Tag Archives: 18th Century

1780: The Dark Day

Posted on March 10, 2018 by corvusfugit

The 19th of May, 1780, was distinguished by the phenomenon of a remarkable darkness over all the northern States, and is still called the Dark day. The darkness commenced between the hours of 10 and 11 A. M., and continued … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 18th Century, Cotton Tufts, Darkness, John Adams, John Warner Barber, Meteorology, Oddities, Timothy Dwight, USA | 1 Comment

1939: The History of Spitting

Posted on March 3, 2018 by corvusfugit

The pioneering sociologist Norbert Elias published The Civilizing Process in 1939 with the aim of tracing how Europeans came to imagine what it meant to be “civilized.” In the book, he argues that increasing interdependence in society—in which difference social … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century, 1930's, 19th Century, 20th Century, Books, Daniel Bowen, Germany, Great Britain, Manners, Norbert Elias, Photography, Sociology, Spitting | Leave a comment

1371: The Strangest Duel

Posted on February 18, 2018 by corvusfugit

The strangest duel I ever met with, was one fought Between a dog and a man in the year 1371, in the presence of King Charles V of France… A Gentleman of the Court was supposed to have murdered another, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 14th Century, 18th Century, Animals, Dogs, Duelling, Great Britain, King Charles V, Mammals, Murder, Susannah Dobson | Leave a comment

1797: Reading a Book

Posted on February 11, 2018 by corvusfugit

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson: Benoît Agnès Trioson Reading a Book (1797) Born Anne-Louis Girodet de Roucy in 1767, Girodet suffered the death of his father in 1784 and his mother in 1787. Dr. Benoît-François Trioson, a close friend of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 18th Century, Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson, Art, Books, Children, Fathers, France, Melancholy, Mothers, Painting | Leave a comment

1759: Rocky Bay

Posted on January 21, 2018 by corvusfugit

Alexander Cozens: Rocky Bay Scene (c.1759–65)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 18th Century, Alexander Cozens, Art, Great Britain, Landscapes, Painting, Water | Leave a comment

1732: The Morals of Chess

Posted on November 22, 2017 by corvusfugit

Although Benjamin Franklin likely composed his essay “The Morals of Chess” as early as 1732, it was first published in 1786, during the height of interest surrounding Wolfgang von Kempelen’s mechanical chess-playing Turk; Franklin himself had lost to the machine … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 1860's, 18th Century, 19th Century, Art, Automata, Benjamin Franklin, Caroline Howe, Chess, Digital Art, Diplomacy, Edward Harrison May, France, Great Britain, Negotiations, Painting, Richard Howe, Thomas Jefferson, USA, William Temple Franklin, Wolfgang von Kempelen | Leave a comment

1735: Snake

Posted on November 18, 2017 by corvusfugit

Illustration from Albertus Seba’s Thesaurus, Vol. 2 (1735); the full title of the work is in Latin and Dutch: Locupletissimi rerum naturalium thesauri accurata descriptio – Naaukeurige beschryving van het schatryke kabinet der voornaamste seldzaamheden der natuur [Accurate Description of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 18th Century, Albertus Seba, Animals, Art, Books, Netherlands, Printmaking, Reptiles, Snakes, Zoology | Leave a comment

1784: Cenotaph

Posted on November 3, 2017 by corvusfugit

Etienne-Louis Boullée: Cénotaphe de Newton (1784); for his proposal for a cenotaph for Isaac Newton, Boullée envisioned a 500-foot tall sphere encircled by plateaus containing hundreds of cypress trees. (source)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 18th Century, Architecture, Death, Etienne-Louis Boullée, France, Great Britain, Isaac Newton, Trees | 2 Comments

1725: Music Library

Posted on November 3, 2017 by corvusfugit

Giuseppe Maria Crespi: Libreria musicale (c. 1725)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 18th Century, Art, Books, Giuseppe Maria Crespi, Italy, Music, Painting, Trompe l'œil | Leave a comment

1795: The Staircase Group

Posted on October 30, 2017 by corvusfugit

Charles Willson Peale: Staircase Group (Portrait of Raphaelle Peale and Titian Ramsay Peale I) (1795)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 18th Century, Art, Charles Willson Peale, Painting, Portraits, Raphaelle Peale, Trompe l'œil, USA | Leave a comment