Velká Británie žije blížící se korunovací krále Karla III., která se bude konat počátkem května. Známé jsou i podrobnosti celého slavnostního aktu, například jaká hudba zazní. Už se rovněž vyjasnilo, jakou korunu dostane na hlavu při ceremoniálu královna manželka Camilla. Její klenot se zapíše do historie, navíc se tím královská rodina elegantně vyhne použití kontroverzního diamantu Koh-i-Noor, který si nárokuje Indie.
School of Tours, Louis XI, King of France (1423 – 1483). Oil on panel: 14 ¾ x 8 ¾ in. (36.5 x 22.2 cm). Painted circa 1469 © The Weiss Gallery ‘Portrait original de Louis onze/ donné par le roi à rigauld/ d'aurel seigneur et Baron/ de Villeneuve du...
Empress Dowager Cixi was a Chinese empress dowager and regent of the Manchu Yehenara clan, who controlled the Chinese government for 47 years during the
Explore Greek Royalist's 200 photos on Flickr!
The Queen was joined by Prince Philip as she welcomed Chinese president Xi Jinping to London. But it was Mr Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, who stole the show at Horse Guards Parade.
Explore MADAME - VINTAGE - tumblr : antique-royals' 798 photos on Flickr!
Princess Marie Jose of Belgium and Prince Umberto of Italy at Vatican to meet Pope Pius XI before their wedding, in January 1930 in Rome, Italy.
This is a Roman column built in 330 to commemorate the emperor Constantine the Great (306-337). It is placed on the main street of Constantinople between the Hippodrome and the Forum of Theodosius. A reconstruction of the original column with the representation of the emperor as the pagan god Apollo
The Prince (pictured) has denied claims he was boycotting tomorrow night's dinner at Buckingham Palace for Xi Jinping in protest at China's occupation of Tibet.
King Frederik and Queen Mary’s first day of their state visit ended with a gala dinner in Carl XI’s Salon in the Royal Palace.
Cecilie von Mecklenburg- Schwerin and Kronprinz Wilhelm . Engagement session.
A family photograph at Trafford Park, including Princess May of Teck, Duke Francis of Teck, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge (also Duchess of Teck), Sir Humphrey de Trafford, 3rd Baronet, Lady de...
From left, King Haakon VII , elected King of Norway in 1905, his son Prince Olav , and wife Queen Maud , daughter of King Edward VII.
The Queen was joined by Prince Philip as she welcomed Chinese president Xi Jinping to London. But it was Mr Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, who stole the show at Horse Guards Parade.
Explore Miss Mertens' 17836 photos on Flickr!
Explore Miss Mertens' 17836 photos on Flickr!
Queen Elizabeth II, 93, (left and right) remained unruffled today as she was hit in the face with the scarf of Japanese musician Yoskiki while at the Royal Windsor Cup Polo match.
Beheaded at the age of 38 in the midst of the French Revolution in 1793, King Louis XVI had both a short life and a relatively short reign. His presence however is felt two centuries later in places far from Versailles. One of the most important ways is in the modern world of design… While Louis XVI period furniture can be found, there is a far larger universe of pieces that are inspired by his style. One of the significant aspects of that universe are Gustavian pieces. Gustavian pieces are named after King Gustav III of Sweden. In 1771 the future king returned home to Sweden after having spent time at the Court of Versailles then under the reign of Louis XV. While there he became fascinated with French culture and style, which at the time was transitioning from the rich, ostentatious Rocailles style (known as Rococo outside France) that prevailed under Louis XV to the more restrained Neoclassical style inspired by the discoveries made at Herculaneum and Pompeii, that would come to be known as the Louis XVI style. Although highly influenced by what was happening in France, Gustav’s interpretation of Neoclassism resulted in an even more subtle style, not to be confused with simple, however. Characterized by straight lines, tapered legs, beveled corners, and gold leaf, Gustavian style was initially found only in royal palaces. As the style became better known it became more popular in the homes of average Swedes, albeit with less expensive woods and paint replacing the gold leaf. Paint, which had always been popular in Swedish furniture, took on a life of its own with the Gustavian syle, finding its expression in finishes of various forms such as faux marble, stenciling and a wide variety of pastels. These less expensive materials and techniques helped make the Gustavian style commonplace in 19th century Sweden. The Gustavian period, which begins in the last quarter of the 18th century, is commonly understood to have ended in 1810. From that point forward, while many of the techniques of the Gustavian period continued to be practiced, they slowly gave way to the richer Napoleonic Empire inspired characteristics of the Karl Johan period that spanned from 1820 to 1845. Before we take a look at Karl Johan however, let’s take a somewhat closer look at the Gustavian style itself: Paint, paint, paint! It's the first thing one thinks about when it comes to Gustavian today. The ubiquitous use of lighter colors had two purposes: 1) Fir trees, which were abundant in Sweden, produce a less expensive and less robust wood than that which carpenters and furniture makers in much of Europe used. As such, paint often disguised the fact that a common wood was being used. 2) It’s dark in Sweden in the winter! The lighter, softer colors seemed to help maximize what light there was, helping to brighten rooms and moods during the very short winter days. Tapered legs, reeded doors and panels, beveled sides, and the usual Louis XVI rosettes and stylized leaves on chair / sofa legs. In addition egg and dart motifs as well as running dog patterns on sofa rails. All of these are elements are commonly found on pieces from the Gustavian period and in the Gustavian style. Of course, the above are just the beginning of a detailed work on what it takes to describe Gustavian style… but this is blog and not a book! And now on to Karl Johan! Karl Johan, formerly Napoleon’s ambassador in Vienna, would become King of Sweden (as Charles XIV John) in 1818 after having served as regent and head of state beginning in 1810. He would rule until his death in 1844. Much in the way Gustav influenced the previous period of Swedish design, Karl Johan would influence the period that would span the following 25 years. In design the pendulum often swings from subdued to rich and back again. Just as Gothic gave way to Renaissance, Gustavian was supplanted by Karl Johan, a slightly richer version of that same Neoclassical style. Just as Gustav toned down the Louis XVI style when he brought it to Sweden, Karl Johan similarly toned down some of the exuberance of Napoleon’s Empire style when he brought it to Sweden. Here’s a quick look at some of the things that distinguish the Karl Johan style. Classical details in abundance. Gilt Bronze details of Classical subject matter. Reclining figures, ladies in various poses, urns, Corinthian capitals, etc. Wood. Back is the use of stained and finished wood surfaces. Beautiful veneers of expensive and robust woods, ie; Elm, Mahogany, Birch, and various burl types. Solid wood was also used widely. Few drawer pulls! Many Karl Johan chests frustrate owners with the fact that they come with a center keyhole and escutcheon and nothing else, forcing the user to pull the drawer open with the key. Maddening to some! Beautiful chair styles. The use of veneers and solid wood on the wonderful armchairs from the Karl Johan period very much set them apart from the previous style. Saber legs. Another classical detail. Some armchairs combine both saber and Louis style legs, further confusing the buying public. Most of these are not from the period, but late 19th century copies. Many are extremely well done. Of course this isn't meant to be an exhaustive or detailed description of all the styling cues of either period in Swedish furniture making... we’ve really only scratched the surface! Here’s the thing… where you have people working with creativity and spontaneity, sometimes it’s difficult to "pigeon hole" items definitively into one period or the other. There are no hard and fast rules that command that a pieces is absolutely of one style or the other. Nonetheless, despite the overlap and a lack of an absolute distinction between the two styles, they do represent two largely different periods in Swedish design and we are happy that we come across pieces from both regularly. So now… which is which? Both are painted, so that doesn’t help… The lines are often blurred between the two styles, however, there are some clues: The Karl Johan on the right has big sturdy feet while the Gustavian piece on the left has narrow, tapered and angled legs. In addition, the Karl Johan piece has a scalloped bottom rail while the Gustavian piece is all about pure, clean lines. A detail of the scalloped bottom and heavy foot of our Karl Johan chest. This one is a bit easier. The wood finish on the left pretty much gives away that the pair are in the Karl Johan style while the lightly painted chairs on the right are indeed Gustavian. Additionally, the Karl Johan chairs have saber legs and volute arms while the Gustavian chairs have tapered legs topped with rosettes. Once again we see the Karl Johan with the curvy lines while the Gustavian has the pure, straight lines and the typical Louis XVI decorative vocabulary. A close up image of the rosettes and fluted legs of our Gustavian chairs. In this case the legs don’t give us a clue to the styles as both of these sofas have tapered legs. There are however some other cues to which style they belong. The Karl Johan piece on the left has slightly slanted arms and lyre carved slats while the delicate motifs found on the top rail and skirt of the sofa on the right and the simplicity of its lines indicate the Gustavian style. This image provides a wonderful look at top rail of the Gustavian piece. And we’ve left the easiest for last! The finished wood of the table on the left quickly suggests – but doesn’t guarantee – the Karl Johan style while the paint of the table on the right suggests Gustavian. The Karl Johan’s legs are smooth and clean while the Gustavian table’s legs are fluted and feature rosettes on the knees. This is the detail of the rosettes and the tapered, fluted legs of the exquisite Gustavian table.
Queen Letizia wore her hair in a plaited low chignon for the event, which is a long-standing tradition for the Spanish military Spanish Queen Letizia in a figure-skimming, floor-length blue gown with embroidery and her husband King Felipe VI, as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, donned his full military regalia for the event; the third that he has attended as King at the traditional celebration of the Pascua Militar in Madrid. Queen Letizia of Spain looked ethereal at a military ceremony in Madrid in a figure-skimming, floor-length blue gown with embroidery as she returned to royal duties after the festive break King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain were at traditional celebration of the Pascua Militar in Madrid King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain attends the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. Queen Letizia wore her hair in a plaited low chignon for the event, which is a long-standing tradition for the Spanish military, dating back to 1782. King Felipe VI of Spain attends the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain attends the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain in his full military regalia for the event at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain (L) attends the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. Mariano Rajoy (L), King Felipe VI of Spain (C) and Queen Letizia of Spain (R) attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. Queen Letizia of Spain attends the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy attends the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain attends the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Pascua Militar ceremony at the Royal Palace on January 6, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. Spain's King Felipe VI (L) and his wife Queen Letizia listen to the national anthem during the Epiphany Day celebrations (Pascua Militar) at the Royal Palace in Madrid, January 6, 2017. Spain's King Felipe VI (L) and his wife Queen Letizia arrive to welcome their guests during the Epiphany Day celebrations (Pascua Militar) at the Royal Palace in Madrid, January 6, 2017. Spain's King Felipe VI (R) and his wife Queen Letizia attend the Epiphany Day celebrations (Pascua Militar) at the Royal Palace in Madrid, January 6, 2017.
By all accounts, Charles VII of France was a weak king. In all fairness, his kingdom was ravaged by war with England. And there were self-employed bandits, called Écorcheurs, who were pillaging, ra…
The Queen was joined by Prince Philip as she welcomed Chinese president Xi Jinping to London. But it was Mr Xi's wife, Peng Liyuan, who stole the show at Horse Guards Parade.
Today marks the 145th Anniversary of the Death of Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna of Russia, who was born on this day in 1876! Th…
PEKING - Koning Willem-Alexander heeft maandagavond gesproken over het verschil van mening dat Nederland en China hebben over mensenrechten. Hij deed dat in zijn tafelrede bij het staatsbanket dat de Chinese president Xi Jinping hem aanbood in de Gouden Zaal van de Grote Hal van het Volk.
My royal postcard collection spans more than 100 years - from the 1890s to the present. It is small by some standards: 9000 plus cards. In my many years of collecting, I have met other collectors with larger collections (and more disposal income to indulge). Today, I share a selection of images from my Greece album, Princess Alexandra of Greece and Denmark, daughter of King George I and Queen Olga. Married to Grand Duke Paul of Russia. Crown Princess Sophie (nee Prussia) Eldest son of Constantine I and Sophie Queen Sophie Princess Marie (Bonaparte) and Prince George of Greece (son of King George I) King Paul King Constantine I and Queen Sophie and their children Prince Christopher, son of King George I King George II of Greece with his bride, Princess Elisabeth of Romania, an ill-fated marriage Princess Helen with Olga and Marina Princess Olga at the time of her engagement to Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, The engagement lasted a few months. Princess Alexander of Greece,(Aspasia Manos) the widow of King Alexander. One of the first British postcards of the future Duchess of Kent Princess Marie (Bonaparte), married to Prince George 1957: at the wedding of Princess Helene of France
William II, Emperor of Germany's family, during the Brunswick festivities: Princess Eitel Friedrich, Crown Princess, Prince Adalbert; Prince Oskar, Prince August Wilhelm, Crown Prince, Prince Eitel...
