MONA LISA – THE BEAUTY AND THE MYSTIQUE

Five centuries after Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa(1503–19), the portrait hangs behind bulletproof glass within the Louvre Museum and draws thousands of jostling spectators each day. It is the most famous painting in the world, and yet, when viewers manage to see the artwork up close, they are likely to be baffled by the small subdued portrait of an ordinary woman. She’s dressed modestly in a translucent veil, dark robes, and no jewelry. Much has been said about her smile and gaze, but viewers still might wonder what all the fuss is about. Along with the mysteries of the sitter’s identity and her enigmatic look, the reason for the work’s popularity is one of its many conundrums. Although many theories have attempted to pinpoint one reason for the art piece’s celebrity, the most compelling arguments insist that there is no one explanation. The Mona Lisa’s fame is the result of many chance circumstances combined with the painting’s inherent appeal.

This beautiful Madonna has her own room in the Louvre, designed specifically for her protection. She has captured the heart of art-lovers and the general public alike world over. So what is it that made this seemingly simple portrait so captivating? Let’s start with the woman herself, seen sitting amidst a landscape, with a center of calmness and quiet about her. The Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, depicts the wife of one Francesco Del Gioconda, Lisa Gherardini. No records of such a commission from Francesco exist, and the sitter has never been conclusively identified. The word “Gioconda” itself in Italian translates literally to the happy one. Therein lies the beauty of Mona Lisa’s smile, the simplest sign of the ideal of happiness and contentment. Da Vinci’s most famous work strived to bring out the soul of the fair Lady through her eyes and her smile, making her a living enigma, with a soul you can see but never get close to.

Now let’s look into the background. Behind her is a hazy and seemingly isolated landscape imagined by the artist and painted using sfumato, a technique resulting in forms “without lines or borders, in the manner of smoke or beyond the focus plane. At the chest level of the Mona Lisalies a winding road, leading into a distant bridge with greenery all around. These landscapes have been painting in bright and warm colors to depict the world of Man, places of familiarity. However, as you move further back, the landscape changes, into rockier mountainous terrains, and never-ending streams of water. The artist began this landscape at the eye-level of the sitter, and used heavier and thicker strokes, to shown the wilderness beyond the worlds we know and inhabit. For added fun, if you take the closest of close looks at this enigma’s right eye, you will see the artist’s initials.     

The figure is shown seated in a loggia, or a room with at least one open side. She sits with her arms folded as she gazes at the viewer and appears to softly smile—an aesthetic attribute that has proven particularly eye-catching over centuries. The halfhearted or even ambiguous nature of this smile makes the iconic painting all the more enigmatic, prompting viewers to try to understand both the mood of its muse and the intention of its artist. In addition to its mysterious appearance, her expression has resonated most strongly with art historians for its possible symbolism, as many believe it to be a clever “visual representation of the idea of happiness suggested by the word ‘gioconda’ in Italian.”

The subject’s softly sculptural face shows Leonardo’s skillful handling of sfumato, an artistic technique that uses subtle gradations of light and shadow to model form, and shows his understanding of the skull beneath the skin. The delicately painted veil, the finely wrought tresses, and the careful rendering of folded fabric reveal Leonardo’s studied observations and inexhaustible patience. And, although the sitter’s steady gaze and restrained smile were not regarded as mysterious until the 19th century, viewers today can appreciate her equivocal expression. Leonardo painted a complex figure that is very much like a complicated human.

The Mona Lisa is renowned for both its curious iconography and its unique history. Before finding a permanent home at the Louvre, she originally had a place with King Francois I for over a century. It was then that King Louis the XIV removed her from her previous owner's possession and placed her in the Grand Palace of Versailles. It was just before her shift to the Louvre that the Mona Lisa also sat in the boudoir of Napolean Bonaparte. 

Since entering the Louvre in the late 18th century, it has famously faced theft and vandalism. In 1911, it was stolen by Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia—though modern artist Pablo Picasso was first falsely accused—who believed the piece rightfully belonged in Italy, the home of Leonardo. Since her arrival to the Louvre in 1815, the Mona Lisa has been the recipient of numerous flowers and love letters. In 1956, both acid and a rock were thrown at the painting in separate attacks and all that kept her in the news. Her mysterious and aloof demeanor still continues to seize the attention and hearts of people all across the world!

Due to both its tumultuous past and its contemporary fame, today, the Mona Lisa is exhibited behind a layer of bulletproof glass. Even in such a unique and controversial display, the painting remains one of the most popular pieces in the Louvre and, unsurprisingly, one of the most viewed and visited paintings in the world.

So what makes Mona Lisa so famous? That the painting’s home is the Louvre, one of the world’s most-visited museums, is a fortuitous circumstance that has added to the work’s stature. It arrived at the Louvre via a circuitous path beginning with Francis I, king of France, in whose court Leonardo spent the last years of his life. The painting became part of the royal collection, and, for centuries after, the portrait was secluded in French palaces until the Revolution claimed the royal collection as the property of the people. Following a stint in Napoleon’s bedroom, the Mona Lisa was installed in the Louvre Museum.   

As interest in the Renaissance grew in the 19th century, Leonardo became more popularly seen not only as a very good painter but also as a great scientist and inventor whose designs prefigured contemporary inventions. The myth of Leonardo as a genius has continued well into the 21st century, contributing to the Mona Lisa’s popularity.

The theft of the painting in 1911 and the ensuing media frenzy brought it worldwide attention. When news of the crime broke on August 22 of that year, it caused an immediate sensation. People flocked to the Louvre to gape at the empty space where the painting had once hung, the museum’s director of paintings resigned, accusations of a hoax splashed across newspapers, and Pablo Picasso was even arrested as a suspect! Two years later the painting was found in Italy after an art dealer in Florence alerted the local authorities that a man had contacted him about selling it. The man was Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian immigrant to France, who had briefly worked at the Louvre fitting glass on a selection of paintings, including the Mona Lisa. He and two other workers took the portrait from the wall, hid with it in a closet overnight, and ran off with it in the morning. Unable to sell the painting because of the media attention, Peruggia hid it in the false bottom of a trunk until his capture. He was tried, convicted, and imprisoned for the theft while the painting toured Italy before it made its triumphant return to the Louvre. By then, many French people had come to regard the work as a national treasure that they had lost and recovered.

A tour of the painting to the United States in 1963 and to Japan in 1974 elevated it to celebrity status. The Mona Lisa traveled to the United States in no less than a first-class cabin on an ocean liner and drew about 40,000 people a day to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., during the portrait’s six-week stay. Large crowds greeted the portrait in Japan about ten years later. And with air travel, more and more individuals have been able to visit Paris and pay their respects in person to the genius of Leonardo.

Over the decades, as technology improved, the painting was endlessly reproduced, sometimes manipulated and sometimes not, so that the sitter’s face became one of the most well known in the world, even to those who had little interest in art. All this has worked together with the painting’s inherent appeal to make the Mona Lisa the world’s most famous painting ever.

ELDERSPEAK……NOT GOOD FOR SENIORS!

You can call it a respect for the elderly or you can call it a lack of concern but believe me, it is a cultural thing. In the Indian subcontinent the senior citizens are treated as exactly that, a senior – who has been there and done that, and is a treasure trove of stories and anecdotes each of which are laced with priceless gems of wisdom for the younger folks. Whether at home or in the market a grandfather is a grand dad or ‘dadu / dada ji’  for everyone with no exceptions. The auto rickshaw wala, the green grocer, the fish vendor, the postman, the bank teller every one addresses him as ‘dadu’, offers him a place to sit, and does his work out of turn, and no one ever complains.

When I was training in Plastic Surgery overseas this respectful relationship with the senior citizens came to me naturally from my cultural roots but what I encountered was a cultural shock. While examining a 70-year-old man one of my friend offended what I, and I am sure the patient too, perceived to be childlike instructions “Sorry, you have to remove your sweater for me to take your blood pressure. I know its cold outside and you can put it back on right away.” I would have normally made a polite request “Sir, can you take off the sweater so that I can take your blood pressure” without sounding childish. Another instance when I was out in a café with my wife’s uncle the waitress exclaimed “Oooh, sweetee, let’s be careful with our coffee now. Is that hot? Is it HOTTT?” He knows it is hot, he has had plenty of hot coffee in his life. He is a senior ENT surgeon not a child in the kindergarten for heaven’s sake! He has been there and done that. He does not need these stupid childish instructions. By heaping them on him you are insulting his intelligence!

Talking to the elderly shouldn't include baby talk — it's not only condescending, it can cause cognitive harm. If there is one thing that older adults can't stand it is when others talk down to them. It is disrespectful and can be detrimental. You may mean well but seniors do not like it. They are seniors and they do not like to be treated as children. And no, old age is not a second childhood for them, they do not think so.

It was much later in life that I came to know that this pattern of speaking down to senior citizens has a name – Elderspeak. It occurs when an older adult is spoken to by health care workers, service personnel, neighbors or even family members as if he or she is a child with limited understanding.  Elderspeak sounds like baby talk or simplified speech and is, in fact, a symptom of how older adults are often perceived.

Elderspeak are speech patterns that indicate our perception that a person is less than productive, is somehow dependent. And this kind of speech segregates children and older adults and also people with disabilities from regular society. Such speech patterns also come into play with people we believe are impaired in their communication, either through hearing loss or a lack of ability to speak or form words.

 At its core, elderspeak communicates a condescending attitude.  And from that attitude the person’s language might demonstrate the following features of elderspeak:

 Speaking slowly

•  Speaking loudly
• Using a sing-song voice
• Inflecting statements to sound like a question
• Using the pronouns “we,” “us,” and “our” in place of “you.”: “How are we doing today?”
• Using pet names such as “sweetheart,” “dearie,” or “honey”
• Shortening sentences
• Simplifying syntax (sentence structure)
• Simplifying vocabulary
• Repeating statements or questions
• Answering questions for the older adult: “You would like your lunch now, wouldn’t you?”
• In other ways talking for the older adult: “You are having a good time on the patio today, I see. And you have your pink sweater on, which you love. Right?”
• Asking people questions that assume role loss, idleness and powerlessness such as “Who did you used to be?” “What did you used to do?”

I always felt that this type of talk pattern would be simply insulting to my grandfather:

• Elderspeak assumes that the older adult is dependent, frail, weak, incompetent, childlike, etc. and my grandfather was none of these.
• Elderspeak assumes that the speaker has greater control, power, value, wisdom, knowledge, etc than the older adult listening. Try this crap with grandfather who is no more or my mother in law who is 101, and you will surely be shown your place!
• Elderspeak assumes that all older adults equally suffer from memory problems, hearing problems, energy problems, etc. and nothing can be farther from truth!

Today science has shown that elderspeak does have a negative impact on older adults. Not only is this type of speech condescending and disrespectful, it can be damaging to their mental health and well-being. A researcher on a study on the effects of elderspeak by Yale University, Becca Levy, found that the practice “sends a message that the patient is incompetent, and begins a negative downward spiral for older adults who react with decreased self-esteem, depression and withdrawal.” Furthermore, those living with mild to moderate dementia can be even more negatively impacted by this type of language. In fact, these people may even become aggressive or uncooperative when elderspeak is used.  

Respect is undoubtedly important. While we in India respectfully address elders as ‘babu ji / ma ji’  or ‘dada ji / dadi ji’ asking older adults how they want to be addressed is not a bad idea. In India, the use of their first name demonstrates a lack of respect but that is not the case in the West, but one must not forget to prefix it with Mr./Ms./Mrs. At the end of the day, the way you speak to an older adult simply comes down to an issue of dignity. The seniors should not be belittled.

Many advertisements are targeting the senior citizens and their producers too should be sensitized. They seem to think they are honoring older adults by treating them as mascots. Many videos on social media feature adults who are “adorable” or “precious” dancing, singing, or doing other activities they have no doubt done for their entire lives. The videos are presented with the exact same attitude behind videos of kittens, puppies, and babies. How the hell do you intend to sell the stuff you are advertizing by offending the seniors? 

Speaking to older people the way we speak to any adult is really important. It’s important not to underestimate how powerful that is. These senior citizens still have a lot to give to the society. What they deserve is respect, not pity.

WHOSE SHOES DO THEY POLISH?

One day Abraham Lincoln was polishing his shoes and a staff member of the White House walked in. Surprised by what he saw, the staff member said, ‘Sir! Presidents don’t polish their own shoes.’
Lincoln replied, ‘Then whose shoes do they polish?’

During my school days in Colvin every morning they would check our shoes and if found unpolished, the senior house prefect would make us run 3-4 laps of the running track. The funny thing about this punishment was that, as a result of running on the wet and grassy track our shoes got dirtier and muddy. But the purpose was served and even the princely Taluqdars, who were my classmates, were not spared. This taught me, very early in life, how to take care of my shoes.

Every time I buy a new pair of shoes they are beautiful, they fit my style, they are comfortable, and they are sturdy. I am almost certain I will wear them for years to come. And then, in a matter of months they’re just not the same anymore: they lose their shape, look worn and discolored or get scratched. So, I’m forced to throw them away. So recently, when I had an up market shoe manufacturer as my patient, one whose family has been in this business for three generations, I thought I should get some tips on how to maintain shoes.

General don’ts with shoes

Avoid the wash: Contrary to popular belief, the washing machine is a no-go zone for any type of canvas/ knit or mesh shoe. Even the gentlest cycles can damage the glue that keeps your shoe together and make your soles look more worn down.

No air: Much like our skin, shoes require decent airflow to enable it to breathe. Never store shoes in plastic.

Over wearing: Constantly wearing a single pair of shoes can irreversibly damage the structure of them, in which case, no amount of cleaning can save it. Rotate your shoe wardrobe often.

No damp and moist feet in shoes: Always dry your feet before wearing shoes- damp/moist feet can cause a multitude of health issues and also causes shoes to get moldy.

Don’t forget to wipe: Mud and liquids should be wiped off as soon as possible, specifically from leather shoes to avoid stains.

Forget the heater:  Do not dry your damp shoes near a heat source. Air drying is best. Never dry your shoes on a heat source like a radiator or in direct sunlight. This will cause discoloration and make the fabric hard and/or misshapen. Try soaking up the excess water by dabbing the shoes with a cloth and laying them down to dry at room temperatures instead, ideally in a dry and well-ventilated area.

General dos with shoes

Shoe care products are a must: Most shoes will require care products from time to time to protect them from the elements because prevention is key! Test the product on the heel (or other non-visible parts of the shoe) to check the color and performance of the product before using it on the entire shoe. The technique application is also essential: always apply products to your shoes from heel to toe, otherwise, you may stain the shoe in a visible spot should you apply too much product. 

Protect their shape: To prevent the shoes from losing their shape, store and dry them with tree horns or fill them loosely with paper (newspapers work wonderfully for this goal). Shoes tend to lose their shape when we walk in them while they’re wet, so unless your shoes are water-repellant, try to avoid walking long distances while they’re wet.

To eradicate unpleasant smells: Use baby wipes to clean the inside of the shoes. Also, try to take out the soles and let them air out for a day or two. Another method is sprinkling baking soda inside the shoes, letting it sit for a few hours and then wipe it away (or vacuum it). The baking soda will act like dry shampoo for the shoes and absorb the smells.
To clean the outsoles of the shoes: Use a 1:1 mixture of baking soda mixed with dish soap or laundry detergent and scrub them with an old toothbrush. You can leave this mixture on for a few minutes (this will make the outsoles whiter) or rinse it off immediately.

Now that you’re familiar with the basics, let’s move on to specific fabrics shoes come in because each major type of fabric has its special needs.

Leather shoes:

Leather shoes are popular because they are comfortable, durable and flexible. Also, one can’t ignore the fact that leather shoes are just plain classy! At the same time, leather is a high-maintenance material and requires regular care. If not cared for properly, it tends to look dull and eventually cracks. 

Cleaning

• The first step to cleaning leather shoes is to wipe off any dirt with a soft, dry cloth.
• If your shoes still seem dirty, grab some water and a gentle cleaner and wash the stains away, making sure not to wet the leather too much. Avoid using a sponge, as it can degrade the leather.
• A water and vinegar mixture will also get rid of any salt- or water stains, any wax/polish buildup, and unpleasant smells.
• If you have any dark scratches on your leather shoes, use a white eraser to erase the darkness.

Care

• It is essential to polish leather shoes to protect them from water damage once a month.
• Before you start, remove the laces and/or any buckles if possible. Also, make sure your shoes are dry. 
• To polish your leather shoes, use a wax-based polish rather than liquid polish. Use a soft brush or a dry cloth to really work in the product into every crevice of the shoes, starting from heel to front, polishing it until the shoe is shiny and no excess product remains in any bends and crevices.
• Lastly, use a water-protecting spray to make the shoes waterproof. You will need to spray the shoes with a thin coat of spray once in 2-3 months depending on the product and weather conditions. 

Storage

• Keep your leather shoes in a shoe box or in a laundry bag, and not in a plastic bag to let it breathe.
• Store the shoes away from direct sunlight, as leather is prone to discoloration.

Suede shoes:

Suede shoes are infamous for being high-maintenance and just beautiful. The key to picture-perfect suede shoes is a suede brush: a relatively stiff brush, often with a rubber and/or eraser element built into it.

Cleaning 

• Once you cleaned the dirt off with a dry cloth, dampen a clean cloth in a mixture of mild soap and water and use it to clean the surface of the shoe.
• Go in with the suede brush, gently fluffing up the texture of the suede, always going in one direction.
• If any stains or scruffs remain, use the rubber or eraser end of the brush to clean the stain. The same goes for grease or grass stains. Tougher stains can be removed by vinegar soaks.

Care

·         Protect them with a water-resistant spray. This is especially important for suede because it can be absolutely destroyed by water stains. Repeat once in 2-3 months.

·         Fake suede shoes will produce an unpleasant smell faster than authentic ones, primarily because the material that they use does not allow the shoes to air as well, leading to excessive sweating and a build-up of bacteria. Deodorize the shoes -simply mix 2 tea spoon full of  baking soda and corn flour and few drops of essential oil, stirring to combine. Add the mixture to the inside of each boot to deodorize them. Let the baking soda sit for 24 hours, then turn them upside down and shake them out. Do this every week, keeping your boots smelling fresh.

·         If your shoes have started to fade because of age or cleaning, you can restore the colour with a suede dye. It would be wise to stuff your boots with something to help them hold their shape before you begin to dye them. 

Storage

·         Store suede shoes the same way as leather shoes.

Sneakers and Synthetic shoes:

Synthetic materials are a must-have for modern sports shoes. These shoes are extremely comfortable and very popular for all ages. At the same time, they are durable and easy to maintain.

Cleaning

• Whether you’re dealing with mesh or faux leather, or both, they’re relatively easy to clean.
• Remove the shoelaces, get rid of the dirt and grime, now using a wet sponge on the faux leather and rubber elements of the shoes.
• Then, mix 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent or soap with a cup of water and clean the soft mesh sections.
• Clean the laces by throwing them into a laundry bag and washing them on the delicate setting while doing laundry.

Care

·         Only a transparent waterproof spray on dry, clean shoes to make them water-resistant is required.

Textile shoes, Slippers and flip flops

The great feature of these footwear is their breath-ability and low maintenance, as many are made out of fabric and are machine-washable or of rubber and can be cleaned with soap and water with an old tooth brush.

Cleaning 

• If your textile shoes are machine-washable, just remove any big chunks of dirt with a wet sponge or toothbrush and wash them on a delicate cycle using laundry detergent.
• If, however, your textile shoes have to be hand-washed, mix some laundry detergent with baking soda into a paste, take a toothbrush and scrub away until they look clean. If you’re cleaning slippers with fuzzy elements on them, wash them with your hands instead of scrubbing with a brush. 
• When you’re done cleaning the shoes, rinse and tap with a dry cloth to remove excess water. Doesn’t squeeze or wring them out otherwise, their shape will be ruined.

THE BIRTH OF VENUS

Sandro Botticelli ‘s The Birth of Venus is one of the most famous painting of the Italian Renaissance for its otherworldliness, the vivid colors, the beauty of the image and the many gorgeous details woven into it. At present, the painting is the centerpiece of Florence’s Uffizi Gallery. Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi (c. 1445 – 1510), known as Sandro Botticelli, was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance. He belonged to the Florentine School, a movement that Giorgio Vasari would characterize less than a hundred years later in his Vita of Botticelli as a "golden age". Botticelli's work has been seen to represent the linear grace of Early Renaissance painting.

The Birth of Venus depicts a moment from the Greek myth in which Kronos severs Uranus’s genitals and throws them into the sea; Venus, or Aphrodite, emerges fully formed from the foam of a cresting wave. Carried by a shell, the goddess drifts to shore in Cyprus. In Botticelli’s work, which pulls its imagery from a 15th-century poem by Agnolo Poliziano, she is propelled by the gentle breeze of Zephyr, the west wind, and balances on a giant scallop shell. A young woman, perhaps Hora of spring or one of the graces, runs to meet her, proffering a robe dotted with flowers.

Botticelli, born around 1445, certainly did earn acclaim during his lifetime. Trained in the workshop of  Fra Filippo Lippi, one of Florence’s leading painters, the young man quickly became a favorite of the Medici family after opening his own workshop in 1470. The Birth of Venus was one such commission, for the home of Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici. Contrary to the popular belief it was not a painting for fame but for fortune only. It wasn’t even meant to be viewed in public. In fact, it was meant to hang over a marital bed. It was not discovered by the public for 50 years.

Its mythological subject matter is significant. Being among the first monumental female nude of a pagan goddess since the ancient world, and for that reason alone it must have raised eyebrows. Christian inspiration was dominant in the art of the Middle Ages, so nudity was rarely portrayed. However, the emergence of humanism led to a renewed interest in the myths of ancient Rome, and with it a resurrection of nudes. The piece's nudity takes on a more sensual tone when you know it was meant to hang over a marital bed. This locale and its daring depiction contributed to The Birth of Venus being hidden from public viewing for roughly 50 years. 

The Birth of Venus has a companion piece too. Though it was completed four years before its sister, La Primavera can be viewed as a sort of sequel to The Birth of Venus. While the latter depicts Venus's arrival in a world on the verge of blooming, the former shows the world in bloom around the now-clothed maternal figure. It's said the pair of paintings were meant to communicate how "love triumphs over brutality." Some people believe that the nudity of Venus represents Eve in the Garden of Eden. This has led to people speculating that Venus is a personification of the Christian Church.

It is on Canvas: During this period of the Early Renaissance, painting on wood panels was all the rage. But canvas' popularity was on the rise, especially in humid regions where wood tended to warp. Since canvas was cheaper than wood, its perceived status was a bit lower, so it was reserved for works that weren't intended for grand public displays. The painting stands out as the first work on canvas in Tuscany. The Birth of Venus measures in at roughly 6 feet by 9 feet. It's been called the "first large-scale canvas created in Renaissance Florence." 

Painted on canvas, it could be shipped internationally without the fear of warping or cracking. The piece was a smash hit in London, Paris, and San Francisco’s 1935 World’s Fair; and, finally, in 1940 at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. In some 74 days, the museum welcomed 290,000 visitors; newspapers reported that one in every 25 people in the city saw the work.

Venus and the Deities: The Birth of Venus actually includes several Gods in the painting. Venus stands on the seashell while being pushed shore by Zephyr's breath, the God of the west wing. Horae, Goddesses of seasons, are also there ready with a cape to clothe new newborn deity. The fourth figure carried by Zephyr is meant to be either an Aura (nymphs of the wind) or Chloris, a nymph associated with spring and blossoming flowers like those flowing through the picture. 

While painting Venus, Botticelli painted a dark line around the contours of her body. This made it easier to see her bodily forms against the background, and it emphasized the color of her pale skin. It is clear Botticelli really focused on Venus’ hair and hairstyle, a fact which reflected his interest in the way women wore their hair during the late 15th century. He gave Venus an idealized face, free from human imperfections. The shell she stands on may be meant to represent female genitalia, which creates a birthing scene that reflects Venus's oceanic origins while connecting symbolically to human birth.  The goddess’ modest gesture to cover her private parts is one favored in the Capitoline Venus, a category of statue that specifically depicts Venus in just this way. The first of these works is believed to date back to the second or third century BCE.

The inspiration: Some sources believe The Birth of Venus was modelled after the long lost Venus Anadyomene, a painting by ancient Greek artist Apelles that was once described by Roman author Pliny the Elder and known only through his written account. Other theories posit that this particular scene was based on a Homeric hymn published in Florence by Demetrios Chalkokondyles that reads:

"Of august gold-wreathed and beautiful
Aphrodite I shall sing to whose domain
belong the battlements of all sea-loved
Cyprus where, blown by the moist breath
of Zephyros, she was carried over the
waves of the resounding sea on soft foam.
The gold-filleted Horae happily welcomed
her and clothed her with heavenly raiment."

Time has taken its toll: Over the centuries, coats of varnish that were meant to preserve the painting began to turn opaque, which hid some of Botticelli’s details and colors from view. A restoration in 1987 gently stripped the varnish layer away, revealing soft and pearly colors that the artist intended. However, since the painting is so old, the colors have lost their luster.

Fame after four centuries: During Botticelli’s life, his works were often overshadowed by the artists of the High Renaissance. But 4 centuries after completing 'The Birth of Venus’, Botticellis began making their way into the collections of European museums. His pieces finally won esteem in the 19th century, with The Birth of Venus becoming his most revered work

Standard of beauty: The Birth of Venus has since become a standard of beauty. As such, it’s also become something to rebel against, a way to call attention to racist and sexist ideas of attractiveness. The image has been used endlessly as a marketing tool, parodied and leveraged to signify quality and culture. Today The Birth of Venus  is everywhere, used to sell Reebok sneakers, suitcases, and Adobe Illustrator software; inspired photo shoots and music videos featuring the likes of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga; and versions of it graced the cover of The New Yorker twice. The painting has become an indispensable part of the Western art historical canon—so much so that when someone starts an Instagram of Timothée Chalamet photo-shopped into famous artworks, there he is as Zephyr, hovering beside Venus as she drifts to shore.

INIMITABLE PHRASES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Where do the common phrases we use today come from? Have you ever wondered? Often the common phrases we say actually have bizarre origins we never even think about. Some go way back, while some may surprise you with their bizarre origin stories. Have a look and see if you ever guessed the origins of these phrases.

1.       Close, but no cigar: During the carnivals in the 1800s, cigars were rewarded as prizes for winning carnival games.

2.       Carbon copy: Our generation knows about the carbon paper and how it was once used for making duplicate copies of written and typed documents by slipping it between the original document to be typed / written and a blank paper. This was before photocopiers came into the market. This is what ‘Cc’ means in your Email

3.       Blackballed:  In the 18^th century in the social clubs membership of a new aspirant was agreed upon by a vote. Typically an anonymous vote was cast using different coloured balls – a red ball was a positive vote and a black ball was a negative one and some clubs required only one black ball to reject an applicant’s membership.

4.       At the drop of a hat: Instead of a gunshot to indicate the start of a race in 1800s it was customary to drop a hat to signal the start.

5.       Pull out all stops: An organ is a musical instrument which has stops on every pipe. An organist would pull the stops from every pipe in order to play at maximum volume.

6.       Best foot forward: When bowing to nobility a gentleman would literally put his best foot forward, extending his legs to take a bow.

7.       In the nick of time: Through the 18^th century businessmen often kept track of their debts owed and interest incurred on such loans by carving nicks on a “tally stick”. When someone arrived to pay off their debt just before the next nick was carved, they would save that day’s interest – hence ‘the nick of time’!

8.       Burning the midnight oil: Before electricity was invented candlelight or lamp light was used for illumination. When one stayed up late at night to work, one would literally burn the lamp oil at midnight.

9.       Jumping on the bandwagon: In the mid 1800s circuses would parade around the town before setting up tents, with bandwagons leading the parade. They drew large crowds and politicians started renting space on the bandwagons to get face time with the audience!

10.    Roll up the window: Again people of my generation who have driven cars before they had power windows know how we had to rotate a handle to roll up and roll down the window.

11.   Get off your high horse: Before cars were invented owning a horse was a sign of aristocracy. Only nobility and high ranking military officials owned horses. Getting off the horse thus means to humble oneself.

12.   Mad as a hatter: In the 17^th and 18^th century hat makers (hatters) often went insane as a result of mercury poisoning, a side effect of manufacturing felt hats.

13.   Take with a grain of salt: Dating back to 77 AD, a grain of salt was thought to help digestion and be an antidote for poison too, by its property to promote vomiting perhaps.

14.   Dressed to the nines: So rich that the person could purchase the entire nine yards it took to make a tailor fit outfit including the pants, vest and jacket.

15.   Time to face the music: In Great Britain and in early American colonial era, disgraced military officers were drummed out of their regiment when discharged.

16.   Above board: Cardsharps place their hands under the ‘board’ or table to stack the deck. If they keep their hands above the board, they can be presumed to be performing without trickery.

17.   Armed to the teeth: Medieval warriors were often so laden with weapons that sometimes they would have to carry one in their teeth.

18.   Balls to the wall: It derives from aviation. The ‘balls’ sat on top of the levers controlling the throttle and fuel mixtures. Pushing them forward toward the front wall of the cockpit made the plane go faster.

19.   Beat about the bush: In hunting it’s often necessary to beat the underbrush noisily in order to flush animals out into the open. A timid and unwilling hunter will ‘beat about the bush’, making a show of finding and killing the beast, but not actually doing so.

20.   Between rock and a hard place: Out of option. It’s a somewhat inaccurate reference to the Greek epic poem The Odyssey. There’s a passage where the hero has to choose whether to sail close to the monster Scylla or the whirlpool Charybdis.

21.   Bite the bullet: Face up to unpleasant reality. Before anaesthetics were invented, injured soldiers would bite on a bullet to help them endure the pain of an operation/amputation.

22.   Chance your arm: Take a risk. The arm in question refers to a stripe of military rank worn on the upper sleeve. Take a risk and you might be demoted, thereby losing a stripe.

23.   Cold feet: To show reluctance.  It’s a military term. A man who has cold or frozen feet — a common affliction until the late 19th century — can’t rush into battle and so proceeds slowly.

24.   Cold shoulder: Made to feel unwelcomed. In times gone by, an unwelcome visitor would have been given the cheapest and most common type of food: cold shoulder of mutton.

25.   Fag end: Nothing to with smoking. In the textiles trade, the last part of the piece of cloth was made of coarser material than the rest and left hanging loose. It came to be known as the fag end, possibly as a corruption of ‘flag’, meaning ‘hang down’.

26.   Flash in the pan: Disappointingly short lived. There was an old type of gun that had a ‘pan’ on which a trail of powder led from the charge to the flint. Sometimes the powder ignited, but the gun didn’t go off. Hence it was merely a flash in the pan.

27.   Get one’s goat: It’s a horse racing term. Nervous horses could be calmed down by placing a goat in the stall with them. Dastardly rival horse owners would sometimes steal, or ‘get’, these goats, thereby upsetting the horse and making it likely to lose the race.

28.   Hell for leather: At top speed. A horse that had been ridden fast used to be called ‘all of a lather’. Over time this got intensified to the more potent-sounding ‘hell for leather’.

29.   Keep mum: Nothing to do with mothers. It’s derived from the German word for mumble, mummeln. Hundreds of years ago people played a dice game called mumchance, which was played in complete silence.

30.   Let the cat out of the bag: Divulge a secret. In times gone by, farmers would bring suckling pigs to market wrapped up in a bag. Unscrupulous ones would substitute a cat for the pig. If someone let the cat out of the bag, the deceit was uncovered.

31.   Make the grade: Reach the required standard. Nothing to do with sitting exams. ‘Grade’ is short for ‘gradient’. The expression derives from railroad construction in 19th century America. Careful calculations had to be made to ensure engines didn’t encounter sudden steep gradients.

32.   Over a barrel: To be under someone’s control. This dates back to the Spanish inquisition. A form of torture was to suspend someone over a barrel of boiling oil. If you didn’t agree to the demands, you’d be dropped in.

33.   Pass the buck: Pass the responsibility. In an old English card game, a jack, or ‘buck’, was passed from player to player to indicate whose turn it was to play.

34.   Raining cats and dogs: In Norse mythology, cats symbolized heavy rain, while dogs were associated with Odin the storm god, and therefore represented howling wind.

35.   Red Herring: A distraction from the main issue. It comes from fox hunting. A red herring has a strong odour. Hounds chasing a fox could be distracted by the smell of the herring and start following that instead.

36.   Round robin: A document signed by multiple parties. ‘Robin’ is a corruption of the French ruban, meaning ribbon. These petitions were originally signed in a circle so that no single person’s name appeared at the top. The shape of the signatures resembled a circular ribbon.

37.   Steal one’s thunder: To do something that takes attention away from what someone else has done. The 18th century playwright John Dennis claimed to have invented a machine that could mimic the sound of thunder in the theatre. When rivals used the same trick, he complained they’d 'stolen his thunder'.

38.   Wild goose chase: A pointless search. This was once a sort of horse race, so named because the positions of the horses resembled geese in flight — except it wasn’t much of a race, because no one could win.

39.   It takes two to tango: Everyone knows that two people are needed to dance the tango, so this expression means that if there has been some kind of unpleasant situation in which two people were involved, they are both to blame.