tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1486471487933971552024-03-19T00:33:20.204-04:00All Things Ruffnerian, a Design Blog and MoreMark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comBlogger420125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-46073914427397260392024-03-04T14:00:00.004-05:002024-03-05T08:52:44.829-05:00My Philippe Le Roy Door<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XjY6-gHUME0XvMXk3gh40kdfeFCzAO5KerVbH5gUHLQrS8afcbnHdI7SId3e2vUGJ08oDHY1txRJM_g-K8V50aXnvLrL3yMK121VK91mf6l1GgSGMUdDXjqDx9aQY88vPZSbyncx4w-UTCpkeB_TqbiX2NhDJxz9QI4BaqeEkCbwcAkCIizLAPnEjuw/s519/HeaderC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XjY6-gHUME0XvMXk3gh40kdfeFCzAO5KerVbH5gUHLQrS8afcbnHdI7SId3e2vUGJ08oDHY1txRJM_g-K8V50aXnvLrL3yMK121VK91mf6l1GgSGMUdDXjqDx9aQY88vPZSbyncx4w-UTCpkeB_TqbiX2NhDJxz9QI4BaqeEkCbwcAkCIizLAPnEjuw/w346-h400/HeaderC.jpg" width="346" /></a></div><p></p><p>I have a hallway door that's been nondescript the whole time I've lived in the house. It leads to my utility closet and I pass it multiple times every day. I finally decided that it was time to bring it up a notch in appearance. The theme would be a portrait of Philippe Le Roy (1596-1679), a Flemish financier and diplomat.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqt6J3SsyOFeIgP_EJkRfXr6b8n4Mq9s5rshlAE7PeZ0JenXPFb5Aw7hJPDUZZoGEzs4TLgWdfQh7tGVb4RaLNHS2O_yTVyfNHmcjJpzkfcFFwcWf2WWuHVi5xcVdCPSGbLohn9xgdnFnAP6D_RG5sgIy_e749FG43V3n4DUtu-_-AfirzalOhR2btQLM/s706/Philippe2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqt6J3SsyOFeIgP_EJkRfXr6b8n4Mq9s5rshlAE7PeZ0JenXPFb5Aw7hJPDUZZoGEzs4TLgWdfQh7tGVb4RaLNHS2O_yTVyfNHmcjJpzkfcFFwcWf2WWuHVi5xcVdCPSGbLohn9xgdnFnAP6D_RG5sgIy_e749FG43V3n4DUtu-_-AfirzalOhR2btQLM/s320/Philippe2.jpg" width="227" /></a></div>Philippe Le Roy, the illegitimate grandson of a wealthy Antwerp merchant, became very successful through his own financial dealings, and that allowed him to acquire the rights to two villages and take the title, Lord of Ravels. As a diplomat, Philippe was instrumental in helping end the Thirty Years' War. I chose to paint him in large part because I think he has a marvelous face.<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUSgdJdNDXjaG12HUYPLMZEHRUlMz1u_FUWdrx2WItTj3O3HnCUKKPkxKMF7Pw5YZ5CGBIZqy6VeRGpNsNxNUD-ZVSKm4tkLbTFuUy6uYKtIj8DcdNyXmsg1fhcyxv8krD5QZ6T5zBBBYD6RRY_AskPB8uMDdokIAWes9TlUKhSYhJCAuNsEEbALcXXI/s667/PhilippeFace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxUSgdJdNDXjaG12HUYPLMZEHRUlMz1u_FUWdrx2WItTj3O3HnCUKKPkxKMF7Pw5YZ5CGBIZqy6VeRGpNsNxNUD-ZVSKm4tkLbTFuUy6uYKtIj8DcdNyXmsg1fhcyxv8krD5QZ6T5zBBBYD6RRY_AskPB8uMDdokIAWes9TlUKhSYhJCAuNsEEbALcXXI/s320/PhilippeFace.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe99BDsZzRfrKe84C1cMXintWCc0f0KussQP0WP8Ui0CYMqMc2cq7tjujbJkUn7BEvS0KkTerQryVG3cMj9Al-phznmrJM5kUB8Waz_GLpskNbAHi9mDdMN3COal2Apn35ygHU9gcmhyDnVPNr4gohfqluNmFooCIlFbtzZhPYpulSvFSi3QxqgjFBuWU/s777/Philippe_Le_Roy_panel.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe99BDsZzRfrKe84C1cMXintWCc0f0KussQP0WP8Ui0CYMqMc2cq7tjujbJkUn7BEvS0KkTerQryVG3cMj9Al-phznmrJM5kUB8Waz_GLpskNbAHi9mDdMN3COal2Apn35ygHU9gcmhyDnVPNr4gohfqluNmFooCIlFbtzZhPYpulSvFSi3QxqgjFBuWU/s16000/Philippe_Le_Roy_panel.gif" /></a></div><p>Here's the top panel of the door. I posed for the arm akimbo, and although I have relatively long fingers, they appeared a little stubby in the reference shot. So I lengthened them in PhotoShop. I also painted a Germanic sword that is of the proper time frame. It's called a "Katzbalger."</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNt_OAFpx_RvnwublQ0_zwDNorOJAeb6rjPRWrDZPqiJSFt-73HQoyvmrtdCpj4ZneBdSBAqhN-817CrUITxLIJ3D-bmY8_JGFk7w5pp7BDjHYEPWg9nZx84Be8mXHEn12HRelbXvoMZH4RNTAo5U3__JojnOlBXNH53pBSpn7mylP2DQD4uY4soIT1U/s600/katzbalger_swords.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="600" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNt_OAFpx_RvnwublQ0_zwDNorOJAeb6rjPRWrDZPqiJSFt-73HQoyvmrtdCpj4ZneBdSBAqhN-817CrUITxLIJ3D-bmY8_JGFk7w5pp7BDjHYEPWg9nZx84Be8mXHEn12HRelbXvoMZH4RNTAo5U3__JojnOlBXNH53pBSpn7mylP2DQD4uY4soIT1U/w400-h276/katzbalger_swords.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katzbalger swords<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I chose a quatrefoil design for the lower panel of the door, and I filled it with a Roman lion.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbYnwe13W06E8FZYWvFmMNPfwm0nBQ9ZAUbbtZrHFDaOdrNMLUnIx4AVyXvFljCS_v6iRkjh9AQi-mE7DRxjIpXhmZpmY3oRa12yZU4EK1LovN6JQEIXcBHAjtsldl2iipTUFvQBS414RYMvpjvk5ee2hJv2rsUU6TQpo-E1qAx1fXxgkLLA6cPv1JMM/s3570/lower_panel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3240" data-original-width="3570" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbYnwe13W06E8FZYWvFmMNPfwm0nBQ9ZAUbbtZrHFDaOdrNMLUnIx4AVyXvFljCS_v6iRkjh9AQi-mE7DRxjIpXhmZpmY3oRa12yZU4EK1LovN6JQEIXcBHAjtsldl2iipTUFvQBS414RYMvpjvk5ee2hJv2rsUU6TQpo-E1qAx1fXxgkLLA6cPv1JMM/w400-h363/lower_panel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"> The crown is actually proper for a Flemish earl of the 1600's.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAsORGK888ORRLg5xnuL8CeL7LxYALk-g6LbYhBV0_xm0yRikzOtWHBbbspJtHfwUioLQLYAR3vt-HEsyNq0AZg3zcxCkLwLyyGXdPjR4Be5HWxTxuSg-tt1tMZZpbEaerxibBN-RGOLBU_UGyGsgNnmNrmzmA_dBQAC73Gv3UApbvmCbAjEUWVh8Txg/s652/flemish_crown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="652" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyAsORGK888ORRLg5xnuL8CeL7LxYALk-g6LbYhBV0_xm0yRikzOtWHBbbspJtHfwUioLQLYAR3vt-HEsyNq0AZg3zcxCkLwLyyGXdPjR4Be5HWxTxuSg-tt1tMZZpbEaerxibBN-RGOLBU_UGyGsgNnmNrmzmA_dBQAC73Gv3UApbvmCbAjEUWVh8Txg/s320/flemish_crown.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnMIVBaPNXlwaSR5sWUporFM2hFwAVHiw0ZC5nTmjE_E9REO8jGzyIly-bByAvGjBEvKsMbNbAl4KZ0m0uiywmsBW49mVMSW_qpN78QLHQGmAHkyYPoe1EKTCPYFXlGKe-0UR0hJ8RnJmbTgEAh5fjfig2mPZbBZi69-ZE0vYzd-C7zr8R1EQ3WbQpjc/s1000/door_front.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnMIVBaPNXlwaSR5sWUporFM2hFwAVHiw0ZC5nTmjE_E9REO8jGzyIly-bByAvGjBEvKsMbNbAl4KZ0m0uiywmsBW49mVMSW_qpN78QLHQGmAHkyYPoe1EKTCPYFXlGKe-0UR0hJ8RnJmbTgEAh5fjfig2mPZbBZi69-ZE0vYzd-C7zr8R1EQ3WbQpjc/w400-h300/door_front.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEawkGHL7_Qrq0xlUkN9kgaawA7MT0U6yhsIeoPcTrBe2cuV2JgD_rqXqzVvWkEkB0EalDHwFsDQodwDaQHx4pF6ITijEtNJRsKAliGQgRLZAZ5GE-neBD2H-Sb6KWt7U1p0H660-HVivJktMkAlcyfJaLK8IFylxVcQWW5LxSCvhYFVcjFz-KwyNjmU/s3840/Hallway_door_from_bath_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2662" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEawkGHL7_Qrq0xlUkN9kgaawA7MT0U6yhsIeoPcTrBe2cuV2JgD_rqXqzVvWkEkB0EalDHwFsDQodwDaQHx4pF6ITijEtNJRsKAliGQgRLZAZ5GE-neBD2H-Sb6KWt7U1p0H660-HVivJktMkAlcyfJaLK8IFylxVcQWW5LxSCvhYFVcjFz-KwyNjmU/w278-h400/Hallway_door_from_bath_2.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHNAsuCqUOs5-9ZtC2-lLGnDZELx9FGCq8zCo84frDT_WfxiL2hzmeLAyG0T_YwZhN_2KIfeWHrclrTJAC3dnXUMOcgvRY7lR6F8u7yzE23HhVh3DYxu1xgmZT1OAu1qOVZ9aUlGb95q7Q_WAnwCQXNigFLcDBGhMEDxGSL3ERRehzToR3_KZ71VYuA0/s986/Hallway_from_PompeiiB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="600" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHNAsuCqUOs5-9ZtC2-lLGnDZELx9FGCq8zCo84frDT_WfxiL2hzmeLAyG0T_YwZhN_2KIfeWHrclrTJAC3dnXUMOcgvRY7lR6F8u7yzE23HhVh3DYxu1xgmZT1OAu1qOVZ9aUlGb95q7Q_WAnwCQXNigFLcDBGhMEDxGSL3ERRehzToR3_KZ71VYuA0/w277-h453/Hallway_from_PompeiiB.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks for watching!<br /></div>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-89683550686665865782023-06-26T15:00:00.007-04:002024-03-10T17:47:17.464-04:00My Second Renaissance Portrait<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHGMEeIpnZPyNWWjRsC_ZCualnYW6IQz1clSGUNL54NzImbU2bgcAiGxEW19zFrIHw5Lc4ZE3nA7XKGi827sYlkodV8x89_NRiZH79ZRIECTzGEF3i66Vx3QC3IA2ijcbp1l7BJA9PYXRGNPHR_WQcUZ3O4MKH-bTvUv_iWDX7rHx8-MIDvnsvsWX4rE/s227/header2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="227" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHGMEeIpnZPyNWWjRsC_ZCualnYW6IQz1clSGUNL54NzImbU2bgcAiGxEW19zFrIHw5Lc4ZE3nA7XKGi827sYlkodV8x89_NRiZH79ZRIECTzGEF3i66Vx3QC3IA2ijcbp1l7BJA9PYXRGNPHR_WQcUZ3O4MKH-bTvUv_iWDX7rHx8-MIDvnsvsWX4rE/s1600/header2.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p>After collaborating with my brother Cliff on the first Renaissance portrait, we were both inspired to create a second portrait and frame. Besides, I wanted to have a companion piece for Umberto di Palma.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6sytNb01eTU6Csjq27nB2EArJB956gEkQ5uUGLzDq-A1rlXJb63Rne11oOAUq6iuU56g7xAyi2jVyQFTg6yji74C_MWDJz8NYQu2Vx1E_2Lowj1BAJpwqfooJHNX9bX5pjbxCxBjYy_v5Am7OoykzTwPkKre8gOY7NeO7VALzMl4A1rNMvyeKQT0JTc/s500/model.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="500" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6sytNb01eTU6Csjq27nB2EArJB956gEkQ5uUGLzDq-A1rlXJb63Rne11oOAUq6iuU56g7xAyi2jVyQFTg6yji74C_MWDJz8NYQu2Vx1E_2Lowj1BAJpwqfooJHNX9bX5pjbxCxBjYy_v5Am7OoykzTwPkKre8gOY7NeO7VALzMl4A1rNMvyeKQT0JTc/w435-h260/model.jpg" width="435" /></a></div><p></p><p>My inspiration was the portrait on the left by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1448-1494), a popular Florentine artist under whom Michelangelo apprenticed. On the right is my portrait in its early stage. As you will see, I used the Ghirlandaio portrait only as an outline, literally. The background will change entirely, and the features will of course become more refined.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGchTI_uwOUUov08KiVUI_to2rvF39vwlbdh7_jH1hWb_wsskoSHp1jL1_X6UF1tKRXFQkZaDPQNLv5ab2jMOJ6F08ywg7AVS2r9TH9efZ9tXOKmSG7z4RhaG-HmNE1ziG5I31l5elTLSGbxTUodWD4-kjLo6ujCOv_jXCnbr4bk6Cvdl84eKdmbAvPTU/s1127/Giovanni_Emo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="800" height="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGchTI_uwOUUov08KiVUI_to2rvF39vwlbdh7_jH1hWb_wsskoSHp1jL1_X6UF1tKRXFQkZaDPQNLv5ab2jMOJ6F08ywg7AVS2r9TH9efZ9tXOKmSG7z4RhaG-HmNE1ziG5I31l5elTLSGbxTUodWD4-kjLo6ujCOv_jXCnbr4bk6Cvdl84eKdmbAvPTU/w307-h433/Giovanni_Emo.jpg" width="307" /></a></div><p></p><p>For the tunic, I borrowed from the forceful portrait of Giovanni Emo, by the Venetian painter, Giovanni Bellini (1430-1516).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5G7VLowHIskeAp_zTv_QE5GpomzEGAbt3P7IeH4v1NQGdxlSUWBZUUiPnU8hvCjKICufH770MB7NWiGv8cTW16funDdYumj394-wBGSKu2zPoL9Ji_PxfqOHeRxisQyG-SvAE3ualaiAPoCl-kjCOFDGoBp3zSBnLstvJ7n2k5iNHj0Xms7JYBNaig8/s364/mouth.ref.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="364" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5G7VLowHIskeAp_zTv_QE5GpomzEGAbt3P7IeH4v1NQGdxlSUWBZUUiPnU8hvCjKICufH770MB7NWiGv8cTW16funDdYumj394-wBGSKu2zPoL9Ji_PxfqOHeRxisQyG-SvAE3ualaiAPoCl-kjCOFDGoBp3zSBnLstvJ7n2k5iNHj0Xms7JYBNaig8/s320/mouth.ref.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>I look at many, many faces, taking a mouth from here and hair from there to create a composite face. I want it to be an attractive one, because it will be staring at me from my own wall!</p><p>And here's the finished portrait. I'm naming the sitter Lorenzo Venuste, which translates from Latin as "Charming Lorenzo."<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1vXD4-RszkH0csr1WTJfhT7Ljjom2o6mcEelRjHu0ZYmIhRGHMjicEV7DebF5xMCcCqCftvLF40bA6WCET2vEsKLG_kwew1Q87xrNU_-5HVKBwLgpGkH60PC75DJ84BIwOy7gYh9_AsyQ6wJGSAssJLL-nSgSksYEzUgZ8tiZGkfHJkTu6cG_90cE_k/s4216/Lorenzo_Venuste_300dpi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4216" data-original-width="3075" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG1vXD4-RszkH0csr1WTJfhT7Ljjom2o6mcEelRjHu0ZYmIhRGHMjicEV7DebF5xMCcCqCftvLF40bA6WCET2vEsKLG_kwew1Q87xrNU_-5HVKBwLgpGkH60PC75DJ84BIwOy7gYh9_AsyQ6wJGSAssJLL-nSgSksYEzUgZ8tiZGkfHJkTu6cG_90cE_k/w342-h469/Lorenzo_Venuste_300dpi.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><br /><p>Now it's time to frame Lorenzo. My intention is to match Umberto di Palma's frame in size and general style, but to make the details different.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQoDP5DfKlSwqCH6WlHMHB25qe-yL9lP8un6l3qWn3AgERrhfm0IwCxQqA_34j3S_EdPipQnwgsxjB7AQdB_RQFMWr8emuEsHbpyoBkocdV0j8MY0FBz2Dywq28eSoqxJlaoWScSCqvHIbbZfj1KGHC3Plgjxqja0ZbKH8S6yrVMraLLRMBUw5cQE9JGk/s916/bellini.frame.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="809" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQoDP5DfKlSwqCH6WlHMHB25qe-yL9lP8un6l3qWn3AgERrhfm0IwCxQqA_34j3S_EdPipQnwgsxjB7AQdB_RQFMWr8emuEsHbpyoBkocdV0j8MY0FBz2Dywq28eSoqxJlaoWScSCqvHIbbZfj1KGHC3Plgjxqja0ZbKH8S6yrVMraLLRMBUw5cQE9JGk/w511-h578/bellini.frame.JPG" width="511" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giovanni_bellini,_resurrezione,_1475-79_ca._01.JPG" target="_blank">Sailko</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>I became intrigued by carved frames of the Renaissance. This is Belinni's "Resurrection" from the Gemaldegalerie, Berlin. I decided to do my own version with the use of a laser. The design for the frame's side panels is drawn in black & white, and what is black, the laser cuts into the wood, and what is white, it skips. (Thanks to <a href="https://imagination-design-works.com/specialty-work/">Richard Radice</a> for his help arranging the laser cutting.) <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZW2GNoOUEp9n1kt-yxO4kSXAUeOycVTN7scvoa-LjaE20uIfwq4SiOiXbQMzMRYLHNDACyY5WsYxGjn6JbC9DvfAqy6rewqasqveuzZkGWvswIlkyeZyCAP9-n4n-3KSlQfGIU-ZdSmLvkiiR7exd6AWiyr3h1CXtlFN3RREsMB9V8JgIAkMMpOJRj8Q/s384/Laser_Border.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="313" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZW2GNoOUEp9n1kt-yxO4kSXAUeOycVTN7scvoa-LjaE20uIfwq4SiOiXbQMzMRYLHNDACyY5WsYxGjn6JbC9DvfAqy6rewqasqveuzZkGWvswIlkyeZyCAP9-n4n-3KSlQfGIU-ZdSmLvkiiR7exd6AWiyr3h1CXtlFN3RREsMB9V8JgIAkMMpOJRj8Q/w429-h526/Laser_Border.jpg" width="429" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">My brother and I also had the capitals 3-D printed.<br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyItxxHnFIztnjuRovcw8TZL9CTYUp4Fr5jVbMfZ88MAvl_Jv0hkPb06lAKyx--x1GOEIXwlTetfmwWRr9TeNVdgtQ2FjEwgG-XqV8nujeSAM5irca1vc1vU3g91B1lJshoDtXwt8iR_Uxk7OKpjVeP2eQQhR8gSH6E3_agBB89XFaYFcZTAmBhBVOzmc/s1000/capital.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="939" data-original-width="1000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyItxxHnFIztnjuRovcw8TZL9CTYUp4Fr5jVbMfZ88MAvl_Jv0hkPb06lAKyx--x1GOEIXwlTetfmwWRr9TeNVdgtQ2FjEwgG-XqV8nujeSAM5irca1vc1vU3g91B1lJshoDtXwt8iR_Uxk7OKpjVeP2eQQhR8gSH6E3_agBB89XFaYFcZTAmBhBVOzmc/s320/capital.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here is the finished, framed portrait. My brother, Cliff constructed the frame, which I in turn painted. Inner frame by <a href="https://imagination-design-works.com/furniture/">Richard Radice</a>.<br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjfLMynjAU4mfmGv7y6iYT4aQVOf0FbYlXgqU3fxBy1X9h_q7z45q5atL2Xs3beDtzVIWWjddl9tRzLBCkoahcVrKAaXxdQqrec29ZsG4QMg14WuCskT3AKJkCSoN3s8QQwOaKksZ46B2A7lnLDWUOsgdBMupQ970z56wk1d-aXdZt4oTzlAGI0xtoJ4/s1215/Lorenzo_Venute.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1000" height="551" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjfLMynjAU4mfmGv7y6iYT4aQVOf0FbYlXgqU3fxBy1X9h_q7z45q5atL2Xs3beDtzVIWWjddl9tRzLBCkoahcVrKAaXxdQqrec29ZsG4QMg14WuCskT3AKJkCSoN3s8QQwOaKksZ46B2A7lnLDWUOsgdBMupQ970z56wk1d-aXdZt4oTzlAGI0xtoJ4/w453-h551/Lorenzo_Venute.jpg" width="453" /></a></div><br /><p>The legend translates as "Glory is in the Shadow of Virtue," which we can only wish was always the case!</p><p>And now Umberto di Palma and Lorenzo Venuste share a wall in my house, one on either side of a window.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoN3eWEaDTfbzz_68xdakW_abrzCNPcD9idiOjR1B3qZbDukzXYg16rZRxRVWmqWWO0cxGNvf0eOVvtqir70zdJSioUwyp_9FCSOMJL8V5grEF6etkWVqQXLy3ViFVCtO3BJMcCOi6RXNjcw85hsnqn8g24150kDtQBr8B70JToGFdnRqMP2mbKM284q0/s944/umberto_lorenzo_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="944" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoN3eWEaDTfbzz_68xdakW_abrzCNPcD9idiOjR1B3qZbDukzXYg16rZRxRVWmqWWO0cxGNvf0eOVvtqir70zdJSioUwyp_9FCSOMJL8V5grEF6etkWVqQXLy3ViFVCtO3BJMcCOi6RXNjcw85hsnqn8g24150kDtQBr8B70JToGFdnRqMP2mbKM284q0/w574-h341/umberto_lorenzo_2.jpg" width="574" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks for visiting!<br /></div></div>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-45350763838365415392022-11-17T12:55:00.000-05:002022-11-17T12:55:40.500-05:00Creating a Renaissance Portrait and Frame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3YUz5Ab7mOxa31zEJPIJ5ZWfeIUc7aaOE4gwjCay__pjzKP040IET5dVc5FWXKhIEdYeYPL3D9neIJynsum2ih1-sS3mrcHeSsV2qJEc4ZBTIaS1gjyNlEOw7iSjnFDqcgWujt9NomhiG0xSX1oss67rc2td6vwMfQgdJ-UPAhHfHmHUyRyBqM3-/s300/header.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3YUz5Ab7mOxa31zEJPIJ5ZWfeIUc7aaOE4gwjCay__pjzKP040IET5dVc5FWXKhIEdYeYPL3D9neIJynsum2ih1-sS3mrcHeSsV2qJEc4ZBTIaS1gjyNlEOw7iSjnFDqcgWujt9NomhiG0xSX1oss67rc2td6vwMfQgdJ-UPAhHfHmHUyRyBqM3-/w227-h227/header.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><p>Several years ago, my brother Cliff and I visited the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D. C. We focused on the Renaissance paintings there, a favorite of which is Fra Filippo Lippi's <i>Modonna and Child</i>, below.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDU67hfU-UBxsEABDDUI4ZYORc6vFBN41FbTHsT5E1_XazacWXlSN_5H5ea5JwoANJpXPQh2Drreh2oWWzE8XkMrcwKZtBW7m_rCuRzjpNG3ubh3KkT9DCAU53BwNaO8PVRx1PEqgmQrA/s679/Madonna_original.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="500" height="613" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDU67hfU-UBxsEABDDUI4ZYORc6vFBN41FbTHsT5E1_XazacWXlSN_5H5ea5JwoANJpXPQh2Drreh2oWWzE8XkMrcwKZtBW7m_rCuRzjpNG3ubh3KkT9DCAU53BwNaO8PVRx1PEqgmQrA/w451-h613/Madonna_original.jpg" width="451" /></a></div><p></p><p>Cliff is a talented woodworker and was intrigued with the beautiful workmanship and construction of this frame — and of the other ornate ones there, too. He mentioned that he'd like to attempt making one, and I thought it would be equally fun to create a Renaissance portrait. And so a collaboration was born.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKY0R9ce7OXdHRQSg_TzwOmRNgbdfgw1VcB6o-c0JrykVpANpV-5G9ht7MReULW65J2kzRrw-6K4ComhfntVt6amMLx48VIlQqllA4q_kzVXzQH2eMF-XPvQnc8f7D8p3BTD2dWjSoFSxZwRf0G3IiyQ7RNQZ4Bu04ru6_6mk6zjcBiWcUMvW-7VWB/s687/Unpainted_Frame.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="500" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKY0R9ce7OXdHRQSg_TzwOmRNgbdfgw1VcB6o-c0JrykVpANpV-5G9ht7MReULW65J2kzRrw-6K4ComhfntVt6amMLx48VIlQqllA4q_kzVXzQH2eMF-XPvQnc8f7D8p3BTD2dWjSoFSxZwRf0G3IiyQ7RNQZ4Bu04ru6_6mk6zjcBiWcUMvW-7VWB/w449-h616/Unpainted_Frame.jpg" width="449" /></a></div><p>This is Cliff's initial frame design, and it's worth noting that all the wood and molding in this photo is from Home Depot. We made several modifications, and especially wanted classic capitals atop those fluted sides.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9nDFLIVlAXMe7jUUKU1zFMCKGQEKhs60Oh90sSzvJwjhw4kjZDMKu0H4UrG74V9_bI4wP71F83Y-mMfu0w_cZLvYQAwiWFqnJwbnPBS4B2GEDXYPhaavlh4tciAEpjWojxSIXBHmx52Ux0C5YZuCQ-2dMnJE6L6r83apLKRl9i6iyEfWk76og6Xe/s500/capitals2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="500" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9nDFLIVlAXMe7jUUKU1zFMCKGQEKhs60Oh90sSzvJwjhw4kjZDMKu0H4UrG74V9_bI4wP71F83Y-mMfu0w_cZLvYQAwiWFqnJwbnPBS4B2GEDXYPhaavlh4tciAEpjWojxSIXBHmx52Ux0C5YZuCQ-2dMnJE6L6r83apLKRl9i6iyEfWk76og6Xe/w447-h232/capitals2.jpg" width="447" /></a></div><p>We opted for capitals made to size by 3-D printing. On the right, I've shined a bright light through the capital to show that the 3-D printing fabricates an inner honeycomb for strength and support.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_67Q-Jwp5g1Sd99g3TRt7VHQuOky0W6De9vDA2tB8de02V5GdFL1lyKRKMDD5VHCOG65iBpuOhiap4TynkFyKXt8M60uNUOZxrHPvA1GvWSTiZ_WNToTmBjogSlqTPVF1zpgFi6HIoL_BV7G62wwio7fHaTWBgBHQyh9ilQxy2PjrSG948bSa4PZ/s675/Hans_Memling.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="500" height="579" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_67Q-Jwp5g1Sd99g3TRt7VHQuOky0W6De9vDA2tB8de02V5GdFL1lyKRKMDD5VHCOG65iBpuOhiap4TynkFyKXt8M60uNUOZxrHPvA1GvWSTiZ_WNToTmBjogSlqTPVF1zpgFi6HIoL_BV7G62wwio7fHaTWBgBHQyh9ilQxy2PjrSG948bSa4PZ/w429-h579/Hans_Memling.jpg" width="429" /></a></div><p>I chose to create a variation of this portrait by the Flemish artist, Hans Memling (1430-1494). The sitter is unknown, but it is supposed that he was Italian. I admire the work of Memling, though I am bothered that the hand is crowded into the bottom corner, a format that Memling repeated in other portraits. Memling's clouds are also usually these sketchy suggestions. My biggest change is to alter the face to my liking, making the sitter a little less dour.<br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuuAbbMmk24x9xbVZ0wj6c1cqKJYHioq9G8ZX4LHnuhNwKWa7ZEGa56Dj1f6ZaXU1UiokCidHAVNxce2lWSGn1eWVxcIrZBQO_V3TDA6SIXseVPmHg0Ob_Uh-8ttgEgM3MBsDwbIC9C8AzfrwX6fXGBRHS0pqqci1pXRU2sky_kMPEkd6gEZvV5iV/s658/final_umberto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="500" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOuuAbbMmk24x9xbVZ0wj6c1cqKJYHioq9G8ZX4LHnuhNwKWa7ZEGa56Dj1f6ZaXU1UiokCidHAVNxce2lWSGn1eWVxcIrZBQO_V3TDA6SIXseVPmHg0Ob_Uh-8ttgEgM3MBsDwbIC9C8AzfrwX6fXGBRHS0pqqci1pXRU2sky_kMPEkd6gEZvV5iV/w430-h566/final_umberto.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is my rendition, considerably brighter. The landscape hasn't changed much, but I've gone to town with the clouds — they look almost Art Deco! I've defined his tunic, and enlarged the hand and medallion. Below is a comparison.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJXRrZB-SuUrsC1gBUz9TxREI4cF-altpPCs55HWHD47CTDDJEc40gNot8Z3uQj0joOQMY5aqLKYeAu4SfoDAc-r8ux6rPSUM1LZGJZDw5mJonQzmpMTBEBvd5OhQALlY6m_u7RI9auJ-bOj_buDUptrml9OPNNuqOrvfxIRM7qyWPn0e6CLvwvP8/s500/comparison2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="500" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPJXRrZB-SuUrsC1gBUz9TxREI4cF-altpPCs55HWHD47CTDDJEc40gNot8Z3uQj0joOQMY5aqLKYeAu4SfoDAc-r8ux6rPSUM1LZGJZDw5mJonQzmpMTBEBvd5OhQALlY6m_u7RI9auJ-bOj_buDUptrml9OPNNuqOrvfxIRM7qyWPn0e6CLvwvP8/w430-h288/comparison2.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><p>Once the painting was finished, I returned to the frame, which was in pieces. Cliff and I determined that it would be easier to paint each part of the frame separately, then fit it together.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSCPXT5St3iE7yHgJm1njvzdXSOXlix8d5wRTYokcAZJZl53ZcNGEXu3_3SSw6v06r1qyJrNUc2uAgwEyMuWp9ywMcIosN69jDqglucJZOuqqcf5qkGhYbUIYyoBLvJQt_2O9She_ZD7YcbjbEXVfqfDSIBMEud8e_a4-Qfyvbkx2Rtrhwa172KcT/s500/frieze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSCPXT5St3iE7yHgJm1njvzdXSOXlix8d5wRTYokcAZJZl53ZcNGEXu3_3SSw6v06r1qyJrNUc2uAgwEyMuWp9ywMcIosN69jDqglucJZOuqqcf5qkGhYbUIYyoBLvJQt_2O9She_ZD7YcbjbEXVfqfDSIBMEud8e_a4-Qfyvbkx2Rtrhwa172KcT/w434-h325/frieze.jpg" width="434" /></a></div><p>And here is the finished painting, with Cliff's frame. The inscription translates as "The High Reward of Honor," and I like to think that our sitter — whom I've named Umberto di Palma — has been rewarded with a medallion bearing the likeness of Marcus Aurelius.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7yBsf4JPjKTknVjV6VTjh4wwY99vZw4s8NAeOCmm0Ks9sXYG4EhnCDPaFCQrRK-t73ZMG53-iugeewMd2hWtjxypW6Ghs0alaf0wM2aP4-42KR6zVSQv-sVlSHH8e6sPCiuQBCf8jxByaCjM9vt1E2OvMqYWzv8WL-1mTsLAS1KLTx19MZDI-SfNN/s633/Umberto_di_Palma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="500" height="682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7yBsf4JPjKTknVjV6VTjh4wwY99vZw4s8NAeOCmm0Ks9sXYG4EhnCDPaFCQrRK-t73ZMG53-iugeewMd2hWtjxypW6Ghs0alaf0wM2aP4-42KR6zVSQv-sVlSHH8e6sPCiuQBCf8jxByaCjM9vt1E2OvMqYWzv8WL-1mTsLAS1KLTx19MZDI-SfNN/w539-h682/Umberto_di_Palma.jpg" width="539" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-55667403680498187182017-04-20T06:30:00.000-04:002017-04-20T07:05:59.523-04:00Pompeii No. 59: The Roman Grille<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Blogging Friends,<br />
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When I said good-bye to blogging exactly 20 months ago, I said that I'd continue to give occasional updates on the progress of the Pompeii Room. And so it's time to do that today!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvFVi7lkiTiUfmvcrbWVwTm_iV2UN6uH_HGihU5zXcw8HQ3JfZFqQ9zJF7bEZQCWhuukSrJrUAVx4R9_fEy6wS9CK9qQhxLHw_V-aEwo61gmgOiUcFAMidR27cRC20Bm5j7k5fnGctvg/s1600/grill_woork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvFVi7lkiTiUfmvcrbWVwTm_iV2UN6uH_HGihU5zXcw8HQ3JfZFqQ9zJF7bEZQCWhuukSrJrUAVx4R9_fEy6wS9CK9qQhxLHw_V-aEwo61gmgOiUcFAMidR27cRC20Bm5j7k5fnGctvg/s1600/grill_woork.jpg" /></a></div>
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You may remenber that I wanted to replace unsightly venetian blinds with the sort of bronze grille that would have been familiar to well-healed Romans. Then a most serendipitous event occured! As I was in the process of designing the grilles, an antique room divider showed up in a nearby gift shop.<br />
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When the room divider was separated into three screens, they were a near-perfect fit by width (as shown above), and would fit equally well in length with a little adjustment. Each screen would require cutting one design unit from its bottom.<br />
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That's when my brother Cliff came on board, excited by the vision, and offering to help with the use of his beautiful shop and carpentry abilities. His contribution to the completion of the Pompeii Room has been huge!<br />
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Below are images of the screens getting cut and assembled to a new length.</div>
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It certainly looks as though these screens went through a lot of wear and tear! Below, Cliff is filling some cracks and holes with epoxy.<br />
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Now it was my turn to get to work. Because I wanted to suggest bronze metal, I took several months caulking, spackling and sanding every surface for a smooth look. (Cliff wondered whether it wouldn't have been easier to build the grille from scratch, but I was very attached to the fact that a found object had appeared at just the right time.)<br />
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As you can see in the previous images, the five intersected squares are doubled on the reverse side of the screens. That meant that painting so many nooks and crannies would be tedious and time-consuming. I solved that challenge by finding a bronze-colored spray paint for those areas, and then having Sherwin-Williams match the spray paint for the rest of the job.<br />
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We spaced the screens by creating pseudo-hinges from an old broomstick. It's interesting to note that a broomstick has a harder grain than regular store-bought dowels.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8rxs0JF2FCwJFUbirVTbZpofvrwQDou4XES9ViCYZDOfRf_-JmkEzKsR11uvideuSjG4y6G-PKsd3ulS4r5mRb5cso8bsgzK8y1DWEHralOI8U9fX4m7KERlkMFsgXdnwNRkqi-Qknw/s1600/grille_profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8rxs0JF2FCwJFUbirVTbZpofvrwQDou4XES9ViCYZDOfRf_-JmkEzKsR11uvideuSjG4y6G-PKsd3ulS4r5mRb5cso8bsgzK8y1DWEHralOI8U9fX4m7KERlkMFsgXdnwNRkqi-Qknw/s400/grille_profile.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge.</td></tr>
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Here is the Pommpeii Room as it appears today.</div>
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A very special thanks to Cliff,</div>
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and as always, thank you for watching.</div>
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<br />Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-32248923940984550982015-08-20T07:30:00.000-04:002015-08-20T07:30:01.634-04:00A is for "Adieu"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Blogging Friends,<br />
<br />
Today marks the 5th anniversary of <i>All Things Ruffnerian</i>, and my 416th posting. I hope you've enjoyed my subject matter, and my graphics as well.<br />
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We've covered a lot of territory together these past five years, haven't we?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1_FgOL2e_o5Vmno0saCVXh5MBVblDhXY_ZkCoOifAQPRC8aEJtVGOBq2v2DmELWp28VxIE5tWtcnigYW_abYYJ4neChZLyAjiUVzbSz7YHl5jaz2iQV7pLIcYNtJwvs0YqSyu00ccnQ/s1600/montage_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1_FgOL2e_o5Vmno0saCVXh5MBVblDhXY_ZkCoOifAQPRC8aEJtVGOBq2v2DmELWp28VxIE5tWtcnigYW_abYYJ4neChZLyAjiUVzbSz7YHl5jaz2iQV7pLIcYNtJwvs0YqSyu00ccnQ/s1600/montage_1.jpg" /></a></div>
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I've especially enjoyed sharing the creation of my Pompeian Room with you. Your interest and encouragement in the project has brought me as much pleasure as the project itself. Indeed, you were a great part of the process.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUxftHHcOznkqP6UmI8Ve6FKovOpGN0hF9j6SpeuVEx9jqDgYnHpGB-NjEJ9Q3K5eXcONJChtN9CsF0OgqYfSzx8R_BBR-qm-As1XZA8KRkHKQUt6zX7c3-P1HezrpZKfgDc2FceEitY/s1600/pompeii_montage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUxftHHcOznkqP6UmI8Ve6FKovOpGN0hF9j6SpeuVEx9jqDgYnHpGB-NjEJ9Q3K5eXcONJChtN9CsF0OgqYfSzx8R_BBR-qm-As1XZA8KRkHKQUt6zX7c3-P1HezrpZKfgDc2FceEitY/s1600/pompeii_montage.jpg" /></a></div>
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I hope in your own lives you are surrounded by all those things that bring you joy and have meaning for you. After all, to have passion for something, whether it be a mighty idea or the tiniest of objects, is to be that much more alive.</div>
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This is my last posting. It's time for me to go in a different direction and to focus attention there.<br />
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I want to thank my readers and especially a dozen+ friends who have been consistent commentors and who have shared regularly of themselves, often outside of this blog. You know who you are because you're each on my blog list. I'll continue to visit your blogs and to comment from time to time, and so this will not be a good-bye, but only "adieu."<br />
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-37123057359564098562015-08-14T07:30:00.000-04:002015-08-14T13:26:21.031-04:00The Golden Triangle<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEF_A4q0VCpTT3-RDo5rzn9jiCGoGYcDPapZ-Ky1OzANs79lMuiL7anGJVqB1ZVZ3LcIMfqZxDnLXb2ta4tzNvOUW0swTyWFiw1NDyV0mC1VMW-x-DFBt_Vs85Tv3BubCeh-59_njgIo/s1600/1859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvEF_A4q0VCpTT3-RDo5rzn9jiCGoGYcDPapZ-Ky1OzANs79lMuiL7anGJVqB1ZVZ3LcIMfqZxDnLXb2ta4tzNvOUW0swTyWFiw1NDyV0mC1VMW-x-DFBt_Vs85Tv3BubCeh-59_njgIo/s400/1859.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"> click to enlarge | www.mapsofpa.com</td></tr>
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This 1859 map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania shows how the Allegheny River (at the top) joins the Monongahela River (on the bottom) to form the head of the Ohio River. This point was valued even in America's colonial days as strategic for both trade and military defense, and today it is often referred to as "The Golden Triangle."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIptvtBk8HeAg4R_15_FQ4l_9qzDVW-AqQ_luZp317C24M9Cz6o2AQ5xuB3CupqJUz_0UwFjRIwjbLhTWNbo7gdarwiNu1jQRNOnh2jmG5CHgIwVTUq190KS4ZIwy2iHU2SdRAL_IXn4c/s1600/fort_pitt_painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIptvtBk8HeAg4R_15_FQ4l_9qzDVW-AqQ_luZp317C24M9Cz6o2AQ5xuB3CupqJUz_0UwFjRIwjbLhTWNbo7gdarwiNu1jQRNOnh2jmG5CHgIwVTUq190KS4ZIwy2iHU2SdRAL_IXn4c/s1600/fort_pitt_painting.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Fort Pitt | www.fortpittblockhouse.com</td></tr>
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When the French established Fort Duquesne on the triangular spit in 1754, the British sent troops led by 21-year-old Major George Washington to serve an ultimatum and retake the land. Washington was defeated by the French, as was General Edward Braddock, in 1755.<br />
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These were early battles of what became known as the French and Indian War (1754-1763), so called because Native Americans sided with the French.<br />
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The French eventually retreated from Fort Duquesne, burning it to the ground as they left. The English, led by General John Forbes, reclaimed the point and Forbes named the area around it "Pittsburgh," in honor of William Pitt the Elder, the Prime Minister.<br />
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Fort Pitt (shown above) was built between 1759-1761.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6zEhQ4mdDoHwwfYv-PaVMD2vHZ72necLmbfCC4DgLAd39-ijcphQ2Z3-JjtgikLuaeSxVpu59VFlwLWqooY3bEbXyxWmSmmZYa0FnLypcHeNZd9Dwl9JPMyMoeLkbo07UnOOb7aXybo/s1600/washington_surveying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6zEhQ4mdDoHwwfYv-PaVMD2vHZ72necLmbfCC4DgLAd39-ijcphQ2Z3-JjtgikLuaeSxVpu59VFlwLWqooY3bEbXyxWmSmmZYa0FnLypcHeNZd9Dwl9JPMyMoeLkbo07UnOOb7aXybo/s400/washington_surveying.jpg" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">mybonnie.wordpress.com</td></tr>
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George Washington, who surveyed more of the United States than most
Americans realize, surveyed much of the land in the vicinity of Fort Pitt
with the aim of parceling it to French and Indian War veterans.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4Zm2km1FWh6I7nfbdHOdI5u_LobpoKSx_2EcQhOcJ3d2GaQy27dtdn2sOFi20EcXAASx2jlAyplG7Hc3U5xeW5c7RV8QMU8aaGyLo8KnZjvwo_p5NCYs9aSXQ8DlF3VtBoxxTyaM1S8/s1600/1908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4Zm2km1FWh6I7nfbdHOdI5u_LobpoKSx_2EcQhOcJ3d2GaQy27dtdn2sOFi20EcXAASx2jlAyplG7Hc3U5xeW5c7RV8QMU8aaGyLo8KnZjvwo_p5NCYs9aSXQ8DlF3VtBoxxTyaM1S8/s1600/1908.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Pittsburgh Then and Now</i> | Arthur G. Smith</td></tr>
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Now, you would think that with a history like that, the Point — as it became known — would be prized and preserved. But that was not the case. By the mid-1800s, the area was an industrial site. The 1908 photograph above shows that there was a huge logging trade along the Monongahela, and that the heavy industry of the city was already establishing Pittsburgh as a notoriously smoggy, dirty place. In fact, well into the 1940s and 50s, Pittsburgh was so dark with smog that it was not unusual for streetlights to burn throughout the day, and for traffic police to wear masks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKEjnZwBGOotlNUpAHgkNbM0mNH94HgrJLPGAoC9MXuqr6MrpXxckULU3wiXjZN9IyUf1sVUyeZyFflNO47XMXyoXfVKfE3i8Dp13lZv_nk6dTrVKbDVWDUl9R6L83IO_6Va3eotG8Js/s1600/the_point_1948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKEjnZwBGOotlNUpAHgkNbM0mNH94HgrJLPGAoC9MXuqr6MrpXxckULU3wiXjZN9IyUf1sVUyeZyFflNO47XMXyoXfVKfE3i8Dp13lZv_nk6dTrVKbDVWDUl9R6L83IO_6Va3eotG8Js/s1600/the_point_1948.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.brooklineconnection.com</td></tr>
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This 1948 view shows railroad tracks leading to the Point and water in which one wouldn't want to swim.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KdCm_2Xo5LDlalYvZ6pP72KTvG2ZTdI24RuS-YzMd2AZiMXm3vsvI-YglgMWxmLDxFqEfahhsrRvnULo6_7M03krLyt7UuU4noY-jWA_rIO0aYGIJT22jqKReBf-5i6_LaP9xtAE4jU/s1600/mayor_lawrence.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KdCm_2Xo5LDlalYvZ6pP72KTvG2ZTdI24RuS-YzMd2AZiMXm3vsvI-YglgMWxmLDxFqEfahhsrRvnULo6_7M03krLyt7UuU4noY-jWA_rIO0aYGIJT22jqKReBf-5i6_LaP9xtAE4jU/s320/mayor_lawrence.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.post-gazette.com</td></tr>
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Then in 1945, Pittsburgh elected Democratic Mayor David L. Lawrence, a remarkable man. Over the course of four consecutive terms, he forged alliances with Democrats, Republicans, bankers and industrialists, and through his own vision and determination created an urban renewal that the people of Pittsburgh called "The Renaissance." It took more than two decades of work, but today the Point looks as you see it below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXK4WwRrWO1zpJHpCrQS7oq6DzrANC0NSQIQ86K9r8UZKq-_LpsojZnXu5VgRLC1GyqqAT0NX6NdHBb9RKkH8T46ph6xDPKz_TuOGjekBr6MSR1OUvRwW1yPI3LN55cWi45AFoCNZHOKU/s1600/point_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXK4WwRrWO1zpJHpCrQS7oq6DzrANC0NSQIQ86K9r8UZKq-_LpsojZnXu5VgRLC1GyqqAT0NX6NdHBb9RKkH8T46ph6xDPKz_TuOGjekBr6MSR1OUvRwW1yPI3LN55cWi45AFoCNZHOKU/s400/point_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">click to enlarge | shutterstock</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqhBmlP6Hdade-9Quhse5oW2gazm8aj0Cybmc-8W9n-Dy6bb51pVNDNXFquu-pUjIftzainxX7PLgxPhYNHJMqtoE1qVIdrFI-LPb-Yh8iR5JM2zq9VAWULHDdQ5zfp-WRzUFBES1AYk/s1600/gateway_tower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqhBmlP6Hdade-9Quhse5oW2gazm8aj0Cybmc-8W9n-Dy6bb51pVNDNXFquu-pUjIftzainxX7PLgxPhYNHJMqtoE1qVIdrFI-LPb-Yh8iR5JM2zq9VAWULHDdQ5zfp-WRzUFBES1AYk/s1600/gateway_tower.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.politicspa.com</td></tr>
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My very first job was in "Gateway Center," and I looked out from a window where there's a red "X." By that time, Pittsburgh was working hard to clean its sources of pollution, though people who hadn't actually visited there still referred to it as "the Smokey City." Eventually Pittsburgh's steel industry died (the tallest building in this photograph is the U. S. Steel Tower), and Pittsburgh became a center for computer technology.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQme0F-ssgjk-COxsmgqNQLrGpEZseeVHQaaSwjYrJI8izTpD0-8UdNIJ4CD3m2ulCOz4mtbzeLSxti_jIP5v6dXNECk60ezyQl-M_EYW4dChW-ULYHmCv3fFJYaUXPVRKhGfG4H2l6s/s1600/point_map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQme0F-ssgjk-COxsmgqNQLrGpEZseeVHQaaSwjYrJI8izTpD0-8UdNIJ4CD3m2ulCOz4mtbzeLSxti_jIP5v6dXNECk60ezyQl-M_EYW4dChW-ULYHmCv3fFJYaUXPVRKhGfG4H2l6s/s1600/point_map.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.riverlifepgh.org</td></tr>
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Today one can visit Point State Park and walk along inset granite markers that delineate the foundation of Fort Duquesne. Then at the very tip of the triangle is a basin with a 150-foot (46 m) fountain.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnQBqUf1yDcCIxYFwEffAOthZtIJbwEEFmoD2vSpcGC4TsVVrbhkVTFSVFOWAYalr8gzGjVWBEWzSZwJXbn2l7n3D1m3Uf7Q60N0gaUqHYRi6humXb0kXMryCZV2OR8Dq9E1e_Yv9LvA/s1600/point-state-park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnQBqUf1yDcCIxYFwEffAOthZtIJbwEEFmoD2vSpcGC4TsVVrbhkVTFSVFOWAYalr8gzGjVWBEWzSZwJXbn2l7n3D1m3Uf7Q60N0gaUqHYRi6humXb0kXMryCZV2OR8Dq9E1e_Yv9LvA/s1600/point-state-park.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.tripadvisor.com</td></tr>
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The interesting thing about that fountain is that it's fed by a fourth, subterranean river that runs approximately 54 feet below the city. Water is pumped up from the river, which is a remnant of ancient glacial flows.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherMsAZboIDH19WEw5LdBhdXnSA8Yj6_h2Sj5G70FFcs1Aqv5NolD5rv7s2yDV7xrXTDxE34n8DfxU-XQz10XegzzdjPI7L56tDJFTXb21wPCqOtkiRNgCwymX71oc68MSrgrljXT68ZI/s1600/ohio_river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEherMsAZboIDH19WEw5LdBhdXnSA8Yj6_h2Sj5G70FFcs1Aqv5NolD5rv7s2yDV7xrXTDxE34n8DfxU-XQz10XegzzdjPI7L56tDJFTXb21wPCqOtkiRNgCwymX71oc68MSrgrljXT68ZI/s400/ohio_river.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge | the course of the Ohio River | en.wikipedia.org</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCzQqUSiLki0T8iJKLv7koqAgf8-DCs1LG5yY9Lcv12scOeLvnaUV9_W-OoTJBLyvbQEuGF34SUhQjbyTWjdc5KpJnQomLXU_HMhkneUhk5U8UZTyvsiniTKrwESM3HlcBDCwvJobM2c/s1600/ohio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLCzQqUSiLki0T8iJKLv7koqAgf8-DCs1LG5yY9Lcv12scOeLvnaUV9_W-OoTJBLyvbQEuGF34SUhQjbyTWjdc5KpJnQomLXU_HMhkneUhk5U8UZTyvsiniTKrwESM3HlcBDCwvJobM2c/s1600/ohio.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation</td></tr>
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Three Rivers</div>
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-62815305450362587232015-08-07T07:00:00.000-04:002015-08-08T21:03:53.391-04:00Portraits by Artist Michael Leonard<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YH1Qd1T5vKcNKkX9UW3apY8HtcLZu2gTdpIDOvSuWED1-ridYl09nLrp4guNp-O5tzYhQQ-NQPE9Guq8_Fxa_bFVQHUuF8gTaUt6D0gthOkPuf-_fGMGhHxM_Og6Cp8z8ztXa-q11sY/s1600/leonard_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YH1Qd1T5vKcNKkX9UW3apY8HtcLZu2gTdpIDOvSuWED1-ridYl09nLrp4guNp-O5tzYhQQ-NQPE9Guq8_Fxa_bFVQHUuF8gTaUt6D0gthOkPuf-_fGMGhHxM_Og6Cp8z8ztXa-q11sY/s400/leonard_hdr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">H. M. Queen Elizabeth II | 1986 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
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If you're familiar with this 1986 portrait of H. M. Queen Elizabeth II, you've had a fine sampling of the work of Michael Leonard.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4959D-OfItn2LHgYJff0-12PPNRX_7TvLyM-H30XXjApQi8udVq36xVWGsqLoJp3VfaAE1DCH8RaUa5gHXYgCyCvULmzQHKdgdxYYDFDeRnwdWvdR86c-B6CHfefKjJPytUSAwpUpe8/s1600/hmqueenelizabethii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4959D-OfItn2LHgYJff0-12PPNRX_7TvLyM-H30XXjApQi8udVq36xVWGsqLoJp3VfaAE1DCH8RaUa5gHXYgCyCvULmzQHKdgdxYYDFDeRnwdWvdR86c-B6CHfefKjJPytUSAwpUpe8/s1600/hmqueenelizabethii.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>H. M. Queen Elizabeth II</i> | 1986 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
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The portrait — now permanently displayed in the National Portrait Gallery, London — was a 1985 commission from Reader's Digest to honor the Queen's 60th birthday. It shows the Queen posed with her corgi Spark.<br />
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Michael Leonard was born in India in 1933, to British parents. He returned to England to complete his education, and then his military service, and then he studied commercial art and illustration at St. Martin's School of Art in London.<br />
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Though he spent many years working successfully as a commercial artist, he yearned to be a painter, and as he says, "make pictures for the wall rather than the page."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlyK3WZjGvH_JYn_NaXDnj0_jOfSWva-7ElqG_wECBTl-cPvPJhkxWGhmG-mXVKVnlN_4jJew5CK3zGJ0Co-nwKaPCWn_oewRgJzliSgDIrJOb9YDfGJ2kQtpjtDNGfToUflgF5Xrxlk/s1600/mrs.murphy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlyK3WZjGvH_JYn_NaXDnj0_jOfSWva-7ElqG_wECBTl-cPvPJhkxWGhmG-mXVKVnlN_4jJew5CK3zGJ0Co-nwKaPCWn_oewRgJzliSgDIrJOb9YDfGJ2kQtpjtDNGfToUflgF5Xrxlk/s1600/mrs.murphy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Mrs. Murphy</i> | 1973 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
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Early paintings tended to be muted, possibly as a reaction to the vibrancy of the commercial work he'd done.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv20M4TSPfrDE2Ho9Ygk467ObevT-ZY7BLYJYi10ofE5vBjmVdY-wDQhVRJc5EMh-PPUZJ2be11_Vvh-1gYuF9A48P03mgYbwUPF93iXhyphenhyphenAI59GsvRNgkojQ5s0zVFH_kky6ZSOX0k1E/s1600/hugo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv20M4TSPfrDE2Ho9Ygk467ObevT-ZY7BLYJYi10ofE5vBjmVdY-wDQhVRJc5EMh-PPUZJ2be11_Vvh-1gYuF9A48P03mgYbwUPF93iXhyphenhyphenAI59GsvRNgkojQ5s0zVFH_kky6ZSOX0k1E/s1600/hugo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Hugo's Window</i> | 1975 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But year by year, Leonard's paintings became more colorful and rich.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEXzgWllql220tTg5piIDojX7BQ0vx6HRciwg6caaPmo_UIacCODJh1sz8St1XU481QY8O1qCPEEz5Cre0OaqRBsQnn1ICuu7oq_6Rmgrfk5iuvQmkvjRNt_LgWR9pIkob9qxAJlKivI/s1600/ernst.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEXzgWllql220tTg5piIDojX7BQ0vx6HRciwg6caaPmo_UIacCODJh1sz8St1XU481QY8O1qCPEEz5Cre0OaqRBsQnn1ICuu7oq_6Rmgrfk5iuvQmkvjRNt_LgWR9pIkob9qxAJlKivI/s1600/ernst.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Ernst Junger</i> | 1976 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I really like how dynamic these compositions are, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
especially the one below of Frederick Georg Junger.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mPXSoaV_TYtj5qSSwyjtbh2bxD7eXN0562SR5aBBLcojWLuhlMRwdoSnezzs10-ykPXK53U7UCYApbS9dF9hB2B6ElP_0ryYd7jFzNAHlNVbK6qxS4PzAPw4A8kf6fvivWhB3Y4fH_E/s1600/frederick_georg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_mPXSoaV_TYtj5qSSwyjtbh2bxD7eXN0562SR5aBBLcojWLuhlMRwdoSnezzs10-ykPXK53U7UCYApbS9dF9hB2B6ElP_0ryYd7jFzNAHlNVbK6qxS4PzAPw4A8kf6fvivWhB3Y4fH_E/s1600/frederick_georg.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Frederick Georg Junger</i> | 1976 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocu20hWzxahxXrg3AxBzzJwO8gR93nP0tBL5yFzGx_Sj-GXxYkjlr9jKEpaI1sUelzLiicFMm2ujECO9755bbSoZTv4yR8z6CXB7yrxAdyNGYjC5uwEy-dE5oZIpePyNIN-IFe0ivbqk/s1600/stoker_george.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiocu20hWzxahxXrg3AxBzzJwO8gR93nP0tBL5yFzGx_Sj-GXxYkjlr9jKEpaI1sUelzLiicFMm2ujECO9755bbSoZTv4yR8z6CXB7yrxAdyNGYjC5uwEy-dE5oZIpePyNIN-IFe0ivbqk/s1600/stoker_george.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Stoker and George</i> | 1981 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj951y22u1Uy1FPJD-05U8UhgsxjIACNFG10vIi1p1dih9__vAvAR6wEbeAR8Vb-YeTGWTclczFgjvfYr_JegeUSD9gAaMT595f96DtH9MgmULwfTXG5_uVN1Ca6ktedvRe51UTGkLfnVk/s1600/double_portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj951y22u1Uy1FPJD-05U8UhgsxjIACNFG10vIi1p1dih9__vAvAR6wEbeAR8Vb-YeTGWTclczFgjvfYr_JegeUSD9gAaMT595f96DtH9MgmULwfTXG5_uVN1Ca6ktedvRe51UTGkLfnVk/s1600/double_portrait.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Double Portrait: Edward Lucie-Smith</i> | 1983 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCv4iKB_mmrQtBDrffyYgq_-LJgOfRsZy9rgFdc6Lzk0TzA01n3ufUk0Rz2abh3qiZQb3nKTeS61tHYQ3Ct0zG7OXqUD9sNI2GL3mBcfkhceigjeBrRU_LYynvaAQu59ERZjij5_Cr2sA/s1600/adrian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCv4iKB_mmrQtBDrffyYgq_-LJgOfRsZy9rgFdc6Lzk0TzA01n3ufUk0Rz2abh3qiZQb3nKTeS61tHYQ3Ct0zG7OXqUD9sNI2GL3mBcfkhceigjeBrRU_LYynvaAQu59ERZjij5_Cr2sA/s1600/adrian.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Adrian Ward Jackson</i> | 1987 | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Through the years, Michael Leonard has created what he calls "Portraits in Time." They're inspired by that interesting phenomenon whereby we recognize (at least I do) that some people look as though they could fit into another place and time. Here are some delightful examples:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Naomi Buchanan in the style of John Cox</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
David Rust in the style of Ingres</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvVthfpMPQP-YJ-51CESKK2QWbsAOI5BlmZGDFRiXnJN-ZoK_Dv1qW4nDBLD_JWbRQuDdp0H3IZiDo0XLwlyWlDYa3xmCHAVqWTFU3UA7Nk5jZMhsIhdFkFZjDqBzTLa3FHKoWUn2Vis/s1600/buchanan_rust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFvVthfpMPQP-YJ-51CESKK2QWbsAOI5BlmZGDFRiXnJN-ZoK_Dv1qW4nDBLD_JWbRQuDdp0H3IZiDo0XLwlyWlDYa3xmCHAVqWTFU3UA7Nk5jZMhsIhdFkFZjDqBzTLa3FHKoWUn2Vis/s400/buchanan_rust.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> click to enlarge | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
David Newman in the style of Kneller</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lady Pamela Hicks in the style of Romney</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQLkSdCO9qkpLj1OgvtyW4yk3ZXTLrJLsNVIfVFZ7SwjjuFR3V1HasmpSKMZ_tk_usgZK_A_nJ_G9sc_4SriwL6CmmYF9ZAIOUHrx64OobnhtmYZj7f6lfpvqEhYbfywyHHz_nfc55pM/s1600/newman_hicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQLkSdCO9qkpLj1OgvtyW4yk3ZXTLrJLsNVIfVFZ7SwjjuFR3V1HasmpSKMZ_tk_usgZK_A_nJ_G9sc_4SriwL6CmmYF9ZAIOUHrx64OobnhtmYZj7f6lfpvqEhYbfywyHHz_nfc55pM/s400/newman_hicks.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> click to enlarge | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
William Burlington in the style of Van Dyck<br />
Robin Katz in the style of Bronzino<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWtbjenUUe0icYmkso4iDr6aCpx1ZjmuM3strOinL4b7wdfZQvMCSEqbXWl-CmMRova_SJhuYM5Lc3gVLIOCw-q2mi1Wz4v4dFvZC2QtmJCO7LG_82tI0fi0NFbcb7c2pADXYvTS0GUQ/s1600/burlington_katz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWtbjenUUe0icYmkso4iDr6aCpx1ZjmuM3strOinL4b7wdfZQvMCSEqbXWl-CmMRova_SJhuYM5Lc3gVLIOCw-q2mi1Wz4v4dFvZC2QtmJCO7LG_82tI0fi0NFbcb7c2pADXYvTS0GUQ/s400/burlington_katz.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> click to enlarge | Michael Leonard</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The <i>Portraits in Time</i> that I've showcased here span from 1984-2003. Below is a Michael Leonard self-portrait (also a <i>Portrait in Time</i>). Click on his portrait, and you'll be linked to his website.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.michaelleonardartist.com/pictures/paintings" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.michaelleonardartist.com/pictures/paintings" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5_FUIZIG9lTfLvJjjUpiqIYOz8X9I-xNv-fkouVxblvADOdQ6hiAkvTHY_KGqQbzwf5Q1yhHgux-TqSUEXwct208NYU8QEbX-cPGa67vS8_pIafCwPMBN8-YNWxeLjae4RBosh96wGw/s1600/michael_leonard.gif" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> ● ● ●</span></span></div>
<br />
The comment below from my blogging friend Jim, of <a href="http://roadtoparnassus.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Road to Parnassus</a>, reminded me of <i>Horizon Magazine's </i>different take on Portraits in Time. Back in the 1950s or early 1960s, <i>Horizon</i> contrasted ancient sculptures to celebrities of the time. I was fortunate to find a few of those marvelous comparisons.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXi0I72l5zvpmu8MX2-0nxp0xhBdI5xWaerv3yvz7TfTNkJdNzndbrCGLultiesdtQMD_JNxcrcMAwkaXdjUEl2D7dKRuC3Dj2NQL9HHWciqc3Tl3p6S49Z4Zn0KqbYjBf37w0o4tAWI4/s1600/horizon_portraits_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXi0I72l5zvpmu8MX2-0nxp0xhBdI5xWaerv3yvz7TfTNkJdNzndbrCGLultiesdtQMD_JNxcrcMAwkaXdjUEl2D7dKRuC3Dj2NQL9HHWciqc3Tl3p6S49Z4Zn0KqbYjBf37w0o4tAWI4/s1600/horizon_portraits_2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Horizon Magazine</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: white;"> .</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="color: white;">.</span></div>
</div>
Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-81033534213528431412015-08-02T07:30:00.000-04:002015-08-02T07:30:00.750-04:00Fun Florida Fences<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-O0tPJAxhfZnfw43d1yjgdfsGICTZD6g5lTpQ59eWCb-4KAcXMHLgDNgRG0sdtmehgJPoiy6MLqnOk0RITPyKhfvxfPRYdOq3waP56PRnx6UziZQnpDeY-4i6gTm8C2mGfA1AtwWmg54/s1600/key_west_balustrade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-O0tPJAxhfZnfw43d1yjgdfsGICTZD6g5lTpQ59eWCb-4KAcXMHLgDNgRG0sdtmehgJPoiy6MLqnOk0RITPyKhfvxfPRYdOq3waP56PRnx6UziZQnpDeY-4i6gTm8C2mGfA1AtwWmg54/s1600/key_west_balustrade.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Pinterest | source?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I saw this great balustrade design on Pinterest, and it reminded me that I've been collecting my own photographs of cut-out Florida fences. I think I've accumulated enough to share now.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTXsEL0oMoa1laY_0mm0PSm7gu91Bdje7wu-PA8cmwFfj8QGxdYRsuJxrhsCiciooQ1tAGcEMZqc8j5VqGgyPOZx4xXmqvAQLAJrXHNaqQlqTNS19_WJsCv-FMDtIU7S7mX7gL82jVyY/s1600/pass-a-grille_fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiTXsEL0oMoa1laY_0mm0PSm7gu91Bdje7wu-PA8cmwFfj8QGxdYRsuJxrhsCiciooQ1tAGcEMZqc8j5VqGgyPOZx4xXmqvAQLAJrXHNaqQlqTNS19_WJsCv-FMDtIU7S7mX7gL82jVyY/s1600/pass-a-grille_fence.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner | 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I pass this fence at least once a week. It's on an old part of St. Pete Beach known as Pass-A-Grille, Florida. The house is pretty neat, too.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNx-FLslCAHyB8PVoAKx6wgkjriTEZID6ZloetyxZ4B6IZsaY6JPDf3Et9fZnmFfRRPzxY6ntnhWwme1a1gt_v_pAuArDr3UG5xv9mZC32EJRUjaD7w4TnUCxqThjlmTsxSuE6h6rmTrg/s1600/fence_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNx-FLslCAHyB8PVoAKx6wgkjriTEZID6ZloetyxZ4B6IZsaY6JPDf3Et9fZnmFfRRPzxY6ntnhWwme1a1gt_v_pAuArDr3UG5xv9mZC32EJRUjaD7w4TnUCxqThjlmTsxSuE6h6rmTrg/s1600/fence_hdr.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner | 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's the gate. The fish in Florida are always smiling.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3TCZXSu8xKQmuwhh5Gm87prB5J3kRnYEv8KMymkGWLbxDHJNsWoNwBtJ7TNTpfaoCkLsrPc37LJfUd5rgkKAEojrIUu3fQ6V-zqIa7JQHfapWyQkAxje19YWjYoAnUtcztOlEN4R8mM/s1600/school_fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq3TCZXSu8xKQmuwhh5Gm87prB5J3kRnYEv8KMymkGWLbxDHJNsWoNwBtJ7TNTpfaoCkLsrPc37LJfUd5rgkKAEojrIUu3fQ6V-zqIa7JQHfapWyQkAxje19YWjYoAnUtcztOlEN4R8mM/s1600/school_fish.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner | 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
These fish are swimming in a school.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8OFtHLex8SNnGx8tstkYCT6K9fPWC16ikE1NfNkaZWZuzIlB79oZgt7CCD-JV1DsjzpPVnAsS7ZWqgHlmP_6tU3ueUzSOjO918wKRqvVmhQRy5fwRsidME068FE892GNISEv3_yJUG0/s1600/diamonds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8OFtHLex8SNnGx8tstkYCT6K9fPWC16ikE1NfNkaZWZuzIlB79oZgt7CCD-JV1DsjzpPVnAsS7ZWqgHlmP_6tU3ueUzSOjO918wKRqvVmhQRy5fwRsidME068FE892GNISEv3_yJUG0/s1600/diamonds.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner | 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The simplest of white picket fences can be transformed by making only three diagonal cuts on each post.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wGlxznVgVsnQTL9_t6lFp-4vGHuh7zb7D3O2HWmVdQZgUeePb09Usrw9oYTQXj5toSUUFMEN3qSXJNe6JkQwIrWWMDSGdWCaA_yHHjjWcO5DYbTMO2QWmkNzWP15BX_1J-93afy9mt8/s1600/heart_fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wGlxznVgVsnQTL9_t6lFp-4vGHuh7zb7D3O2HWmVdQZgUeePb09Usrw9oYTQXj5toSUUFMEN3qSXJNe6JkQwIrWWMDSGdWCaA_yHHjjWcO5DYbTMO2QWmkNzWP15BX_1J-93afy9mt8/s1600/heart_fence.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner | 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Likewise, the posts of this elaborate gingerbread fence are simply the letter "Z," slightly modified.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Tym-bFGoFZjEVFA8O9y9wyOJx5sC3UgUz5wHtBY-nrYUO6qJuyHWSrVh8vAsa3oOgltdEbws0gpyLevTCdr3zzmV_L7OHmlXEOOanQpY-ue5fqsC0euY7SGWWRrO88CGECife3OjxOk/s1600/key_west_star_fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Tym-bFGoFZjEVFA8O9y9wyOJx5sC3UgUz5wHtBY-nrYUO6qJuyHWSrVh8vAsa3oOgltdEbws0gpyLevTCdr3zzmV_L7OHmlXEOOanQpY-ue5fqsC0euY7SGWWRrO88CGECife3OjxOk/s1600/key_west_star_fence.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner | 2015</td></tr>
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I spent a weekend in Key West and saw this distinctive fence there. In Key West, one could form a walking tour just around great fences and porch trim.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoH5-xlmrZsRyqXYmCEHHPW4z2zMiflSwicZmUw7n01eIoz_rCI_DtQhVcWMk0Be61Lg11nJLKTeSw9UK__SxJ2RgaWlycjsqMatqKr-2lkV5WxlVssRJxBrKLbVBIijv_q80WBMXw0g/s1600/43a-pineapple-fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoH5-xlmrZsRyqXYmCEHHPW4z2zMiflSwicZmUw7n01eIoz_rCI_DtQhVcWMk0Be61Lg11nJLKTeSw9UK__SxJ2RgaWlycjsqMatqKr-2lkV5WxlVssRJxBrKLbVBIijv_q80WBMXw0g/s1600/43a-pineapple-fence.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner | 2015 </td></tr>
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This was my favorite fence in Key West, and one that's often photographed by tourists. Each cutout insect or animal is an individual design.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVM6CHPJ6kevp-HJb-6Qziv_LZWMYH8PZOlcsO0dDiFnBQzQaf42L2xqRMdSGBWUlFLp-B8NiN2oxtkrSgLmN6eBafyCppfhcWv96ZjowTk4sxx6OjeOklWQE9T_WFMnO8bzEJ2D_qW-w/s1600/fence_butterfly.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVM6CHPJ6kevp-HJb-6Qziv_LZWMYH8PZOlcsO0dDiFnBQzQaf42L2xqRMdSGBWUlFLp-B8NiN2oxtkrSgLmN6eBafyCppfhcWv96ZjowTk4sxx6OjeOklWQE9T_WFMnO8bzEJ2D_qW-w/s1600/fence_butterfly.gif" /></a></div>
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner | 2015</td></tr>
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Here's a common Key West fence design, though I photographed this particular fence on St. Pete Beach. I'm sure I've missed a few beauties in my area, and if I do find more, I'll add them to this posting.</div>
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-11243466545353184342015-08-01T00:00:00.000-04:002015-08-01T00:00:06.819-04:00Just For Today . . .<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqcbLWTcLxXdlDlT1MmOHvw-m0ykE5sEAecAbWl042fu73BtINXTnMPcu-s5zV-HTgO-PoWlermjS1dfF7cwoHkhQme60FMZCEF1K38Owg_uIeKyny8Dv_SHU11YJWHlYc9BjPsJf-3A/s1600/aug_button_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqcbLWTcLxXdlDlT1MmOHvw-m0ykE5sEAecAbWl042fu73BtINXTnMPcu-s5zV-HTgO-PoWlermjS1dfF7cwoHkhQme60FMZCEF1K38Owg_uIeKyny8Dv_SHU11YJWHlYc9BjPsJf-3A/s1600/aug_button_500.jpg" /></a> </div>
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For the past several years, I've been sharing monthly from my collection of antique buttons. (If you click on the sidebar icon entitled "Antique Button of the Month," you'll see a gallery of all the buttons I've shared to date.)<br />
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Just for today, I want to call your attention to this month's offering. It's my favorite of the lot, and I think it deserves to be seen enlarged. This button, which probably adorned a cloak or cape, measures less than 1¾" in diameter, and for that size has extraordinary detail. I like to think of it as my little Cellini.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #660000;">Wishing you a Happy August!</span></span></i></span></div>
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-14306123219985580432015-07-24T07:30:00.000-04:002016-02-10T22:07:52.907-05:00Pompeii No.58: Pompeii's Finale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRcCGQ6rpvW1onnCS9Pvl3tlIqXn0RsXQMCgSoMHnM7ZOCicql7wq_wE5UDuPcOs1gHiw-PB-qVPQ4vPvVzALsdDdj1pbK0CeNsXTHt_notWeFZsgBnF-FavLlD3KnaacKbaFtONZrLs/s1600/gold_plaque_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRcCGQ6rpvW1onnCS9Pvl3tlIqXn0RsXQMCgSoMHnM7ZOCicql7wq_wE5UDuPcOs1gHiw-PB-qVPQ4vPvVzALsdDdj1pbK0CeNsXTHt_notWeFZsgBnF-FavLlD3KnaacKbaFtONZrLs/s1600/gold_plaque_2.jpg" /></a></div>
No, I don't mean smoke and ashes. When I say, "Pompeii's Finale," I simply mean that my home mural project has finally come to an end.<br />
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Since my last posting. the mural's window plaque has received a gold surface and a Latin inscription. The font is appropriately named <a href="http://allthingsruffnerian.blogspot.com/2011/01/recreating-trajan-inscription.html" target="_blank">Trajan</a>, and the saying translates as, "Know Thyself," wise and profound advice from the ages.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCSQAgXKFSC52Jxf-qm0BrlIolIaWOQIGNyp9cPpPT2ql_CkiOtzoWISh8BygRK10UolVM_nNGZjGZ7hOWqJmjXO4XemJ0B8gQ9NWvr7Hz8B97dFRiyo19wwjPkjv7Hz6AFnrr2pKtLo/s1600/gold_plaque_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCSQAgXKFSC52Jxf-qm0BrlIolIaWOQIGNyp9cPpPT2ql_CkiOtzoWISh8BygRK10UolVM_nNGZjGZ7hOWqJmjXO4XemJ0B8gQ9NWvr7Hz8B97dFRiyo19wwjPkjv7Hz6AFnrr2pKtLo/s400/gold_plaque_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are views of the room as it appears today... </span></i></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsRtoZca4KSlj0_ejJsyPjIvWiNyvQ6UjLwwHcXrd3Q9OgVFwbwxXos5mKOgiwpymoYwFB48OWg62qidHoDeysy8Hm5K8hfsruymhI081l6Ley5-HnjDQybt3vkc3x8vcP_JgTZb9SRY/s1600/living_room_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsRtoZca4KSlj0_ejJsyPjIvWiNyvQ6UjLwwHcXrd3Q9OgVFwbwxXos5mKOgiwpymoYwFB48OWg62qidHoDeysy8Hm5K8hfsruymhI081l6Ley5-HnjDQybt3vkc3x8vcP_JgTZb9SRY/s400/living_room_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtJxeNJEOUgRnShHR66ZeTrFXP_cZFrUdH14Vx9tojTKSfbb42q23hhYN1ibO1l3sQ9NIm72FsutZEZtRTl0eDqQRqFutBJZNSZJp_tAZA4fXIzfk5zzixmUTLphjPfRQaerb7iaDM_U/s1600/west_wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtJxeNJEOUgRnShHR66ZeTrFXP_cZFrUdH14Vx9tojTKSfbb42q23hhYN1ibO1l3sQ9NIm72FsutZEZtRTl0eDqQRqFutBJZNSZJp_tAZA4fXIzfk5zzixmUTLphjPfRQaerb7iaDM_U/s400/west_wall.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPcQyFmd3iNFRW-kTpPsdt0Ztnh-0V0kPFRktB0IRwFqeE-7k4JSv2dHXf-DbCt7VPDY0luitu0x2-LuDvvbvn430nSzSXqw15ZyqbOoayMa_JMilLbWPEwjYGtAwXCqOd0PnNGoFlPE/s1600/fini_angled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPcQyFmd3iNFRW-kTpPsdt0Ztnh-0V0kPFRktB0IRwFqeE-7k4JSv2dHXf-DbCt7VPDY0luitu0x2-LuDvvbvn430nSzSXqw15ZyqbOoayMa_JMilLbWPEwjYGtAwXCqOd0PnNGoFlPE/s400/fini_angled.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7S-qBm3_XMKtW-2YKQUA3C1-JHRAPi7Cdj5ySBM3-wjgJOFWJ8zz-GMncxsrjQNyW413GdXgVp201vUeyIEPIy-yF1IPoCHP69RW-ybbKjPWsXIpgjIxQwXqJget_NCdEswH50WAbh0/s1600/east_wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7S-qBm3_XMKtW-2YKQUA3C1-JHRAPi7Cdj5ySBM3-wjgJOFWJ8zz-GMncxsrjQNyW413GdXgVp201vUeyIEPIy-yF1IPoCHP69RW-ybbKjPWsXIpgjIxQwXqJget_NCdEswH50WAbh0/s400/east_wall.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqvP9oBwPsnRvM8MDoyyMqU60vh2yznDKfmbYplQ0XtqwqsYs_teHu-y4dTnwOvl8yLpYhTtpgZJzpfm-_0K2Z-NKIghWF48dlJEQj_cvErceDpmwu_NyVZyyMGmoIcRlmInJMcjz_8I/s1600/north_view_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqvP9oBwPsnRvM8MDoyyMqU60vh2yznDKfmbYplQ0XtqwqsYs_teHu-y4dTnwOvl8yLpYhTtpgZJzpfm-_0K2Z-NKIghWF48dlJEQj_cvErceDpmwu_NyVZyyMGmoIcRlmInJMcjz_8I/s400/north_view_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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I promised my blogging friend Yvette that I would include a view from the kitchen. It's painted an orange, but I think you could also call it a Pompeian yellow.<br />
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Of course there is still work to be done — the Roman grille for the window, a solution to shield the kitchen from view while still allowing easy access, perhaps revised lighting, and then finally, the furnishings. That should be a lot of fun. In the meantime, I'll put away the ladder, the drop cloth and many quarts of paint.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #660000;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thanks for viewing!</span></i></span></span></div>
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-20981333810496143692015-07-17T07:30:00.000-04:002015-07-17T15:24:13.762-04:00Pompeii No.57: Window Treatments<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiT0lCZIGwL6SfEazg8EKtz8ec7XUsZy6zZ2sKaHkhHuS5ApveDFIvrzqpLbgCWY94szbm6xExcIf7mlsy8t-D8r_LKHjK1I22Z10yTI-7J0yvc9FkPtR2EwAWp01H_k0G4wvl68a-1x4/s1600/torus_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiT0lCZIGwL6SfEazg8EKtz8ec7XUsZy6zZ2sKaHkhHuS5ApveDFIvrzqpLbgCWY94szbm6xExcIf7mlsy8t-D8r_LKHjK1I22Z10yTI-7J0yvc9FkPtR2EwAWp01H_k0G4wvl68a-1x4/s1600/torus_hdr.jpg" /></a></div>
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If you've been following the many installments of the Pompeii Room's evolution, you might remember that I painted the window frame at the very beginning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOgTMNYsC1_gigpwFvZR5kA_-pvEuSmYzn_jp0GS7VZiBtWAidwkokk-3ypTXBxcNSsGUyl7VvNJfRsdVQ0u0G4z2birgpuRkql80uvg9gXvV_ue8Wbw4gY6e2W6o_zjf_i4GJdQMZ5s/s1600/window_wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgOgTMNYsC1_gigpwFvZR5kA_-pvEuSmYzn_jp0GS7VZiBtWAidwkokk-3ypTXBxcNSsGUyl7VvNJfRsdVQ0u0G4z2birgpuRkql80uvg9gXvV_ue8Wbw4gY6e2W6o_zjf_i4GJdQMZ5s/s1600/window_wall.jpg" /></a></div>
I chose to begin there because it was the first thing that people entering the room would see. But I painted it loosely because I wanted to give a little momentum to the project. At the time, I said I'd return at a later date and add more detail. Well, that time is now.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Yoy1YJQk17_BaJWjE1_3MnlVCYbWarf8D__hs9q0lvGNz9J6_iJFbzyCtsAGtEBQphUz3MkZoOFJmnhJvTGAuQVYbikvfiXTbJLrAUl89TNEBeTelDyuPWxTIl4FMk4gG-eCSDZUn_8/s1600/matching_masonry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Yoy1YJQk17_BaJWjE1_3MnlVCYbWarf8D__hs9q0lvGNz9J6_iJFbzyCtsAGtEBQphUz3MkZoOFJmnhJvTGAuQVYbikvfiXTbJLrAUl89TNEBeTelDyuPWxTIl4FMk4gG-eCSDZUn_8/s1600/matching_masonry.jpg" /></a></div>
I began by repainting the entire frame to better match the rest of the room's masonry. Now all the masonry is in the same color family, primarily a Sherwin Williams paint called <i>Sand Dollar</i>.<br />
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Here you can see the before and after. The original window frame was a light mustard yellow that I equated with sandstone, and as you can see, I've better delineated the torus that tops the window frame.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5sabT8YIMQLO_TgXVgnmBHOvVg-aqH0X-6w_ym-1eMjXAZvcouZovV-m-WUYPO31g7zBmGfksscjOlDHFjxE_HQ-BA781u_TbFNsqRdQky8drC8rb9fwbhPbXeelg-enviSv3ZGkHes/s1600/revised_torus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5sabT8YIMQLO_TgXVgnmBHOvVg-aqH0X-6w_ym-1eMjXAZvcouZovV-m-WUYPO31g7zBmGfksscjOlDHFjxE_HQ-BA781u_TbFNsqRdQky8drC8rb9fwbhPbXeelg-enviSv3ZGkHes/s400/revised_torus.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
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My friend Sandy — who gives excellent critiques — thinks that the cobalt blue plaque makes the frame a little too top heavy, even if it will be getting an inscription. She's made a suggestion that I like, and so that blue will be replaced by my next posting.<br />
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You've undoubtedly noticed that in all my images of the Pompeii Room's window, I've masked the actual window with gray. That's because I've been bothered all along by a venetian blind, which quickly destroys the illusion I've been working hard to create.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgld8cfKMGeMjOj4vOw4MK95gpy0AQj6Qf8H3CmlSWlDlvkZEDv81xoLL1J2Ngv3FvpveJ1BFcXCBYwPEDtBLQe6uPqOeKt3a9mUZabUhal0zM9ByPsTag0T1JPSp0g2XS5vu4e3iQpsZg/s1600/roman_grill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgld8cfKMGeMjOj4vOw4MK95gpy0AQj6Qf8H3CmlSWlDlvkZEDv81xoLL1J2Ngv3FvpveJ1BFcXCBYwPEDtBLQe6uPqOeKt3a9mUZabUhal0zM9ByPsTag0T1JPSp0g2XS5vu4e3iQpsZg/s1600/roman_grill.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Greek Revival America</i> | Roger G. Kennedy | detail of a photograph by Robert Lautman</td></tr>
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What I really wanted was a Roman grill like the image above. I drew plans of such a window and even consulted with a fine carpenter who's done other work on the house.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Fso74bOSZauu-5xFBbjQYTuGB-D8MfL0W4uX1cRnbFhjCt6hapEZUkrZKmYw4CT4nRag_ww7HSEYKdKtr8nuWCglQic_pHbhlNtk2N5QMXnctNEppCpUnBrq3OC7clnBOvHAdMCkyuU/s1600/union_jack_grill.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Fso74bOSZauu-5xFBbjQYTuGB-D8MfL0W4uX1cRnbFhjCt6hapEZUkrZKmYw4CT4nRag_ww7HSEYKdKtr8nuWCglQic_pHbhlNtk2N5QMXnctNEppCpUnBrq3OC7clnBOvHAdMCkyuU/s320/union_jack_grill.gif" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">homedepot.com</td></tr>
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I also looked into the possibility of using industrial grilles.</div>
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And then last week, while my house was being tented, I discovered this antique screen, originally hinged as a room divider. If you look closely, you might be able to see that by removing an X'd unit from the bottom of each panel, the fit will be almost perfect. I'm thrilled.</div>
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I hope you'll join me for the next installment!</div>
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-14176263958938905022015-07-13T15:43:00.001-04:002015-07-13T15:44:01.631-04:00The Reason for a Summer Hiatus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5uA5tc5pl_DX9xObowrtB8ee90-bHV2SNNbqBG70OXxVMe8VcFU6xcniBDqgT_CLJNqIxWzBBA_UAjx8UtJCzEP4Z3crWMUn7EumigNuHFZ7_Z6wsDOPdFPWAYuKRhW-sgXN9x7hazE/s1600/poison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU5uA5tc5pl_DX9xObowrtB8ee90-bHV2SNNbqBG70OXxVMe8VcFU6xcniBDqgT_CLJNqIxWzBBA_UAjx8UtJCzEP4Z3crWMUn7EumigNuHFZ7_Z6wsDOPdFPWAYuKRhW-sgXN9x7hazE/s1600/poison.jpg" /></a></div>
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Dear blogging friends,<br />
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I haven't posted lately, and one of the reasons has been that my little house was inundated this past month with termites! They swarmed into every room, and there was evidence that they had been in the attic for some time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhkJrgvaPAVGzlr3JC17UJXywgDXtpqDOzRM5y_qTt1UyxTDIPXn90zCqIClW8AZa8whUV0q5D3LQAxD1vwyBYKzl7x62-izZqDDvlXLcTmHab08Uvs3H7rRfhe9Q5Cnc9QyuKShfjBM/s1600/house_tented.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhkJrgvaPAVGzlr3JC17UJXywgDXtpqDOzRM5y_qTt1UyxTDIPXn90zCqIClW8AZa8whUV0q5D3LQAxD1vwyBYKzl7x62-izZqDDvlXLcTmHab08Uvs3H7rRfhe9Q5Cnc9QyuKShfjBM/s1600/house_tented.jpg" /></a></div>
So I did quite a bit of logistics to move food, toiletries, vitamins, plants and even a collection of daguerreotypes to other sites. This is what my house looked like over last weekend. I stayed in a lovely spot on the Gulf of Mexico — about 20 minutes away — so any inconvenience ultimately turned into a pleasant vacation for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8h565f144hA4hSB8Vq8n7Ot7txFGoAaTBbeaz37tyRnMimebajVwSQ7-_aTSSgxHPQRlgLdh_d9WIwLmsrAeaerF4qucertKFOEVn0jk-RbuFHGxCJ8MmitxleanHp3dUF1BcS7lRPy4/s1600/house_tenting_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8h565f144hA4hSB8Vq8n7Ot7txFGoAaTBbeaz37tyRnMimebajVwSQ7-_aTSSgxHPQRlgLdh_d9WIwLmsrAeaerF4qucertKFOEVn0jk-RbuFHGxCJ8MmitxleanHp3dUF1BcS7lRPy4/s1600/house_tenting_2.jpg" /></a></div>
These photographs show how my house is surrounded by Live Oaks, several palm trees, and the ever-present Spanish moss.<br />
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Did you ever wonder why the tenting usually has stripes? Each stripe is five feet wide, making it easy for the exterminators to calculate tent size and house area.<br />
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We'll get back to Pompei with the next posting.</div>
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I hope you'll join me then.</div>
<span style="color: white;">.</span>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-74586348972040013602015-06-21T07:30:00.000-04:002015-06-22T19:49:47.921-04:00Pompeii No.56: The Tympanum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt79Qs2aeX3WttFZR0kJqNmOOpkHvMK7a0HSPOTD7crF4Tgxhx04NasgHPfYpg1TKLBZVVxnHLgrXsZuGY-rKayzsaF8Dg0mAszUVLutEGrno09gRPYv2UMFu4dmBFpwNAHLtz3BdikQ/s1600/tympanum_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwt79Qs2aeX3WttFZR0kJqNmOOpkHvMK7a0HSPOTD7crF4Tgxhx04NasgHPfYpg1TKLBZVVxnHLgrXsZuGY-rKayzsaF8Dg0mAszUVLutEGrno09gRPYv2UMFu4dmBFpwNAHLtz3BdikQ/s400/tympanum_hdr.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPra0OcW5Uh1isiL4oOEqiuJmH08WD8kFMOLFrJw_yo5iG3E_WwIoCBt4WHmDezR1BXuVkDHA2ImORG6rlyIvavDXj1HuXSnaeSOjbhNx5hZOomO_j9byhfsnheOpego72olJlC-gXS0/s1600/kitchen_pediment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPra0OcW5Uh1isiL4oOEqiuJmH08WD8kFMOLFrJw_yo5iG3E_WwIoCBt4WHmDezR1BXuVkDHA2ImORG6rlyIvavDXj1HuXSnaeSOjbhNx5hZOomO_j9byhfsnheOpego72olJlC-gXS0/s1600/kitchen_pediment.jpg" /></a></div>
In Pompeii No. 41, I showed the pediment above the kitchen door thusly, asking my readers whether its interior should be left plain or ornamented. The unanimous response was that the <i>tympanum</i> (properly identified by Jim of <a href="http://roadtoparnassus.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Road to Parnassus</a>) should be ornamented, and so by popular demand, that's the project for this week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFbULgfTlDyRR76AualNtCRSZoB9xJ9Wca2lFRka33ShEHrw212ILR_112XRCRHBdHJnTjuXzBtGD6inX54Cj6YrsDGFrAqvPC3rJXGcsu-30go0sgmJJptpO5lhW1ruCfJalReEc3n4/s1600/pediment_tracings.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFbULgfTlDyRR76AualNtCRSZoB9xJ9Wca2lFRka33ShEHrw212ILR_112XRCRHBdHJnTjuXzBtGD6inX54Cj6YrsDGFrAqvPC3rJXGcsu-30go0sgmJJptpO5lhW1ruCfJalReEc3n4/s400/pediment_tracings.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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My first tympanum drafting was "A," but the more I looked at it, the more those leaf scrolls reminded me of a Victorian furniture design. So I redesigned the tympanum as "B," which has a more graceful and authentically Greek feel to it. (The Pompeians were looking to ancient Greece for inspiration.) Incidentally, all parts of the mural have been worked out in tracings like the examples above.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMV4mc5e9xKrqTcCcPD96DPkDjmh6GTA-6YBtX_OP8s4PmCY0vBhz9Fxipm8fOHVoxP5j47qqI_WXkleAqfVoKV97aKFrR4oR_6t2ORNUq6PdGO9oGktA2d4HuX5ox0CCfx3kWlBcrxo/s1600/palmette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMV4mc5e9xKrqTcCcPD96DPkDjmh6GTA-6YBtX_OP8s4PmCY0vBhz9Fxipm8fOHVoxP5j47qqI_WXkleAqfVoKV97aKFrR4oR_6t2ORNUq6PdGO9oGktA2d4HuX5ox0CCfx3kWlBcrxo/s1600/palmette.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.buffaloah.com</td></tr>
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The architectural decoration above is called an <i>akroter</i>, and is found at the apex of gables on classical buildings, especially Greek temples. Within the typical akroter is an element called the palmette, which I'm incorporating into my own design.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HAXoH5pjYhqOVy0G8sp4AjkMct8SkpabWfCe0gj9nZWP-eO3T6mEDQmAwcx1JcYy33Qw1Lz3IMDzdRgbPbGUniRFFUzzjIJTK92CShmheJX7Qn9ijdlll8S50RNo_VpCMvz60_YovLE/s1600/palmette.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HAXoH5pjYhqOVy0G8sp4AjkMct8SkpabWfCe0gj9nZWP-eO3T6mEDQmAwcx1JcYy33Qw1Lz3IMDzdRgbPbGUniRFFUzzjIJTK92CShmheJX7Qn9ijdlll8S50RNo_VpCMvz60_YovLE/s1600/palmette.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Ercolano-Green by Richard Ginori | www.klatmagazine.com</td></tr>
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This handsome plate also features palmettes.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3cN0sxdmdfzfd9Uos5UrI2NPDy3_aI3ywM-V97ui55CEuBWvX3RC73W_56EyRZvtXSPj_a0bPAwtinLzNxfLoYOPcomAGkqLBE-Ii4nkCkngRIac_5SzDxwDDafvHeG-L_VNHImxAyc/s1600/tympanum_painted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis3cN0sxdmdfzfd9Uos5UrI2NPDy3_aI3ywM-V97ui55CEuBWvX3RC73W_56EyRZvtXSPj_a0bPAwtinLzNxfLoYOPcomAGkqLBE-Ii4nkCkngRIac_5SzDxwDDafvHeG-L_VNHImxAyc/s400/tympanum_painted.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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The finished tympanum — a look one doesn't often see above a kitchen door. Thanks to my readers for encouraging me to add it!<br />
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<span style="color: white;">.</span>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-42898337171760384682015-06-05T07:30:00.000-04:002015-06-12T20:25:03.350-04:00Pompeii No.55: An Homage to Piranesi<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnoBtpegtNZwc0IbRDTXg4v8eqE7W0atk8O33aUJlLoiVOtVacqia3PDV804kSBplVX1c1bWgDIqNvcBgteKxI274StC_QQKrfLvW6DjRsehXSRFOEguFjgmEbvUYAUhBh5rXC5-Zsbg/s1600/Piranesi_self_portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnoBtpegtNZwc0IbRDTXg4v8eqE7W0atk8O33aUJlLoiVOtVacqia3PDV804kSBplVX1c1bWgDIqNvcBgteKxI274StC_QQKrfLvW6DjRsehXSRFOEguFjgmEbvUYAUhBh5rXC5-Zsbg/s1600/Piranesi_self_portrait.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">en.wikipedia.org</td></tr>
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">commons.wikimedia.org</td></tr>
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I decided that my Pompeian mural would not be complete without an homage to one of the most remarkable men of the eighteenth century, Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Piranesi (1720-1778) was born in the then Republic of Venice, and studied with his uncle, who was an engineer specializing in excavation. Perhaps that whetted Giovanni's appetite for the etchings that would make him famous.<br />
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Piranesi: The Complete Etchings | Luigi Ficacci</td></tr>
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At the age of 20, Piranesi went to Rome, studied etching and engraving, and soon produced a series of Roman views that brought him his initial fame. Above is his depiction of the ruins of the forum of <a href="http://allthingsruffnerian.blogspot.com/2014/10/pompeii-no32-five-good-emperors.html" target="_blank">Nerva</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja33RGhWIh1sH9F8si7_O9H9hyphenhyphena3SIMEWbOd7Yn1wHveipqYHu39s8C72Px9eKTiHBBq5FGzguXgSVVGrdiQLG4VbgmOYTXx7TdbZSsmoSZXhgggFudCVRjIPnDiAzbRk-AJV4k7Vo08k/s1600/piranesi_map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja33RGhWIh1sH9F8si7_O9H9hyphenhyphena3SIMEWbOd7Yn1wHveipqYHu39s8C72Px9eKTiHBBq5FGzguXgSVVGrdiQLG4VbgmOYTXx7TdbZSsmoSZXhgggFudCVRjIPnDiAzbRk-AJV4k7Vo08k/s1600/piranesi_map.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Piranesi: The Complete Etchings | Luigi Ficacci</td></tr>
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Piranesi measured the ruins of Rome, then made beautiful topographic maps, as well as reconstructions of imperial Rome at its height. Above is Piranesi's reconstruction of the Campus Martius, originally a military field dedicated to the god Mars. Below is a another reconstruction of the Campus Martius, perhaps inspired by Piranesi's work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSCY0I6mYagz4OsjZkwgZfqTwOJBlQxOOMzGuIf1nvu3PvRjheMhPGhUJBwZwvxNjcg8tRCla8793ORc05d53cPDqk5vIHo4Ht-vYz4yQ9Io-uxK3KWXgBfosVDhkH_2tQ-WwezQ-02U/s1600/campus_martius.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSCY0I6mYagz4OsjZkwgZfqTwOJBlQxOOMzGuIf1nvu3PvRjheMhPGhUJBwZwvxNjcg8tRCla8793ORc05d53cPDqk5vIHo4Ht-vYz4yQ9Io-uxK3KWXgBfosVDhkH_2tQ-WwezQ-02U/s1600/campus_martius.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">en.wikipedia.org</td></tr>
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Piranesi: The Complete Etchings | Luigi Ficacci</td></tr>
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If that were that not enough, Piranesi recorded countless Roman fragments in multiple compositions like the one above.<br />
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The three previous engravings came from this book published by Taschen, and no library of architectural history (or for that matter decorative design) would be complete without it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
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I should add before I go on that Piranesi is also famous for having drawn a series of imagined prisons. They'd fit in nicely with contemporary fantasy art and today's blockbuster movie sets. Piranesi was a most prolific fellow.<br />
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">jamblimited.com</td></tr>
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When I saw this lovely urn, designed by Piranesi, I thought it would be perfect to place between the living room's ignudi.<br />
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As you can see, my own version has a different bottom than the original reference, but one that is also based on a Piranesi design.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViE9S4fIwvv1_Vz_79jQ9aZMkFHsKNNsRGtXMSxny-aJnnl47C0Jt7tZyUHGvmDKLcayKzf7HBL64gRhe-3hTR8wSd5SKCbhplLLj4xsRSO74inVYhYamKThqARd5AyDJGjziu20zQxU/s1600/final_urn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViE9S4fIwvv1_Vz_79jQ9aZMkFHsKNNsRGtXMSxny-aJnnl47C0Jt7tZyUHGvmDKLcayKzf7HBL64gRhe-3hTR8wSd5SKCbhplLLj4xsRSO74inVYhYamKThqARd5AyDJGjziu20zQxU/s1600/final_urn.jpg" /></a></div>
Such a substantial urn deserves a plinth, perhaps even one with a commemorative portrait. But who is this? Certainly not Giovanni Battista Piranesi!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjNmOlovCY_TkXvyweC4U3hyD3BOla9FHgdvlJYa-rwtm-lM1BJScTxmGI-vQUG3bRI_DSL6Sepp51FYgZsVw6TjBoESfieyVWGS_JQ17NNMqIPPMWCfgU2lGzHivG2vAvovFDJLCkWs/s1600/self-portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFjNmOlovCY_TkXvyweC4U3hyD3BOla9FHgdvlJYa-rwtm-lM1BJScTxmGI-vQUG3bRI_DSL6Sepp51FYgZsVw6TjBoESfieyVWGS_JQ17NNMqIPPMWCfgU2lGzHivG2vAvovFDJLCkWs/s1600/self-portrait.jpg" /></a></div>
It is yours truly. The self-portrait measures approximately three inches high, or about the same size you're seeing it now, if you have a 21.5-inch screen.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
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Now the ignudi can contemplate the urn, rather than ogle each other, as they seemed to be doing before. This is a dark corner that abuts a floor-to-ceiling mirror, so it's a little difficult to light properly.<br />
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This angled view is actually a truer representation.</div>
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And with that, the living room part of the mural is finished. Now I'm going to double back and tweak a couple areas to which I mentioned I would return.<br />
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I hope you'll join me for the next stage. </div>
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-27604683678682687822015-05-30T07:30:00.000-04:002015-05-30T07:30:01.232-04:00Pompeii No.54: Adding a Brown Anole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS3iQKRv_jNWkNxTObeYZrAR0sQY6yV8I4XlPgQBZbl1Ye9cu55kyslJYEqIou64hZObWXaUPHt61WO-vfgSpS_gdFtDsg4JdWx6c4CPIvA1i9-f9BzlgBHSbJY0LDkfdqSAwPxHRJGY/s1600/brown_anole%E2%80%93headr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWS3iQKRv_jNWkNxTObeYZrAR0sQY6yV8I4XlPgQBZbl1Ye9cu55kyslJYEqIou64hZObWXaUPHt61WO-vfgSpS_gdFtDsg4JdWx6c4CPIvA1i9-f9BzlgBHSbJY0LDkfdqSAwPxHRJGY/s1600/brown_anole%E2%80%93headr.jpg" /></a></div>
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I thought that for the next stage of the mural, I would add a touch of Florida, which is where I'm located. And what better than the brown anole, which is more familiarly called the gecko.<br />
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<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.orlandosentinel.com</td></tr>
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Actually, the native lizard is the green anole. The brown anole is Cuban and started proliferating in Florida in the 1970s. A more aggressive lizard, the brown anole chased the green anoles off the ground and into the bushes and trees. On any given day, I see a half dozen brown anoles on my porch, but never green ones.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcgo8FnC7NZoNzFNx_85yR__9N2elLsFZJXed3ThOTj3As2-BCqhXjgbBTMasgbxUPKWaLx9pYZ9CA1ovtZWDn2PZlVbALTs8tg8JMARk8uJLvy2Rz1AdHN9BacKdCjaW4QftCRn9uYu0/s1600/green_vs_brown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcgo8FnC7NZoNzFNx_85yR__9N2elLsFZJXed3ThOTj3As2-BCqhXjgbBTMasgbxUPKWaLx9pYZ9CA1ovtZWDn2PZlVbALTs8tg8JMARk8uJLvy2Rz1AdHN9BacKdCjaW4QftCRn9uYu0/s1600/green_vs_brown.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">timmitchellbiology.weebly.com</td></tr>
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This remarkable photograph of a green anole eating its nemesis comes by way of Timothy Mitchell's blog, which can be found <a href="http://timmitchellbiology.weebly.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. The scene is usually reversed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR0g1NLGujHcmrrm0r1bscILDn16dKpf94C1KE96n_PyqfNl87VWQTxb3QbkFSJ5Ev0kd9ORk4DfEEjmhQFYYNxeSzIe4NEXyegm57bo9nreBT1Vzy5eqma3PrQAPZ_pUk0CdZxsN2cs/s1600/anole_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbR0g1NLGujHcmrrm0r1bscILDn16dKpf94C1KE96n_PyqfNl87VWQTxb3QbkFSJ5Ev0kd9ORk4DfEEjmhQFYYNxeSzIe4NEXyegm57bo9nreBT1Vzy5eqma3PrQAPZ_pUk0CdZxsN2cs/s1600/anole_final.jpg" /></a></div>
And so, because I associate the Cuban anole rather than the green anole with my environment, I have placed him at the top of my Carracci wall. A lamp is below this image, so in real life the anole would be in the very same spot, waiting for a morsel to happen by.<br />
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In my next posting I'll add one more element to the living room wall, then I'll pull back to reveal that part of the mural, completed. I hope you'll join me then!<br />
<span style="color: white;">.</span>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-67275320562585726352015-05-29T07:30:00.000-04:002015-05-29T07:30:01.370-04:00Friday's Answer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZqMbGer8OlgL0FOC3_tSYFYyE3fFOOw5pSIMe4DvincdXWzELWfkN7RELxcZeSPNnJwJrmzXmvVNn1xqNLrcmg1jDxCsk3ZjyM5Vu61uddPZa0Hb0XPMv5yj-oFI8MeJHmE2q4QkCfA/s1600/cradle_answer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZqMbGer8OlgL0FOC3_tSYFYyE3fFOOw5pSIMe4DvincdXWzELWfkN7RELxcZeSPNnJwJrmzXmvVNn1xqNLrcmg1jDxCsk3ZjyM5Vu61uddPZa0Hb0XPMv5yj-oFI8MeJHmE2q4QkCfA/s1600/cradle_answer.jpg" /></a></div>
Gina of <a href="http://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Ginaceramics</a> and Jim of <a href="http://roadtoparnassus.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Road to Parnassus</a> got it correct, and Rosemary of <a href="http://wherefivevalleysmeet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Where Five Valleys Meet</a> got it exactly correct. (And I need to devise a more difficult quiz for you smarties!)<br />
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The purpose of the hole was for inserting a knotted rope. The cradle would be next to the parents' bed, and when the baby started crying at night, the mother could tug on the rope and rock the cradle without having to get out of bed.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;">With tomorrow's posting, I'll be resuming</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #660000;">the progress of the Pompeii Room.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">.</span></div>
Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-65240455062669155522015-05-25T07:30:00.000-04:002015-05-25T07:30:00.570-04:00An American Frontier Mansion<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnG_1bUQYadJCYlng-eZ_WfmmAkSbESGvpykwiXHiZWygALB1tDJUMMdsDoZJYTV4o0lrLhVQQMN4ohyphenhyphenrOzS33_IBc6QQfblvKyk8ZfxNvNMOSTfRU-kbbo8AIIM4nRLGt0PTvpzqHIw/s1600/vance_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnG_1bUQYadJCYlng-eZ_WfmmAkSbESGvpykwiXHiZWygALB1tDJUMMdsDoZJYTV4o0lrLhVQQMN4ohyphenhyphenrOzS33_IBc6QQfblvKyk8ZfxNvNMOSTfRU-kbbo8AIIM4nRLGt0PTvpzqHIw/s1600/vance_hdr.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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This past week, I visited Asheville and the Smokey Mountains of North Carolina. I spent time with good friends, enjoyed the Asheville sights and savored the cool mountain air — a welcome change of pace from Florida's humidity. When Sandy and I left Asheville, the morning temperature was 41 degrees.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxSeOXtq9HfcgjoG_JwRrFVJSrPbY6XvhBPU8PiZn4IM4Y2clIFTZOEgcDLzMvM-xzPZz-5vKTzmF-H7AbzlK9UcwIDYUgPGHlZqtV6qORm5Kcyp8b2KfdRACB0j0w18c_4D38YEmc6M/s1600/smokey_panorama_low_res.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxSeOXtq9HfcgjoG_JwRrFVJSrPbY6XvhBPU8PiZn4IM4Y2clIFTZOEgcDLzMvM-xzPZz-5vKTzmF-H7AbzlK9UcwIDYUgPGHlZqtV6qORm5Kcyp8b2KfdRACB0j0w18c_4D38YEmc6M/s400/smokey_panorama_low_res.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">click to enlarge | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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Before I continue with today's story, I'd like to share this panoramic view that I patched together from four separate photographs. (Incidentally, the trick to making panoramic views — whether manually, as I did, or with a PhotoShop feature — is to overlap the photographs by approximately 25%.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFS6NDmMpYU2bH14EXm49BYsjUXO35DOwLQctgRRQSg0rkUjdrm14tBI9c-Po6e7z9rbl3Q3rOtc5d_gJZNtLn5vi_TlzJIODe5ys8m4wE1DHo037XOGqNam9UJhyevjyDIuoAbtV-UvM/s1600/outbuildings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFS6NDmMpYU2bH14EXm49BYsjUXO35DOwLQctgRRQSg0rkUjdrm14tBI9c-Po6e7z9rbl3Q3rOtc5d_gJZNtLn5vi_TlzJIODe5ys8m4wE1DHo037XOGqNam9UJhyevjyDIuoAbtV-UvM/s1600/outbuildings.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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Bill, our gracious host, took Sandy and me to see the birthplace of Zebulon B. Vance, the Confederate Civil War governor of North Carolina, and afterwards, its senator. The image above shows — from left to right — the smoke house, the loom house, the main house and the tool house. There are other outbuildings as well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EF1yMqs9hDxD72Vzo3fX4zRsDclTU2FIFdRlH9zNkptnwuZEIhDs1IC0JaRwKZR1djWpiH4qzVOTp5dVV_IgSV9sgdAkCDu7Om_Q1fdNhyphenhyphenPYkIZppeCfrcybxyPEc2UEZmrrF7WnjoQ/s1600/zeb_vance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EF1yMqs9hDxD72Vzo3fX4zRsDclTU2FIFdRlH9zNkptnwuZEIhDs1IC0JaRwKZR1djWpiH4qzVOTp5dVV_IgSV9sgdAkCDu7Om_Q1fdNhyphenhyphenPYkIZppeCfrcybxyPEc2UEZmrrF7WnjoQ/s1600/zeb_vance.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Mathew Brady: Historian With a Camera</i> | Horan</td></tr>
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In his time, Vance was especially noted for his colorful oratory, and he initially reflected the neutral view of North Carolinians, who didn't want to enter the Civil War. Today he is still admired for having been an effective governor and senator, though he has many detractors as well, for he was a founding klansman. A monument to him in Asheville is being restored, and apparently not everyone is thrilled.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5ocm2cyaG1EZiu6cKDc_5nXaiNOV5kGzZpXcIebXqf45k579guBBQM5gtGL2vlXa6M9q8SiJA-MkSrl6RfNXguvC9LRevZttxtfS2dTalRXiIWrmhCfcP5snSEcENIxdMpYR90g-BSk/s1600/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5ocm2cyaG1EZiu6cKDc_5nXaiNOV5kGzZpXcIebXqf45k579guBBQM5gtGL2vlXa6M9q8SiJA-MkSrl6RfNXguvC9LRevZttxtfS2dTalRXiIWrmhCfcP5snSEcENIxdMpYR90g-BSk/s1600/kitchen.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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Putting that aside, the Vance house, built by Zebulon's grandfather in the 1790s, is a fascinating peek into the frontier life of 1800. As Americans pushed westward, the average house of the time was just one room, usually about 15 feet square. It would have had one door and perhaps two tiny windows. By contrast, the Vance house had five rooms in two stories, indicating considerable wealth. Above and below are views of the front room, which served as a kitchen and dining room.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOTc-N2-Hr4mCd52FwF-3s0eTe9nxx8w6F4QgHRcwVWxxGQwQ46c48yDHf-EyNeB4Iv1vwUZp8UD3iDYCT0LCppN1GysuOb5UaLJazZeZIyI6Dm6w68tUDm_TiMO3ITxoWs27Adna8a0/s1600/kitchen_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOTc-N2-Hr4mCd52FwF-3s0eTe9nxx8w6F4QgHRcwVWxxGQwQ46c48yDHf-EyNeB4Iv1vwUZp8UD3iDYCT0LCppN1GysuOb5UaLJazZeZIyI6Dm6w68tUDm_TiMO3ITxoWs27Adna8a0/s1600/kitchen_2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheQoJ-2sgH88sZC7-r-h73FbxLQvqNsSvP3_cl0zw3yP_08PmDuC1kVLgcaXZxz7lAwIXrNWR32kPOCOhQoNZlpIETSqBSFnTN6H8-uuPjthNd1AoUQf9uX8Gm5KC5DpHNJPRxBvGLWA/s1600/sitting_rm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjheQoJ-2sgH88sZC7-r-h73FbxLQvqNsSvP3_cl0zw3yP_08PmDuC1kVLgcaXZxz7lAwIXrNWR32kPOCOhQoNZlpIETSqBSFnTN6H8-uuPjthNd1AoUQf9uX8Gm5KC5DpHNJPRxBvGLWA/s1600/sitting_rm.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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The second room on the ground floor was a sitting room with a bed for the adults. Beyond it was a very small bedroom that was reserved for guests.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9x5Hr_FsQDTtqCbmWB8ku9fH3-CSWEIjPE37-r4X6ADfqe6q5wt-fWvZ1wX-EjUakCmfew9BUTKDrxPC408z0-QmKrDQaH4l1zoseiapP7iFxuStTOUjDLxyPxKjPpjdMuM98n_MrHY/s1600/bedroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9x5Hr_FsQDTtqCbmWB8ku9fH3-CSWEIjPE37-r4X6ADfqe6q5wt-fWvZ1wX-EjUakCmfew9BUTKDrxPC408z0-QmKrDQaH4l1zoseiapP7iFxuStTOUjDLxyPxKjPpjdMuM98n_MrHY/s1600/bedroom.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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Upstairs were two bedrooms for the children, one for the boys and one for the girls. The children would share beds, but the right side of this photo shows a smaller single bed for one of Zebulon's brothers, who was sickly.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuOgK0RZEwLbrxF7wnqiTSueUSMl0De8RyHxqpH2apxXEztXM0hww9Rqg8ixYflm3KWyr-w5cfk2aVl5eA-yNZk05eKmgNSyrFgkdujdQivFxe9dYvfJbVVSz4enwS15CTFsC3I1Smew/s1600/hex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKuOgK0RZEwLbrxF7wnqiTSueUSMl0De8RyHxqpH2apxXEztXM0hww9Rqg8ixYflm3KWyr-w5cfk2aVl5eA-yNZk05eKmgNSyrFgkdujdQivFxe9dYvfJbVVSz4enwS15CTFsC3I1Smew/s1600/hex.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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The Vance house retains its original fireplace and mantle, but it was mostly reconstructed to accurately match early photographs, using old buildings from other sites for material. The door to one of the outbuildings has this faint hex sign. That suggests that it came from a Pennsylvania Dutch house, which would have used the hex sign on a door as a blessing.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6t8v_8gytm0COac3rMlGeL4rXuSd_EInPMSUqkHx6oYECGNXtYbdpV4zNMr3D6Cw2CSELT2-2sMqursQiIO2-5q9DH6BBVvMQIi4tcQWC-KzDwbp1HbsqAjAtNtkUsLnuOue1aI28FUo/s1600/cradle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6t8v_8gytm0COac3rMlGeL4rXuSd_EInPMSUqkHx6oYECGNXtYbdpV4zNMr3D6Cw2CSELT2-2sMqursQiIO2-5q9DH6BBVvMQIi4tcQWC-KzDwbp1HbsqAjAtNtkUsLnuOue1aI28FUo/s1600/cradle.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace | Mark D. Ruffner</td></tr>
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And now I'm going to end with a little quiz. In the above photograph, we're looking down at a cradle. Can you tell me why it has a hole in its top? If you guess correctly, I'll withhold your comment until it's time to reveal the answer, on Friday.<br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-9878472072889015932015-05-19T20:35:00.001-04:002015-05-19T20:35:53.738-04:00Off For a Long Weekend<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpTJV6UrBYvunEbicLpn-TvVa5-rCgS8jhmtChkcoYhYOCQswL9ELxil8yAWCZ_r0FkyXc0Ph7vZNGyWBf79f9jniiop4SUAYQCnaWQgY5llifgk4rZ55NiIHCcHtbaKZIlM5TiFGDAQ/s1600/asheville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpTJV6UrBYvunEbicLpn-TvVa5-rCgS8jhmtChkcoYhYOCQswL9ELxil8yAWCZ_r0FkyXc0Ph7vZNGyWBf79f9jniiop4SUAYQCnaWQgY5llifgk4rZ55NiIHCcHtbaKZIlM5TiFGDAQ/s1600/asheville.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">bentcreeknc.com</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hXiH-MwAEbuwn21KBOZAIIphpBZmwyPk5KY-AkxMuVDO5cbFkSZz4ars6EA6i6aozdP8-MMiehMO5lNYuUZznyRsgE-K87del3lcFpKZFNZvVWDY70Ww3sIqpYlmIWmO1O0YR_Qf_og/s1600/asheville_map.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hXiH-MwAEbuwn21KBOZAIIphpBZmwyPk5KY-AkxMuVDO5cbFkSZz4ars6EA6i6aozdP8-MMiehMO5lNYuUZznyRsgE-K87del3lcFpKZFNZvVWDY70Ww3sIqpYlmIWmO1O0YR_Qf_og/s1600/asheville_map.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">U. S. Geological Survey</td></tr>
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I'm taking a short break to visit Asheville, North Carolina and the beautiful Smokey Mountains, but I'll be back sharing with you next week. In the meantime, have a great weekend . . .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNWA5SMflJZllLFbiwUcgQI8KfLWE721ilQ5MpvN4QlGPBROyf2zBjy2O2zWDtrcv_9sdtlhoXzLpQhdK6aDEYtE98OOxd8y2Wu66u6LvkkciYfJkAsc-i63Dtwq-sGQkaX3qz7Q6igA/s1600/mark_sig_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNWA5SMflJZllLFbiwUcgQI8KfLWE721ilQ5MpvN4QlGPBROyf2zBjy2O2zWDtrcv_9sdtlhoXzLpQhdK6aDEYtE98OOxd8y2Wu66u6LvkkciYfJkAsc-i63Dtwq-sGQkaX3qz7Q6igA/s1600/mark_sig_small.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: white;">.</span>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-16467393138131247892015-05-14T21:00:00.000-04:002015-05-14T21:00:01.287-04:00Pompeii No.53: It's Only Paint!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvcYWPUBY4kBC9ZzBMOUnGIFNZUoQ3phh4XjOWgZRipgBy0kKXGIhjCRYtJuQD3RJFoLuFl-DvERJcDEokpapICXkq6BRWDnLg9EKfqSc0FauW_PV928urxgxM88y6CKQuRpGYCjBxQk/s1600/blue_bow_close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvcYWPUBY4kBC9ZzBMOUnGIFNZUoQ3phh4XjOWgZRipgBy0kKXGIhjCRYtJuQD3RJFoLuFl-DvERJcDEokpapICXkq6BRWDnLg9EKfqSc0FauW_PV928urxgxM88y6CKQuRpGYCjBxQk/s400/blue_bow_close.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
After framing the Diana painting with Clovio's design from the <i>Farnese Hours</i>, it came time to hang the painting. For a long time, I had in mind to hang it from a blue ribbon, tied with a bow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJRhcFb9dxWA57909KmTXuU2tIOoa8GSr8tj-Osby1NmvrQt-9H68ANmH3rS5tdkVHsTXiwFRZISRg_0PQ2fQB554scajtmdEYSuI1f5Hh07X3Zcyz1ajZz2DetwBGOZQshnfxMWSJhg/s1600/ribbon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJRhcFb9dxWA57909KmTXuU2tIOoa8GSr8tj-Osby1NmvrQt-9H68ANmH3rS5tdkVHsTXiwFRZISRg_0PQ2fQB554scajtmdEYSuI1f5Hh07X3Zcyz1ajZz2DetwBGOZQshnfxMWSJhg/s400/ribbon.gif" width="175" /></a></div>
Perhaps I was subconsciously thinking of the later French decorative groupings of implements that are properly referred to as "symbols." I also thought the blue bow would be a nice balance to the ignudi's draping in the lower part of the mural.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibos985AU4ni53Hvf2BCJBwdyPvvREQ4xEj7o-nrW8WOxVVNUj0XIX-ez_SO5eVlbyfPIAzpNNKhrhlpTGxoBJHx7CFMrRZAeDsbnvfjUw6aEP-N1xUfrFuQQ_UNkJX0OBbBj84snrFdw/s1600/blue_bow_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibos985AU4ni53Hvf2BCJBwdyPvvREQ4xEj7o-nrW8WOxVVNUj0XIX-ez_SO5eVlbyfPIAzpNNKhrhlpTGxoBJHx7CFMrRZAeDsbnvfjUw6aEP-N1xUfrFuQQ_UNkJX0OBbBj84snrFdw/s1600/blue_bow_final.jpg" /></a></div>
I was initially very pleased with the final result. But upon looking at it the next morning, I liked it much less. It wasn't just that the bow was a little too sweet, or that I was getting further and further away from Neoclassism. I realized that the blue was more intense than any color in the Diana painting, especially as it was surrounded by that dark auburn. Because of that, it was pulling the eye away from the painting. Can you see that the bow is actually quite a distraction?<br />
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So this is when you say to yourself, "It's only paint! Let's go to Plan B."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHBuc8b0U2QW6eZ8Yc3iM_iPFLKhyqvDOxGoUyNd_fwizg4cFXjPiOCzDeX-BpvQEPpKdZgqRUvqsPd4F7-TuqdLu-llhQ-MNtw9wbbPMrwjTUyoW77nKfNBlaWo9j3xyu1Z28wdI3os/s1600/brown_bow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHBuc8b0U2QW6eZ8Yc3iM_iPFLKhyqvDOxGoUyNd_fwizg4cFXjPiOCzDeX-BpvQEPpKdZgqRUvqsPd4F7-TuqdLu-llhQ-MNtw9wbbPMrwjTUyoW77nKfNBlaWo9j3xyu1Z28wdI3os/s400/brown_bow.jpg" width="294" /></a></div>
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My second hanger is a simple unbowed ribbon, austere by comparison.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuDPJoDbvjm9tRyHrXaAYa-oZYiYp_2gew1gKOt__Rw57dpMmVwlbio3mW45iWnype2bNkHegMAId3W04eCC4eG8l0vbAy-KurGt7b6qn3rB1EamTEODDuBCZeM9hG9oSCWVCtQguF7U/s1600/repainted_ribbon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyuDPJoDbvjm9tRyHrXaAYa-oZYiYp_2gew1gKOt__Rw57dpMmVwlbio3mW45iWnype2bNkHegMAId3W04eCC4eG8l0vbAy-KurGt7b6qn3rB1EamTEODDuBCZeM9hG9oSCWVCtQguF7U/s1600/repainted_ribbon.jpg" /></a></div>
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Now, once again, the painting predominates.<br />
<span style="color: white;">. </span></div>
Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-73397263024086492332015-05-08T07:30:00.000-04:002015-05-08T07:30:00.756-04:00Pompeii No.52: Framing Diana<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNNB5YepiKUlSFgDCOJH678lqJ6AKPfFg8HtXO810r7c_atk5hfeT8ltmRd7Ie_3izABNq1U3sHLii76LbF1CxZtcS82ro8vIGcEmwBmYuNjoYZ-wsPIzhgKTHU6nS-JY3J3BPuuwjbI/s1600/diana_header2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNNB5YepiKUlSFgDCOJH678lqJ6AKPfFg8HtXO810r7c_atk5hfeT8ltmRd7Ie_3izABNq1U3sHLii76LbF1CxZtcS82ro8vIGcEmwBmYuNjoYZ-wsPIzhgKTHU6nS-JY3J3BPuuwjbI/s1600/diana_header2.jpg" /></a></div>
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After I finished Diana's portrait, I knew that it should be complemented with an appropriate antique frame, and I did quite a bit of research on that subject. In my meanderings, I came upon the work of Giulio Clovio, an artist and advisor to Cardinal Farnese for some 40 years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUezKb56c6fGTSvmhtuVK-u_nVoS8-37a-tcbrp71MruOfC4rxlnCF1LbEBQ-RPCe3yXiJs2ScQpp7HIYbqiAqvsdeobk7cPruYpf02myUaLdyzLzYu0fO02Hah7gfpo5o02r8WNy9l9U/s1600/Farnese_hours_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUezKb56c6fGTSvmhtuVK-u_nVoS8-37a-tcbrp71MruOfC4rxlnCF1LbEBQ-RPCe3yXiJs2ScQpp7HIYbqiAqvsdeobk7cPruYpf02myUaLdyzLzYu0fO02Hah7gfpo5o02r8WNy9l9U/s1600/Farnese_hours_500.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>The Renaissance</i> | Charles McCorquodale</td><td class="tr-caption"><br /></td></tr>
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Clovio spent nine years producing the <i>Farnese Hours</i>, a book containing what is considered by many to be the Italian Renaissance's finest miniatures.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GLRMUJQ0Lry894rSdnuFnu3fZXo-v6MEw3pO1w_5BcZcIG4ub6emilWMFcKqoFXcipL40Z80ez8ChxgdzPVMkXA33rXw25dR76zCwMJX-lUF0PS1V_AWOlrLouPgbRgvoKHG1L7wdV0/s1600/farnese_hours_enl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GLRMUJQ0Lry894rSdnuFnu3fZXo-v6MEw3pO1w_5BcZcIG4ub6emilWMFcKqoFXcipL40Z80ez8ChxgdzPVMkXA33rXw25dR76zCwMJX-lUF0PS1V_AWOlrLouPgbRgvoKHG1L7wdV0/s1600/farnese_hours_enl.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
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It was Clovio's magnum opus.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDM1DnppgvVTPEaa9vQnZud0pK-ZKY_4WPgxZyDwM1UWbZ2m4xITP3lW88gKOapLwaJxs9RmrlWsZPvakawkBp73JG6AOe1P8PRHufPrqAd0vx84AfvkN5-XL4hvfWWAX4dCCERMRxREo/s1600/farnese_hrs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDM1DnppgvVTPEaa9vQnZud0pK-ZKY_4WPgxZyDwM1UWbZ2m4xITP3lW88gKOapLwaJxs9RmrlWsZPvakawkBp73JG6AOe1P8PRHufPrqAd0vx84AfvkN5-XL4hvfWWAX4dCCERMRxREo/s1600/farnese_hrs.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Another section of the <i>Farnese Hours</i> | croatia.org</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp-P3utb99c6p5TlJCWGuTrYI3khUJswtxTSo7uWZlw9JUjJbKRGmE9Y_NF6QUO2x6MV1Yq1CZLXtTVEiEUKd95YNULzL-l47H__irnVgg1RDhImr9ym_MSLC6TZRrRTVoFfpZlX2jo0/s1600/giulio_clovio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp-P3utb99c6p5TlJCWGuTrYI3khUJswtxTSo7uWZlw9JUjJbKRGmE9Y_NF6QUO2x6MV1Yq1CZLXtTVEiEUKd95YNULzL-l47H__irnVgg1RDhImr9ym_MSLC6TZRrRTVoFfpZlX2jo0/s1600/giulio_clovio.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>The Renaissance</i> | Charles McCorquodale</td></tr>
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Giulio Clovis became a close friend of El Greco, who painted this portrait of Clovio with his famous book.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdISH4MyT95P9SLy-fSOUEY_atuSafvW3sNKccDaPKWdPgkJxerCXrHZKBGrkNigOIEeXWVM-V3sDJK9w5NdKOwoxXN43PETFws23mxDnqUE4SGu29WVi6YROSa4zSdZ4RnVqvco_TYcA/s1600/diana_frame_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdISH4MyT95P9SLy-fSOUEY_atuSafvW3sNKccDaPKWdPgkJxerCXrHZKBGrkNigOIEeXWVM-V3sDJK9w5NdKOwoxXN43PETFws23mxDnqUE4SGu29WVi6YROSa4zSdZ4RnVqvco_TYcA/s1600/diana_frame_a.jpg" width="364" /></a></td></tr>
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I was tickled that a painting from the Palazzo Farnese should be married to a frame that is also a part of the Farnese history, a nice bit of serendipity. As you can see, I modified my frame to look a tad more Neoclassic and a little less Baroque.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcKwT9f0pfIzeC_vWZfUrBgzj5I6eMhlQyC1IRqdF3FOoOZEbPvPG7CxPow_2LISE-iAg91v_Vk2fA7v4yOX781jlGMcRKv02ecfOgRP5HzrV0LVpfZ_CM3LU1jZFk6Ir3WFzG30LIq4/s1600/frame_details.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcKwT9f0pfIzeC_vWZfUrBgzj5I6eMhlQyC1IRqdF3FOoOZEbPvPG7CxPow_2LISE-iAg91v_Vk2fA7v4yOX781jlGMcRKv02ecfOgRP5HzrV0LVpfZ_CM3LU1jZFk6Ir3WFzG30LIq4/s1600/frame_details.jpg" /></a></div>
At the bottom of the frame, I've added a plaque with Annibale Carracci's initials. Wherever he is, I hope he's happy.<br />
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In my next posting, we'll figure out a way to hang the painting.</div>
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I hope you'll join me then. </div>
<span style="color: white;">.</span></div>
Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-18674722536408276022015-04-24T07:30:00.000-04:002015-04-24T07:30:01.283-04:00Pompeii No.51: Diana's Secret Love<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfQwTojBprhhp-9rYZ_HmYJvZzO0D2HxO83RGt21Vk5g_L0kSU6Rt83fqyerFSz_gh0qVQxgEQ4RNYSAgKIBLKhIxi97ADU5BYjHGAdiG2VONGMvpST34NzsOY4JpHngmC5s-BoYGlJI/s1600/diana_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfQwTojBprhhp-9rYZ_HmYJvZzO0D2HxO83RGt21Vk5g_L0kSU6Rt83fqyerFSz_gh0qVQxgEQ4RNYSAgKIBLKhIxi97ADU5BYjHGAdiG2VONGMvpST34NzsOY4JpHngmC5s-BoYGlJI/s1600/diana_hdr.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner © 2015</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0OYNihqcU8bTuJ4EcLW8TNJXiX5T7STHvlMiw-bdTLCzNu0RUhOR9e_Qt8FCiRgkW3t32f10-7w5NsGR2tlI_xlPJptCw5Mrrcp8aGILtFDMixZ-tcOlFK3tPT1jvA4ajX1WxTsSx4g/s1600/Farnese_Gallery_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis0OYNihqcU8bTuJ4EcLW8TNJXiX5T7STHvlMiw-bdTLCzNu0RUhOR9e_Qt8FCiRgkW3t32f10-7w5NsGR2tlI_xlPJptCw5Mrrcp8aGILtFDMixZ-tcOlFK3tPT1jvA4ajX1WxTsSx4g/s1600/Farnese_Gallery_2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.gopixpic.com</td></tr>
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As I mentioned in Pompeii No. 47, Cardinal Farnese's gallery ceiling depicts the loves of the gods of Olympus. Above, I've circled the ceiling segment that I've chosen to add to my own mural. It's one of Annibale Carracci's best works, and a testament thereof is that most books on Carracci and the Farnese Gallery highlight this portion of the ceiling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxap90mZOJoU3TzedXIJ8VFUiPxcKfP_Pa9PaUQvGV3401PEbTW_sHEEUptdy3ccPYIhvrEOzo1bvlKKSd1ZdVf7bTmF9busDoRitEtaIvIK_pRrBOC1x_80As074G6iZKfMXo5HJptrI/s1600/diana_circled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxap90mZOJoU3TzedXIJ8VFUiPxcKfP_Pa9PaUQvGV3401PEbTW_sHEEUptdy3ccPYIhvrEOzo1bvlKKSd1ZdVf7bTmF9busDoRitEtaIvIK_pRrBOC1x_80As074G6iZKfMXo5HJptrI/s1600/diana_circled.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Annibale Carracci: The Farnese Gallery, Rome</i> | Dempsey, Braziller</td></tr>
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Here I've circled details that overlap from other parts of the mural, and these are areas I'll therefore be omitting from my own copy.<br />
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The painting depicts Diana (also known as Artemis in Greek mythology) who was the Roman goddess of the moon and of the hunt. Much to the disappointment of the other gods, she vowed never to marry. But on one of her trips across the sky, she spotted a sleeping shepherd named Endymion and fell in love. As you can see, she is was so very careful in her attention — much to the amusement of the cherubs — that not even Endymion's dog stirred. Diana visited Endymion thereafter many times, always when he was asleep, and remembering her vow, she asked Jupiter (or Zeus) to make Endymion eternally young and eternally asleep. There are a number of alternate versions of this story.<br />
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I leave it to you to determine possible messages on love and life, which might include the moral to never say never. In any case I like Carracci's depiction and have copied it, below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNwC3Teq22PGR_mo-9ewZrM0TngDnB20w4KNJivo_SGTbIkEosmjnmEimKqCddDrXcg29Y1Up9xMysEuMaAzLaUx0K_QVOQ1X6YwA7CLkgG6Ev5i9ItCf0o1TeVzy5KK2X54VrfeuuZ8/s1600/diana_finis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNwC3Teq22PGR_mo-9ewZrM0TngDnB20w4KNJivo_SGTbIkEosmjnmEimKqCddDrXcg29Y1Up9xMysEuMaAzLaUx0K_QVOQ1X6YwA7CLkgG6Ev5i9ItCf0o1TeVzy5KK2X54VrfeuuZ8/s1600/diana_finis.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Mark D. Ruffner © 2015</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Below is a comparison of Carracci's original and my own copy.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_FiRtnHhzZaMy96GSWPwNShjUzhatiFguSSI9Qm9Fgmmnj76HcvdgCvOks4K0sGKb-f_u7W7MTf-N_d5SxqVfM9zGaBIcv4FUguJqBtnxW0HlTYNBfSa5fvEY8w4X4g6EA480qoSDPE/s1600/comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_FiRtnHhzZaMy96GSWPwNShjUzhatiFguSSI9Qm9Fgmmnj76HcvdgCvOks4K0sGKb-f_u7W7MTf-N_d5SxqVfM9zGaBIcv4FUguJqBtnxW0HlTYNBfSa5fvEY8w4X4g6EA480qoSDPE/s1600/comparison.jpg" height="198" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
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Probably the biggest difference between the two is that I changed the clouds, making them level and almost an Art Deco stylization. It helps me to see the comparison the same way you are now doing because I notice that I need to go back and add more shadow to Diana's arm, and that the dog needs a little more contrasting white in his face and tail.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfA3SrDNBvyoDQqTD-Tq1v9UieXKH1DLa10OuKLIq7tTdvciYsrdkeXlehdZsPLxYnQIvHibYiXCK2RbYvLiMU10Apb3cWDig_Jwd-t-3Ozbsalh9rx20xLmUDEKm3Ww9LvlFez1ToNk/s1600/cherub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfA3SrDNBvyoDQqTD-Tq1v9UieXKH1DLa10OuKLIq7tTdvciYsrdkeXlehdZsPLxYnQIvHibYiXCK2RbYvLiMU10Apb3cWDig_Jwd-t-3Ozbsalh9rx20xLmUDEKm3Ww9LvlFez1ToNk/s1600/cherub.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Gli Amori Degli Dei</i></td></tr>
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Of course Annibale was working on a much greater scale, maybe 20 times the size of my little copy.<br />
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I want to call you attention now to the interesting way he shadowed his figures. Where other artists would sometimes crosshatch, Carracci shadowed with a method that looked like fine banknote engraving. His first apprenticeship was with a goldsmith, so perhaps he developed this technique then. One would not see this looking up from floor level, and I find it quite astonishing. I would have loved to have looked over Carracci's shoulder as he worked.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsmUhGGr0fKe_LHAZ2aQmSHhcJJZJwbJB7EsXxaFIXIQQRGJzGhftHsMILf4QN9PFaEd5Ub4SfXPfFkVnTU1ZPNHw0MB686O_0HEhe9S9TaHOx1gW9amAcMcZKRGy4ushFlUD8HsgC-0/s1600/diana_wall_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOsmUhGGr0fKe_LHAZ2aQmSHhcJJZJwbJB7EsXxaFIXIQQRGJzGhftHsMILf4QN9PFaEd5Ub4SfXPfFkVnTU1ZPNHw0MB686O_0HEhe9S9TaHOx1gW9amAcMcZKRGy4ushFlUD8HsgC-0/s1600/diana_wall_600.jpg" height="640" width="434" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
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Here's the Carracci wall as it looks today. If the Diana painting looks a little unreal in this photograph, it's because I isolated it in PhotoShop and lightened its exposure so that you wouldn't be seeing any of it in shadow.<br />
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But we can't just leave it there, floating in an auburn void! In my next posting, I'll be putting a frame around the painting, and the frame will come from a most appropriate source. I hope you'll join me then!<br />
<span style="color: white;">.</span>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-30121950008261751172015-04-11T07:30:00.000-04:002015-04-22T19:58:20.955-04:00Pompeii No.50: The Right Ignudi<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYl1kUihoqwXwXQbcVCWPRAlR5d5K0PHU9WP1DKYCnV63ItgSFucw-kEzEqElPiaTotj_QZiDXHl5PcImBGQzBgPvSK6po9BWXth45DPjKgTuPtpHf30TEuzNtJncPXOdXpp4Qx1HmnU/s1600/ignudi_hdr_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYl1kUihoqwXwXQbcVCWPRAlR5d5K0PHU9WP1DKYCnV63ItgSFucw-kEzEqElPiaTotj_QZiDXHl5PcImBGQzBgPvSK6po9BWXth45DPjKgTuPtpHf30TEuzNtJncPXOdXpp4Qx1HmnU/s1600/ignudi_hdr_2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Gli Amori Degli Dei</i></td></tr>
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In Pompeii No. 49, I created an ignudi loosely based on ones by Annibale Carracci. Now it's time to create a companion piece to sit on the right side of the mural.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2IxXTClQJv-i1iAUUBFLL6uMiX7KSTjSILcmaJOpF_T8yiyvnfu2qnx9Ffo7R2aBiJjBF89PfPfrahMVyATgUBjwLKyzkMz-yRuV0jLDQl8HAmUcQDkD4nPw8J9ZL_gcV2HafbUt980/s1600/ignudi_reference_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2IxXTClQJv-i1iAUUBFLL6uMiX7KSTjSILcmaJOpF_T8yiyvnfu2qnx9Ffo7R2aBiJjBF89PfPfrahMVyATgUBjwLKyzkMz-yRuV0jLDQl8HAmUcQDkD4nPw8J9ZL_gcV2HafbUt980/s1600/ignudi_reference_2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Gli Amori Degli Dei</i></td></tr>
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I've chosen to use this fellow as my basis; like the <a href="http://allthingsruffnerian.blogspot.com/2015/03/pompeii-no49-assembing-left-ignudi.html" target="_blank">first figure</a>, he's from the ceiling of the famous Farnese Gallery. My friend Sandy said, "You're not going to use <u><i>that</i></u> hair, are you!?" Oh, is it that bad? Well, perhaps he does have a bit of a bed-head.<br />
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As in my last ignudi, I will be adding new legs for a new posture.<br />
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Originally, I had thought of painting the draperies a different color from the last ignudi's, but because the two figures are somewhat unbalanced, I decided to have blue draperies on both sides of the mural.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMpm90mDtIOrZajI9NRkUuh9YPFW_xlRtAO4-rPPA9slY69ojZZIXu4xXEBCflErxJTso8WeLTZDBHfESBoPW2kJL2cLUytPuxWmurFXSQLMa73XvmKJUqsrqR7K9Kza3HIQjsr3Uqd8/s1600/ignudi_right.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMpm90mDtIOrZajI9NRkUuh9YPFW_xlRtAO4-rPPA9slY69ojZZIXu4xXEBCflErxJTso8WeLTZDBHfESBoPW2kJL2cLUytPuxWmurFXSQLMa73XvmKJUqsrqR7K9Kza3HIQjsr3Uqd8/s1600/ignudi_right.jpg" height="640" width="403" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
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Sometimes I have trouble capturing the right colors in a room that does not have a lot of natural light, but the colors in this shot are very true to the painting.<br />
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I've stylized the hair, and Sandy should be happy that it's not quite so windblown. I had fun painting the eye's reflection to match Carracci's image.<br />
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Notice that I have a different light source than the Carracci original. Mine conforms to my own mural.<br />
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The outlining was not typical of Carracci, but it was typical of Michelangelo. It's logical that I reference Michelangelo for this work, because Carracci himself did.<br />
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This image is a bit on the orange side, but I'm including the hand (at approximately 150% its actual size) to show that it's rather loosely painted.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
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In this image of the living room wall, you can see how I've endeavoured to balance the figures by balancing the draperies, particularly as they extend out to the center of the wall to exactly the same length. The drapery on the right is also gathered at the end to balance the crossed feet on the left.<br />
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There will eventually be a neoclassic design element between the two ignudi, but the next stage of the mural will be to faithfully render a wonderful Carracci detail in the upper panel. That's coming up in the next posting.<br />
<span style="color: white;">.</span><br />
<br />Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-52223999266838997882015-04-03T07:30:00.000-04:002015-04-03T07:30:02.723-04:0024 Fantasy Eggs!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This posting requires a little explanation. For the last dozen or so years of my mother's life, I created a Christmas advent. Each advent was centered around a theme, and the most popular by far was a year of imagined eggs, each with an imagined history. They're all collages. And though these were originally a Christmas advent for her, they are now my Easter gift to you, my blogging friends. Let me know if you have a favorite.<br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Happy Easter!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">.</span>Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-71975000594853360632015-03-29T07:30:00.000-04:002015-04-22T19:56:14.086-04:00Pompeii No.49: "Assembing" the Left Ignudi<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1ORSEjBsEeaAs3nrgonPnCVLheSilkIy_9oJC30VOLNa0BoMHbppSoFtHsJ211D71Y2kDvsHuuYk2JqrvdLCJXhkl6oNlWAUxhAJieAnP6IBl_tO9vbmvbXAks0OU5Tzf_NCjmbeZLs/s1600/left_ignudi_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1ORSEjBsEeaAs3nrgonPnCVLheSilkIy_9oJC30VOLNa0BoMHbppSoFtHsJ211D71Y2kDvsHuuYk2JqrvdLCJXhkl6oNlWAUxhAJieAnP6IBl_tO9vbmvbXAks0OU5Tzf_NCjmbeZLs/s1600/left_ignudi_hdr.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Charles Dempsey, George Braziller</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As I mentioned in the last posting, the two ignudi of my Carracci wall will both be loosely based on figures by Carracci. Just how loosely, you'll see momentarily!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0ToOjSoCBxeKwui1978bT03ZKzbWR9Dvpaxwk_NbEHtPInioXjEfcV10SQdj03A_m19_AemvDwOA8nYL950RccYnNy5JsKmDw-5rSUdm0E2Z1PYaY4egFz2XMcO2dwEy6LZ99PIeo6U/s1600/ignudi_reference.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0ToOjSoCBxeKwui1978bT03ZKzbWR9Dvpaxwk_NbEHtPInioXjEfcV10SQdj03A_m19_AemvDwOA8nYL950RccYnNy5JsKmDw-5rSUdm0E2Z1PYaY4egFz2XMcO2dwEy6LZ99PIeo6U/s1600/ignudi_reference.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">Charles Dempsey, George Braziller</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I begin by finding a figure that has possibilities, and then flipping it 180°. My choice is informed in part by the realization that there is a wall directly behind where my left ignudi will go, and therefore the figure needs to either sit erectly, or lean forward, as this one does. But now I have a couple of problems:<br />
<ul>
<li>Because this figure is at the left edge of the living room mural, it will be staring up at nothing, so I'll need to reposition the head.</li>
<li>Because the original Carracci fresco is so elevated, the ignudi feet appear to be cut off, so I'll need to add feet, or better yet, reposition new legs.</li>
<li>For all the beauty of Carracci's painting, the limbs of this figure are quite exaggerated. Can a body really be this muscular and still have such a big stomach? I'll need to put this fellow on a strict diet. No more pasta!</li>
</ul>
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Here's a real Frankenstein for you! For reference, I've pasted a new Carracci head on the painted figure, then added a photograph of legs and the left arm. A special thanks to my friend Dave for being a good sport and modeling for the sake of art.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT0MVIe3n2AiB8TxDX-1-gep-PC0QTRSXG9hBUqU64SlPgkf7J4uHEniZoJ2dQHFVVXqyqkz28XltRFeqnXc3LvNSyoNcKh56NW2xQ_57TUzf5o-ebI9cOpRpS_vXq4rjr6Z8eZiA6ok/s1600/ignudi_left_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOT0MVIe3n2AiB8TxDX-1-gep-PC0QTRSXG9hBUqU64SlPgkf7J4uHEniZoJ2dQHFVVXqyqkz28XltRFeqnXc3LvNSyoNcKh56NW2xQ_57TUzf5o-ebI9cOpRpS_vXq4rjr6Z8eZiA6ok/s1600/ignudi_left_a.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
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Here's my version of the ignudi. The colors are true for the most part, though the purple of the base and the green below it are neither as dark nor as saturated.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird6Y6XeZxKKuN_hga1pfKgOXpFqKYxjE-tY2q6nMO3re_ixhcFbQefj3378wE-85GWV3W7naNPhmQOVyRDBnFUmVfOz1CbjIKDbwWkCZOcWt59EciPBdYCi9y1NU5pJYYOM0gPsstK5s/s1600/ignudi_2_head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEird6Y6XeZxKKuN_hga1pfKgOXpFqKYxjE-tY2q6nMO3re_ixhcFbQefj3378wE-85GWV3W7naNPhmQOVyRDBnFUmVfOz1CbjIKDbwWkCZOcWt59EciPBdYCi9y1NU5pJYYOM0gPsstK5s/s1600/ignudi_2_head.jpg" height="347" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRO6gnhoHfk1tNU1GUbKnVS06H5ZR8sPPNustEr1YFTt-PqFp1piGOgNDzKQOo3VBzAFG5nIVY5HAmq2-KqPZ0o5iRvJZB59kudg0LKOVdIqDgpHeBq8TtX9n74AfTWdtiko8KHjyZk8/s1600/hand_brush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyRO6gnhoHfk1tNU1GUbKnVS06H5ZR8sPPNustEr1YFTt-PqFp1piGOgNDzKQOo3VBzAFG5nIVY5HAmq2-KqPZ0o5iRvJZB59kudg0LKOVdIqDgpHeBq8TtX9n74AfTWdtiko8KHjyZk8/s1600/hand_brush.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here you can see that the wall is rather textured in areas, and so I have simplified my job by smoothing out the surface in critical, more detailed areas.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_YaNs1O4Slou4-PkgZp53hh3DTu2o3rXQMk2glxmL_p9zBVY5U_skhKDuRC6mtdF5skU5LTqFPUMrjn0Pc2EBVIPor-3V0r_ssuiJatNTZA9a9qbb-UM7K8OVSWHxQK2ciIT53e6n9I/s1600/zenita-wall_ignudi_right.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_YaNs1O4Slou4-PkgZp53hh3DTu2o3rXQMk2glxmL_p9zBVY5U_skhKDuRC6mtdF5skU5LTqFPUMrjn0Pc2EBVIPor-3V0r_ssuiJatNTZA9a9qbb-UM7K8OVSWHxQK2ciIT53e6n9I/s1600/zenita-wall_ignudi_right.jpg" /></a></div>
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Another ignudi is yet to come, and he'll be facing the one I've just revealed. I hope you'll join me for that reveal, too!</div>
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-16538599804423981632015-03-22T12:00:00.000-04:002015-03-24T11:11:49.379-04:00Pompeii No.48: The Ignudi<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzf2SDprjWAqXDhBNXtf8_LrETjhHp1jt0ngCet4ewTT48j3AlLbVABtytmyiolaJ8nUNEAkkCafu6FIOpZRtZdEIC6czvATKWaGZlKmTUaec1OUA05jWMSLfPJWKzwyzY23L0Qv6wvA/s1600/ignudi_hdr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzf2SDprjWAqXDhBNXtf8_LrETjhHp1jt0ngCet4ewTT48j3AlLbVABtytmyiolaJ8nUNEAkkCafu6FIOpZRtZdEIC6czvATKWaGZlKmTUaec1OUA05jWMSLfPJWKzwyzY23L0Qv6wvA/s1600/ignudi_hdr.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">artinternationalwholesale.com</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ignudi</span></b> <i>(plural noun)</i> From the Italian adjective <i>nudo</i>, meaning "naked."</div>
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When Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling between 1508 and 1512, he incorporated pairs of male nudes as pure decoration.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0irkM-ztO5mZXKuw0zYuopjNAM7FrYUlMAPYOGqrr3f5rVQxRbmD8xd7KhFs494Q9g_AJFaeb1atJhzvjAuW8gbzHpDzMiluUv6RZBVDSkhHSVkgfmIoDoVFGMUZa0Br6z-bc_RmvC8/s1600/mich_ignudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0irkM-ztO5mZXKuw0zYuopjNAM7FrYUlMAPYOGqrr3f5rVQxRbmD8xd7KhFs494Q9g_AJFaeb1atJhzvjAuW8gbzHpDzMiluUv6RZBVDSkhHSVkgfmIoDoVFGMUZa0Br6z-bc_RmvC8/s1600/mich_ignudi.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">sistinepuzzle.com</td></tr>
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Their purpose was to support the shields, ribbons and huge garlands that framed the major, central frescoes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjdofwHIFw0Kj5d29vRkmBrPPj0EqesWNo33yj7A4Yn55qWVvqg3LxOxKWc5tsmq-F_JXsUep4olK89640QfSYmh8-t9HtlRLpuBf6IyLubp0pyCZX3v-G9iVC73XUFwyoohBBHiNIZ0/s1600/mich_ignudis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjdofwHIFw0Kj5d29vRkmBrPPj0EqesWNo33yj7A4Yn55qWVvqg3LxOxKWc5tsmq-F_JXsUep4olK89640QfSYmh8-t9HtlRLpuBf6IyLubp0pyCZX3v-G9iVC73XUFwyoohBBHiNIZ0/s1600/mich_ignudis.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.studyblue.com</td></tr>
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Not everyone around the pope was thrilled with the figures because they (the male nudes) had no religious context and . . .<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dvSq26a8EqrEzIwbwOe3DfvZjg1AEZLNunP61XGJTO0irUA7dlKyE427no-ExwjdzAJuobGyg7bJKKur1-f_u070RhD3usGgB1ako-4MAn_8JvOwpdGFlEGauoebvJHHjj1db8qDkQw/s1600/sistine_ignudis_circled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dvSq26a8EqrEzIwbwOe3DfvZjg1AEZLNunP61XGJTO0irUA7dlKyE427no-ExwjdzAJuobGyg7bJKKur1-f_u070RhD3usGgB1ako-4MAn_8JvOwpdGFlEGauoebvJHHjj1db8qDkQw/s1600/sistine_ignudis_circled.jpg" height="120" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click to enlarge</td></tr>
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. . . as you can see in my diagram, the 20 figures take up a considerable part of the design.<br />
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Michelangelo called his 20 figures "The Ignudi," and though he did not invent the word, he did — through this title — coin an art term. Countless artists like Annibale Carracci (whom I profiled in my last posting) also incorporated ignudi into their design schemes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4iet9L1fKFvvoFAD10JKTGT9XN3RlclE36-qHDM-oIsKfsywk5X8AJSNVxMIwCNxEfWdQ9LOmRADt1NH1X1QVhwOmT0gUTEa_gwMFgWp_erF_um1nc1EdAOJMHP5tIUNaCUWnStLMuQ/s1600/carracci_ignudi_&_medallion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy4iet9L1fKFvvoFAD10JKTGT9XN3RlclE36-qHDM-oIsKfsywk5X8AJSNVxMIwCNxEfWdQ9LOmRADt1NH1X1QVhwOmT0gUTEa_gwMFgWp_erF_um1nc1EdAOJMHP5tIUNaCUWnStLMuQ/s1600/carracci_ignudi_&_medallion.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.studyblue.com</td></tr>
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This is an ignudi by Carracci, one of many that he included in the ceiling of the Farnese Gallery.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEf4RwIz2NP1poIqLY2srWsahp9oRBTuX1zPzZDdzkT_5NHrom8p3sXlRiZUlS_k5gWAIPLd2KmqOUvA-mVItt8wU0HuVIVz3wHceOb2bnhs7Ve_Hy3DsOPbmIvNbJTJYo_2SSGGiqGU/s1600/shield_ignudi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEf4RwIz2NP1poIqLY2srWsahp9oRBTuX1zPzZDdzkT_5NHrom8p3sXlRiZUlS_k5gWAIPLd2KmqOUvA-mVItt8wU0HuVIVz3wHceOb2bnhs7Ve_Hy3DsOPbmIvNbJTJYo_2SSGGiqGU/s1600/shield_ignudi.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption">www.ambafrance-it.org</td></tr>
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These ignudi, by an earlier artist, are in another part of the Palazzo Farnese, in a room that served as the family boardroom. Here the ignudi are similar to the figures one sometimes sees on either side of a crest, below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVT3d_fWk0Y7MSGey_zgkZDxUpRexUtHSGu7e8af8OAzeWw1ZBRf8AC_j5hDi92p5O1fMSTdOz0hxl3few4nDB_mr78vP5WjF7YW8VC-ycJD8paC0hvctn9cC5Wav6moIFzKrlB6emgkY/s1600/supporters.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVT3d_fWk0Y7MSGey_zgkZDxUpRexUtHSGu7e8af8OAzeWw1ZBRf8AC_j5hDi92p5O1fMSTdOz0hxl3few4nDB_mr78vP5WjF7YW8VC-ycJD8paC0hvctn9cC5Wav6moIFzKrlB6emgkY/s1600/supporters.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="right"><td class="tr-caption"><i>Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning </i>| Ottfried Neubecker</td></tr>
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This is the 1701 coat of arms of the King of Prussia. When seen in heraldry, figures such as these wildmen are called "supporters."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGI5pi4z2P4ENddxav6J9hN_qyeCLgjdz4znJJADZGlkjDyxMrlV4pZ-hOceVS7T4XO-GH57nCmg5Wot9m519TBhWA0KTNku3H-OPBMwDUjOiE4BWvIfh90Xq6Pof2LqR8k2VOLPacZw/s1600/zenita-wall_ignudi_left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGI5pi4z2P4ENddxav6J9hN_qyeCLgjdz4znJJADZGlkjDyxMrlV4pZ-hOceVS7T4XO-GH57nCmg5Wot9m519TBhWA0KTNku3H-OPBMwDUjOiE4BWvIfh90Xq6Pof2LqR8k2VOLPacZw/s1600/zenita-wall_ignudi_left.jpg" /></a></div>
But I digress. The first stage of my Carracci wall will be an ignudi, very loosely based on one of Carracci's own. I'll unveil that in the next posting.<br />
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Mark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.com18