1st September
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Gassed (1919) – John Singer Sargent John Singer Sargent was an American artist, although he lived most of his life in Europe. He was considered the leading portrait painter of his generation for his depictions of Edwardian era luxury. Sargent was commissioned by the British War Memorials Committee to document the First World War and he visited the Western Front in July 1918. The resulting picture was Gassed, a very large oil painting depicting the aftermath of a mustard gas attack, with a line of wounded soldiers walking towards a dressing station. The painting was voted picture of the year by the Royal Academy of Arts in 1919, and is now held by the Imperial War Museum. On this day 1967 English First World War poet Siegfried Sassoon died. 1985 The wreck of the Titanic was found. 2012 American lyricist Harold ‘Hal’ David died. Quote of the day Good breeding consists of concealing how much we think of ourselves and how little we think of the other person. Mark Twain Did you know …? The Earth spins so fast on its axis that someone standing on the equator is actually travelling at the speed of Concorde … without moving at all. |
2nd September
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Wren’s plan for London (never built) After the Great fire of London in 1666 Sir Christopher Wren drew up a plan for how he thought the city should be rebuilt, with wider streets and a more uniform layout. However the country was at war with the Dutch Republic and the City was keen to restart commerce as soon as possible so that it could collect taxes to pay for the ongoing war. While improvements were made and streets were widened, Wren’s grand scheme was never adopted. On this day 1964 American actor Keanu Reeves was born. 1973 English author of The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien died. 1666 The Great Fire of London started in Pudding Lane. Quote of the day The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality. Dante Alighieri, Italian poet Did you know …? The Great Fire of London destroyed much of the city, but only six people were killed. |
3rd September
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An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) – Joseph Wright of Derby, born 03/09/1734 This picture is in the National Gallery in London and is regarded as a masterpiece of British art; it depicts a natural philosopher, a forerunner of the modern scientist, recreating one of Robert Boyle's air pump experiments, in which a bird is deprived of air, before a varied group of onlookers. The group exhibits a variety of reactions, but for most of the audience scientific curiosity overcomes concern for the bird. The central figure looks out of the picture as if inviting the viewer's participation in the outcome. Joseph Wright is considered to be the first professional painter to express the spirit of the Industrial Revolution and his paintings are a significant record of the struggle of science against religious values in the period known as the Age of Enlightenment. On this day 1868 The Japanese city of Edo was renamed Tokyo. 1875 Czech-born German automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche was born. 1939 Britain declared war on Germany after its invasion of Poland. Quote of the day I sell here, Sir, what all the world desires to have — POWER. 1728 Matthew Boulton, steam engine manufacturer (and partner of Scottish engineer James Watt) who was born 03/09/1728 Did you know …? Most of the vitamin C in fruits is in the skin. |
4th September
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The Falling Soldier (05/09/1936) – Robert Capa Robert Capa (born Endre Friedmann) was a Hungarian war photographer and photo journalist. This photograph appears to capture a Republican soldier at the very moment of death, shot during the Spanish Civil War. The soldier is shown collapsing backward after being fatally shot in the head, with his rifle slipping out of his right hand. The pictured soldier is dressed in civilian clothing, but is wearing a leather cartridge belt. Following its publication, the photograph was acclaimed as one of the greatest ever taken, but since the 1970s, there have been significant doubts about its authenticity due to its location, the identity of its subject, and the discovery of staged photographs taken at the same time and place. Capa himself died in 1954 in Southeast Asia after stepping on a landmine while on an assignment during the First Indochina War. On this day 1682 English astronomer Edmund Halley observed the comet named after him. 1884 Britain ended its policy of penal transportation to New South Wales in Australia. 1972 US swimmer Mark Spitz became the first athlete to win seven Olympic gold medals. Quotes of the day If your pictures aren't good enough you're not close enough. Robert Capa Infinite growth of material consumption in a finite world is an impossibility. E. F. Schumacher, German-born economist and author who died 04/09/1977 Did you know …? All the planets in our solar system rotate anticlockwise, except Venus, which rotates clockwise. |
5th September
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Wanderer above the sea of fog (1818) - Caspar David Friedrich, born 05/09/1774 Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. He is best known for his allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning mists, barren trees or Gothic ruins. His primary interest as an artist was the contemplation of nature, and his often symbolic and work seeks to convey a subjective, emotional response to the natural world. Wanderer above the sea of fog is a well-known masterpiece which has been described as leaving a contradictory impression, ‘suggesting at once mastery over a landscape and the insignificance of the individual within it’. On this day 1946 British singer, songwriter Farrokh Bulsara was born in Zanzibar. He is better known as Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the rock band Queen. Quote of the day Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius — and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. E. F. Schumacher, German-born economist and author who died 04/09/1977 Did you know …? It is impossible to lick your elbow. |
6th September
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Pink Floyd concert poster (1967) - Michael English, born 05/09/1941 Michael English was a British artist known for poster designs he created in the 1960s, producing posters for leading performers such as Pink Floyd, The Who and Jimi Hendrix. He has been credited with creating ‘an English form of psychedelic poster art’. English's works used contemporary Op Art techniques to create a visually jarring effect for the viewer, and had a bold, carnivalesque style similar to Pop Art. He also used evocative references to the decadent spirit of the 1890s Art Nouveau influences, such as Alphonse Mucha's posters. Other influences were eclectic and culturally wide-ranging, such as William Blake, Max Enst, René Magritte, Disney animation, Hindu symbolism, and Japanese and Middle Eastern decorative designs. On this day 1522 Ferdinand Magellan’s ship the Vittoria arrived in Spain after completing the first circumnavigation of the world. Magellan himself had been killed during the voyage, which took three years. Quotes of the day Convicted Criminal: As God is my judge – I am innocent. Mr Justice Birkett: He isn’t; I am and you’re not! Sir Norman Burkett, English barrister and judge, born 06/09/1883 Watching a baby being born is a little like watching a wet St Bernard coming in through the cat flap. Jeff Foxworthy, American comedian born 06/09/1958 Did you know …? The average American consumes about 30 teaspoons of sugar a day. This is 3 to 4 times more than what the American Heart Association recommends. |
7th September
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Hunters in the Snow (1565) - Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Netherlandish painter who died 09/09/1569 This oil on wood painting is one of a series of six, five of which still survive, that depict different times of the year. It is considered one of the greatest Renaissance paintings and is regarded as the first true winter landscape painting. Bruegel painted religious works, but he specialized in this kind of painting populated by peasants, often with a landscape element. Making the life and habits of peasants the main focus of a work was rare in painting in Bruegel's time, and he was a pioneer of this type of painting. His paintings are unique windows on village life, depicting scenes of agriculture, hunts, meals, festivals, dances, and games. The painting is now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria. On this day 1936 American singer songwriter and musician Buddy Holly was born. 1978 Keith Moon, drummer of the English rock band The Who, died of a drug overdose aged 32. Quote of the day I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. Mark Twain Did you know ...? Buddy Holly has been described as 'the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll. He set the template for the standard rock and roll band: two guitars, bass and drums. He was also one of the first in the genre to write, produce and perform his own songs. |
8th September
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Myra (1995) - Marcus Harvey Myra is a large (2.7 by 3.4 m) representation of Myra Hindley, one of the notorious 'Moors Murderers' - their victims were five children aged between 10 and 17. At first sight, it resembles a greatly magnified version of a black and white photograph printed in a newspaper but was made using casts of an infant's hand to build up a mosaic of black, grey and white handprints. It was exhibited at the Sensation exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art in London on 08/09/1997, provoking angry press and public comment before the exhibition opened. On this day 1886 English First World War poet Siegfried Sassoon was born. 1979 American singer and songwriter Alecia Beth Hart, better known as 'Pink', was born. Quote of the day There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home. Ken Olson, founder of Digital Equipment, 1977. Did you know ...? People generally read 25% more slowly from a computer screen compared to paper. |
9th September
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Moulin Rouge: La Goulue (1891) – Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, French painter and illustrator who died 09/09/1901 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a member of an aristocratic family who probably suffered from an unknown genetic disorder; his legs ceased to grow, 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. When the Moulin Rouge cabaret opened, Toulouse-Lautrec was commissioned to produce a series of posters, such as this one featuring the dancer Louise Weber, known as La Goulue. The cabaret reserved a seat for him and displayed his paintings. 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. On this day 1569 Flemish Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder died. 1941 American soul singer Otis Redding was born. 1960 English actor Hugh Grant was born. Quote of the day You can fool all of the people all of the time if the advertising is right and the budget is big enough. Joseph E. Levine, American film producer born 09/09/1905 Did you know …? The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot repair itself. |
10th September
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Guernica (1937) – Pablo Picasso Guernica is a mural-sized oil painting on canvas which uses a palette of grey, black, and white, and is one of the most moving and powerful anti-war paintings in history. The painting was a response to the bombing of Guernica, a Basque Country village in northern Spain, by German and Italian warplanes at the request of the Spanish Nationalists. Upon completion the painting was displayed around the world and is believed to have helped bring worldwide attention to the Spanish Civil War. On this day 1960 English actor Colin Firth was born. 1968 English film director Guy Ritchie was born. 1981 Picasso’s Guernica returned to Spain after 40 years. The painter would not allow it to return until Spain was a republic once more. Quote of the day Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. Oscar Wilde, in Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892) Did you know …? Picasso’s famous picture Guernica depicted the horrific Nazi bombing of the town of Guernica in 1937. Some years later while living in Nazi-occupied Paris a Nazi officer allegedly asked him, upon seeing a photo of Guernica in his apartment, "Did you do that?" Picasso responded, "No, you did." |
11th September
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The Rostocker Pfeilstorch The term Pfeilstorch (German for ‘arrow stork’) is given to storks injured by an arrow while wintering in Africa, before returning to Europe with the arrow stuck in their bodies. To date, around 25 Pfeilstörche have been documented. The first and most famous was found in 1822 near the German village of Klütz, with an arrow from central Africa in its neck. The specimen was stuffed and can be seen today in the zoological collection of the University of Rostock. Before the appearance of this Pfeilstorch, people had no other explanation for the sudden annual disappearance of European birds like the White Stork and Barn Swallow. Various theories were put forward, such as they turned into mice, or hibernated at the bottom of the sea during the winter; even zoologists of the time suggested such explanations. The Rostocker Pfeilstorch in particular proved that birds migrate long distances to wintering grounds. On this day 1885 English author D. H. Lawrence was born. He wrote the controversial 1928 book Lady Chatterley’s Lover. 1987 Jamaican reggae musician Peter Tosh was murdered at the age of 42. 2001 The North and South towers of the World Trade Center in New York were destroyed in a terrorist attack. Quote of the day When a man is tired of London he is tired of life. Dr Samuel Johnson, English writer and lexicographer born 18/09/1709 Did you know …? The first edition of Lady Chatterley’s Lover was printed privately in Florence, Italy; an unexpurgated edition could not be published openly in the United Kingdom until 1960. |
12th September
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Cave paintings, Lascaux, France (c.15,300 BC), discovered by 18-year-old Marcel Ravidat on 12/09/1940 Lascaux is the location of a cave network in southwestern France famous for its Paleolithic cave paintings. They primarily consist of images of large animals, most of which are known from fossil evidence to have lived in the area at the time. The caves were opened to the public in 1948. By 1955, the carbon dioxide, heat, humidity, and other contaminants produced by 1,200 visitors per day had visibly damaged the paintings and introduced lichen on the walls. The caves were closed to the public in 1963 to preserve the art. After the closure the paintings were restored to their original state and were monitored daily. Lascaux II, a replica of the Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery, was opened in 1983, so that visitors can view the paintings without harming the originals. On this day 1321 Italian poet Dante Alighieri died. 1913 American athlete Jesse Owens was born. 1970 Concorde landed at Heathrow Airport for the first time; there were many complaints about the noise. 1975 English rock group Pink Floyd released their album Wish You Were Here. 1977 South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko died in police custody. Quotes of the day It is now quite lawful for a Catholic woman to avoid pregnancy by a resort to mathematics, though she is still forbidden to resort to physics or chemistry. H. L. Mencken, American journalist who was born 12/09/1880 We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard … John F. Kennedy in his speech at Rice Stadium, Texas on 12/09/1962 Did you know …? The Frisbee was modelled on a pie tin made by the Frisbie bakery in Connecticut. The bakery was situated near the University of Yale whose students used to eat the pies at lunchtime and then throw the empty tins to one another. |
13th September
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Pears soap advert featuring A Child’s World or Bubbles (1886) – Sir John Everett Millais The painting portrays a young golden-haired boy looking up at a bubble, symbolising the beauty and fragility of life. On one side of him is a plant growing in a pot, emblematic of life, and on the other is a fallen broken pot, emblematic of death. The managing director of A&F Pears purchased the original painting for £2,200 which gave him exclusive copyright on the picture. Millais' permission was sought in order to alter the picture by the addition of a bar of Pears Soap, so that it could be used for the purposes of advertising. Millais was initially apprehensive at the prospect of his work and his grandson being the subject of commercial exploitation. However, when he was shown the proofs of the proposed advertisements he grew to appreciate the idea, which portrayed the soap as if the child had used it to make the bubbles. On this day 1916 British children’s author Roald Dahl was born. 1941 American singer-songwriter Paul Simon was born; click here to watch. Quote of the day Conscience is the inner voice that warns us somebody may be looking. H. L. Mencken, American journalist Did you know …? In English there are 10 human body parts that are only 3 letters long: eye, hip, arm, leg, ear, toe, jaw, rib, lip and gum. |
14th September
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Equivalent VIII (1966) – Carl Andre, born 16/09/1935 Sometimes referred to as The Bricks, this is the last and most famous of a series of minimalist sculptures by American artist Carl Andre. It was bought by The Tate Gallery in 1972. The exhibit comprises one-hundred-and-twenty fire bricks, arranged in two layers, in a six-by-ten rectangle. All eight structures in the series have the same height, mass and volume, but different shapes. Thus they are all ‘equivalent’. When the work was first exhibited at the Tate Gallery in 1976 it drew much criticism in the press because of the perception that taxpayers' money had been spent on paying an inflated price for a collection of bricks. On this day 1715 French Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon died. Popular myths frequently, but erroneously, credit him with the invention of sparkling champagne, which didn't become the dominant style of Champagne until the mid-19th century. 1852 The Duke of Wellington died. 1947 Australian actor Sam Neill was born. 1983 English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse was born. Quote of the day Why don’t you ever see the headline ‘PSYCHIC WINS LOTTERY’? Anon. Did you know …? Hewlett Packard printer ink is 20 times more expensive than 2003 Dom Pérignon. |
15th September
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Isambard Kingdom Brunel by the launching chains of the SS Great Eastern (1857) - Robert Howlett Brunel, one of the great engineers of the Victorian age, was famous for his work on bridges, railways and steam ships. He was always moving from one ambitious project to another, and after completing the railway from London to Bristol he designed the Great Western, a transatlantic paddle steamer which linked London, via Bristol, to New York. He then went on to build the SS Great Britain. When it was launched in 1843, it was the world’s biggest ship, with a design which was years ahead of its time. Today the restored SS Great Britain can be visited in the city docks where it was built, next to the Maritime Heritage Centre. He also designed Bristol’s Temple Meads railway station, and Bristol’s most famous landmark, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, although he died before it was completed. The Royal Albert Railway Bridge over the river Tamar in Plymouth is another of Brunel’s impressive achievements, completed the year before his death at the age of 53. Brunel suffered from ill health, but smoked 40 cigars a day and only slept 4 hours a night. On this day … 1859 English mechanical and civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel died. 1946 American film director Oliver Stone was born. Quote of the day Every murderer is probably somebody's old friend. Agatha Christie, English author born 15/09/1890 Did you know …? On this day in 1830 the M.P. for Liverpool William Huskisson became the first person to be killed by a train – George Stephenson’s Rocket. It happened at the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. |
16th September
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Migrant Mother (1936) – Dorothea Lange Florence Owens Thompson was the subject of Dorothea Lange's famous photo, an iconic image of the Great Depression. Lange's field notes of the images read: Seven hungry children. Father is native Californian. Destitute in pea pickers’ camp … because of failure of the early pea crop. These people had just sold their tires to buy food. Lange later wrote of the encounter with Thompson: I did not ask her name or her history. She told me her age, that she was 32. She said that they had been living on frozen vegetables from the surrounding fields and birds that the children killed. On this day ... 1925 American blues singer B. B. King was born. 1977 Lead singer of the rock band T. Rex Marc Bolan died in a car crash. 1983 ‘Migrant Mother’ Florence Owens Thompson died. Quote of the day Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought. Albert von Szent-Gyorgyi, the Hungarian physiologist who discovered vitamin C, born 16/09/1893 Did you know …? In wars that began between 1800 and 1849 the weaker side (in terms of soldiers and weapons) won only 12% of the time. In wars that began between 1950 and 1998 the weaker side won 55% of the time. 
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17th September
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Who I Am And What I Want - David Shrigley, born 17/09/68 David Shrigley is a British Turner Prize-nominated visual artist who lives and works in Glasgow. This short film is based on Shrigley's book of the same title. It tells the story of Pete, who lives in the woods. He survives by hunting and killing. He is an outcast from society who finds happiness in being alone. He recalls the key moments that led him to turn his back on his hometown. Pete is in a state of denial about the past, drinking, mental illness and what happens when he does not take his medication is all one big laugh to him. Click the image to watch. If you enjoy the film, watch David Shrigley's 2009 talk HERE. On this day … 1973 American singer Anastacia was born. Quote of the day Men would like monogamy better if it sounded less like monotony. Rita Rudner, American comedienne who was born 17/09/1953 Did you know …? In WWII (1939 – 45) mines and booby traps caused 3% of US combat deaths. In the Vietnam War (1967) they caused 9%. In Iraq (2005) they caused 65%. In Afghanistan a Marine general estimated that IEDs caused 80% of casualties in his units. |
18th September
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Collage with Squares Arranged according to the Laws of Chance (1917) - Jean Arp, born 16/09/1886 Jean or Hans Arp was a German-French sculptor, painter, poet, and abstract artist. He was a founding member of the Dada movement in Zürich in 1916. In 1920, as Hans Arp, along with Max Ernst and the social activist Alfred Grünwald, he set up the Cologne Dada group. However, in 1925, his work also appeared in the first exhibition of the surrealist group in Paris. This collage is in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Arp claimed he created the work by dropping cut and torn papers onto another paper and attaching them where they landed. On this day 1709 English author and lexicographer Samuel Johnson was born. 1970 American guitarist Jimi Hendrix died age 27, probably from inhaling vomit after drinking wine and taking nine Vesperax sleeping pills. Quote of the day Second marriage: the triumph of hope over experience. Anon. Did you know …? On online dating sites you are more likely to come across a teacher or a lecturer than someone from any other profession. |
19th September
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His Station and Four Aces(1903) - C. M. Coolidge, born 18/09/1844 Cassius Marcellus Coolidge was an American artist, mainly known for his paintings of dogs playing poker. From the mid-1900s to the mid-1910s, Coolidge created sixteen oil paintings for the advertising firm Brown & Bigelow, all of which featured anthropo-morphic dogs, including nine scenes of dogs playing poker, a motif Coolidge is credited with inventing. Some of the compositions in the series are modelled on paintings of human card-players by such artists as Caravaggio, Georges de La Tour, and Paul Cézanne. On this day 1911 Nobel prize-winning English novelist William Golding was born: His most famous work is the 1954 novel Lord of the Flies. 1973 Gram Parsons, ‘The Father of Country-Rock’ and founder of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers died at Joshua Tree, Ca. of alcohol and drug overdose, aged 27. Quote of the day If you haven’t got anything nice to say about anybody ,come sit next to me. Alice Roosevelt Longworth Did you know …? A red blood cell can make a complete circuit of your body in 20 seconds. |
20th September
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Saltaire, Bradford, Yorkshire, UK Saltaire is a Victorian model village in the north of England. It was built in 1851 by Sir Titus Salt, a leading industrialist in the Yorkshire woollen industry. Salt built neat stone houses for his workers (much better than the slums of Bradford), wash-houses with tap water, bath-houses, a hospital and an institute for recreation and education, with a library, a reading room, a concert hall, billiard room, science laboratory and a gymnasium. The village also had a school for the children of the workers, and a park. Because of this combination of houses, employment and social services the original town is often seen as an important development in the history of 19th century urban planning. UNESCO has designated the village as a World Heritage Site. On this day 1803 Manufacturer and philanthropist Titus Salt was born. Quote of the day A woman's dress should be like a barbed-wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view. Sophia Loren, Italian actress born 20/09/1934. Did you know …? When 22 yr-old Sophia Loren married 44 yr-old Carlo Ponti in 1957 he was still officially married to his first wife Giuliana under Italian law because Italy did not recognize divorce at that time. |
21st September
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Glen Baxter cartoons Glen Baxter is an English cartoonist noted for his absurdist drawings and an overall effect often resembling literary nonsense. His images and their corresponding captions employ art and language inspired by pulp fiction and adventure comics with intellectual jokes and references. His simple line-drawings often feature cowboys, gangsters, explorers and schoolchildren, who utter incongruous intellectual statements regarding art and philosophy. On this day 1972 Former lead singer of Oasis Liam Gallagher was born. 1964 Malta gained independence from Great Britain. Quotes of the day Crime and bad lives are the measure of a State's failure; all crime in the end is the crime of the community. H.G. Wells, English author born 21/09/1866 We humans are always looking for things to do between meals. Leonard Cohen, Canadian singer-songwriter born 21/09/1934 Did you know …? There are more Maltese people in Melbourne, Australia, than there are in Malta. |
22nd September
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In Deepest Sympathy card – David Shrigley David Shrigley is a British Turner Prize-nominated visual artist who lives and works in Glasgow. He is best known for his distinctive drawing style and works that make satirical comments on everyday situations and human interactions. He was the winner of the Fourth Plinth Commission in London for 2016, and his bronze work Really Good was unveiled in Trafalgar Square, London, in July of that year. On this day 1880 English Suffragette Christabel Pankhurst was born. Quote of the day It is right that we should stand by and act on our principles; but not right to hold them in obstinate blindness, or retain them when proved to be erroneous. Michael Faraday, English scientist born 22/09/1791 Did you know …? Christabel Pankhurst obtained a law degree with honours from the University of Manchester, but as a woman she was not allowed to practise law. |
23rd September
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Nirvana’s Nevermind album cover – released 24/09/1991 Nevermind became a surprise success in late 1991, largely due to the popularity of its first single, Smells Like Teen Spirit; the album has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. According to the band’s singer-songwriter Kurt Cobain, he conceived the idea for the cover while watching a television program on water births. The record company was concerned that the image would offend people, but Cobain refused to compromise; it now appears frequently in lists of the most iconic album cover artwork ever. On this day 1930 American singer-songwriter and musician Ray Charles was born. Did you know …? The number one cause of blindness in adults in the United States is diabetes. Quote of the day When I was growing up, there were two things that were unpopular in my house. One was me, and the other was my guitar. Bruce Springsteen, American singer-songwriter and musician born 23/09/1949 |
24th September
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Fabergé eggs – Peter Carl Fabergé, Russian jeweller who died 24/09/1920 A Fabergé egg is one of a limited number of jewelled of eggs created by Peter Carl Fabergé and his company between 1885 and 1917. The most famous are those made for the Russian Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II as Easter gifts for their wives and mothers, often called the 'Imperial' Fabergé eggs. The House of Fabergé made about 50 eggs, of which 43 have survived. Two more were planned for Easter 1918, but were not delivered, due to the Russian Revolution. On this day 1966 Jimi Hendrix arrived in London with manager Chas Chandler on a flight from New York with only the clothes he was wearing; he had sold his other belongings to pay a hotel bill in New York. Quote of the day Everybody's youth is a dream, a form of chemical madness. F. Scott Fitzgerald, American novelist born 24/09/1896 Did you know …? The Fabergé "Winter Egg" was sold in 1994 for $5.6 million. This is the most expensive decorative egg that has ever been sold. |
25th September
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Orange, Red, Yellow (1961) - Mark Rothko, born 25/09/1903 Mark Rothko was an American painter of Russian Jewish descent. He is generally identified as an Abstract Expressionist. It was during his late period from 1950 onwards that he began using this type of symmetrical rectangular blocks of two to three opposing or contrasting, yet complementary, colours. Rothko committed suicide at the age of sixty-six. In May 2012 Orange, Red, Yellow was sold at Christie’s to a private collector for $86.8 million. On this day 1944 American actor Michael Douglas was born. 1968 American actor Will Smith was born. 1969 Welsh actress Catherine Zeta Jones was born. 1977 Over 10,000 people attend the funeral of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, who was killed in police custody in South Africa. 1980 Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham died at the age of 32, choking on his own vomit after drinking more than a litre of vodka in 24 hours. Quote of the day You can blow out a candle but you can't blow out a fire Once the flames begin to catch the wind will blow it higher Peter Gabriel, English singer-songwriter from his 1980 song Biko. Did you know …? 50 to 100 people kill themselves on the London Underground each year, but up to 2009 only three babies had been born there. |
26th September
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The album cover for The Beatles’ Abbey Road (released in the UK on 26/09/1969) – Iain Macmillan (photographer) As of 2009, Abbey Road remains the Beatles' best-selling album. The album cover features the four band members walking across a zebra crossing outside Abbey Road Studios and has become one of the most famous and imitated images in the history of recorded music. The design was based on ideas sketched by McCartney, and the photographer Iain Macmillan was given only ten minutes to take the photo whilst he stood on a step-ladder and a policeman held up traffic behind the camera. The crossing is a popular destination for Beatles fans and in 2010 it was given grade II listed status for its ‘cultural and historical importance’, which means it may not be demolished, extended, or altered without special permission from the local planning authority. On this day 1791 French painter and pioneer of the romantic movement Théodore Géricault was born. 2003 English singer-songwriter and musician Robert Palmer died of a heart attack at the age of 54; he was a heavy smoker. Quote of the day Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. T.S Eliot, American-born British poet born 26/09/1888 Did you know …? In an average lifetime a person will walk the equivalent of five times around the equator. |
27th September
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L’Absinthe (1876) – Edgar Degas, French painter who died 27/09/1917 Degas is often identified as an Impressionist, but his technique differs from that of the Impressionists. By the late 1860s he began to paint women at work such as milliners, laundresses and dancers. Dancers were shown backstage or in rehearsal, emphasizing their status as professionals doing a job. Degas also painted café life as well, in works such as L’Absinthe. In its first showing in France 1876, the picture was panned by critics, who called it ugly and disgusting and it was put into storage. It was shown again in England in 1893, where it sparked controversy. The persons represented in the painting were considered by English critics to be shockingly degraded and uncouth. Many regarded the painting as a blow to morality. On this day … 1947 American rock singer Meatloaf was born. 1979 Former Wings’ guitarist Jimmy McCulloch died from a heroin overdose at the age of 26. Quote of the day The man with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds. Mark Twain Did you know …? In 1124 Henry I had 94 mint workers castrated for producing bad coins. |
28th September
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Salome with the Head of John the Baptist (c.1609) – Caravaggio Caravaggio trained as a painter in Milan, but in his twenties he moved to Rome where there was a huge demand for paintings to fill the many new churches and palazzos being built at the time. His paintings combine a realistic observation of the human state, both physical and emotional, with a dramatic use of lighting. This painting was discovered in a private collection in 1959, and is now in the National Gallery in London. The subject is from the New Testament (Mark 6). Salome had danced so well for King Herod that he swore he would grant her any request. Her mother, Herodias, who sought revenge on John the Baptist, persuaded Salome to ask for his head. The old woman behind Salome may be Herodias. On this day … 1928 Cannabis was made illegal in the UK. 1972 American actress Gwyneth Paltrow was born. Quote of the day Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world. Louis Pasteur who died 28/09/1895 Did you know …? Queen Victoria, who had nine children, was prescribed cannabis by her physician to reduce labour pains. |
29th September
Image of the day
In The Car (1963) – Roy Lichtenstein, American pop artist who died 29/09/1997 Roy Lichtenstein became a leading figure in the new ‘pop art’ movement in the USA in the 1960s. His work was heavily influenced by both popular advertising and the comic book style. There are two versions of In the Car: the smaller, older of the two versions formerly held the record for highest auction price for a Lichtenstein when it sold for $16.2 million in 2005 at Christie's auction house in New York City. The larger version has been in the collection of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art in Edinburgh since 1980. On this day 1571 Italian painter Caravaggio was born. 1758 Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson was born. 1902 French writer Emile Zola died. 1913 German inventor of the diesel engine Rudolf Diesel committed suicide. 1935 American musician Jerry Lee Lewis was born. Quote of the day A professor is one who talks in someone else’s sleep. W. H. Auden, English poet who died 29/09/1973 Did you know …? It costs more to make the cardboard box that Shredded Wheat comes in than it does to make the cereal itself. |
30th September
Image of the day
James Dean’s Porsche – Dean died in his Porsche 550 Spyder on 30/09/1955, aged 24. James Dean was an American actor. He is a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause, in which he starred as a troubled teenager. His other two film roles were in East of Eden and Giant. Dean's enduring fame and popularity rest on his performances in only these three films; his premature death in a car crash cemented his legendary status. Dean became interested in developing an auto racing career and purchased various vehicles after filming for East of Eden. He was driving his Porsche 550 Spyder to a Road Race event in Salinas when he had a collision and died, just nine days after buying the car. On this day 1962 Two men were killed in a race riot which started when former serviceman in the U.S. Air Force, James H. Meredith’s admission at the University of Mississippi was revoked when the registrar learned of his race. Quote of the day Time is a great healer but a poor beautician. Lucille S. Harper Did you know …? Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing. |