Farmhouse in Provence, also known asEntrance Gate to a Farm with Haystacks, is an oil-on-canvas painting by Dutch painterVincent van Gogh, produced in 1888, at the height of his career. It was painted while Van Gogh was living inArles, in southern France. Partially due to having been inspired by painterAdolphe Monticelli, he sought theProvence region of France to further expand his painting skill and experience. Van Gogh used several pairs ofcomplementary colors in the painting, the color contrast bringing an intensity to his work. The painting now hangs in theNational Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of theAilsa Mellon Bruce Collection.

Painting credit:Vincent van Gogh

Farmhouse in Provence, also known asEntrance Gate to a Farm with Haystacks, is an oil-on-canvas painting by Dutch painterVincent van Gogh, produced in 1888, at the height of his career. It was painted while Van Gogh was living inArles, in southern France. Partially due to having been inspired by painterAdolphe Monticelli, he sought theProvence region of France to further expand his painting skill and experience. Van Gogh used several pairs ofcomplementary colors in the painting, the color contrast bringing an intensity to his work. The painting now hangs in theNational Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of theAilsa Mellon Bruce Collection.

Painting credit:Vincent van Gogh

ThePortrait of Doña Isabel de Porcel is an oil-on-canvas painting by Spanish painterFrancisco Goya, produced around 1805. The portrait depicts Isabel Lobo Velasco de Porcel, who was born atRonda around 1780 and was the second wife of Antonio Porcel. Isabel's husband was 25 years older than she; they met when she was 20 years old. Antonio Porcel was a liberal and an associate ofManuel Godoy, Prince of Peace, who was a friend ofGaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, who in turn brought him in contact with Goya, who lived nearby; the painting is said to have been a gift from the artist in return for hospitality. The half-length portrait depicts a young woman dressed in typical Spanish attire, a white shirt and a blackmantilla. In spite of her "maja" attire, the richness of the textiles and her ladylike appearance give the picture an aristocratic elegance; at this time, wealthy Spanish "people of fashion" often wore the styles of lower class urban dandies and their female equivalents, as seen in Goya's famousclothed version ofLa maja. The painting is now in the collection of theNational Gallery in London.

Painting credit:Francisco Goya

ThePortrait of Doña Isabel de Porcel is an oil-on-canvas painting by Spanish painterFrancisco Goya, produced around 1805. The portrait depicts Isabel Lobo Velasco de Porcel, who was born atRonda around 1780 and was the second wife of Antonio Porcel. Isabel's husband was 25 years older than she; they met when she was 20 years old. Antonio Porcel was a liberal and an associate ofManuel Godoy, Prince of Peace, who was a friend ofGaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, who in turn brought him in contact with Goya, who lived nearby; the painting is said to have been a gift from the artist in return for hospitality. The half-length portrait depicts a young woman dressed in typical Spanish attire, a white shirt and a blackmantilla. In spite of her "maja" attire, the richness of the textiles and her ladylike appearance give the picture an aristocratic elegance; at this time, wealthy Spanish "people of fashion" often wore the styles of lower class urban dandies and their female equivalents, as seen in Goya's famousclothed version ofLa maja. The painting is now in the collection of theNational Gallery in London.

Painting credit:Francisco Goya

Successive close-ups of thescales of aPeacock butterfly (at top) wing. Shown from left to right, top to bottom: (second row) acloseup of the scales of thespecimen at top,high magnification view of coloured scales (different species); (third row) electronmicrograph of apatch of wing (~×50 magnification), thescales close up (~×200); (last row)a single scale (×1000),microstructure of a scale (×5000).

Photos:MichaD (top and second row left),Shaddack (second row right),SecretDisc (micrographs)

Successive close-ups of thescales of aPeacock butterfly (at top) wing. Shown from left to right, top to bottom: (second row) acloseup of the scales of thespecimen at top,high magnification view of coloured scales (different species); (third row) electronmicrograph of apatch of wing (~×50 magnification), thescales close up (~×200); (last row)a single scale (×1000),microstructure of a scale (×5000).

Photos:MichaD (top and second row left),Shaddack (second row right),SecretDisc (micrographs)

Back Bay is an officially recognizedneighborhood of Boston, built onreclaimed land in theCharles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the availability in the city at the time; the area was fully built by around 1900. Back Bay was planned by architectArthur Gilman, influenced byHaussmann's renovation of Paris. It is noted for its rows of Victorianbrownstone homes – considered one of the most preserved examples of 19th-century urban design in the United States – and numerous architecturally significant buildings, as well as cultural institutions, such as theBoston Public Library. Initially conceived as a residential-only area, commercial buildings were permitted from around 1890 and Back Bay now features many office buildings, including theJohn Hancock Tower, Boston's tallest skyscraper. It is also considered a fashionable shopping destination and is home to several major hotels. Today, along with neighboringBeacon Hill, it is one of Boston's two most expensive residential neighborhoods. In 1973, Back Bay was listed as ahistoric district on theNational Register of Historic Places.

This picture is a panoramic view of the Back Bay skyline, taken in 2017, as seen across the Charles River from theLongfellow Bridge. Among the buildings depicted, from left to right, are theBerkeley Building, the John Hancock Tower and thePrudential Tower.

Photograph credit:Tony Jin

Back Bay is an officially recognizedneighborhood of Boston, built onreclaimed land in theCharles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the availability in the city at the time; the area was fully built by around 1900. Back Bay was planned by architectArthur Gilman, influenced byHaussmann's renovation of Paris. It is noted for its rows of Victorianbrownstone homes – considered one of the most preserved examples of 19th-century urban design in the United States – and numerous architecturally significant buildings, as well as cultural institutions, such as theBoston Public Library. Initially conceived as a residential-only area, commercial buildings were permitted from around 1890 and Back Bay now features many office buildings, including theJohn Hancock Tower, Boston's tallest skyscraper. It is also considered a fashionable shopping destination and is home to several major hotels. Today, along with neighboringBeacon Hill, it is one of Boston's two most expensive residential neighborhoods. In 1973, Back Bay was listed as ahistoric district on theNational Register of Historic Places.

This picture is a panoramic view of the Back Bay skyline, taken in 2017, as seen across the Charles River from theLongfellow Bridge. Among the buildings depicted, from left to right, are theBerkeley Building, the John Hancock Tower and thePrudential Tower.

Photograph credit:Tony Jin

An advertisement for a 1927 enactment of theIndian rope trick by stage magicianHoward Thurston. This form ofstage magic is said to have been performed in and around India during the 19th century, though the factuality of this has been disputed.

Poster: The Otis Lithograph Co.; Restoration:Adam Cuerden

An advertisement for a 1927 enactment of theIndian rope trick by stage magicianHoward Thurston. This form ofstage magic is said to have been performed in and around India during the 19th century, though the factuality of this has been disputed.

Poster: The Otis Lithograph Co.; Restoration:Adam Cuerden

Back Bay is an officially recognizedneighborhood of Boston, built onreclaimed land in theCharles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the availability in the city at the time; the area was fully built by around 1900. Back Bay was planned by architectArthur Gilman, influenced byHaussmann's renovation of Paris. It is noted for its rows of Victorianbrownstone homes – considered one of the most preserved examples of 19th-century urban design in the United States – and numerous architecturally significant buildings, as well as cultural institutions, such as theBoston Public Library. Initially conceived as a residential-only area, commercial buildings were permitted from around 1890 and Back Bay now features many office buildings, including theJohn Hancock Tower, Boston's tallest skyscraper. It is also considered a fashionable shopping destination and is home to several major hotels. Today, along with neighboringBeacon Hill, it is one of Boston's two most expensive residential neighborhoods. In 1973, Back Bay was listed as ahistoric district on theNational Register of Historic Places.

This picture is a panoramic view of the Back Bay skyline, taken in 2017, as seen across the Charles River from theLongfellow Bridge. Among the buildings depicted, from left to right, are theBerkeley Building, the John Hancock Tower and thePrudential Tower.

Photograph credit:Tony Jin

Back Bay is an officially recognizedneighborhood of Boston, built onreclaimed land in theCharles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the availability in the city at the time; the area was fully built by around 1900. Back Bay was planned by architectArthur Gilman, influenced byHaussmann's renovation of Paris. It is noted for its rows of Victorianbrownstone homes – considered one of the most preserved examples of 19th-century urban design in the United States – and numerous architecturally significant buildings, as well as cultural institutions, such as theBoston Public Library. Initially conceived as a residential-only area, commercial buildings were permitted from around 1890 and Back Bay now features many office buildings, including theJohn Hancock Tower, Boston's tallest skyscraper. It is also considered a fashionable shopping destination and is home to several major hotels. Today, along with neighboringBeacon Hill, it is one of Boston's two most expensive residential neighborhoods. In 1973, Back Bay was listed as ahistoric district on theNational Register of Historic Places.

This picture is a panoramic view of the Back Bay skyline, taken in 2017, as seen across the Charles River from theLongfellow Bridge. Among the buildings depicted, from left to right, are theBerkeley Building, the John Hancock Tower and thePrudential Tower.

Photograph credit:Tony Jin