After 245 years, Encyclopedia Britannica will no longer be in print, only digital. They are selling their last 4000 print copies and then all future editions will be available on their website or through phone apps. They learned what all paper media providers have discovered – it is too expensive to produce in paper and the audience is all moving to digital. On the plus side, we should save a lot of trees. Learn more in the Encyclopedia Britannica ends print, goes digital story at Reuters.
Category Archives: Arts
Mona Lisa’s “twin” heading to the Louvre
A second painting of the Mona Lisa by one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s students is now on display at the Prado museum in Madrid, Spain and headed to the Louvre on March 13 to join the famous original. A “technical study” requested by the Louvre shed light on the twin previously believed a recent copy. During the study, experts learned of hidden mountains and other similarities to Da Vinci’s painting, leading them to believe Da Vinci’s student painted it. I wonder how many other works of art have been mistaken because the time was not taken to verify them. Read the full Madrid’s Prado puts Mona Lisa’s “twin” on display story at Reuters.
Artist scapegoat for stolen piece returned to France
The good news is the U.S. returned a piece of art stolen three decades ago to France. The artwork was a monotype by impressionist Camille Pissarro. The bad news is that artist Sharyl Davis who unknowingly bought the stolen piece is out $100,000 in legal fees, plus the value of the painting around $60,000 to $80,000 while the thief is living on a boat in the south of France. This “scapegoat” story somewhat goes along with the Leviticus 16 story. You would think that someone (French or U.S. government) would help Ms. Davis, but unfortunately financial victims rarely get any compensation. Read the U.S. returns stolen Pissarro artwork to France story at Reuters.
Statue of Liberty poet honored
Emma Lazarus wrote The New Colossus poem that has welcomed people to America at the base of the Statue of Liberty for 125 years. The Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City is honoring her in the “Emma Lazarus Poet of Exiles” exhibit running through December. Learn more about her passion for the tired, poor and huddled masses in the Exhibit illuminates Statue of Liberty poet Lazarus story at Reuters.
Dalai Lama’s “Beyond Religion” book
Martin Sheen narrates the Dalai Lama’s new book Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World. The Dalai Lama is a modern-day prophet who transcends all religions and “is a reflection of the Gospels” according to Sheen. Read the whole Book Talk: Sheen “nourished” by narrating Dalai Lama’s book story at Reuters.
Note: the Reuters story includes a free download of the Dalai Lama’s book from Audible.com until December 20th. I plan to listen to his book.
NEWS: National Student Poets program unveiled
First Lady Michelle Obama helped unveil the National Student Poets program last week where the first five poets will receive $5,000 academic scholarships in 2012. Good news for other writers. Read the full Michelle Obama unveils student poet program story at Reuters.
NEWS: Leonardo da Vinci paints his way to the UK
London’s National Gallery is showing nine master paintings and dozens of drawings in the “Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan” exhibit now through February 5, 2012. Read the complete Reuters story at Leonardo da Vinci gets celebrity billing with UK show.
NEWS: Snickering at NYC Museum
The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art rediscovered the old adage that laughter is the best medicine and draw to the museum through their “Infinite Jest: Caricature and Satire from Leonardo to Levine” exhibit. See full Snickering encouraged at NY caricature exhibit story at Reuters.