Xx

Seems like a good two weeks to try and get some stuff sorted out, right? Right?

In the Dog House Dr Stephanie Howard-Smith writes about her research on furniture for dogs in eighteenth-century France and Britain. The lapdog and its (generally female) owner were popular subjects for criticism t…

Can't see her on BSky, but Dr Stephanie Howard-Smith seems the person to know...
pethistories.wordpress.com/2019/12/06/i...
(not explicitly in that but more generally dog-wise, there's a book! #Yap 😍)
www.waterstones.com/book/yap/ste...

More here: www.nationalgallery.org.uk/about-us/pre...

Artist's impression of the new roof gardens of the National Gallery, showing people walking around the public space interspersed with shrubbery and trees. A misty skyline of London is in the background featuring the London Eye and Nelson's Column.

Big news from the National Gallery! Kengo Kuma and Associates with BDP and MICA have won the competition to design its new wing, part of the museum’s £750 million Project Domani. Can't wait to see the roof garden!

It's deeply annoying that all of the people who promoted and backed Trump will blithely carry on making prouncements and grifting away without any consequences.

Painting of an adorable tiny black dog, in a landscape, its front paws raised off the ground

I have nothing useful to add on the general state of things right now, but I can offer a thread of canine portraits by 18th-century French painter Jean-Jacques Bachelier, who was also director of the famed Sèvres porcelain factory. First up: Mimi, the favorite dog of Madame de Pompadour, 1762

A 'Dinosaur Smarties' Easter egg.

Erm, they're called palaeontologists, actually.

Like reading traditional Japanese books 😊 Suddenly it's the calm on the right transforming into the storm - the boats heading into the wave.

My favourite thing about that is it reads right to left and it's surprising how that changes it.

I'm finding 23 years is a long time to think about something.

It's the brain intensity that gets me. One week and I'm still thinking about it, two weeks and I get to the point where I could happily never go back. Long bank holiday is always good because H's alarm doesn't go off and I can forget what day it is 😁

That bit of the holiday when you sleep is amazing. Even if, like me, you wake up early and get to potter, the fact you've had a good sleep is immense. Today has felt like I imagine retirement to be.

@bendorgrosvenor.bsky.social Been thinking about this line between art & artefact a lot (going to apply it to WoD 💪). Developing a theory that this is where art history education falls down: methods (particularly museum/gallery ed) actually treat art as artefact. Does this align with your concerns?

Side of Nottingham Castle.

Alabaster depicting Jesus stepping out of the tomb with sleeping guards around him.

John Piper oil on canvas on gallery wall.

Went to the castle, saw a sassy alabaster Jesus exiting his tomb (topical), stared at a Piper and had some lunch. #Nottingham

This is a really valuable post. I've used SDT to frame our professional development offer and was hesitant for the reason of many of the mutations outlined here. Once it's out of my head, it _sounds_ good, but I know I need to stress _why_ I've done it so we get it right.

I do have a soft spot for them. A gajillion years ago they were my A level 😊

I'll be sure to spread the word about him and elevate his historical status (or at least keep having to explain to people why I'm giggling when I suddenly think about it) 😁

Belvoir Castle Henry VIII last Mon, popped to Hardwick on Weds - turning into a Tudor year...

An estate agent with the name Gavin Human.

[alien command centre]

"And you will infiltrate and conquer them, by means of selling them dwellings. We just need some kind of convincing name that won't arouse suspicion...."

@cjfaraday.bsky.social I finally had a chance to finish the last couple of chapters of your book (study took over) & I loved it! Crazy Cleve varnishing himself and parading 'thus all shiny in the street' has lived rent free in my head for weeks. Thank you 😊

(off to Downing on Sat to see the exh.)

I'm getting increasingly infuriated each time they refer to a kitchen as the 'kitchen area' on Homes Under the Hammer. It's not open plan, it's a kitchen. Just a kitchen.

We're at the YouTube 'there shined a shiny demon' part of the bank holiday. #Tribute

Also, we stayed in one near Glasgow that had every glass you could possibly imagine, genuinely tens and tens of them, but no 500ml for a decent squash. Bought a pack from tesco and still have them 😁

Our view is that everyone who owns a holiday cottage needs to stay in it one night a year at least.

Went to the railway crossing on Asher Lane to see a steam train - is this what Mastodon likes?
#Ruddington

Green steam train going over road crossing, viewed from behind the barrier gate.

Green steam train going over road crossing, viewed from behind the barrier gate.

Green steam train going over road crossing, viewed from behind the barrier gate.

Green steam train going over road crossing, viewed from behind the barrier gate.

Walked to the park just in time to see the train 🚂 #ChooChoo

Will you be twirling or twixing tomorrow?
Help us find The Nation's Favourite Easter Egg - open your laptop, follow the link to sign up:
au.nomoremarking.com/judging/sign...
Then judge by clicking the Left/Right button to choose your favourite...
@nomoremarking.bsky.social @daisychristo.bsky.social

He could have been a living legend, yet deliberately chose to be a tax evading tool.

No Dyson Musuem, no Dyson School of Mechanics, no Dyson Inventor Academy.

Altruism is a dead word to this moral vacuum.

Aging AI rock band 'Bag of Guns' desperately holding on to their career with new album 'Frontline Duties'

Rivalry. I like it.