Tintype

Why do people from this era look so creepy?

100 years ago

This fantastic site, http://www.shorpy.com/, has vintage photos of the USA early this century. The images are hi-res and perfect quality. It also lists the photographer and/or collection the photo is from. This one is called "Fifth Avenue Sunday", ca. 1913.

Clarence John Laughlin

From site, http://www.stephendaitergallery.com

Clarence John Laughlin (American, 1905-1985) was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana but moved to New Orleans at an early age. Self taught in photography as well as a wide range of other subjects, he began his career as a freelancer, producing mostly architectural photos, and eventually moved on to work for such varied agencies as Vogue Magazine and the US Army Corps of Engineers. His work was influenced by Eugene Atget and other historical purists who tried to capture a decaying urban landscape – for Laughlin, his home city of New Orleans was the staging ground for many of his pictures and he spent most of his life photographing the area. Arguably the first surrealist photographer in the United States, he often constructed elaborate stages and employed models, costumes, and props to create haunting abstractions. His best known book, "Ghosts Along the Mississippi," was first published in 1948.

Photos above are:
The Enigma (1941)
The Mirror of Long Ago (1946)
The Torso in "G" Place (1945)
Laughlin chronicled, in his imaginative way, the fading of one era into another: the Victorian, ante-bellum age being overtaken by the modern age. Memorializing the sadness, nostalgia, and hauntedness of the earlier age trying to hang on in a decaying fashion.

Prague Alleyway

Prague Alleyway, originally uploaded by darkling11.

This is Prague, where Franz Kafka lived. Admittedly, Kafka is too depressing to actually read. The last thing I read was "The Metamorphosis" and it was the saddest thing ever. Kafka himself was a nice person, very charming and sweet. Unfortunately he had an insidious attachment to an oafish father whose approval he couldn't get. And he knew it. But it allowed him to define modern paranoia and become immortal.

Michelangelo Buonarotti

Inside the Sistine Chapel..., originally uploaded by unicornia1.

Michelangelo was so passionate and emotional. I love the mannerist style. The reaching of the two hands toward each other is a pinnacle of humanist iconograhy. This gorgeous photo was blogged from flickr.

Lewis Chessman, British Museum

Lewis Chessman, British Museum, originally uploaded by RobRoyAus.

The Lewis Chessmen in the British Museum were probably made in Norway, about AD 1150-1200
Found on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland

The chess pieces consist of elaborately worked walrus ivory and whales' teeth in the forms of seated kings and queens, mitred bishops, knights on their mounts, standing warders and pawns in the shape of obelisks.

(Written by RobRoyAus on Flickr)

Gorgeous church in Rome

Theater - II, originally uploaded by rocdam.

Magical Places - St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg Church Domes
Originally uploaded by Brenda M.

Church built where Czar Alexander II was assassinated, hence its name, "Church of the Savior on the Spilled Blood". from flickr

Autumn

Mountain Birches // Colour
Originally uploaded by laBolstad.

Beauty of fall.

Alwyn Court Apartments

Photo by Berenice Abbott. This building built in 1909 is still there, an extravaganza of Victorian and Moorish elements. Alwyn Court, 174-182 West 58th Street and 911-917 Seventh Avenue, Manhattan (1938).

Berenice Abbott (II)

Abbott took this eerie photo of a Victorian mansion, probably about to be demolished. Wheelock Mansion, 661 West 158th Street, Manhattan (1937). At the NYPL Digital Gallery.

Berenice Abbott

There is a treasure trove of photos by Berenice Abbott in the NYPL Digital Gallery. This is Murray Hill Hotel, from Park Avenue and 40th Street, Manhattan (ca. 1935).

Happy New Year

Jerusalem of Gold
Originally uploaded by lapidim.

Shana Tova everyone!

Magical Places - El Escorial, Spain

IMG_1236
Originally uploaded by Mike Connelly.

Royal monastery...photo blogged from flickr. Click on link to see the photographer's other photos.

Magical places

Castle Neuschwanstein
Originally uploaded by chrisch.

Magical places

Clouds
Originally uploaded by SigHs.

Mont St. Michel

Flickr

Campus Stellae
Originally uploaded by magic fly paula.

I'm a flickr addict. The site has so many amazing photographers. I'm getting healthy doses of culture, education and inspiration from this site. The photographer who took this picture (magic fly paula) is a true surrealist. Click on the link to see all her photos.

Cute Little Cardinal

Cute Little Cardinal
Originally uploaded by Momba.

"The world is a tragedy to those who feel, and comedy to those who think." -- Shakespeare

The Vladimir Mother of God (detail)

detail of the Vladimir Mother of God
Originally uploaded by jimforest.

So powerful...

Pantocrator

Pantocrator
Originally uploaded by jimforest.