1st November
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The Pond (1950) – English painter L. S. Lowry, born in Manchester 01/11/1887 The Pond is an impressive industrial landscape containing many features typical of Lowry's work; smoking chimneys, terraced houses and on the right, in the middle distance, the Stockport Viaduct. The scene is brought to life by his so called 'matchstick' people who swarm like ants through the city's streets and open spaces. Lowry said: 'This is a composite picture built up from a blank canvas. I hadn't the slightest idea of what I was going to put in the canvas when I started the picture but it eventually came out as you see it. This is the way I like working best'. He considered this to be his finest industrial landscape. On this day World Vegan Day 1800 John Adams became the first US president to live in the White House. 1922 Mustapha Kemal took Constantinople from Mohammed VI, proclaimed the Republic of Turkey and brought an end to the Ottoman Empire. 1957 The Mackinac Bridge in Michigan opened; it is one of the world's longest suspension bridges. Quote of the day Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. Dale Carnegie, American author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, who died 01/11/1955 Did you know …? The material to build the Taj Mahal was brought in from various parts of India by a fleet of 1,000 elephants. |
2nd November
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The Circus (1754–68) & The Royal Crescent (1767–74), Bath – John Wood the Elder & John Wood the Younger These building are among the greatest examples of Georgian architecture to be found in the United Kingdom. The Circus was designed by the architect John Wood the Elder, although he never lived to see his plans put into effect as he died less than three months after the first stone was laid. It was left to his son, John Wood the Younger to complete the scheme to his father's design. The design was inspired by the Coliseum in Rome, and the name comes from the Latin 'circus', which means a ring, oval or circle. The Royal Crescent, designed by John Wood the Younger is a row of 30 terraced houses laid out in a sweeping crescent designed to look like a grand palace. In the 18th century Bath became the most fashionable place in England; the city hosted grand balls and social functions and its visitors included Queen Anne herself, Lord Nelson and the novelist Jane Austen, who set two of her books in and around the city. On this day 1755 The future Queen of France Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna was born at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. She is better known as Marie Antoinette. 1953 Pakistan became an Islamic republic. 1984 Serial killer Velma Barfield became the first woman to be executed in the United States since 1962. 2014 60 people were killed and 110 injured by a suicide bombing in Lahore, Pakistan. Did you know …? Marie Antoinette was an Austrian princess who married the future king of France when she was 14 and he was 15. 
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3rd November
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The Open Window (1905) – Henri Matisse, who died 03/11/1954 Matisse is commonly regarded, along with Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp, as one of the three artists who helped to define the revolutionary developments in art in the early decades of the twentieth century, responsible for significant developments in painting and sculpture. The Open Window depicts the view out the window of his apartment in Collioure on the Southern coast of France. We see sailing boats on the water, as viewed from Matisse's hotel window overlooking the harbour. He returned frequently to the theme of the open window in Paris and especially during the years in Nice. On this day 1956 French cubist painter Jean Metzinger died. 1957 Russia launched Laika the dog, the first living creature to be sent into space. Quote of the day As a housewife, I feel that if the kids are still alive when my husband gets home from work, then hey, I've done my job. Roseanne Barr, American comedian and actress born 03/11/1952 Did you know …? In 1961 the Museum of Modern Art in New York displayed Le Bateau, a painting by Matisse. It was 47 days before anyone realised that it had been hung upside down. |
4th November
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Patti Smith’s Horses album cover (1975) – Robert Mapplethorpe, born 04/11/1946 Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, known for his sometimes controversial large-scale, highly stylized black and white photography. His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits and controversial homoerotic work. While he was still unknown he shared an apartment in Brooklyn with the equally unknown poet and later rock star Patti Smith, who remained one of his closest friends. Smith used a photo taken by Mapplethorpe for the cover of her debut album Horses. The black and white unisex pose were a departure from the typical promotional images of ‘girl singers’ of the time, and the record company wanted to make various changes to the photo, but Smith overruled such attempts. Writer Camille Paglia described the album cover as ‘one of the greatest pictures ever taken of a woman.’ On this day 1843 Nelson's column in Trafalgar Square was completed. 1918 English soldier and war poet Wilfred Owen was killed in action, age 25. 1922 The tomb of Tutankhamun was opened. Quotes of the day A fool and his money are soon elected. The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets. Will Rogers, American performer, humorist and actor born 04/11/1879 Did you know …? The four bronze relief panels at the bottom of Nelson’s Column were cast from captured French guns. |
5th November
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Dynamism of a Cyclist (1913) – Umberto Boccioni Boccioni was an influential Italian painter and sculptor. He was one of the principal figures who helped shape the revolutionary aesthetic of the Futurism movement. Futurism was an artistic and and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century. It emphasized speed, technology, youth and violence and objects such as the car, the aeroplane and the industrial city. Dynamism of a Cyclist demonstrates the Futurist preoccupation with speed, modern methods of transport, and the depiction of the dynamic sensation of movement. On this day 1605 The ‘Gunpowder Plot’ to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King James I was discovered - Guy Fawkes was arrested. 1959 Canadian singer/songwriter and musician Bryan Adams was born. 2005 English novelist John Fowles died. Quote of the day If one could conclude as to the nature of the Creator from a study of creation, it would appear that God has an inordinate fondness for stars and beetles. J. B. S. Haldane, British-born geneticist born 05/11/1892 Did you know …? The Codex Leicester is a collection of largely scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci. The codex is named after Thomas Coke, later created Earl of Leicester, who purchased it in 1719. |
6th November
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ELP’s Brain Salad Surgery album cover (released 19/11/1973) – Swiss surrealist painter H. R. Giger Hans Rudolf Giger was a, painter, sculptor and set designer. He was part of the special effects team that won an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for their design work on the film Alien. This album cover features distinctive Giger monochromatic biomechanical artwork, integrating an industrial mechanism with a human skull and the new ELP logo (also created by Giger). The original acrylic-on-paper paintings were lost (or stolen) after a Giger exhibition at the National Technical Museum in Prague in August 2005. On this day 1844 Spain granted the Dominican Republic independence. 1928 Colonel Jacob Schick patented the first electric razor. 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini seized power in Iran, becoming Supreme Leader. Quote of the day You know what the difference is between my wife and a terrorist? – You can negotiate with a terrorist. Frank Carson Northern Irish comedian born 06/11/1926 Did you know …? The brain makes up only two per cent of the body’s weight, but uses twenty per cent of the body’s oxygen. |
7th November
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La Sagrada Família (1882) – Antoni Gaudí La Sagrada Família is Gaudí’s unfinished magnum opus, and although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Construction on the Sagrada Família is not supported by any government or official church sources. Private patrons funded the initial stages. Money from tickets purchased by tourists is now used to pay for the work, and private donations are accepted through the Friends of the Sagrada Família. The construction budget for 2009 was €18 million. When Gaudí died in 1926, the basilica was between 15 and 25 percent complete. On this day … 1943 Canadian singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell was born. 1993 John Apostolou from Edmonton, north London, had his Mercedes damaged by a lump of frozen urine which fell from an airliner flying 20,000 feet over his home. Quotes of the day Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. Marie Curie, Polish-French Nobel-prize winning physicist and chemist born 07/11/1867 It is not fair to ask of others what you are unwilling to do yourself. Eleanor Roosevelt, longest-serving First Lady of the US who died 07/11/1962 Did you know …? The chemical element Polonium was discovered in 1898 by Marie and Pierre Curie and was named after Marie Curie’s native land of Poland (Latin: Polonia). |
8th November
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Roxy Music’s Country Life album cover in Pantone swatches – British artist David Marsh The little squares that make up this picture represent Pantone swatches in Adobe design software. Take a step back to get a really good look at the pixilated scenes, which use minimal amounts of colours to form the famous and recognizable artwork. Marsh focuses on album art from 1960’s through to today. To create these seemingly abstract scenes, he uses 1,369 squares in a way similar to Pointillism—the practice in art of painting tiny dots of pure colour in patterns to make a picture. Marsh says, ‘These latest works combine two ‘big likes’ for me—Pantone swatches and record cover art. Up close they resemble a random mix of pantone swatch icons. Stand back, however, and your image-memory takes over and interprets an iconic album cover.’ On this day 1656 English astronomer Edmund Halley was born. 1847 Anglo-Irish author Abraham ‘Bram’ Stoker was born. He best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel, Dracula. 1895 Wilhelm Rontgen discovered x-rays, for which he was awarded the first Nobel Prize for Physics in 1901, and which revolutionised modern medicine. 1971 Led Zeppelin released their untitled fourth album; writers and critics have regularly included it on lists of rock's greatest albums. Quote of the day A pedestrian is someone who thought there were a couple of gallons left in the tank. Anon. Did you know …? A day on Venus is longer than a year on Earth. |
9th November
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Palais des Papes, Avignon (1909) – Paul Signac born 11/11/1863 Signac was a French Neo-Impressionist painter who, working with Georges Seurat, helped develop the Pointillist style. He met Seurat in 1884 and was struck by his systematic working methods and by his theory of colours. He became Seurat's faithful supporter and began to experiment with scientifically juxtaposed small dots of pure colour, intended to combine and blend not on the canvas but in the viewer's eye, the defining feature of Pointillism. It was Signac and his friend and fellow ‘Neo’ Henri Edmond Cross who popularised the little port of St Tropez by settling there in the early 1890s. Politically Signac was an anarchist, as were many of his friends, including Maximilien Luce and Camille Pissarro. On this day 1906 Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. President to visit other countries (Puerto Rico and Panama). 1918 Emperor Wilhelm II abdicated after Germany’s defeat in WW I. 1953 Welsh poet Dylan Thomas died. His last words were I've just had eighteen straight whiskies. I think that's the record. 2016 Donald Trump was elected President of America. Quote of the day A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism. Carl Sagan, American astronomer born 09/11/1934 Did you know …? Robert Zimmerman took his name ‘Bob Dylan’ from the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. |
10th November
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Satire on false perspective (1754) – William Hogarth, who was born 10/11/1697 Satire on False Perspective is the title of an engraving produced by William Hogarth for his friend Joshua Kirby's pamphlet on linear perspective. The work shows a scene that provides many deliberate examples of confused and misplaced perspective effects. The intent of the work is clearly given by the subtitle: Whoever makes a design without the Knowledge of perspective will be liable to such Absurdities as are shewn in this Frontispiece. On this day 1940 Walt Disney began serving as an informer for the Los Angeles office of the FBI; his job was to report on Hollywood subversives. 1945 General Enver Hoxha became leader of Albania. Quote of the day For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. Carl Sagan, American astronomer born 09/11/1934. Did you know …? After the end of WWII Albania was declared the world's first atheist state – all its churches and mosques were closed. |
11th November
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Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red (2014) – Paul Cummins Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red was a work of installation art placed in the moat of the Tower of London, England, between July and November 2014, commemorating the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. It consisted of 888,246 ceramic red poppies, each intended to represent one British or Colonial serviceman killed in the War. The work's title was taken from the first line of a poem by an unknown World War I soldier. On this day 1918 World War I ends with the signing of the Armistice. 1974 American film actor Leonardo Di Caprio was born. 1989 The Berlin Wall came down, allowing free passage between East Berlin and West Berlin. 1994 Bill Gates bought Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Leicester for $30,800,000. Quote of the day The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different. Peter Drucker Austrian-born American management consultant who died 11/11/2005 Did you know …? Kim Peek, a savant born 11/11/1951 could not button a shirt, but could read a book in thirty minutes and had total recall of around 12,000 books. |
12th November
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The Thinker (1904) – Auguste Rodin, born 12/11/1840 In 1880 Rodin was commissioned to create a portal for Paris' planned Museum of Decorative Arts. Although the museum was never built, Rodin worked throughout his life on the portal project, called The Gates of Hell, a monumental sculptural group depicting scenes from Dante's Inferno. The project comprised 186 figures in its final form. Many of Rodin's best-known sculptures started as designs of figures for this composition, such as The Thinker and The Kiss, and were only later presented as separate and independent works. On this day … 1859 Jules Leotard performed the first flying trapeze circus act in Paris He also designed garment that bears his name. 1910 The first stunt in a movie took place: a man jumped into the Hudson river from a burning balloon. 1923 In Germany, Adolf Hitler was arrested for attempting to seize power on 8th November. 1945 Canadian rock singer-songwriter Neil Young was born. Quote of the day I choose a block of marble and chop off whatever I don't need. Auguste Rodin, French sculptor Did you know …? Foods which are a source of protein, such as meat, fish, eggs and beans, should make up about 12% of our daily diet. |
13th November
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Peasants’ Houses, Eragny (1887)- Camille Pissarro, who died 13/11/1903 Pissarro was a Danish-French painter who was a pivotal figure in the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements. Impressionism horrified the critics, who primarily appreciated only scenes portraying religious, historical, or mythological settings. The subject matter of the Impressionists was considered ‘vulgar’ and ‘commonplace,’ with scenes of street people going about their everyday lives, and the manner of painting was too sketchy and looked incomplete, especially compared to the traditional styles of the period. During his lifetime, Camille Pissarro sold few of his paintings, but by the 21st century his paintings were selling for millions. On this day … 1850 Scottish novelist and travel writer Robert Louis Stevenson was born. 1916 The Battle of the Somme, intended to drive the Germans north towards the coast, ended with the loss of around 60,000 Allied lives on the first day. Quote of the day If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough. Allan R. Sandage, American astronomer who died 13/11/2010 Did you know …? Starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta should make up 30% of our diet. Starch and other carbohydrates are a great energy source – much better than fats. |
14th November
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The Four Trees (1891) – French Impressionist painter Claude Monet, born 14/11/1840 Monet was a founder of French Impressionism, and the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement's philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature, especially as applied to outdoor landscape painting. During the summer and autumn of 1891 Monet painted a series of views of poplars along the River Epte at Giverny. The trees, which actually belonged to the commune of Limetz across the river, were put up for auction before Monet had completed all of his paintings. At a certain point Monet was forced into buying the trees because he still hadn't finished his paintings. After he finished the series he sold the trees back to the lumber merchant who wanted them. On this day … 1963 The Icelandic island of Surtsey was born after an eruption by an underground water volcano. 1922 The BBC made its first radio broadcast. Quote of the day Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. P.J. O'Rourke, American journalist and author born 14/11/1947 Did you know …? Japan has approximately 200 volcanoes and is home to 10% of the active volcanoes in the world. |
15th November
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Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 (1932) – American artist Georgia O’Keeffe, born 15/11/1887 Georgia O’Keeffe is best known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico landscapes. Her reputation and popularity continued to grow through the 1930s and 40s, and her work was included in exhibitions in and around New York. She completed Summer Days, a painting featuring a deer's skull adorned with various wildflowers against a desert background in 1936, and it became one of her most well-known works. During the 1940s O'Keeffe had two retrospectives, the first at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the second at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, the first retrospective MoMA had held for a female artist. In November 2014, O'Keeffe's Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 sold for $44,405,000, more than three times the previous world auction record for any female artist. On this day … 1837 Isaac Pitman introduced his shorthand system. 1920 League of Nations held its first meeting in Geneva. 1969 The first commercial appeared on British TV – for Birds-Eye frozen peas. 2013 Sony launched the Playstation Four, selling one million units on the first day. Quote of the day War is when your government tells you who the enemy is. A revolution is when you figure it out yourself. Anon. Did you know …? Forks didn’t arrive in Britain until the 17th century. Before then the British had been happy to shovel food into their mouths with their hands or with pieces of old bread. |
16th November
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Victoria Falls Victoria Falls is a waterfall in southern Africa on the Zambezi River on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. In the local language it’s called Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning the Smoke that Thunders. While it is neither the highest nor the widest waterfall in the world, it is classified as the largest, based on its width and height, resulting in the world's largest sheet of falling water. Victoria Falls is roughly twice the height of North America's Niagara Falls. In height and width Victoria Falls is rivalled only by Argentina and Brazil's Iguazu Falls. A famous feature is the naturally formed ‘Armchair’ or ‘Devil's Pool’, near the edge of the falls. When the river flow is at a certain level, usually between September and December, a rock barrier forms an eddy with minimal current, allowing adventurous swimmers to splash around in relative safety a few feet from the point where the water cascades over the falls. Occasional deaths have been reported when people have slipped over the rock barrier. On this day … 1855 Missionary David Livingstone became the first European to see what he called Victoria Falls. 1987 Police raided a hospital in Naples and arrested 39 employees who had clocked on for work but then abandoned patients to watch a football match between Italy and Sweden. Quote of the day The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself. Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton Did you know …? The sound made by the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is so loud that it can be heard 40 miles away. |
17th November
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The Singing Butler (1992) – Jack Vettriano, born 17/11/1951 Jack Vettriano is a self-taught painter from an industrial part of Scotland, and he is one of Britain’s highest earning contemporary artist. Film star Jack Nicholson and ex-Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson are among his customers, and his works sell for between £48,000 and £195,000. However, the critics have been very hostile towards him: Sandy Moffat, head of drawing and painting at Glasgow School of Art, said: ‘He can’t paint, he just colours in.’ The Guardian newspaper’s art critic Jonathan Jones, described Vettriano’s paintings as a group as ‘brainless’ and said Vettriano ‘is not even an artist’. The Singing Butler is the best-selling art print in the UK; the original sold for £740,000. However, in April 2010 seven out of ten paintings by Vettriano failed to sell at auction at Sotheby's, and those that sold did so for half their previous prices. Art experts suggested the value of Vettriano's works needed reassessing. On this day … 1869 The first cycle race covering the 83 miles from Paris to Rouen, was won by Englishman James Moore. 1869 The 100-mile Suez Canal opened, having taken more than 10 years to complete. 1942 American film director Martin Scorsese was born. Quote of the day I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m sure I can repeat them exactly. Peter Cook English writer and comedian born 17/11/1937 Did you know …? Typically, it takes a ship 12 to 16 hours to transit the Suez Canal. The canal’s 24-hour capacity is about 76 standard ships. |
18th November
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Dancing Butler on Toxic Beach (2008) – Banksy This parody of Jack Vettriano's ‘Singing Butler’ with oil barrels in the background was first displayed as part of a Banksy exhibition called ‘Crude Oils’. Besides the paintings in the exhibition being pretty provocative on their own, the event was made unforgettable for those in attendance by a number of rats running around the gallery freely, freaking people out. The rats, of course, represented humans in society and was a social commentary on society as a whole. On this day … 1928 Mickey Mouse (in Steamboat Willie) was born. 1852 The state funeral of the Duke of Wellington took place in St. Paul's Cathedral. 1922 French novelist Marcel Proust died. 1976 American visual artist Man Ray died. Quote of the day The greatest crimes in the world are not committed by people breaking the rules but by people following the rules. It's people who follow orders that drop bombs and massacre villages. Banksy Did you know …? Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time is the longest novel in world literature; it has seven volumes and nearly 1.5 million words. |
19th November
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Le Violon d’Ingres (1924) – Man Ray, who died 18/11/1976 Man Ray (born Emmanuel Radnitzky) was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in France. This is famous black and white photograph of the model Alice Prin (known as Kiki de Montparnasse), whose back bears the gills of a violin. This photograph was published for the first time in the thirteenth issue of the journal Literature in June 1924, and is currently held at the Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris. Prin was a French artist's model, nightclub singer, actress, and painter. She flourished in, and helped define, the liberated culture of Paris in the 1920s. She died in 1953 after collapsing outside her flat in Montparnasse, at the age of fifty-one, apparently of complications of alcoholism or drug dependence. On this day … 1961 American film actress Meg Ryan was born. 1997 The BBC’s version of Lou Reed’s Perfect Day went to No. 1 on the chart in the UK; click here to listen. 1998 Vincent van Gogh's Portrait of the Artist Without Beard sold at auction for $71.5 million. 1998 The United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee began impeachment hearings against U.S. President Bill Clinton. Quote of the day Making good decisions is a crucial skill at every level. Peter Drucker, Austrian-born American management consultant born 19/11/1909 Did you know …? Chopsticks are generally made from bamboo, and there is rising environmental concern over disposable chopsticks – in Japan alone more than 63 million pairs of chopsticks are discarded every day. |
20th November
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The Disquieting Muses (c. 1916) – Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico, who died 20/11/1978 In the years before World War I, Chirico founded the metaphysical art movement, which profoundly influenced the surrealists. While Futurism staunchly rejected the past, other modern movements identified a nostalgia for the now faded Classical grandeur of Italy as a major influence in their art. Giorgio de Chirico first developed the style that he later called ‘Metaphysical Painting’ while in Milan, but it was in Florence that he subsequently developed his emphasis on strange, eerie spaces, based upon the Italian piazza. The Disquieting Muses was painted during World War I, when De Chirico was in Ferrara. The Castello Estense, near which de Chirico lived, is in the background, rust-red and among industrial buildings. At the front are the two Muses, dressed in classical clothing. One is standing and the other sitting, and they are placed among various objects, including a red mask and staff, an allusion to Melpomene and Thalia, the Muses of tragedy and comedy. The statue on a pedestal in the background is Apollo, leader of the Muses. On this day … 1886 Publishers Ward Lock & Co. paid Arthur Conan Doyle £25 for all the rights to his first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. 1947 American singer/songwriter and guitarist with The Eagles Joe Walsh was born. 1992 Queen Elizabeth's home Windsor Castle caught fire. Quote of the day I naturally gravitated to London, that great cesspool into which all the loungers and idlers of the Empire are irresistibly drained. Dr Watson in A Study in Scarlet Did you know …? In 1980 Joe Walsh ran for President of the United States, promising to make Life's Been Good the new national anthem if he won, and ran on a platform of ‘Free Gas For Everyone’. |
21st November
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Decalcomania (1966) – Belgian surrealist René Magritte, born 21/11/1898 Magritte became well known for a number of witty and thought-provoking images that fall under the umbrella of surrealism; his work is known for challenging observers' preconditioned perceptions of reality. The 1960s brought a great increase in public awareness of Magritte's work, and his pictures have been frequently adapted or plagiarized in advertisements, posters and album covers. Magritte’s influence in the development of Pop Art has been widely recognized, and artists who have been influenced by his work include Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns. On this day … 1783 The first untethered manned hot air balloon flight was was made by Jean de Rosier and the Marquis d'Arlandes in the Montgolfier's balloon. Quote of the day It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets. François-Marie Arouet, French writer and philosopher better known as Voltaire, born 21/11/1694 Did you know …? Trinity College, Cambridge has won more Nobel Prizes than the whole of Italy. |
22nd November
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Taj Mahal (1632 – 1653) The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahanto house the tomb of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died during the birth of their 14th child. The mausoleum is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India". It took nearly 22 years to build, employing around 20,000 artisans and craftsmen throughout the empire. On this day … 1819 English author George Eliot (real name Mary Anne Evans) was born. 1963 President of the United States John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. 1997 Australian rock singer Michael Hutchence of the band INXS died age 37: click here to watch/listen. 1986 At the age of 20, Mike Tyson became the youngest ever world heavyweight boxing champion. Quotes of the day Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us wordy evidence of the fact. From Impressions of Theophrastus Such by English novelist George Eliot (real name Mary Anne Evans), born 22/11/1819 Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you. Aldous Huxley, English writer and philosopher who died 22/11/1963 Did you know …? 99% of all the species that have ever lived are now extinct. |
23rd November
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‘Books’ poster for the Soviet publisher Gosizdat, 1924 – Alexander Rodchenko, born 23/11/1891 (O.S.) Rodchenko was one of the most versatile artists to emerge after the Russian Revolution. He worked as a painter and graphic designer before turning to photomontage and photography. This poster features Lilya Brik, a Russian socialite who was connected to many leading figures in the Russian avant-garde movement between 1914 and 1930. Much of the work of 20th century graphic designers is a direct result of Rodchenko's earlier work in the field. His influence has been pervasive. American conceptual artist Barbara Kruger owes a debt to Rodchenko's work. On this day … 1859 William J. Bonney, otherwise known as Billy the Kid, was born. 1906 Joseph Smith, the leader of the Mormon Church, was convicted of polygamy. 1990 British novelist and short story writer Roald Dahl died. 2005 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, elected president of Liberia, became the first woman to lead an African country. Did you know …? Vatican City is the only place in the world where cash machines (ATMs) offer instructions in Latin. 
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24th November
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Ambassadeurs (1892) – Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, French painter and illustrator born 24/11/1864 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a member of an aristocratic family who probably suffered from an unknown genetic disorder; his legs stopped growing, so that as an adult he was extremely short. He immersed himself in art and recorded in his works many details of the late-19th-century bohemian lifestyle in Paris. His liking for absinthe developed into alcoholism, and he also had a fondness for frequenting prostitutes. At the age of 35 his family had him committed to a sanatorium for three months, but his physical and mental health began to decline rapidly due to alcoholism and syphilis, and he died at the age of 36. This poster advertises an event with the satirical singer Aristide Bruant at the Ambassadeurs nightclub in Paris. The director of the nightclub disliked the poster’s dramatic and uncompromising style, but Bruant was a friend of Lautrec and said he would not perform unless the poster remained. On this day … 1826 Italian author of Pinocchio Carlo Collodi was born. 1859 Charles Darwin published his controversial On the Origin of Species. 1991 Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the English rock band Queen, died; click here to watch/listen. Quote of the day Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense. Steve Landesberg, American actor and comedian born 24/11/1936 Did you know …? Charles Darwin failed his degree because he spent most of his time at Cambridge lying in a punt, observing flies. |
25th November
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The Arnolfini Portrait (or Marriage)(1434) – Jan van Eyck Oil painting was invented around 1400, and Van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Portrait is one of the very first oil paintings. This is a portrait is painted on an oak panel, and shows the Italian merchant Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife. His wife is not pregnant, as is often thought, but holding up her full-skirted dress in the contemporary fashion. The painting was bought by the National Gallery in London in 1842 for £600. On this day … 1844 Karl Benz, German inventor of the first car powered by an internal combustion engine, was born. 1835 Scottish American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland. 1969 John Lennon returned the MBE he received in 1965 to the Queen as a protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra conflict and against Britain's support of America in Vietnam. 1974 English singer-songwriter Nick Drake died of an overdose of antidepressants age 26; click here to watch/listen. 2016 Cuban revolutionary and former president Fidel Castro died at the age of 90. Quote of the day Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want. Joseph Wood Krutch, American writer born 25/11/1893 Did you know …? Since 1959 it has been legal to marry a dead person in France, as long as you can prove the wedding was already planned. |
26th November
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Mr and Mrs Andrews (c.1750) – Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough was an English portrait and landscape painter. Although he preferred landscapes to portraits he became the dominant British portraitist of the second half of the 18th century, and Mr and Mrs Andrews is an unusual combination of these two types of painting of the period. The painting is now in the National Gallery in London and is one of Gainsborough’s most famous works but it remained in the family of the sitters until 1960 and was very little known before it appeared in an exhibition in 1927. On this day … 1911 Paul Lafargue and his wife Laura Marx (daughter of Karl Marx) died in a suicide pact. 1939 American singer and actress Tina Turner was born in Nutbush, Tennessee; click here to watch/listen. 1945 Fleetwood Mac bass guitarist John McVie was born. Quote of the day Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. Charles Schulz, American cartoonist and creator of the Peanuts cartoons who was born 26/11/1922 Did you know …? In 2014, with earnings of $40 million, Charles Schulz was named by Forbes magazine as the third highest earning dead celebrity after Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. |
27th November
Image of the day
Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy (1970-71) – David Hockney This painting depicts the fashion designer Ossie Clark and the textile designer Celia Birtwell shortly after their wedding at which the artist was Clark's best man. Hockney drew on several paintings in the symbolism and composition of the painting: The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck, A Rake's Progress by William Hogarth and Mr and Mrs Andrews by Thomas Gainsborough. The positions of the two figures are reversed from the Arnolfini Portrait with the conclusion that Birtwell is the assertive partner. The lilies next to Birtwell, a symbol of female purity are also associated with depictions of the Annunciation (at the time of the portrait Birtwell was pregnant). The cat on Clark's lap is a symbol of infidelity and envy. The picture now hangs in the Tate Britain gallery on Millbank and is one of the most visited paintings in Britain. On this day … 1942 American guitarist, singer and songwriter Jimi Hendrix was born; click here to watch/listen. Quote of the day All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Edmund Burke Did you know …? Research shows that driver fatigue may be a contributory factor in up to 20% of road accidents. These types of crashes are about 50% more likely to result in death or serious injury as they tend to be high speed impacts, because a driver who has fallen asleep cannot brake or swerve to avoid or reduce the impact. |
28th November
Image of the day
The Ancient of Days (1794) – English poet, painter, and printmaker William Blake, who was born 28/11/1757 Blake was largely unrecognised during his lifetime, but is now considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age. The Ancient of Days is the title of this design which was, originally published as the frontispiece to a 1794 work, Europe a Prophecy. It shows Urizen crouching in a circular design with a cloud-like background. His outstretched hand holds a compass over the darker void below. In Blake’s complex mythology Urizen is the embodiment of conventional reason and law. He is usually depicted as a bearded old man, sometimes holding architect's tools. Originally Urizen represented one half of a two-part system, with him representing reason and Los, his opposition, representing imagination. On this day … 1582 English poet and playwright William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. 1893 Women voted in a national election for the first time: the New Zealand general election. 1916 First German air attack on London. 1918 Emperor Wilhelm II of Prussia and Germany abdicated. Did you know …? After the Norman conquest, about 10,000 French words were adopted into English, some three-quarters of which are still in use today. More than a third of all English words are derived directly or indirectly from French, and it's estimated that English speakers who have never studied French already know 15,000 French words. 
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29th November
Image of the day
Snake (1970–72) - Sidney Nolan, Australian artist who died 28/11/1992 Sir Sidney Nolan was one of Australia’s best-known painters and printmakers. Snake is a giant Rainbow Serpent mural made of 1,620 individual paintings. The Museum of Old and New Art in Tasmania was built to accommodate Snake, where it was displayed publicly for the first time in Australia. The museum presents antiquities and modern and contemporary art from the David Walsh collection. Walsh is an Australian professional gambler who describes himself as a ‘rabid atheist’. He has described the museum as a ‘subversive adult Disneyland’. On this day … 1898 British novelist C.S. Lewis was born in Belfast. His most famous work is The Chronicles of Narnia. 1937 999 became the official emergency number for Scotland Yard. 2001 Former Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison died of cancer aged 58; click here to watch/listen. Did you know …? Five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married. 
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30th November
Image of the day
Crystal Palace, destroyed by fire on 30/11/1936. The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and plate-glass structure erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in its 92,000 m2 of exhibition space to display examples of the technology developed during the Industrial Revolution. Designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, the Great Exhibition building was 564 m long, with an interior height of 39 m and was the greatest area of glass ever seen in a building; visitors were astonished by its clear walls and ceilings that did not require interior lights. After the exhibition, the building was rebuilt in an enlarged form on Penge Common, next to Sydenham Hill, an affluent south London suburb full of large villas. It stood there from 1854. When it caught fire in 1936 100,000 people went to Sydenham Hill to watch the blaze, among them Winston Churchill. On this day … St Andrew’s Day 1508 Influential Italian architect Andrea Palladio was born. 1642 Italian painter and architect Andrea Pozzo was born. 1667 Anglo-Irish satirist and essayist Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin. He is best known for Gulliver’s Travels. 1874 British politician and Nobel Prize winning writer Winston Churchill was born. 1900 Irish writer and poet Oscar Wilde died in Paris at the age of 46. Did you know …? Andrea Pozzo’s masterpiece is the ceiling of the church of San Ignazio in Rome, on which he created a three-dimensional illusion. 
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