture of the artist made by his wife is exhibited in a public park.


Step on It! (film)

Step on It! is a lost 1922 American Western film directed by Jack Conway and featuring Hoot Gibson, released by Universal Pictures.
Plot.
As described in a film magazine, Vic Collins (Gibson) is continually losing cattle, but is unable to trace them beyond a stream that skirts his ranch. Lafe Brownell (Girard), an officer from Texas sent to trace cattle thieves, tells Vic that the new telegraph operator Lorraine Leighton (Bedford), whom Vic has become interested in, is at the bottom of the thefts. Vic follows her to a nearby ranch and finds the bed of the stream dry, because the water has been shutoff at a sluice way. Thus, his cattle had been driven across the dry stream and then the water turned on again. Vic is captured by the thieves and threatened with death, but Lorraine rides back to his ranch for help. It turns out that she was mingled with the gang only to obtain evidence to clear her brother's name from falsely being jailed for murder.


Levavi

Levavi () is an Israeli surname which means "hearty" and "cordial". Notable people with the surname include:


Noh

 is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and "nōgaku" are sometimes used interchangeably, "nōgaku" encompasses both Noh and "kyōgen". Traditionally, a full "nōgaku" program includes five Noh plays with comedic "kyōgen" plays in between; an abbreviated program of two Noh plays with one "kyōgen" piece has become common today. Optionally, an "okina" play may be presented in the very beginning of "nōgaku" presentation.
Noh is often based on tales from traditional literature with a supernatural being transformed into human form as a hero narrating a story. Noh integrates masks, costumes and various props in a dance-based performance, requiring highly trained actors and musicians. Emotions are primarily conveyed by stylized conventional gestures while the iconic masks represent the roles such as ghosts, women, children, and the elderly. Written in late middle Japanese, the text "vividly describes the ordinary people of the twelfth to sixteenth centuries". Having a strong emphasis on tradition rather than innovation, Noh is extremely codified and regulated by the "iemoto" system.
History.
Origins.
The kanji for means "skill", "craft", or "talent", particularly in the field of performing arts in this context. The word Noh may be used alone or with "gaku" (; fun, music) to form the word "nōgaku". Noh is a classical tradition that is highly valued by many today. When used alone, Noh refers to the historical genre of theatre that originated from "sarugaku" in the mid 14th century and continues to be performed today.
One of the oldest forerunners of Noh and "kyōgen" is , which was introduced to Japan from China in the 8th century. At the time, the term "sangaku" referred to various types of performance featuring acrobats, song and dance as well as comic sketches. Its subsequent adaptation to Japanese society led to its assimilation of other traditional art forms." Various performing art elements in "sangaku" as well as elements of "dengaku" (rural celebrations performed in connection with rice planting), "sarugaku" (popular entertainment including acrobatics, juggling, and pantomime), "shirabyōshi "(traditional dances performed by female dancers in the Imperial Court in the 12th century), "gagaku" (music and dance performed in the Imperial Court beginning in the 7th century), and "kagura" (ancient "Shinto" dances in folk tales) evolved into Noh and "kyōgen".
Studies on genealogy of the Noh actors in 14th century indicate they were members of families specialized in performing arts; they had performed various traditional performance arts for many generations. Sociological research by Yukio Hattori reveals that the , arguably the oldest school of Noh, is a descendant of , the performer who introduced "gigaku", now-extinct masked drama-dance performance, into Japan from Kudara Kingdom in 612.
Another theory by Shinhachirō Matsumoto suggests Noh originated from outcastes struggling to claim higher social status by catering to those in power, namely the new ruling "samurai" class of the time. The transferral of the shogunate from Kamakura to Kyoto at the beginning of Muromachi period marked the increasing power of the samurai class and strengthened the relationship between the shogunate and the court. As Noh became the "shōgun"s favorite art form, Noh was able to become a courtly art form through this newly formed relationship. In 14th century, with strong support and patronage from "shōgun" Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Zeami was able to establish Noh as the most prominent theatre art form of the time.
The establishment of Noh by Kan'ami and Zeami.
In the 14th century, during the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573), Kan'ami Kiyotsugu and his son Zeami Motokiyo reinterpreted various traditional performing arts and completed Noh in a significantly different form from the traditional one, essentially bringing Noh to the present form. Kan'ami was a renowned actor with great versatility fulfilling roles from graceful women and 12-year-old boys to strong adult males. When Kan'ami first presented his work to 17-year-old Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Zeami was a child actor in his play, around age 12. Yoshimitsu fell in love with Zeami and his position of favor at court caused Noh to be performed frequently for Yoshimitsu thereafter.
Tokugawa era.
During the Edo period Noh continued to be aristocratic art form supported by the "shōgun", the feudal lords ("daimyōs"), as well as wealthy and sophisticated commoners. While "kabuki" and "joruri" popular to the middle class focused on new and experimental entertainment, Noh strived to preserve its established high standards and historic authenticity and remained mostly unchanged throughout the era. To capture the essence of performances given by great masters, every detail in movements and positions was reproduced by others, generally resulting in an increasingly slow, ceremonial tempo over time.
Modern Noh after Meiji era.
The fall of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1868 and the formation of a new modernized government resulted in the end of financial support by the government, and the entire field of Noh experienced major financial crisis. Shortly after the Meiji Restoration both the number of Noh performers and Noh stages greatly diminished. The support from the imperial government was eventually regained partly due to Noh's appeal to foreign diplomats. The companies that remained active throughout the Meiji era also significantly broadened Noh's reach by catering to the general public, performing at theatres in major cities such as Tokyo and Osaka.
In 1957 the Japanese Government designated "nōgaku" as an Important Intangible Cultural Property, which affords a degree of legal protection to the tradition as well as its most accomplished practitioners. The National Noh Theatre founded by the government in 1983 stages regular performances and organizes courses to train actors in the leading roles of "nōgaku". Noh was inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO as Nōgaku theatre.
Although the terms "nōgaku" and Noh are sometimes used interchangeably, the Japanese Government's definition of "nōgaku" theatre encompasses both Noh plays and "kyōgen" plays. "Kyōgen" is performed in between Noh plays in the same space. Compared to Noh, ""kyōgen" relies less on the use of masks and is derived from the humorous plays of the "sangaku", as reflected in its comic dialogue."
Women in Noh.
During the Edo period, the guild system gradually tightened, which largely excluded women from Noh, except for some women (such as courtesans) performing songs in marginal situations. Later, in the Meiji era, Noh performers taught wealthy people and nobles, and this led to more opportunities for female performers because women insisted on female teachers. In the early 1900s, after women were allowed to join Tokyo Music School, the rules forbidding women from joining various schools and associations in Noh were relaxed. In 1948, the first women joined the Nohgaku Performers' Association. In 2004, the first women joined the Association for Japanese Noh Plays. In 2007, the National Noh Theatre began to annually present regular programs by female performers. In 2009, there were about 1200 male and 200 female professional Noh performers.
"Jo-ha-kyū".
The concept of "jo-ha-kyū" dictates virtually every element of Noh including compiling of a program of plays, structuring of each play, songs and dances within plays, and the basic rhythms within each Noh performance. "Jo" means beginning, "ha" means breaking, and "kyū" means rapid or urgent. The term originated in "gagaku", ancient courtly music, to indicate gradually increasing tempo and was adopted in various Japanese traditions including Noh, tea ceremony, poetry, and flower arrangement.
"Jo-ha-kyū" is incorporated in traditional five-play program of Noh. The first play is "jo", the second, third, and fourth plays are "ha", and the fifth play is "kyū". In fact, the five categories discussed below were created so that the program would represent "jo-ha-kyū" when one play from each category is selected and performed in order. Each play can be broken into three parts, the introduction, the development, and the conclusion. A play starts out in a slow tempo at "jo", gets slightly faster at "ha", then culminates in "kyū".
Performers and roles.
Actors begin their training as young children, traditionally at the age of three.
Training.
Zeami isolated nine levels or types of Noh acting from lower degrees which put emphasis on movement and violence to higher degrees which represent the opening of a flower and spiritual prowess.
In 2012, there are five extant schools of Noh acting called Kanze (観世), Hōshō (宝生), Komparu (金春), Kongō (金剛), and Kita (喜多) schools that train "shite" actors. Each school has its own "iemoto" family that carries the name of the school and is considered the most important. The "iemoto" holds the power to create new plays or modify lyrics and performance modes. "Waki" actors are trained in the schools Takayasu (高安), Fukuou (福王), and Hōshō (宝生). There are two schools that train "kyōgen", Ōkura (大蔵) and Izumi (和泉). 11 schools train instrumentalists, each school specializing in one to three instruments.
The Nohgaku Performers' Association ("Nōgaku Kyōkai"), to which all professionals are registered, strictly protects the traditions passed down from their ancestors (see "iemoto"). However, several secret documents of the Kanze school written by Zeami, as well as materials by Konparu Zenchiku, have been diffused throughout the community of scholars of Japanese theatre.
Roles.
There are four major categories of Noh performers: "shite", "waki", "kyōgen", and "hayashi".
A typical Noh play always involves the chorus, the orchestra, and at least one "shite" and one "waki" actor.
Performance elements.
Noh performance combines a variety of elements into a stylistic whole, with each particular element the product of generations of refinement according to the central Buddhist, Shinto, and minimalist aspects of Noh's aesthetic principles.
Masks.
Noh masks (能面 "nō-men" or 面 "omote") are carved from blocks of Japanese cypress (檜 "hinoki"), and painted with natural pigments on a neutral base of glue and crunched seashell. There are approximately 450 different masks mostly based on sixty types, all of which have distinctive names. Some masks are representative and frequently used in many different plays, while some are very specific and may only be used in one or two plays. Noh masks signify the characters' gender, age, and social ranking, and by wearing masks the actors may portray youngsters, old men, female, or nonhuman (divine, demonic, or animal) characters. Only the "shite", the main actor, wears a mask in most plays, even though the "tsure" may also wear a mask in some plays to represent female characters.
Even though the mask covers an actor's facial expressions, the use of the mask in Noh is not an abandonment of facial expressions altogether. Rather, its intent is to stylize and codify the facial expressions through the use of the mask and to stimulate the imagination of the audience. By using masks, actors are able to convey emotions in a more controlled manner through movements and body language. Some masks utilize lighting effect to convey different emotions through slight tilting of the head. Facing slightly upward, or "brightening" the mask, will let the mask to capture more light, revealing more features that appear laughing or smiling. Facing downward, or "clouding" it, will cause the mask to appear sad or mad.
Noh masks are treasured by Noh families and institution, and the powerful Noh schools hold the oldest and most valuable Noh masks in their private collections, rarely seen by the public. The most ancient mask is supposedly kept as a hidden treasure by the oldest school, the Konparu. According to the current head of the Konparu school, the mask was carved by the legendary regent Prince Shōtoku (572-622) over a thousand years ago. While the historical accuracy of the legend of Prince Shōtoku's mask may be contested, the legend itself is ancient as it is first recorded in Zeami's "Style and the Flower" written in the 14th century. Some of the masks of the Konparu school belong to the Tokyo National Museum, and are exhibited there frequently.
Stage.
The traditional Noh stage ("butai") has complete openness that provides a shared experience between the performers and the audience throughout the performance. Without any proscenium or curtains to obstruct the view, the audience sees each actor even during the moments before they enter (and after they exit) the central "stage" ("honbutai", "main stage"). The theatre itself is considered symbolic and treated with reverence both by the performers and the audience.
One of the most recognizable characteristic of Noh stage is its independent roof that hangs over the stage even in indoor theatres. Supported by four columns, the roof symbolizes the sanctity of the stage, with its architectural design derived from the worship pavilion ("haiden") or sacred dance pavilion ("kagura-den") of Shinto shrines. The roof also unifies the theatre space and defines the stage as an architectural entity.
The pillars supporting the roof are named "shitebashira" (principal character's pillar), "metsukebashira" (gazing pillar), "wakibashira" (secondary character's pillar), and "fuebashira" (flute pillar), clockwise from upstage right respectively. Each pillar is associated with the performers and their actions.
The stage is made entirely of unfinished "hinoki", Japanese cypress, with almost no decorative elements. The poet and novelist Tōson Shimazaki writes that "on the stage of the Noh theatre there are no sets that change with each piece. Neither is there a curtain. There is only a simple panel ("kagami-ita") with a painting of a green pine tree. This creates the impression that anything that could provide any shading has been banished. To break such monotony and make something happen is no easy thing."
Another unique feature of the stage is the "hashigakari", a narrow bridge at upstage right used by actors to enter the stage. "Hashigakari" means "suspension bridge", signifying something aerial that connects two separate worlds on a same level. The bridge symbolizes the mythic nature of Noh plays in which otherworldly ghosts and spirits frequently appear. In contrast, "hanamichi" in Kabuki theatres is literally a path ("michi") that connects two spaces in a single world, thus has a completely different significance.
Costumes.
Noh actors wear silk costumes called "shozoku" (robes) along with wigs, hats, and props such as the fan. With striking colors, elaborate texture, and intricate weave and embroidery, Noh robes are truly works of art in their own right. Costumes for the "shite" in particular are extravagant, shimmering silk brocades, but are progressively less sumptuous for the "tsure," the "wakizure," and the "aikyōgen".
For centuries, in accordance with the vision of Zeami, Noh costumes emulated the clothing that the characters would genuinely wear, such as the formal robes for a courtier and the street clothing for a peasant or commoner. But in the late sixteenth century, the costumes became stylized with certain symbolic and stylistic conventions. During the Edo (Tokugawa) period, the elaborate robes given to actors by noblemen and "samurai" in the Muromachi period were developed as costumes.
The musicians and chorus typically wear formal "montsuki" "kimono" (black and adorned with five family crests) accompanied by either "hakama" (a skirt-like garment) or "kami-shimo", a combination of "hakama" and a waist-coat with exaggerated shoulders. Finally, the stage attendants are garbed in virtually unadorned black garments, much in the same way as stagehands in contemporary Western theatre.
Props.
The use of props in Noh is minimalistic and stylized. The most commonly used prop in Noh is the fan, as it is carried by all performers regardless of role. Chorus singers and musicians may carry their fan in hand when entering the stage, or carry it tucked into the "obi "(the sash). The fan is usually placed at the performer's side when he or she takes position, and is often not taken up again until leaving the stage. During dance sequences, the fan is typically used to represent any and all hand-held props, such as a sword, wine jug, flute, or writing brush. The fan may represent various objects over the course of a single play.
When hand props other than fans are used, they are usually introduced or retrieved by "kuroko" who fulfill a similar role to stage crew in contemporary theatre. Like their Western counterparts, stage attendants for Noh traditionally dress in black, but unlike in Western theatre they may appear on stage during a scene, or may remain on stage during an entire performance, in both cases in plain view of the audience. The all-black costume of "kuroko" implies they are not part of the action on stage and are effectively invisible.
Set pieces in Noh such as the boats, wells, altars, and bells, are typically carried onto the stage before the beginning of the act in which they are needed. These props normally are only outlines to suggest actual objects, although the great bell, a perennial exception to most Noh rules for props, is designed to conceal the actor and to allow a costume change during the "kyōgen" interlude.
Chant and music.
Noh theatre is accompanied by a chorus and a "hayashi" ensemble ("Noh-bayashi" 能囃子). Noh is a chanted drama, and a few commentators have dubbed it "Japanese opera". However, the singing in Noh involves a limited tonal range, with lengthy, repetitive passages in a narrow dynamic range. Texts are poetic, relying heavily on the Japanese seven-five rhythm common to nearly all forms of Japanese poetry, with an economy of expression, and an abundance of allusion. The singing parts of Noh are called ""Utai" and the speaking parts "Kataru"". The music has many blank spaces ("ma") in between the actual sounds, and these negative blank spaces are in fact considered the heart of the music. In addition to "utai", Noh "hayashi" ensemble consists of four musicians, also known as the "hayashi-kata", including three drummers, which play the "shime-daiko", "ōtsuzumi" (hip drum), and "kotsuzumi" (shoulder drum) respectively, and a "nohkan" flutist.
The chant is not always performed "in character"; that is, sometimes the actor will speak lines or describe events from the perspective of another character or even a disinterested narrator. Far from breaking the rhythm of the performance, this is actually in keeping with the otherworldly feel of many Noh plays, especially in those characterized as "mugen".
Plays.
Of the roughly 2000 plays created for Noh that are known today, about 240 make up the current repertoire performed by the five existing Noh schools. The current repertoire is heavily influenced by the taste of aristocratic class in Tokugawa period and does not necessarily reflect popularity among the commoners. There are several ways to classify Noh plays.
Subject.
All Noh plays can be classified into three broad categories.
While "Genzai" Noh utilizes internal and external conflicts to drive storylines and bring out emotions, "Mugen" Noh focuses on utilizing flashbacks of the past and the deceased to invoke emotions.
Performance style.
Additionally, all Noh plays may be categorized by their style.
Theme.
All Noh plays are divided by their themes into the following five categories. This classification is considered the most practical, and is still used in formal programming choices today. Traditionally, a formal 5-play program is composed of a selection from each of the groups.
In addition to the above five, "Okina" (翁) (or "Kamiuta") is frequently performed at the very beginning of the program, especially at New Year, holidays, and other special occasions. Combining dance with Shinto ritual, it is considered the oldest type of Noh play.
Famous plays.
The following categorization is that of the Kanze school.
Influence in the West.
Many Western artists have been influenced by Noh.
Aesthetic terminology.
Zeami and Zenchiku describe a number of distinct qualities that are thought to be essential to the proper understanding of Noh as an art form.
Existing Noh theatres.
Noh is still regularly performed today in public theatres as well as private theatres mostly located in major cities. There are more than 70 Noh theatres throughout Japan, presenting both professional and amateur productions.
Public theatres include National Noh Theatre (Tokyo), Nagoya Noh Theater, and Osaka Noh Theater. Each Noh school has its own permanent theatre, such as Kanze Noh Theater (Tokyo), Hosho Noh Theater (Tokyo), Kongo Noh Theater (Kyoto), and Nara Komparu Noh Theater (Nara). Additionally, there are various prefectural and municipal theatres located throughout Japan that present touring professional companies and local amateur companies. In some regions, unique regional Noh such as Ogisai Kurokawa Noh have developed to form schools independent from five traditional schools.
Audience etiquette.
Audience etiquette is generally similar to formal western theatre—the audience quietly watches. Surtitles are not used, but some audience members follow along in the libretto. Because there are no curtains on the stage, the performance begins with the actors entering the stage and ends with their leaving the stage. The house lights are usually kept on during the performances, creating an intimate feel that provides a shared experience between the performers and the audience.
At the end of the play, the actors file out slowly (most important first, with gaps between actors), and while they are on the bridge ("hashigakari"), the audience claps restrainedly. Between actors, clapping ceases, then begins again as the next actor leaves. Unlike in western theatre, there is no bowing, nor do the actors return to the stage after having left. A play may end with the "shite" character leaving the stage as part of the story (as in "Kokaji," for instance)—rather than ending with all characters on stage—in which case one claps as the character exits.
During the interval, tea, coffee, and "wagashi" (Japanese sweets) may be served in the lobby. In the Edo period, when Noh was a day-long affair, more substantial "makunouchi' bentō" (幕の内弁当, "between-acts lunchbox") were served. On special occasions, when the performance is over, お神酒 ("o-miki," ceremonial "sake") may be served in the lobby on the way out, as it happens in Shinto rituals.
The audience is seated in front of the stage, to the left side of the stage, and in the corner front-left of stage; these are in order of decreasing desirability. While the "metsuke-bashira" pillar obstructs the view of the stage, the actors are primarily at the corners, not the center, and thus the two aisles are located where the views of the two main actors would be obscured, ensuring a generally clear view regardless of seating.


Cry Uncle!

Cry Uncle!, released in the UK as Super Dick (theatrical title) and American Oddballs (video title), is a 1971 American film in the Troma Entertainment library. It is directed by John G. Avildsen and stars Allen Garfield. The story, based on the Michael Brett novel "Lie a Little, Die a Little", follows the misadventures of a slobbish private detective who is hired by a millionaire to investigate a murder. The film features one of Paul Sorvino's first screen performances, and an early appearance from TV star Debbi Morgan.
Plot.
Private detective Jake Masters is with his girlfriend Renee when he gets a call about a new case. The New York City Police Department is hunting for an eccentric millionaire, Jason Dominic, in connection with the murder of a cocktail waitress named Lucille Reynolds. Jason wants Jake to find the real killer. Jake goes to LaGuardia Airport to pick up Jason's bodyguard, Cora Merrill. After an initial case of mistaken identity, Jake, his trainee nephew Keith, and Cora meet up and visit Jason's yacht. Jason tells them the police believe he killed Lucille because she had filmed an orgy featuring him with three prostitutes, who then blackmailed him out of $50,000.
Jake, Keith, and Cora go back to Jake's apartment. Cora rebuffs Jake's advances and instead has sex with Keith. The three start working through their list of prostitutes and other unsavory suspects one by one. While questioning a man, Cora becomes violent, leading Jake to exclude her from questioning others afterward. During one encounter, two prostitutes and a male suspect tie up Jake, but the male suspect goes outside and is killed by an unknown person. Jake then follows one of the prostitutes to an apartment and rapes her before realizing that she is dead.
By chance, Jake finds out that Cora's story does not make sense. He realizes that she is actually working on the orders of Jason to kill the blackmailers after Jake has located them. Jake notifies the police of this. He then goes back to his apartment and has sex with Cora. Afterward, he confronts her, and she admits to killing all of the suspects. A struggle ensues, and Cora is killed by the police. Renee then surprises Jake at his apartment, and the two are happy to be reunited.
Cast.
Lloyd Kaufman, co-founder of Troma, has a cameo appearance as a hippie.
Reception.
The film features a great deal of nudity, sex, drug use, and explicit acts of necrophilia and fellatio. The film was banned in Finland for the year following its release, and in Norway until 2003. In addition to becoming a cult classic, the film launched a string of Troma films that appeared in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, many of them becoming cult films that ran on cable TV.
During an interview featured in the Special Edition of the film's DVD, Allen Garfield says that "Cry Uncle!" is Oliver Stone's favorite comedy.


Amarna letter EA 2

Amarna Letter EA2 is the letter of the Amarna series of inscriptions designated EA2, which is inscribed with cuneiform writing showing the continuation of a correspondence between Kadašman-Enlil I and Amenḥotep III, from EA1. This letter is known to be concerning, "A Proposal of Marriage". The letter is part of a series of correspondences from Babylonia to Egypt, which run from EA2 to EA4 and EA6 to EA14. EA1 and EA5 are from Egypt to Babylonia.
The composition of the matter of the tablet onto which the letter is inscribed is clay taken from the Euphrates.
Translations which exist which are made by Moran (1992) and Liverani (1999).
Jean Nougayrol thought this letter to be a "lettre d'envoi".
The letter reads (as translated by William L. Moran):


La Noche de los Bastones Largos

La Noche de los Bastones Largos ("The Night of the Long Batons") was the violent dislodging of students and teachers from five academic faculties of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), by the Federal Argentine Police, on July 29, 1966. The academic faculties had been occupied by the students, professors, and graduates (the autonomous government of the university) who opposed the political intervention by the military government of General Juan Carlos Onganía to unilaterally revoke the academic freedom established in the 1918 university reform.
Background.
On June 28, 1966, a coup led by General Juan Carlos Onganía had overthrown elected president Arturo Illia and started the military government known as the Revolución Argentina.
The Argentine public universities were by then organised as dictated by the university reform, which established the autonomy of the university, and a political power divided in a tripartite government of students, professors and graduates.
The repression was particularly violent in the faculties of Exact and Natural Sciences and Philosophy and Literature of the UBA.
The name given to the events refers to the long batons used by the police to hit students, professors and graduates while taking them out detained of the buildings. 400 people were detained, with laboratories and libraries completely destroyed.
Consequences.
In the following months hundreds of professors were fired, resigned their positions or abandoned the country.
In total, 301 university professors emigrated, of whom 215 were scientists, and 166 found their place in other Latin American universities, mainly in Chile and Venezuela. 94 went to universities of United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, and 41 moved to Europe.
In some cases, complete research teams were dismantled, such as the Instituto de Cálculo de Ciencias Exactas, where the first computer in Latin America was functioning. All of its 70 members resigned and left the country. Similar cases were those of the Instituto de Psicología Evolutiva and the Instituto de Radiación Cósmica.
Some of the better known affected professors were:
Dismantling of the reformist university.
With the intervention of the military government to the universities, a strict censorship was applied to the contents of the programs, and the scientific project of tight relationship between education and investigation in the universities.
The act of the military government is considered a central reference of the cultural and academic decadence, and the "brain drain" in Argentina.
Recognition and memory.
In 2004 film director Tristán Bauer presented his documentary film "La noche de los bastones largos: el futuro intervenido", based in the events of July 29, 1966.
In July 2005 the Federación Universitaria Argentina delivered recognition diplomas to the 70 professors that resigned in 1966 to their positions at the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Buenos Aires


Rockwilder production discography

This is the production discography of hip-hop producer Rockwilder. Rockwilder first began producing through an affiliation with rapper Redman and fellow producer Erick Sermon. His first career productions came in the year 1994, when he produced many songs on the Flatlinerz' debut album "U.S.A.", and also for Redman and Organized Konfusion. His profile rose greatly after he produced Method Man & Redman's "Da Rockwilder" and Jay-Z's hit "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)." In the early decade, he would make contributions to many high-profile artist's albums. He notably produced several songs and remixes for Janet Jackson's "All for You", bringing his productions into mainstream pop.


Omar Varela

Omar Varela (born 15 October 1957) is a Uruguayan actor, director, playwright, and teacher, the founder of the theater company Italia Fausta.
Biography.
Omar Varela settled in Brazil, after having been part of the stable cast of the . He graduated from the in Montevideo. He directed plays and musicals such as "Mi bella dama", "Ópera do Malandro", and "¿Quién le teme a Italia Fausta?" (which ran for more than 10 years). In addition, he was one of the founding pioneers of children's theater in Uruguay. He was a juror on the Teledoce talent show "" during its 2014 and 2015 seasons.
He won the Iris Award in 2003.


Racing Hearts

Racing Hearts is a lost 1923 American silent comedy drama film directed by Paul Powell and written by Byron Morgan and Will M. Ritchey. The film stars Agnes Ayres, Richard Dix, Theodore Roberts, Robert Cain, Warren Rogers, J. Farrell MacDonald, and Ed Brady. The film was released on July 15, 1923, by Paramount Pictures.


T Bone Burnett production discography

T Bone Burnett has won Grammy Awards for his work on the albums "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000), "Down from the Mountain" (2001), "A Wonderful World" (2002), "Cold Mountain" (2004), "Walk the Line" (2006), "Crazy Heart" (2010), "Raising Sand" (2007), and "One Kind Favor" (2008). He won the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical) in 2001 and 2004. Burnett produced music for the television programs "Nashville" and "True Detective".
1980s.
Soundtracks
1990s.
Soundtracks
2000–2009.
Soundtracks
2010–present.
Soundtracks and concerts


David Rankin-Hunt

Major David Rankin-Hunt is a British member of the Royal Household at St James's Palace in London. He has been the Norfolk Herald Extraordinary since 1994.
Royal household.
Rankin-Hunt worked in the Royal Household for 33 years. His first appointment was as Registrar at the Lord Chamberlain's Office. In 1989, he transferred to the Royal Collection and in 1993 became its Administrator, a position he held until his retirement in 2014.
In 1999 Rankin-Hunt was appointed Secretary of a Working Group set up by the Royal Household, and chaired by the Earl Marshal to organise and plan for future ceremonial events. Rankin-Hunt also held this appointment until his retirement.
Norfolk Herald Extraordinary.
In October 1994, Rankin-Hunt was appointed Norfolk Herald Extraordinary under a royal warrant of appointment, the ninth person to hold the office. In 1995, the Ministry of Defence appointed him Deputy Inspector of Regimental Colours. His responsibilities included providing advice and guidance on the badges, colours, standards and guidons of the British Army. He exercised his day-to-day 'responsibilities' on behalf of the Garter Principal King of Arms (Inspector of Regimental Colours). In 1996, Rankin-Hunt was appointed Deputy Inspector of Royal Air Force badges.
Advisory work.
In 1995, Rankin-Hunt assumed partial responsibility for advising Commonwealth realms and other countries on honours and awards. over the next 15 years, he designed and instituted honours systems and individual orders, decorations and medals for Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, Tonga, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Barbados and Albania. Rankin-Hunt also provided advice on ceremonial and protocol matters along with constitutional advice to Governors-General.
Rankin-Hunt has lectured at conferences in the Middle East and the Caribbean. From 2005 to 2014, he served as the genealogist of the Orders of Chivalry for Antigua and Barbuda. In 2016, Rankin-Hunt was appointed as Honorary ADC to the Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda.
Ceremonial events.
As a herald Rankin-Hunt regularly participates in ceremonial events such as the State Opening of Parliament and the Garter Service at Windsor Castle. During the Golden and Diamond Jubilees, he and the other heralds led the Royal processions through the nave of St Paul's Cathedral for the National Thanksgiving Service.


Kietlicz coat of arms

Kietlicz is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by several szlachta families in the times of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Notable bearers.
Notable bearers of this coat of arms include:


List of flags with Latin-language text

This is a list of flags inscribed with Latin-language text.


Jinnamgwan Hall

Jinnamgwan Hall (Korean: ) is a historical building in the South Korean city Yeosu. The wooden structure consists of a roof, that is supported by 68 columns. It is decorated with carved lotus buds, dragon heads, and Dancheong paintwork. Jinnamgwan Hall is long and tall.
History.
The original building, commissioned by Naval Commander Yi Si-eon, was completed in 1599 during the Joseon dynasty. It stood on the former site of "Jinhaeru", the naval base of Jeolla Province. That naval base was the headquarters of Admiral Yi Sun-sin during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592 and burned down in 1597. Jinnamgwan Hall was used as a guest house for government officials.
A fire destroyed the building in 1716, but it was rebuilt two years later by Admiral Yi Je-myeon. Jinnamgwan Hall was converted into an elementary school in 1911 during the Japanese rule over Korea, damaging the original structure. It was designated as a National Treasure (no. 304) on April 17, 2001. Jinnamgwan Hall underwent a restoration starting in 2015.


Bloody Falls

Bloody Falls (or Bloody Fall, or Kogluktok, meaning "it flows rapidly" or "spurts like a cut artery" in Inuktitut) is a waterfall in the Kugluk/Bloody Falls Territorial Park in Nunavut, Canada. It was the site of the Bloody Falls Massacre in 1771 and the murder of two priests by Copper Inuit Uloqsaq and Sinnisiak in 1913.
The nearest hamlet, Kugluktuk, Nunavut, is away.
Historically, this area was occupied by the Kogluktogmiut subgroup of Copper Inuit.
In 1978, the portion of the Territorial Park northwest of the Coppermine River was designated the Bloody Falls National Historic Site of Canada, as the archaeological remains of pre-contact hunting and fishing sites in the area form a record of the presence of Pre-Dorset, Thule, First Nation and Inuit peoples over the last 3000 years.


Heaney

Heaney is a surname of Irish origin. It is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic "Ó hEignigh", thought to be based on the Gaelic a personal name meaning "horseman". It was mistakenly thought to derive from Éan, Gaelic for Bird.
Versions of it are written in the Annals from the 8th century and has a diverse array of modern derivations and origins.
They were chiefs of Fermanagh and Kings of Airgíalla before the expansion south of Uí Néill branches Cenél Fearadhaigh and Cenél nEoghain into Airgíalla and the rise of The Maguires in Fermanagh. They became allies to repel the Normans in the 13th century.
Notable people with the surname include:


List of Zetsuai albums

This is a list of albums associated with the manga and anime series "Zetsuai 1989", its dojinshi prequel "Dokusen Yoku" and its sequel "Bronze: Zetsuai Since 1989". The albums were released between 1988 and 1996.
Calekka.
, sometimes called Karekka, is a music album, released on November 6, 1988 and dedicate to yaoi doujinshi series . "Dokusen Yoku" or "Desire to Monopolize" were published under the CLUB DOLL circle and it was one of the longest series by Minami Ozaki, the creator of Zetsuai 1989. The yaoi line is developed between Kojiro Hyuga and Ken Wakashimazu, football players from Captain Tsubasa anime and manga.
The album mostly consists of songs performed by Japanese singers Suzuki Hiroaki, Tsubakura Yuiko and Shinichi Ishihara. It also contains one Drama CD track and two instrumental tracks.
Zetsuai 1989.
"" – music album, released in Japan on July 25, 1990. This album is based on manga and do not include anime soundtrack. Songs are performed by Ishihara Shinichi.
Zetsuai 1989 version 2.
 – second version, released on September 9, 1992, after the appearance of the first Zetsuai OVA. This time the singer is Shō Hayami, Kouji Nanjo's voice actor.
"Bad Blood", performed by Hayami Show, was also released as single album on October 14, 1992. It consists of four tracks:
Zetsuai DramaMix 1993.
"Zetsuai DramaMix 1993" – music album and Drama CD, based on five "Zetsuai 1989" manga volumes. Released March 10, 1993.
The Best of Minami Ozaki.
"The Best of Minami Ozaki" – compilation album of Hayami Sho, Suzuki Hiroaki, Tsubakura Yuiko, Shinichi Ishihara (from "Calekka Original Album"), Minamoto Yuka.
Bronze - Kouji Nanjo.
 – Kouji Nanjo's songs from manga performed by Shinichi Ishihara. Album was released on January 29, 1992, together with the first "Bronze" manga volume.
CD also includes two bonus tracks: "Zetsuai Megamix 1992 -English Version-" and "Zetsuai Megamix 1992".
Bronze Original Soundtrack.
 – original soundtrack for the second OVA – , released on December 18, 1996 under Victor Entertainment label. The singers are Hayami Show and Inoue Takehide (credited as TAKEHIDE). "Bronze – End", sometimes called "Bronze -Final Chapter-", is the ending theme of "Bronze" OVA.
 was released as single album on February 21, 1996 and consists of four tracks:


Nicolaus Sombart

Nicolaus Sombart (10 May 1923 – 4 July 2008) was a German cultural sociologist, historian and writer.
The son of Werner Sombart and his Romanian wife Corina Leon, Sombart was known, in particular, as an analyst of Wilhelmine Germany and a critique of Carl Schmitt. For nearly 30 years, Sombart benefited from an appointment as senior cultural civil servant attached to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, while also continuing his career as a writer and academic, principally in Berlin at the Freie Universität.


Fonthill Vase

The Fonthill Vase, also called the Gaignières-Fonthill Vase after François Roger de Gaignières and William Beckford's Fonthill Abbey, is a bluish-white "Qingbai" Chinese porcelain vase dated to 1300-1340 AD. It is the earliest documented Chinese porcelain object to have reached Europe. The vase was made in Jingdezhen, China, and comes from the final years of "Qingbai" ware in Jingdezhen before it was replaced by the new blue and white porcelain, which started in earnest after 1320. It is an unusual "experimental" vase with applied relief decoration in the medallions, in the usual monochrome blueish-white Qingbai glaze.
The vase is now in the National Museum of Ireland, and in 2018 was on display in the "Curator's Choice" permanent display at the National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts and History (Collins Barracks, Dublin).
History.
The vase was first part of a collection of Louis the Great of Hungary, who seems to have received it from a Chinese embassy on its way to visiting Pope Benedict XII in 1338. The vase was then mounted with a silver handle and base, transforming it into a ewer and transferred as a gift to his Angevin kinsman Charles III of Naples in 1381.
Various subsequent owners are known, such as the duc de Berry and the Grand Dauphin (son of Louis XIV). By the end of the 17th century, the vase was in the possession of François Lefebvre de Caumartin, who let it be represented in watercolor painting by François Roger de Gaignières in 1713. The vase was later in the possession of William Beckford at Fonthill Abbey, and was then sold to John Farquhar in 1822.
Its silver mounts were removed in the 19th century, and the vase reappeared in 1882 at a sale of Beckford's heirs at Hamilton Palace without its mount, and was bought by the National Museum of Ireland for about £28.
Jean, duc de Berry is also known to have had a similar Chinese porcelain vase in his collection when he died in 1416, although it is unknown how he acquired it. This indicates that "the Gaignieres-Fonthill vase was not the only specimen of its kind [in Europe at the time]".
These vases testify to a lost era of exchanges between China and Europe during Medieval times, which can also be seen in pictorial arts with the adoption of some Chinese stylistic conventions in Western painting, such as in the works of Giotto and his followers.


Orelsan discography

The following article outlines the discography of French rapper, songwriter and record producer Orelsan, which includes three studio albums, two extended plays and nine singles.
His first single, "Changement", was released in 2008 as the lead single from his first studio album, "Perdu d'avance", which was released in 2009. His first extended play, "Zéro", was released in 2010. His second studio album, "Le chant des sirènes", was released in 2011. "RaelSan" was released as the lead single from the album, with five more singles released from the album thereafter.
Together with fellow rapper Gringe, Orelsan released his third studio album, "Orelsan et Gringe sont les Casseurs Flowters", in 2013 as the duo Casseurs Flowters. "Bloqué" was released as the lead single from the album. In 2015, the two followed up with their second studio album as a duo, "Comment c'est loin", which is also a soundtrack album for their film of the same name. "À l'heure où je me couche" was released as the album's lead single.
Production.
2011.
Orelsan – "Le chant des sirènes"
2013.
Stromae – "Racine carrée"
Casseurs Flowters – "Orelsan et Gringe sont les Casseurs Flowters"
2017.
Orelsan – "La fête est finie"


Margulis

Margulis is a surname that, like its variants shown below, is derived from the Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation of the Hebrew word (Israeli Hebrew ), meaning 'pearl,' and may refer to:


Kim Ung-so House

The Kim Ung-so House is the residence of yangban Kim Ung-so, located in Ryonghung Village, Ryonggang County, North Korea. Until 2002, descendants of Ung-so still lived in the house; after that date, it was rebuilt on orders of Kim Jong-il. It is now a tourist attraction.
It is listed as a National Treasure of North Korea.


Big Brother (British TV series)

Big Brother is the British version of the international reality television franchise "Big Brother" created by producer John de Mol in 1997. Originally broadcast yearly between 2000 and 2018, the show followed the premise of other versions of the format, in which a group of contestants, known as "housemates", live together in a specially constructed house that is isolated from the outside world. The housemates are continuously monitored during their stay in the house by live television cameras as well as personal audio microphones. Throughout the course of the competition, housemates are evicted from the house - voted-out of the competition. The last remaining housemate wins the competition and is awarded a cash prize. The series takes its name from the character in George Orwell's 1949 novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four".
The series premiered on 18 July 2000 on Channel 4, and immediately became a ratings hit. It featured a 24-hour live feed, in which fans could view inside the house at any time. "Big Brother" aired for eleven series on Channel 4, followed by one final special edition, "Ultimate Big Brother", which ended on 10 September 2010. Following this, Channel 5 acquired the rights to the series, and it was officially relaunched on 18 August 2011. In 2014, Emma Willis announced that the show would be back for a sixteenth series in 2015. It was announced on 19 March 2015 that the show would remain on air until at least 2018.
The programme was initially presented by Davina McCall from its inception to its cancellation by Channel 4. Despite being offered the position of presenter following the programme's move to Channel 5, McCall chose not to return. Former winner Brian Dowling became the presenter, a position he held throughout the twelfth and thirteenth series. Emma Willis later replaced Dowling as the presenter of the series from the fourteenth series onwards. Marcus Bentley has been the narrator of the series since it premiered in 2000. "Big Brother" has had numerous spin-off series occur since its premiere, most notably "Celebrity Big Brother", which is a shorter version of the main series wherein the cast is composed solely of celebrities. Numerous other spin-off series that are not competition based have aired, with Dermot O'Leary, Russell Brand, George Lamb, Emma Willis and Rylan Clark-Neal all presenting spin-offs. Over the course of its run, there will have been a total of 45 series of "Big Brother" in the UK: nineteen regular series, twenty-two celebrity series and four other series.
On 14 September 2018 (the day of the nineteenth and final series launch), Channel 5 announced that "Big Brother" and "Celebrity Big Brother" would not be returning to the channel after the end of the series. In 2020, Channel 4 announced that previous episodes of "Big Brother" would be shown on E4 in a series titled "Big Brother: Best Shows Ever" to mark the 20th anniversary of the programme.
History.
Main series.
Channel 4 (2000–2010).
The "Big Brother" reality series was created by John de Mol and premiered in the Netherlands. Following the success of the initial series, it was confirmed that editions for both the United Kingdom and the United States were in the works. In March 2000, it was revealed that the series would be broadcast by Channel 4 and E4; casting began shortly afterward, and Davina McCall was later revealed to be the presenter. The first series premiered on 18 July 2000, and ended when housemate Craig Phillips was crowned the winner after 64 days in the House. The series proved to be a hit early in its run, leading to a second series. "Big Brother 2" premiered on 25 May 2001, and continued the success of the previous series. The series concluded on 27 July 2001, when Brian Dowling was crowned the winner. The third series premiered on 24 May 2002, and was the first series to feature a live premiere. Much like the previous series', the show lasted for 64 days, and saw Kate Lawler win the prize. With the third series finding even more success than its predecessors, a fourth series began on 23 May 2003. The series was one of the first to feature numerous twists throughout the series, including nominations on the first night and swapping a housemate with a housemate from the African edition of the series. The series concluded after 64 days, with Cameron Stout being crowned the winner. Despite the fourth series seeing a decrease in viewership and voting numbers, a fifth series began on 28 May 2004. The series became one of the most controversial series at the time, mainly due to events such as "Fight Night" and the expulsion of two housemates. The series lasted for 71 days, with Nadia Almada becoming the first transgender housemate to win the series.
Following the success of the fifth series, the sixth series began on 27 May 2005, and lasted for a total of 78 days. The series was met with much controversy surrounding housemates Anthony Hutton and Makosi Musambasi, the former of which went on to win the series. The seventh series premiered on 18 May 2006, and became the first series to feature over twenty housemates. It became the first series to last longer than 90 days, and was met with much controversy after allowing previously evicted housemate Nikki Grahame to return to the game with the chance of winning. Pete Bennett was ultimately crowned the winner of the series. The following series premiered on 30 May 2007, and became the longest series to date at 94 days. The series featured a set of twins in the house, who competed initially as individuals but later became one housemate. Brian Belo was crowned the winner of the series. Belo is the youngest winner of the series and the only black housemate to win. The ninth series featured a "Heaven and Hell" theme, and premiered on 5 June 2008. Rachel Rice was the winner of the series after spending 93 days in the house. On 4 June 2009, the tenth series premiered and saw housemates having to complete tasks in order to earn housemate status. Sophie Reade was the winner of the series, which lasted for a total of 93 days. 9 June 2010 saw the premiere of the eleventh series. It was also confirmed that 2010 would be the final year of "Big Brother" on Channel 4. The series lasted for a total of 77 days, with Josie Gibson being crowned the winner. Merely minutes after "BB11" concluded, a special edition titled "Ultimate Big Brother", featuring memorable former housemates competing for the title of "Ultimate Housemate". "Big Brother 2" winner Brian Dowling, won the series after 18 days in the house.
Channel 5 (2011–2018).
After Richard Desmond bought Channel 5 in 2010, he stated that he was keen to acquire "Big Brother". Meanwhile, Endemol had been granted permission to keep the "Big Brother" house at the Elstree TV Studios until 30 September 2013. On 2 April 2011, In August 2011, Channel 5 formally confirmed that they had signed a £200 million two-year contract with Endemol to screen "Big Brother" from 18 August 2011. "Big Brother 2" winner Brian Dowling was announced as the new presenter. McCall declined the offer to present, having said goodbye to the show in 2010. On 3 May 2011, "Endemol" and Channel 5 officially opened the process for people to apply to be on the show. The twelfth series officially launched on 9 September 2011. Aaron Allard-Morgan was crowned the winner after spending 64 days in the house. The thirteenth series premiered on 5 June 2012, and was won by Luke Anderson. On 2 April 2013, it was confirmed that Dowling would be replaced by Emma Willis, who had previously presented spin-off series' for the show. The fourteenth series premiered on 13 June 2013, and was won by Sam Evans. The fifteenth series launched on 5 June 2014 and was won by Helen Wood, making her the first female winner since the show's revival on Channel 5. The sixteenth series began on 12 May 2015, the earliest Big Brother launch to date. Chloe Wilburn was announced as the winner of that series. The seventeenth series launched on 7 June 2016, it was the first Big Brother series to feature two separate houses and with a series length of 50 days it was the shortest ever series of "Big Brother" to air in the sixteen years of the programme. The Winner was stunt double Jason Burill. He is the oldest housemate to win the main series to date. The eighteenth series launched on 5 June 2017 and was won by Isabelle Warburton. She is the first woman to win Big Brother as a late entrant, and at just 38 days in the house she has also spent the least amount of time in the house for a winner of the regular series.
On 14 September 2018 Channel 5 announced that the nineteenth series that was to begin broadcasting that day would be the show's last series.
Spin-offs.
Since its inception, "Big Brother" has seen numerous spin-offs and tie-in series' launch on both Channel 4 and Channel 5. The most notable spin-off, "Celebrity Big Brother", began initially as a one-time series and involved six celebrities staying in the house for eight days. Following the success of the series, "Celebrity Big Brother" went on to become an annual production, much like the main series. Following widespread media attention involving racism during the fifth series, the show was not broadcast the following year. The show returned in 2009, and the final series to air on Channel 4 aired in 2010. Following the show's move to Channel 5, "Celebrity Big Brother" began airing two series per year. The show has also had various other spin-off series occur since its premiere. The first spin-off, "", premiered on 13 October 2003 and lasted for a total of ten days. The series was met with much controversy, which was later heightened when two of the cast members had sex in the house. "Big Brother Panto", which aired in 2004, saw the return of ten former housemates who re-enacted their rendition of "Cinderella". "Ultimate Big Brother" was the final series to air on Channel 4, and featured fourteen of the most memorable housemates from both the main series and "Celebrity Big Brother" competing in the series. Brian Dowling became the only housemate to win a series twice after winning "Ultimate Big Brother". Numerous other spin-offs have occurred throughout the series such as "Big Brother's Big Mouth", presented by Russell Brand, and "Big Brother's Little Brother" presented by Dermot O'Leary. Following the show's move to Channel 5, "Big Brother's Bit on the Side" and "Celebrity Big Brother" are the only spin-off series now airing.
Format.
"Big Brother" is a game show in which a group of contestants, referred to as housemates, live in isolation from the outside world in a custom built "house", constantly under video surveillance. During their time in the house, the housemates are required to nominate two of their fellow contestants for potential eviction, and the two or more with the most votes would be nominated. This process is mandatory for all housemates, and failure to comply could result in expulsion from the house. During the show's broadcast on Channel 4, the viewers would vote to evict one of the nominated housemates, and the housemate with the most votes would be removed from the house. The twelfth and thirteenth series, the first two to air under Channel 5, saw the public voting to save a housemate, and the housemate with the fewest votes would be evicted. Beginning with the fourteenth series, the vote to evict format returned to the series. During the eighteenth series, both vote to save and vote to evict were used. The voting process can be done via telephone or online. When the final week arrives, the viewers vote for which of the remaining housemates should win the series, and the housemate with the most votes becomes the winner. The prize fund has varied throughout the series, ranging from £50,000 to £150,000.
During their time in the house, housemates are given weekly tasks to perform. The housemates wager a portion of their weekly shopping budget on the task, and either win double their wagered fund or lose the wagered fund depending on their performance in the task. The housemates are required to work as a group to complete their tasks, with the format of the tasks varying based on the number of remaining housemates. Throughout the series, some housemates have been given secret tasks that must either be completed individually or with a small group; failure to do so can result in the housemate being nominated or punished in the house. Should the housemates run out of the food provided for them, an emergency ration is available to them. The housemates are forbidden from discussing nominations, and doing so could result in punishment. The format of the series is mainly seen as a social experiment, and requires housemates to interact with others who may have differing ideals, beliefs, and prejudices. Housemates are also required to make visits to the diary room during their stay in the house, where they are able to share their thoughts and feelings on their fellow housemates and the game.
House.
For the first two series, the house was located in Bow, London, near the 3 Mills Studios. After planning permission expired in 2002, Newham London Borough Council ordered the complex to be returned to a natural habitat. The house has been located at Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire since "Big Brother 3" in 2002. Following a break in during the second series, it was reported that security had increased to the point that the house was more secure than Buckingham Palace. The interior of the house has changed each year, reflecting a certain theme or twist in the game. The fifth series, which featured stricter rules and consequences, featured a harsh colour scheme and a claustrophobic setting. The third series featured a "Rich and Poor" twist, thus a row of bars was placed in the centre of the house to divide the housemates. The diary room features a different design each year, and is frequently the last room of the house to be revealed to the public. Each series has featured a garden in the house, which has included outdoor furniture, a jacuzzi, and on some occasions other luxuries. The eighth series featured an "inside out" theme for the house, thus items such as the refrigerator were located in the garden.
On 2 February 2016, a planning application to Hertsmere Borough Council first revealed that Endemol had applied to build a new extension to the house, which would be its biggest renovation to the house since it was built in 2002. The documents teased a second house with another garden, as well as a new exterior set and interview studio. The old eviction set and eye studio were both demolished following the conclusion of "Celebrity Big Brother 17". It was later announced on 18 March 2016 that permission had been granted with no objections. Despite the overall extension, the new outdoor set was smaller than before, holding a capacity of just 400 compared to 470 beforehand.
From "Celebrity Big Brother 19", the other house was referred to as "The Task Building" making it the house's third task room along with the small and large task room.
In January 2019 (two months after the conclusion of the nineteenth and final series), work began to demolish the house at Elstree Studios. On 17 February 2019, former presenter Emma Willis posted a picture to her Instagram showing that demolition work on the house was complete.
Broadcast.
During the premiere series, the show aired six nights a week, being every night excluding Saturday. The eviction episodes and final aired on Fridays; after series presenter McCall announced the evictee, they had two hours to pack their belongings and exit the house during a second episode airing that night. The remaining five weekly shows were highlight episodes, which lasted an hour in length; the Sunday episode featured a group of psychologists discussing the events of the house. The second series aired six nights a week during the premiere week, though was reduced to only five days afterward, not airing on Saturday or Sunday. This series featured two eviction episodes as well, though only featured a ninety-minute gap between the two. "Big Brother 3" was the first series to air every night each week, and every series thereafter featured only thirty minutes between eviction episodes. The third series was the first in the main series to feature a live launch, with all subsequent series featuring a live launch. The series continued to air for seven nights a week until "Big Brother 8", which aired every night excluding Saturday. The ninth series re-introduced the seven episodes per week format, which has been continued throughout all future series'. When the series premiered, it was aired in a 4:3 aspect ratio instead of the more common 16:9 widescreen format seen by other series at the time. Beginning in 2006 with the seventh series, the show was broadcast in the 16:9 format. Following the show's move to Channel 5, it was broadcast in HD. The series can be viewed on Demand 5, a branch of Channel 5, after it airs.
Aside from the main series, the show featured a live feed into the house where viewers could watch the housemates at any time. With the series debut in 2000, the twenty-four-hour live feed was introduced which was available at any time to viewers for free. The live feed featured an estimated ten-minute delay to comply with broadcasting standards. Beginning with the second series, the live feed became available on E4 as well. In 2009, it was confirmed that the live feeds would not return for the tenth series due to a "small uptake" of subscriptions in the previous year. The feeds did return the following year, though required viewers to pay a fee, for what was at the time slated to be the show's final series. Following the show's move to Channel 5, the live feeds have not been featured for any subsequent series. In 2013, it was announced that the live feed would return in the form of a two-hour nightly show that featured a live look into the House; the show was cancelled in June of that year, reportedly due to low ratings. Despite this, the feed was re-instated onto the official Channel 5 website for the remainder of the fourteenth series.
Numerous spin-off series have aired either immediately after or shortly following both the highlight episodes and the live episodes. "Big Brother's Big Mouth", aired following the highlight shows. The show was initially presented by Russell Brand from 2004 to 2007, but he did not return for subsequent series which featured a different presenter weekly. "Big Brother's Big Mouth" did not return following the show's move to Channel 5. Throughout the third, fourth, and fifth series' there were no weekly tasks, and the housemates instead participated in tasks during the "Saturday Night Live" weekly show. "Big Brother's Big Brain" also aired once per week, and featured a more psychological analysis of the series; it aired for two series, being renamed "Big Brother: On the Couch" for its second and final series. "Big Brother's Bit on the Side" is aired seven nights a week on Channel 5 and 5*, either immediately following or an hour after the nightly episode. "Live from the House", which features a live feed into the house, airs immediately following the live eviction episode.
The opening theme for the series was both written and produced by Elementfour, which is a collaboration between Paul Oakenfold and Andy Gray. Following the success of the first series, the theme was released as a single on 28 August 2000. The single proved to be successful, reaching number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. The theme was also featured on the soundtrack for the first series, which was released that same year. Since the series premiered, there have been numerous remixes and changes made to the song. The original theme by Oakenfeld and Gray was used through the first five series, however was later replaced by a revamped version from the sixth series onward. The song was remixed with a Christmas theme to promote "Big Brother Panto" in 2004, while a carnival themed edition was made to promote the final series to air on Channel 4. The intro to each series, which featured the theme song, was often based on the twist or theme of the house for the year. Each series is promoted with a different eye logo, with the logo also representing the theme of the house. The eye logo is meant to symbolize the phrase "Big Brother is watching" taken from the Orwell novel. The logo for the first series was a close-up of housemate Melanie Hill's eye, while the logos for the second through eleventh series' were created by Daniel Eatock. Design team Hello Charlie, who had previously created the series intros, created the eye logo for the twelfth and thirteenth series following the show's move to Channel 5. The fourteenth to eighteenth series logos were created by the design studio Shop.
Legacy.
Since its premiere, "Big Brother" has been the centre of much publicity, and has received much media attention. The series often receives coverage from tabloid newspapers, magazines, and online bloggers. The series has been a ratings success since it premiered, with the first eviction tally receiving 387,000 votes. The eviction episode itself received a total of 3.4 million viewers. The series continued to have successful viewership, with the third series finale reaching over 9.9 million viewers. The vote for the third series finale saw over 8.6 million viewers voting for whom should win the series. A number of books have been written about the series, including "Big Brother: The Official Unseen Story" by Jean Ritchie (), "The Psychology of Big Brother" by Dan Jones (), and "Visible Thought: The New Psychology of Body Language" by Geoffrey Beattie (). Narinder Kaur, who had previously appeared as a housemate in the second series, went on to release "Big Brother: The Inside Story" ().
Following their appearance on the series, numerous former housemates went on to enjoy moderate fame and success in the public eye. Most notably, "Big Brother 3" housemate Jade Goody went on to have a successful career in reality television and later went on to appear in the fifth edition of "Celebrity Big Brother". Goody died in 2009 due to cancer. Following her appearance on the series, Goody has frequently been referred to as one of the most successful former housemates. Following the initial conclusion of the series in 2010, a special titled "Jade Goody: Ultimate Housemate" aired on Channel 4 in memory of Goody. Housemates such as Alison Hammond, Brian Dowling, and Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace have enjoyed considerate success appearing in television series and reality television following their appearance on "Big Brother". Housemates Nadia Almada, Craig Phillips, and Nichola Holt all released music following their appearance on the series, with Phillips ultimately having the most success. Nikki Grahame, who rose to fame in the seventh series, had her own television series titled "Princess Nikki" that ran for six weeks on E4. She later went on to appear in numerous reality television series. Chanelle Hayes, who appeared on the eighth series, went on to release a single, work as a model, and receive her own reality television series.
The series has gone on to be spoofed and parodied by comedians such as Alan Carr, Justin Lee Collins, and Ricky Gervais. The series has been parodied and re-enacted on programs such as "The Friday Night Project", an episode of "Doctor Who" ("Bad Wolf"), and "Extras". The Ben Elton novel "Dead Famous", published in 2001, is a murder-mystery novel in a setting similar to that of "Big Brother". In October 2008, E4 aired the horror series "Dead Set" which was set during a fictional series of "Big Brother". The series featured numerous former housemates, as well as presenter Davina McCall in various roles throughout the series.
Controversies and criticism.
Since its inception, "Big Brother" has come under fire for reports of bullying, racism, rigging, and the physical and mental strain of appearing on the series.


George Drewry Squibb

George Drewry Squibb, LVO, QC, JP, FSA, FRHistS, FSG (1 December 1906 – 3 January 1994) was an English lawyer, herald and antiquary who is most noted for his participation in the celebrated 1954 case of "Manchester Corporation v Manchester Palace of Varieties Ltd" [1955] in the High Court of Chivalry, the first (and to date only) case heard by that court for over two hundred years.
In his opening arguments in that case, Squibb, who was simultaneously a distinguished barrister and a historian, argued, to the satisfaction of the court, that since the modern class of Doctors of Laws were no longer trained as advocates, their role must necessarily be performed by barristers. This was because Victorian reforms, which had unified the other classes of court attorney into the single profession of Barrister, had overlooked the Doctors of Law.
Birth, family and education.
He was born in Chester on 1 December 1906, the eldest son of Reginald Augustus Hodder Squibb, from a Dorset family. He was related to Arthur Squibb, who was Clarenceux King of Arms at the College of Arms 1646-1650 (in the time of Cromwell).
He was educated at the King's School, Chester, and the Queen's College, Oxford, where he took his first degree and also a Bachelor of Civil Law.
Legal career.
He was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple in 1930, and practised as a barrister for the rest of his life. His London home was a flat in the Temple, in Paper Buildings, next to the Inner Temple Gardens, although his main home was in Dorset. He was elected as a Master of the Bench (bencher) by the Inner Temple in 1951; became Reader in 1975, and served as Treasurer (the senior Bencher) in 1976.
Upon call to the Bar, he joined the chambers of RM Montgomery KC where he was a pupil of Malcolm Trustram Eve (later Lord Silsoe). He practised from these chambers for the rest of his career, eventually becoming the Head of Chambers.
He specialised in real property, rating and valuation, and planning work. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1956 and in silk specialized in local government work at the Parliamentary Bar.
He was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Dorset in 1943, and served as Deputy Chairman of the Dorset Quarter Sessions 1950–53, and as Chairman 1953–71. He was President of the Transport Tribunal 1962–81. He was Chief Commons Commissioner, 1971–85.
Heraldry and history.
Squibb was interested in genealogy and heraldry from his youth, and throughout his life he combined his professional practice with scholarly research and publication on historical topics linked to his interests. He wrote the definitive modern study of "The Law of Arms in England" (1953), and other monographs including "Reports of Heraldic Cases in the Court of Chivalry" (1956); "The High Court of Chivalry" (1959); "Visitation Pedigrees and the Genealogist" (1964, 2nd edn 1978); "Founders’ Kin" (1972); "Doctors’ Commons" (1977); and "Precedence in England and Wales" (1981). He also edited a number of volumes for the Harleian Society, including "Munimenta Heraldica" (1985), an anthology of constitutional documents relating to the College of Arms, the Earl Marshal, and the officers of arms.
He was Junior Counsel to the Crown in Peerage and Baronetcy Cases, 1954–56, but this ceased upon his appointment to silk. He was appointed Honorary Historical Adviser in Peerage Cases to the Attorney-General in 1965.
His work among the records of the College of Arms made him liked and respected by the Officers of Arms, and particularly by Anthony Wagner, who valued his combination of legal and historical research skills, and who wrote a Foreword to "The Law of Arms in England". In 1959 he was appointed Norfolk Herald Extraordinary, and in 1976 he became the Earl Marshal's Lieutenant, Assessor and Surrogate in the Court of Chivalry.
He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1946; a Fellow of the Society of Genealogists in 1973; and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1978.
He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners, and served as Master 1979–80.
He was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO), an honour in the personal gift of the Queen, in 1982.
Personal life.
In 1936 he married Bessie Whittaker, who died in 1954. With her, he had one daughter. In 1955, he married Evelyn Higgins, who died in 1992.
He died in Dorchester on 3 January 1994.


Painted Ponies

Painted Ponies is a lost 1927 American silent western film directed by B. Reeves Eason and starring Hoot Gibson. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures.


Abba Amona

Abba Amona is a Kabbalistic mythological figure of the Judaic people. The duo are the divine couple vaunted in Kabbalah. The term translates to "Father-Mother".


David Pagel

David Pagel is an art critic, educator, curator, dioramatist and bike enthusiast.
Contemporary art criticism.
Since 1991, Pagel has been a regular contributor to the "Los Angeles Times." He is a professor of art theory and history at Claremont Graduate University, where he has taught in the art department since 1994. He is also an adjunct curator at the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, NY.
Pagel has written numerous essays for exhibition catalogs by such artists as Jim Isermann, Rodney Carswell, Roy Dowell, David Klamen, Michael Reafsnyder, Robert Zakanitch, Tim Bavington, Sush Machida, Leslie Love Stone, Ron Nagle, Elizabeth Patterson, Asad Faulwell, Wendell Gladstone, and Irene Hardwicke Olivieri.
He was the recipient of an Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship in Contemporary Arts Criticism in 1990 and was a Macgeorge Fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia in 2002.
Curatorial activities.
David Pagel has curated:


George Washington Baines House

The George Washington Baines House is located in the city of Salado, county of Bell, in the U.S. state of Texas. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Bell County, Texas in 1983, and designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1981.
George Washington Baines was the father of Joseph Wilson Baines, who was the father of Rebekah Baines, mother of Lyndon B. Johnson. A Baptist minister, Rev. Baines had been president of Baylor University, and traveled for the Baptist State Convention when he built this house around 1866. The Greek Revival style house is a frame one-and-one-half-story structure. The front of the house features a double-door transomed entrance. The porch is supported by square columns. Baines lived in this house until his death in 1883.


The Fifty-Fifty Girl

The Fifty-Fifty Girl is a lost 1928 American silent comedy film starring Bebe Daniels and directed by Clarence Badger.


Order of Civic Merit of Laos

The Order of Civic Merit of the Kingdom of Laos ( "Itsariyaphon Phonlamuang Di Haeng Sat") was established on November 20, 1950 under Royal Ordinance No. 186 by H.M. Sisavang Phoulivong, The King of Laos. It is an Order of Civic Merit for civil officials and military officers. It was awarded for meritorious and courageous service to the State in three classes (1. Commander, 2. Officer, and 3. Knight). Until 1975 the approval authority was the Prime Minister of the Royal Lao Government. The current approval authority is H.E. Professor Maha Khamphoui Sisavatdy, Prime Minister of the Royal Lao Government in Exile as an elected successor to the Office of the Prime Minister of the Royal Lao Government.
Classes and insignia.
Design: gold badge (Obverse: in center, gold figure of the King of the Monkey Army (Hanuman) clutching sword, on red enamel background, surrounded by frieze of small ribbon like protuberances, and at top fixed Royal Lao Crown suspension; Reverse: plain), 34mm across, suspended from a cravat. Ribbon: 36mm; orange yellow 7mm, white 3mm, orange yellow 6½mm, white 3mm, orange yellow 6½mm, white 3mm orange yellow 7mm; Service bar – with rosette and silver wings.
Design: gold breast badge (Obverse: in center, gold figure of the King of the Monkey Army (Hanuman) clutching sword, on red enamel background, surrounded by frieze of small ribbon like protuberances, and at top fixed Royal Lao Crown suspension; Reverse: plain), 34mm across, with rosette on suspension ribbon. Ribbon: 36mm; orange yellow 7mm, white 3mm, orange yellow 6½mm, white 3mm, orange yellow 6½mm, white 3mm orange yellow 7mm; Service bar – with rosette.
Design: silver breast badge (Obverse: in center, silver figure of the King of the Monkey Army (Hanuman) clutching sword, on red enamel background, surrounded by frieze of small ribbon like protuberances, and at top fixed Royal Lao Crown suspension; Reverse: plain), 34mm across, with suspension ribbon. Ribbon: 36mm; orange yellow 7mm, white 3mm, orange yellow 6½mm, white 3mm, orange yellow 6½mm, white 3mm orange yellow 7mm; Service bar – without rosette.


Architecture of Slovakia

The architecture of Slovakia has a long, rich and diverse history. Besides Roman ruins (as in the military camp of Gerulata), Slovakia hosts several Romanesque and Gothic castles and churches, most notably Spiš Castle, which were built at the time of the Kingdom of Hungary. Renaissance architecture was of particular relevance in town hall squares, such as in Bardejov and Levoča. Affluent architecture in the following centuries made use of Baroque, Rococo and historicist styles (neo-classical, neo-Renaissance and neo-Gothic), while vernacular architecture in the countryside developed a specific style of wooden houses and wooden churches. In the 20th century, Slovakia knew Art Nouveau and modernist architecture, including socialist modernism, and finally contemporary architecture.
Prehistory and Antiquity.
Gerulata was a Roman military camp located near today's Rusovce, a borough of Bratislava, Slovakia. It was part of the Roman province of Pannonia and was built in the 2nd century as a part of the frontier defence system. It was abandoned in the 4th century, when Roman legions withdrew from Pannonia. Beyond the remains of the Roman forum, fragments of structures and gravestones, bronze, iron, ceramic and stone pieces are on show in a museum showing daily life. The best preserved object is a quadrilateral building 30 metres long and 30 metres wide, with 2.4 metre thick walls.
Romanesque architecture.
Castles from the High Middle Ages still dot the hilltops of Slovakia. The most outstanding is Spiš Castle, in eastern Slovakia, dating from 1209.
Among the oldest churches in Slovakia are:
Only a handful of Romanesque buildings have been preserved in Slovakia, but these include at least three church monuments of high standing, included in the TransRomanica network:
Gothic architecture.
Castles from the High Middle Ages still dot the hilltops of Slovakia. The most outstanding is Spiš Castle, in eastern Slovakia, dating from 1209. Other castles, listed in the National Cultural Heritage list of the Monuments Board of the Slovak Republic, include:
Slovakia features several examples of ecclesiastic Gothic. These include:
Renaissance architecture.
Old Slovak town squares used to feature Gothic burgher houses, most of which were remade with Italian-style Renaissance façades in the 16th century, covered with sgraffito decorations. Among them is the town square of Bardejov, a Unesco centre, as well as Levoča.
Folk and vernacular styles.
Folk and vernacular architecture from Slovak villages remains preserved in several instances. This architectural style typically features wooden structures, sometimes plastered, dating back to the 18th century.
Eastern Slovakia is particularly renowned for its wooden churches, often built without nails, dating from the 18th till the 20th century and mainly belonging to Greek Catholic and Orthodox confessions, particularly of the Rusyn minority. They can be found in the area of Bardejov and Snina.
Baroque and Rococo architecture.
Wealthy aristocrats and merchants in present-day Slovakia from the 1600s used to appreciate Vienna-style baroque; the University church of St John the Baptist in Trnava is one of the early examples. Flowery rococo followed the influence of Maria Theresa, Queen of Hungary in the 18th century, with swags and plaster decorations in Old Town Bratislava. Examples include Grassalkovich Palace, built in 1760 (today's residence of the President of Slovakia), as well as the Episcopal Summer Palace (reconstructed in 1761–1765) and the Mirbach Palace, from 1768 to 1770.
Historicist styles.
Several palaces and churches were built in historicist styles in the 18th and 19th centuries. Examples of neoclassical architecture include Bratislava's Primate's Palace, by Melchior Hefele, 1778–81, and the Evangelical Church of Košice by Georg Kitzling, 1816. The East Slovak Museum in Košice, 1872, is an illustration of Neo-Renaissance architecture. Gothic Revival was used as a style for castles, such as Orava Castle and Bojnice Castle, as well as for the Church of Holy Trinity, Mošovce, rebuilt 1912–13.
Art Nouveau and Secession style.
Art Nouveau architecture took hold in present-day Slovakia by the turn of the 20th century. The fancy Blue Church design by Ödön Lechner in 1905 in Hungarian Art Nouveau is a feat. Lechner also designed the Gamča gymnasium in Bratislava, built in 1906–08, while Dušan Jurkovič built the Skalica Culture House. In Košice, the Hotel Slávia features as Art Nouveau mosaic façade.
Modernist architecture.
In the interwar period, Bratislava was a site for several modernist architectural styles:
Socialist modernism also left a couple of hallmarks in Bratislava, including the Slovak Radio Building and the Most SNP:
Contemporary architecture.
Following Slovakia's independence in 1992, in the economic and democratic transition and in the run-up and after Slovakia's accession to the European Union in 2004, several modern administrative and business buildings in the style of contemporary architecture were built, in particular in the capital Bratislava:


Jacob Grimmer

Jacob Grimmer (1526/26 – before May 1590) was a Flemish landscape painter and draughtsman. His rural scenes and landscapes of views around Antwerp marked an important development in 16th century Flemish landscape painting away from the world landscape with its fantastic panoramas and whimsically-shaped gigantic rocks towards greater simplicity and authenticity. His work influenced the next generation of Flemish landscape painters. Grimmer was a capable colorist who was able to create harmonic landscapes by using realistic colours and atmospheric values effectively.
Life.
Jacob Grimmer was born in Antwerp as the son of the small merchant Nicolaas and Elisabeth Cops. According to the early Flemish biographer Karel van Mander, Grimmer first learned to paint landscapes from Matthys Cock and later from Christian van den Queborn, both of Antwerp. There are no written sources, which confirm these apprenticeships.
The only documentary evidence relating to Grimmer's training is his registration in 1539 under the name Iaques Grimmaer in the liggeren of the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke as a student of Gabriel Bouwens. It is therefore not certain that Grimmer in fact was a pupil of Matthys Cock and Christian van den Queborn. Grimmer became a master in the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1547.
Grimmer married Lucia van de Wouwer in April 1548. Of the four children born out of this marriage Abel became an important landscape and architectural painter. There is some disagreement among art historians as to whether or not Grimmer traveled to Italy as many of his artist contemporaries did. He bought a house in the centre of Antwerp where he set up his studio. He was known for painting after nature in the areas around Antwerp.
As early as 1550 Jacob Grimmer was praised by the famous Italian art historian Vasari as one of the best landscape painters of his time. Karel van Mander described Grimmer as 'such an outstanding landscape painter that in some respects I do not know a better one, so lively and lovely were his skies'. Grimmer's art was appreciated not only by his contemporaries but also by artists of the next century. Both Pieter Lastman and his famous pupil, Rembrandt, owned landscapes by Grimmer. Rembrandt's inventory of 1656 included a winter landscape by Jacob Grimmer.
Jacob Grimmer was an active member of the local chamber of rhetoric Violieren where he was celebrated as a poet and author of comic writings. He died before May 1590 in Antwerp.
Work.
General.
Jacob Grimmer was principally a painter of landscapes and winter scenes although he also painted some religiously themed works such as the Tower of Babel and genre works. He often returned to the subject of the "Four Seasons" and the "Twelve Months".
His earliest dated work was dated to 1546 and his latest dated work to 1589. He was known for working directly from nature as was reported by Karel van Mander.
His output was large as he relied on a large workshop, which produced small-scale panels in a standardized production process. His son Abel further streamlined this mass production process.
Significance of his work.
Jacob has often been regarded as an imitator of Pieter Brueghel the Elder who recreated Brueghel's artistic innovations on small panels and supplied these to the market at low prices. Grimmer's landscapes did at the same time constitute a further development in the landscape genre. Grimmer broke away from the earlier Flemish tradition of the so-called 'world landscape' initiated by Joachim Patinir. The term world landscape is used in art historical literature for a landscape composition, which shows an imaginary panoramic landscape with mountains and lowlands, water, and buildings from an elevated viewpoint and usually includes a small-scale Biblical or historical narrative but the figures comprising this narrative element are dwarfed by their surroundings.
In his earliest landscape drawing of a "" (1573, Kunsthalle Hamburg) and in the series of paintings of the "Four Seasons" (1577, Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest) Jacob Grimmer showed a preference for depicting realistic flat Flemish landscapes with villages and farmhouses and populated with rural residents. The small figures in these scenes are set in graduated zones of recession along rolling hills towards a horizon in the middle of the panel. These landscapes with figures and small anecdotal scenes are rendered in a naturalist manner. Grimmer abandoned the contrived world landscape of the earlier generation in favour of a simplicity and authenticity never seen before.
His landscapes develop the scenery continuously from the foreground to the horizon. His compositions are broken up in large zones of uniform colour that contrast with each other. He chose more realistic colours than those used in the world landscapes of his predecessors. He used well-constructed, atmospheric values in order to arrive at a unity of composition. He had his own style of representing trees, which rise thinly against the background with spare crowns of foliage and each leaf drawn individually.
Grimmer's work stands out in its ability to provide a simple and sincere view of everyday life. In this attention for rural life Grimmer's work shows a parallel with the landscapes ascribed to the Master of the Small Landscapes which were first published around 1560 and signaled a move away from the world landscape with its religious scenes towards an engagement with the real life in the countryside. Unlike Pieter Brueghel the Elder who had a grim view of peasants, Grimmer held a much sunnier view of peasant life than did his fellow painter. Grimmer often accentuated the lighter, humoristic side of rural life as seen in his "" (Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum), which shows a skater on the ice who falls over and reveals her bare buttocks.
Although his stylistic development is still little understood, in his late works anecdotal details decreased markedly and were replaced by intimate views of the landscape. These late works anticipate the type of forest landscape made popular by artists of the next generation, such as David Vinckboons and the artists of the Frankenthal school.
Jacob’s extant pictures show explicit connection to the region around Antwerp. Some of his views of Antwerp adhere to the "town-and-country" format, a kind of combination of a rural view with a city view. An example is his panoramic ' (1578, Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp) where the city appears only on the far-right distance. Another example is the ' (1587, Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp), which depicts a somewhat different aspect of country pastimes. Only in the distant horizon are the towers of Antwerp visible.
Grimmer's work was influential on the next generation of Flemish landscape painters including his son Abel as well as Gillis van Coninxloo, Jan Brueghel the Younger and Jan Wildens.
Collaborations.
As was common practice in the Antwerp art sector, Jacob Grimmer often collaborated with other specialist artists. Collaborations with Marten van Cleve and Gillis Mostaert who painted the staffage in his landscapes are recorded. Collaborations with Mostaert appear to have been particularly frequent. An example is a pair of landscapes representing 'Spring' and 'Winter', which may have been part of a cycle on the seasons (Auctioned at Sotheby's, London on 3 December 2008, lot 7). In this pair of paintings the artists depict everyday life by filling every corner with some anecdotal detail. They and their workshops repeated these compositions on several further occasions and numerous smaller repetitions, of varying degrees of quality, are known.
Prints.
Some of Grimmer’s landscape designs were turned into prints. A set of 12 "Landscape Views in the Environs of Antwerp" were engraved by Adriaen Collaert. The set was published probably in Antwerp in the 1580s. The prints resemble his painted series of the Months and Seasons. He seems to take some liberty with the actual scenery and makes the landscape much more dramatic and hilly than was actually the case in the environs of Antwerp.
Another series of 24 views of sites around Brussels engraved by Hans Collaer and first issued in Antwerp in the 1580s is likely also based on drawings by Grimmer. These prints show a more topographical interest, and unlike the Antwerp series, clearly identify the location depicted on both the prints and the five surviving drawings.
Jacob Grimmer also designed a set of four roundels of "Landscapes with Cephalus and Procris". They were engraved and published by Philip Galle. The first two of the prints were based on the landscape backgrounds in two drawings with "Hagar, Ishmael and the Angel" (1586, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford). Both the mythological subjects as well as the scenery with its rolling hills and punctuated by a few tall trees, reveal their debt to Hieronymus Cock's 1558 landscape print cycle of 'Landscapes with Biblical and Mythological Scenes' after designs by his brother Matthys Cock.