Storytelling has been a cornerstone of Moroccan culture for a millennium—but new experiences and an annual festival are bringing the practice to a wider audience.

21st century entertainmentCréation 1991 MoonFall de 1991

John Thomson (1837-1921) was a pioneering Scottish photographer who, after traveling through various parts of Asia, settled in Hong Kong in 1868 and operated a studio there for the next four years. Using Hong Kong as his base, he traveled extensively throughout China and was the first known photographer to document the people and landscapes of China for publication in the western market. Returning to England, he published a four volume book entitled "Illustrations of China and its People" in London, 1873-1874. Upon returning home, his work among the street people of London cemented his reputation, and is regarded as a classic instance of social documentary which laid the foundations for photojournalism. He went on to become a portrait photographer of High Society in Mayfair, gaining the Royal Warrant in 1881. In recognition of his work, one of the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro was named "Point Thomson" on his death in 1921. Some of Thomson's work may be seen at the Royal Geographical Society's headquarters in London. Pepohoan of Formosa, by John Thomson c.1874 Chinese Woman of the Labouring Class, by John Thomson c.1874 Chinese Man of the Labouring Class, by John Thomson c.1874 Island Temple On The River Min, by John Thomson 1870/1871 Lung-hwa-ta, or Pagoda of the Dragon’s Glory, in Shanghai, by John Thomson c.1874 Fukien Temple, by John Thomson c.1874 The Ming Tombs, Nanking, by John Thomson c.1874 Tartar (Manchu) Artillery-men, by John Thomson c.1874 Nankow Pass, China, by John Thomson c.1874 Thomson's travels in China were often perilous, as he visited remote, almost unpopulated regions far inland. Most of the people he encountered had never seen a Westerner or camera before. His expeditions were also especially challenging because he had to transport his bulky wooden camera, many large, fragile glass plates, and potentially explosive chemicals. He photographed in a wide variety of conditions and often had to improvise because chemicals were difficult to acquire. His subject matter varied enormously: from humble beggars and street people to Mandarins, Princes and senior government officials; from remote monasteries to Imperial Palaces; from simple rural villages to magnificent landscapes. The Abbot and Monks of Kushan Monastery, by John Thomson c.1874 Workers on the Silent Highway; The Crawlers; Cast Iron Billy, by John Thomson 1876-1877 Thomson, King Mongkut of Siam Then and now - contemporary views of John Thomson's Chinese photographs Sheying: Shades of China 1850-1900. (Contemporaries of John Thomson) Photography came to China at the start of the 1860s, introduced by foreigners but enthusiastically embraced by natives. In the decades leading up to the twentieth century, every incarnation of the new technology managed to replicate itself in the Chinese popular consciousness: formal landscapes, official portraiture, personal documentation, and architectural and street scenes. These extraordinarily rare images are the meat of Sheying: Shades of China 1850-1900. The black-and-white photos, a mixture of work by transplanted Europeans and fledgling Chinese photographers, have the painterly shades and delicate composition of Europe’s ongoing pictorialism movement. But the pictures are unmistakably Chinese in subject matter. In a cramped Cantonese street, stall banners blot out the sky. Two prisoners pose stoically in cangues. There are countless images of harbors, filled with the bobbing handmade boats that powered the national economy. For all the influence the relatively established European photographers held, China proved itself to be an inimitable sitter. The collection provides a fascinating look at an empire before industrialization.

Tales of domestic drudgery, rigid dress codes, and a regimented daily life create a bleak portrait of the 19th century woman: she sits tightly corseted in...

These are the henna designs you will marvel at long after the last dredges of saffron have faded from your palms.

Every time i see a cheap image of Camille onnsale like this one i get so excited!! I love this one!

Many of the nineteenth-century recipes from The Cookbook of Unknown Ladies were transcribed from Dr William Kitchiner’s best-selling cookery manual, The Cook’s Oracle. First published in 1817…

Via the San Diego Modernism website: This just in from Will Chandler: What fun! We want one!Some things just have to be seen to be believed. The KUBA Corporation manufactured the Komet from 1957 to 1962 in Wolfenbuttel, West Germany. They even imported some of them into the United States. I have to say I've never seen anything quite like it, more or less in the same tone of voice I might use to say I've never shot an elephant in my pajamas. Just to prove that this was not a unique item created in some crazed woodworking hobbyist's basement, here's the Google Image results page, and also a historical note linked below. Heigh ho, Will www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3Beqn%2Ccconf%... www.earlytelevision.org/kuba.html

ab. 1720 Unknown artist - Sir William Hardies (Fairfax House)

Slot machines have been a staple in the world of gambling for well over a century. From their humble beginnings as mechanical devices to the digital marvels we see today, the evolution of slot machines

Explore dvexposure's 161 photos on Flickr!

For centuries, libraries have existed as unrivaled realms of discovery. It’s fitting, then, that their architecture should follow suit. Such is the premise for The World’s Most Beautiful Libraries (Taschen), a richly illustrated book by renowned photographer Massimo Listri. The 560-page tome offers an exclusive look inside 55 libraries across 16 countries, spanning history across medieval, classical, baroque, rococo, and 19th-century styles.

Art and Culture tips from our local Spotters! Uniquely selected spots by our very own local spotters. Warsaw is absolutely bustling with art and culture! Art galleries, exhibitions, museums, contemporary art, and cultural experiences. Our local guide will guide you through the wonderful art and culture scene in Warsaw.

The Outer Limits is an American sci-fi TV series premiered on ABC in 1963. The show emphasizes science fiction stories and comprises an anthology of self-contained episodes. The show first premiered on ABC on September 16, 1963, running for two years until January 1965. The Outer Limits was a bit of a misfit among 60's

Tales of domestic drudgery, rigid dress codes, and a regimented daily life create a bleak portrait of the 19th century woman: she sits tightly corseted in...

If you're teaching a novel with classic setting in the 1950's and 1960's then this is an opportunity you won't want to miss. This educational enrichment packet contains pertinent information concerning TV shows that were produced during this era. This reinforcement contains actual YouTube footage of many televisions shows that were produced during this time period. It is a wonderful teaching aid to open up your next novel. Students are able to first become immersed in the time period therefore understanding author's theme and voice as an interactive unit. This document comes complete with links and is easily emailed to a student data base. Students can they easily peruse material becoming accustomed to some of the area's favorite TV past times. Other FABULOUS Historical Fiction Novels Teachers that purchased this were also interested in: Lyddie by Karen Paterson - Vocabulary, Questions, Final EssayFarewell to Manzanar by Houston and Houston - Enrichment PacketThe Fighting Ground by Avi - Questions, Worksheets, Hessian ResearchThe Endless Steppe by Hautzig - Novel Questions and Map Unit or Book ReportThe Moved-Outers by Florence Crannel MeansVoices From Vietnam by Barry Denenberg - Questions and Research, or BookreportChildren of the River by Linda Crew - Enrichment Packet or Book ReportOne Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn - Book ReportThe Story of the Peace Corps by Zachary Kent - Questions, Worksheet, Book ReportThe Story of Jonas Salk and the Discovery of the Polio Vaccine by Jim HargroveThe Crucible by Arthur Miller - Preliminary Activity - Summarizing Non FictionSoft Rain - (Cherokee Trail of Tears) Novel Packet - Questions-Vocab.-Worksheets Outsiders - Opening Speech Project Utilizing Newspapers/Online NewspapersThe Witch of Blackbird Pond - Preliminary 5 Paragraph Essay Internet ActivityThe Light in the Forest - Internet Indian Medicine ActivityChariot of the Sun God - Guided Question Response or Book ReportRomeo and Juliet - Teacher's Background GuideImportance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde - Guided Question WorksheetTelevision Shows of the 50's and 60'sSongs of the 50's and 60's for Teaching LiteratureInteresting Facts About Shakespeare's Globe TheatreProper Etiquette During the Victorian EraBram Stoker's Dracula Guided QuestionsAcross Five Aprils Project ChoicesCivil War Poetry AssignmentOur Town Guided Question Response

Remember the good old days before Turner Classic Movies? For the classic film fan, there were no good old days before TCM, but we were a resilient lot who scoured the TV Guide, actually taking notes and memorizing schedules to be able to catch a flick. In these days before VCRs as well, we were known to stay up until four in the morning just to catch that elusive Boston Blackie flick we'd been trying to scratch off our list since we were seven. These pages are from the TV Guide from July 1976. You'll note the generous episode descriptions of the sitcoms and game shows, and the BW in the little TV screen next to the name if the show was in black and white. (Before this, you'd see a little C to show the program was in color.) On this first page above we have midday Wednesday, and Johnny Guitar on Channel 27 (which was an independent station out of Worcester, Massachusetts.) Followed by Island of Lost Women. Apparently this was ladies day on good old Channel 27. Friday night, the wee small hours of the morning, as Frank Sinatra used to sing.  Elvis Presley in Spinout and Strategy of Terror with Barbara Rush. These were sixties movies, so they were "new". Clifton Webb is on board with Mr. Scoutmaster (1953), and if you can keep your eyes open until 3:15, there's Bob Hope in Fancy Pants. Yeah, I know, the CBS lineup of sitcoms was irresistible in this era. But for the movie buffs, we've got Alec Guinness in The Man in the White Suit (1951), and a documentary series on classic film directors Men Who Made Movies, both courtesy of Channel 57 out of Springfield, Mass., which was (and is) a PBS station. Here in the wee small hours of the morning on Saturday, we've got Crack in the World (1965) and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961), both of which entertain us with atomic bomb scenarios. So helpful to insomniacs. But if you need a little less nuclear option, there's Audie Murphy in 40 Guns to Apache Pass. Okay, I have to include this one, a movie we've actually covered on this blog: The Woman in White (1948) See here for previous post. This came by Channel 30, which was an NBC station out of Hartford, Connecticut. I've watched lots and lots of old movies on good old Channel 30 back in the day. And there's Shirley Temple on Channel 27. Always independent. The wee small hours of Tuesday evening. A Cry in the Night (1956) with Edmund O'Brien and Sayonara (1957) with Marlon Brando. Odd to see an add for a product which will put on weight, rather than a weight-loss product. I stopped buying TV Guide years ago, because I now get something like a zillion channels and watch very little TV. The news, a few history docos, that's it. That, and a passion for one old movie channel that is only reason I subscribe to cable. Thank you, TCM. There has never been a better time to be a classic film fan. 

These are the henna designs you will marvel at long after the last dredges of saffron have faded from your palms.

Auad Publishing, which produced books about noted illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Dorne, has done it again with an important new book about illustrator Al Parker (1906-1985). The 9' x 12" book contains 208 color pages with a rich cross section of Parker's work, along with family photos, reference materials and supporting essays. The text was written primarily by Stephanie Plunkett, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum but I was pleased to contribute as a co-author, along with Leif Peng. Parker was famous for his diverse visual solutions. While other illustrators worked hard to create a single recognizable brand, Parker's hallmark was ceaseless experimentation. I can't think of another illustrator who could pick up and put down artistic styles with such ease: Here's a sneak preview of the book: My essay says that Parker was the illustrator for the "interregnum"-- the power vacuum when the old gods of illustration (Norman Rockwell, Leyendecker, N.C. Wyeth, etc. ) were departing but the new gods (Pushpin Studios, Robert Weaver, Bernie Fuchs, Bob Peak, etc.) had not yet arrived. Everything was up for grabs; the styles of illustration which dominated the first half of the 20th century were becoming obsolete, but the new styles had not yet found their footing. In that window of time, Parker became the leading illustrator who explored dozens of new paths and planted dozens of new seeds. He never stayed in one place long enough to harvest those seeds himself, but they made profitable careers for a number of illustrators who followed in Parker's footsteps. Good friends: Al Parker surrounded by Bernie Fuchs and Bob Peak Despite his diverse approaches to picture making, young art students and beginning illustrators had no trouble spotting Parker's work, and would rush to the magazine stands each month to see what Parker was up to. As illustrator / comic artist Leonard Starr reported, "Parker was the man, and all the guys knew it." A book like this about Parker is long overdue, and I recommend it strongly to fans of illustration. P.S.-- For those of you living in the Los Angeles area, the Nucleus Gallery is having an exhibition of original Al Parker work. The show will only remain up for another week, and it provides a rare opportunity to see his great talents in the flesh.

The 1950s were incredible years for American television. Several fantastic programs were available that would entertain the masses, no matter how old they were. Howdy Doody was a classic that just about everyone enjoyed. Airing from 1947 to 1960, the iconic kid’s television show was beloved by people everywhere. Though there’s nothing quite like it

Every time i see a cheap image of Camille onnsale like this one i get so excited!! I love this one!

Remember the good old days before Turner Classic Movies? For the classic film fan, there were no good old days before TCM, but we were a resilient lot who scoured the TV Guide, actually taking notes and memorizing schedules to be able to catch a flick. In these days before VCRs as well, we were known to stay up until four in the morning just to catch that elusive Boston Blackie flick we'd been trying to scratch off our list since we were seven. These pages are from the TV Guide from July 1976. You'll note the generous episode descriptions of the sitcoms and game shows, and the BW in the little TV screen next to the name if the show was in black and white. (Before this, you'd see a little C to show the program was in color.) On this first page above we have midday Wednesday, and Johnny Guitar on Channel 27 (which was an independent station out of Worcester, Massachusetts.) Followed by Island of Lost Women. Apparently this was ladies day on good old Channel 27. Friday night, the wee small hours of the morning, as Frank Sinatra used to sing.  Elvis Presley in Spinout and Strategy of Terror with Barbara Rush. These were sixties movies, so they were "new". Clifton Webb is on board with Mr. Scoutmaster (1953), and if you can keep your eyes open until 3:15, there's Bob Hope in Fancy Pants. Yeah, I know, the CBS lineup of sitcoms was irresistible in this era. But for the movie buffs, we've got Alec Guinness in The Man in the White Suit (1951), and a documentary series on classic film directors Men Who Made Movies, both courtesy of Channel 57 out of Springfield, Mass., which was (and is) a PBS station. Here in the wee small hours of the morning on Saturday, we've got Crack in the World (1965) and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961), both of which entertain us with atomic bomb scenarios. So helpful to insomniacs. But if you need a little less nuclear option, there's Audie Murphy in 40 Guns to Apache Pass. Okay, I have to include this one, a movie we've actually covered on this blog: The Woman in White (1948) See here for previous post. This came by Channel 30, which was an NBC station out of Hartford, Connecticut. I've watched lots and lots of old movies on good old Channel 30 back in the day. And there's Shirley Temple on Channel 27. Always independent. The wee small hours of Tuesday evening. A Cry in the Night (1956) with Edmund O'Brien and Sayonara (1957) with Marlon Brando. Odd to see an add for a product which will put on weight, rather than a weight-loss product. I stopped buying TV Guide years ago, because I now get something like a zillion channels and watch very little TV. The news, a few history docos, that's it. That, and a passion for one old movie channel that is only reason I subscribe to cable. Thank you, TCM. There has never been a better time to be a classic film fan.