PUT IT IN THE MONITOR-TOP
“IT IS almost like having an Aladdin’s lamp,” the manual read, “and not knowing the right way to rub it.” The year was 1927; the event was introduction of the … Continue reading
A GRAPHIC NOVEL FROM 1930
THE MODERN term “graphic novel,” especially Japanese manga, conjures up vibrant images of mayhem, graphic in both the pictorial sense and also in explicitness. I offer here a historical counterexample, … Continue reading
IMPRESSIONISM, SACRÉ BLEU AND CADMIUM-SULFIDE YELLOW
THIS IS triply a celebration of an era, a book review and a scientific tidbit. The era is the Belle Epoque, 1871 to the outbreak of World War I, when … Continue reading
THE SCHÉHÉRAZADE OF DIAGHILEV (AND BAKST)
“IMPRESARIO” CONJURES up the image of a larger-than-life individual, not just an artistic director of something or other, but one whose influence extends considerably further. Serge Diaghilev, founder of the … Continue reading
FROM LITHUANIA, WITH LOVE
I HAVE been remiss in scant praise of my ancestral homeland, Lithuania. Alas, when I toured nearby during especially historic times (see “He’s Got a Lot of Balts”), the pesky Russkies … Continue reading
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE SAM!
THE TALE of our Uncle Sam is oft-told, but not completely inappropriate on this, the 239th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Uncle Sam is a … Continue reading
MICKEY AND A MELTING WATCH??
WALT DISNEY had a way with fantasy. And so did artist Salvador Dali. Amazingly, these otherwise vastly different art icons worked together. In researching this, I learned of John Hench, … Continue reading
ORSON WELLES AND THE FEDERAL THEATRE PROJECT
THIS YEAR is the 100th anniversary of the birth of theatrical great Orson Welles. Likely, he’s best remembered for his 1941 movie Citizen Kane, consistently ranked among the all-time greatest … Continue reading
OPERA FEASTS
OPERA IS a high-energy art form, lots of dancing around all the while singing at the top of one’s lungs. Reflecting this, many opera stars keep their strength up with … Continue reading
QUENTIN CRISP—A LIFE OF STYLE
QUENTIN CRISP was the 20th century’s Oscar Wilde. He was a man of extravagant lifestyle and immense wit. Paraphrasing the Noël Coward song title, Crisp referred to himself as “one … Continue reading
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