From New York to Bangkok,London to Seoul,crowds are lining up-sometimes overnight-for a chance to own Labubu,the fuzzy,snaggletoothed elf with mischievous eyes and pointed ears.At the Louvre in Paris,visitors now stri...From New York to Bangkok,London to Seoul,crowds are lining up-sometimes overnight-for a chance to own Labubu,the fuzzy,snaggletoothed elf with mischievous eyes and pointed ears.At the Louvre in Paris,visitors now strike poses with Labubu-branded shopping bags alongside the Mona Lisa,blurring the boundaries between pop culture and high art.展开更多
SANDRA Rwese, a Kenyan entrepreneur, launched her consulting firm Chinese Business Trainers in Kenya in 2008. The consultancy helps link Kenyan companies in the tourism and hospitality sector to Chinese clients. Rwese...SANDRA Rwese, a Kenyan entrepreneur, launched her consulting firm Chinese Business Trainers in Kenya in 2008. The consultancy helps link Kenyan companies in the tourism and hospitality sector to Chinese clients. Rwese＇s groundbreaking work won her the global Chinese Tourist Welcoming Award in 2012 from one of the world＇s leading think tanks on Chinese outbound tourism. In an interview with ChinAfrica, Sandra Rwese shared her views and advising insight on global strategies, innovation and Chinese cross-cultural skills. Excerpts of this interview follow：展开更多
The dual-level bar counter,Braille floor plan on the wall and sign language board collectively define the compact pub hidden in Shanghai's Changning District-a space created for people including those with disabil...The dual-level bar counter,Braille floor plan on the wall and sign language board collectively define the compact pub hidden in Shanghai's Changning District-a space created for people including those with disabilities.展开更多
In 1555,the Florentine Mannerist painter Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)created two significant oil panels,the Chariot of the Sun and the Chariot of the Moon,on the ceiling of the Hall of the Elements in the Palazzo Vecchio...In 1555,the Florentine Mannerist painter Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)created two significant oil panels,the Chariot of the Sun and the Chariot of the Moon,on the ceiling of the Hall of the Elements in the Palazzo Vecchio,Florence.1 Cosimo I de’Medici,Duke of Tuscany(1519-1574),commissioned Vasari to renovate his apartments in the Palazzo Vecchio.Vasari restructured and painted the ceiling and walls of the Hall of the Elements on the second floor,named for its depicted subjects.The walls were painted using the fresco technique,while the ceiling was executed in oil on panels.The walls depicted the elements of Fire,Earth,and Water,whereas the ceiling illustrated the element of Air,containing the panels of the Chariots.Vasari began his education in classical culture in Arezzo under the Latin grammarian Antonio da Saccone and the ancient historian and literary scholar Giovanni Pollio Lappoli,known as Pollastra(1465-1540).He continued his studies within the Medici household under the humanist and hieroglyphologist Pierio Valeriano(1477-1558).In 1539,he met the Milanese law professor and emblematist Andrea Alciato(1492-1550)in Bologna,from whom he learned about the moral aspects of emblems.Through their historical,philosophical,mythographic,and emblematic symbolism,Vasari skillfully synthesize d knowledge to construct intellectual programs that encompass the concepts of ekphrasis and history paintings in his decorative cycles,as revealed in the Chariots.In depicting the cosmic movement of stars and time in the Chariots,Vasari integrated the idea of the chariot illustrated in Baccio Baldini’s astrological engravings and the mythographic account of Apollo and Diana’s chariots in Vincenzo Cartari’s Le Imagini degli dei degli antichi(1547 and 1571).In the discourse regarding the physical and metaphysical movements of the cosmos,Vasari underscores the influence of Italian Neoplatonism,with particular emphasis on insights derived from Marsilio Ficino’s exploration of alchemical colors in nature,as articulated in Liber de Arte Chemica(Books 14 and 15),while also elucidating the importance of Plato’s Chariot of the Soul or Allegory of the Chariot(Jones,Litt,&Ormerod,1918,p.246).展开更多
Gwendolyn Brooks’s sonnet sequence,“Gay Chaps at the Bar”is written in compliance with the esoteric literary ideas of the followers of A.R.Orage.Thus each sonnet contains a verifiable intentional mistake,a series o...Gwendolyn Brooks’s sonnet sequence,“Gay Chaps at the Bar”is written in compliance with the esoteric literary ideas of the followers of A.R.Orage.Thus each sonnet contains a verifiable intentional mistake,a series of literary allusions,and an esoteric idea.These mistakes have been previously undetected.Most of the allusions have been have been overlooked by critics.The sonnets are also written in the phonetic code used by alchemists.The material that Brooks drew on for her allusions consists of works of popular culture,and literary classics,so that there is nothing erudite about her references.On the other hand,the esoteric ideas are extremely obscure.This close reading is a severe departure from readings which have treated the poems as social protest and experiments in a so-called Afro-Modernist aesthetic.The new aesthetic of“objective literature”raises many questions about the nature of art,reading,and consciousness.展开更多
This study aims to visualize Giorgio Vasari＇s statement in discussing Jacopo Tintoretto＇s Female Concert of 1576-86, now at the Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden （see Figure 1）. Two conceits （concetti） are ...This study aims to visualize Giorgio Vasari＇s statement in discussing Jacopo Tintoretto＇s Female Concert of 1576-86, now at the Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden （see Figure 1）. Two conceits （concetti） are considered in analyzing Tintoretto＇s female imagery： （1） a fanciful invention of musica extravaganza; and （2） a Venetian allegory of bellezza. The first part of the essay discusses the provenance of the painting and the second part presents an iconographical interpretation of the imagery. This essay also focuses on the iconography of the painting based on viewing the subject and does not postulate on its iconography based on disappeared paintings or on a speculative decorative cycle on the theme of Hercules. Relying on well-documented research on music in Venice, on Mannerist practices, and on art theories during Tintoretto＇s life, some intriguing observations are made about the painting.展开更多
The purpose of this essay is to identify and analyze one of Lavinia Fontana＇s mysterious paintings, traditionally entitled Cleopatra but here considered to be an inventive portrayal of an ancient scientist, Cleopatra...The purpose of this essay is to identify and analyze one of Lavinia Fontana＇s mysterious paintings, traditionally entitled Cleopatra but here considered to be an inventive portrayal of an ancient scientist, Cleopatra the Alchemist （ca. third century BCE）. There are four parts to this study. The first is an iconographical analysis of the painting by Lavinia Fontana＇s Cleopatra the Alchemist （1605） at the Galleria Spada in Rome. The second section deals with the origin of the Egyptian Cleopatra the Alchemist as an Egyptian scientist and of her inventions, which include the alembic and the ouroboros motiE The third section consists of an emblematic comparison between the imagery in the painting and alchemical references. The last brief section considers problematic copies of the painting展开更多
Novel Peter Pan and Wendy（1921） is primarily intended for children but it can be interpreted much more broadly This paper deals with the Wendy as a female archetype. This is a Jung＇s archetype of anima, ancient the...Novel Peter Pan and Wendy（1921） is primarily intended for children but it can be interpreted much more broadly This paper deals with the Wendy as a female archetype. This is a Jung＇s archetype of anima, ancient the Great Mother and fertility. Also, in context of alchemy Wendy could be interpreted as one of key elements in the transformation, i.e., Quicksilver. Transformation is a motif that runs throughout the entire novel. This transformation can be interpreted as a process of growing up, traveling and transformation of metals as well as a resurrection （physical and spiritual）. The beginning of the journey is related to nigredo stage, the blackening and the decay where the soul leaves the body to be purified once again united with it展开更多
文摘From New York to Bangkok,London to Seoul,crowds are lining up-sometimes overnight-for a chance to own Labubu,the fuzzy,snaggletoothed elf with mischievous eyes and pointed ears.At the Louvre in Paris,visitors now strike poses with Labubu-branded shopping bags alongside the Mona Lisa,blurring the boundaries between pop culture and high art.
文摘SANDRA Rwese, a Kenyan entrepreneur, launched her consulting firm Chinese Business Trainers in Kenya in 2008. The consultancy helps link Kenyan companies in the tourism and hospitality sector to Chinese clients. Rwese＇s groundbreaking work won her the global Chinese Tourist Welcoming Award in 2012 from one of the world＇s leading think tanks on Chinese outbound tourism. In an interview with ChinAfrica, Sandra Rwese shared her views and advising insight on global strategies, innovation and Chinese cross-cultural skills. Excerpts of this interview follow：
文摘The dual-level bar counter,Braille floor plan on the wall and sign language board collectively define the compact pub hidden in Shanghai's Changning District-a space created for people including those with disabilities.
文摘In 1555,the Florentine Mannerist painter Giorgio Vasari(1511-1574)created two significant oil panels,the Chariot of the Sun and the Chariot of the Moon,on the ceiling of the Hall of the Elements in the Palazzo Vecchio,Florence.1 Cosimo I de’Medici,Duke of Tuscany(1519-1574),commissioned Vasari to renovate his apartments in the Palazzo Vecchio.Vasari restructured and painted the ceiling and walls of the Hall of the Elements on the second floor,named for its depicted subjects.The walls were painted using the fresco technique,while the ceiling was executed in oil on panels.The walls depicted the elements of Fire,Earth,and Water,whereas the ceiling illustrated the element of Air,containing the panels of the Chariots.Vasari began his education in classical culture in Arezzo under the Latin grammarian Antonio da Saccone and the ancient historian and literary scholar Giovanni Pollio Lappoli,known as Pollastra(1465-1540).He continued his studies within the Medici household under the humanist and hieroglyphologist Pierio Valeriano(1477-1558).In 1539,he met the Milanese law professor and emblematist Andrea Alciato(1492-1550)in Bologna,from whom he learned about the moral aspects of emblems.Through their historical,philosophical,mythographic,and emblematic symbolism,Vasari skillfully synthesize d knowledge to construct intellectual programs that encompass the concepts of ekphrasis and history paintings in his decorative cycles,as revealed in the Chariots.In depicting the cosmic movement of stars and time in the Chariots,Vasari integrated the idea of the chariot illustrated in Baccio Baldini’s astrological engravings and the mythographic account of Apollo and Diana’s chariots in Vincenzo Cartari’s Le Imagini degli dei degli antichi(1547 and 1571).In the discourse regarding the physical and metaphysical movements of the cosmos,Vasari underscores the influence of Italian Neoplatonism,with particular emphasis on insights derived from Marsilio Ficino’s exploration of alchemical colors in nature,as articulated in Liber de Arte Chemica(Books 14 and 15),while also elucidating the importance of Plato’s Chariot of the Soul or Allegory of the Chariot(Jones,Litt,&Ormerod,1918,p.246).
文摘Gwendolyn Brooks’s sonnet sequence,“Gay Chaps at the Bar”is written in compliance with the esoteric literary ideas of the followers of A.R.Orage.Thus each sonnet contains a verifiable intentional mistake,a series of literary allusions,and an esoteric idea.These mistakes have been previously undetected.Most of the allusions have been have been overlooked by critics.The sonnets are also written in the phonetic code used by alchemists.The material that Brooks drew on for her allusions consists of works of popular culture,and literary classics,so that there is nothing erudite about her references.On the other hand,the esoteric ideas are extremely obscure.This close reading is a severe departure from readings which have treated the poems as social protest and experiments in a so-called Afro-Modernist aesthetic.The new aesthetic of“objective literature”raises many questions about the nature of art,reading,and consciousness.
文摘This study aims to visualize Giorgio Vasari＇s statement in discussing Jacopo Tintoretto＇s Female Concert of 1576-86, now at the Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden （see Figure 1）. Two conceits （concetti） are considered in analyzing Tintoretto＇s female imagery： （1） a fanciful invention of musica extravaganza; and （2） a Venetian allegory of bellezza. The first part of the essay discusses the provenance of the painting and the second part presents an iconographical interpretation of the imagery. This essay also focuses on the iconography of the painting based on viewing the subject and does not postulate on its iconography based on disappeared paintings or on a speculative decorative cycle on the theme of Hercules. Relying on well-documented research on music in Venice, on Mannerist practices, and on art theories during Tintoretto＇s life, some intriguing observations are made about the painting.
文摘The purpose of this essay is to identify and analyze one of Lavinia Fontana＇s mysterious paintings, traditionally entitled Cleopatra but here considered to be an inventive portrayal of an ancient scientist, Cleopatra the Alchemist （ca. third century BCE）. There are four parts to this study. The first is an iconographical analysis of the painting by Lavinia Fontana＇s Cleopatra the Alchemist （1605） at the Galleria Spada in Rome. The second section deals with the origin of the Egyptian Cleopatra the Alchemist as an Egyptian scientist and of her inventions, which include the alembic and the ouroboros motiE The third section consists of an emblematic comparison between the imagery in the painting and alchemical references. The last brief section considers problematic copies of the painting
文摘Novel Peter Pan and Wendy（1921） is primarily intended for children but it can be interpreted much more broadly This paper deals with the Wendy as a female archetype. This is a Jung＇s archetype of anima, ancient the Great Mother and fertility. Also, in context of alchemy Wendy could be interpreted as one of key elements in the transformation, i.e., Quicksilver. Transformation is a motif that runs throughout the entire novel. This transformation can be interpreted as a process of growing up, traveling and transformation of metals as well as a resurrection （physical and spiritual）. The beginning of the journey is related to nigredo stage, the blackening and the decay where the soul leaves the body to be purified once again united with it
