alp.

films, society and culture in saecula saeculorum.

[boylerpf]

Edwardian Platinum Diamond Brooch Lavaliere Pendant

Source - Boylerpf

[frail-eternity-blog]

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, details

[renaissance-art]

These stunning mosaics decorate Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome which, according to legend, was built following Pope Liberius’s dream of the Virgin Mary followed by a miraculous summer snow fall the next day indicating where the Virgin wished to have her church. As a result the site is often called “Our Lady of the Snows.” In the 13th century Pope Nicholas IV wanted to redesign the original 5th century mosaic and commissioned Jacopo Torriti in 1291. Upholding the founders dedication to Mary the scenes tell the story of her life with the Coronation as the most prominent scene. It was the first time in Italy that the Coronation was displayed in such a monumental manner. The basilica is also the burial site for the renowned baroque artist Bernini. Both sites are open to visitors.  

[oldpaintings]

Mermaids and Sea Nymphs by Eric Pape (American, 1870-1938)

[oldpaintings]

Christian Berentz (German, 1658--1722)

[soul-luminnous-eyes]

Eugene von Blaas, 1843-1932

The awakening, 1893, oil on canvas, 175x100 cm

[theinternetarchive]

embroidery samples, silk and metallic thread on felt; french c. early 1800s.

[thealp-blog]

A trip to Kórnik Castle

[undr]

Kees Scherer. Amsterdam. 1950s

[philosophybits]

“We have little to say when vanity is not making us speak.”

— François de La Rochefoucauld, Moral Reflections

[oldhollywood]

Katharine Hepburn as Clara Schumann in Song of Love (1947, dir. Clarence Brown) (via)

[sparklejamesysparkle]

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐦𝐬, 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭. 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐤𝐢𝐝, 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞" -𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟖

In memory of screen legend, actor, director, environmentalist, lgbtq+ advocate, Native American and indigenous people's advocate, and Sundance Film Festival founder Robert Redford who passed away in his sleep at his home in Sundance, Utah on September 16th, 2025 at the age of 89. During his seven decade long career, Redford won two Academy Awards (one for directing Ordinary People in 1980, the second an Honorary Award for being an "inspiration to independent and innovative filmmakers everywhere" in 2001), six Golden Globe Awards for acting and directing, including the Cecil B. DeMille Award for "outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment" in 1993, as well as numerous other honors and accolades including the National Medal of Arts in 1996, France's Légion d'honneur in 2016, and the American Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. Beloved by audiences and the industry for his talent, good looks, easy-going charm, and calm but determined manner, Redford took all the praise and attention he received in stride, remaining down to earth and humble while stating: "I don't see myself as 'beautiful'. I never had a problem with my face on screen. I thought: 'It is what it is'. But I was a kid who was freckle-faced, and they used to call me 'hay head'. When I was a kid, nobody told me I was good-looking. I wish they had. I would've had a better time." He will be missed. May he rest in peace. ❤

[thecinamonroe]

Marilyn Monroe photographed by John Vachon, 1953.

[rosieandthemoon]

Medieval embroidered book binding

[philosophybits]

“The best knowledge, sometimes, is not to know, or pretend not to.”

— Baltasar Gracián, The Art of Worldly Wisdom

[random-brushstrokes]

George Ford Morris - Battling Pegases (1925)

[memories-of-ancients]

Gold ring, Merovingian France, 6th-7th century AD

from The Metropolitan Museum of Art