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kenkaodoll · 7 months

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Kamiya Dojo Monogatari Tale 69 (JUMP SQ 23/10)

About Kamiya Dojo Monogatari: Tales of Kamiya dojo is written by Kaoru Kurosaki and published along with the “Rurouni Kenshin Hokkaido” arc in JUMPSQ. The tale involves the Rurouni Kenshin character in daily life that takes time between Kenshin and Kaoru marriage until the epilogue chapter in the original manga before the Hokkaido Arc. Until this month (September 2023) there are a total 69 chapters in Tales of Kamiya dojo. This is an unofficial translation.

Previous Story: https://www.tumblr.com/kenkaodoll/726821717591408640/kamiya-dojo-monogatari-tale-68-jump-sq-2309

“Oh damn, it looks like they’re looking for us,” Mikio whispered to the woman and looked for a place to escape, being very careful not to be suspicious.

“Goldfish…! Goldfish…!”

At the right moment, a goldfish merchant arrived.

He carried goldfish in two buckets slung over his shoulder and sold them on foot. It was the early-summer style.

“Hey, please show me!” Mikio looked into the bucket.

In this way, they would naturally look down and not show their faces to Kenshin without acting suspicious.

“Hey you, wait a minute. I had enough to keep a pet.”

“It’s not. I'm just trying to do something until they pass by,” he whispered and sneaked around.

“Oh, goldfish! Hey, Kenshin, would you like to take a look?” Kaoru asked Kenshin.

“We need to ask around for information now.”

“Then let’s go talk to the goldfish seller!”

“Oro…”

Kenshin and Kaoru walked straight towards Mikio, although he was not even an expert, Mikio could know their arrival while he was staring at a goldfish.

They might find him like this. Mikio sweated and gazed at the goldfish, trying not to make eye contact with Kenshin, who would be coming.

“Hey, look, look. Look at this cute little goldfish,” Kaoru pointed at a round goldfish without a dorsal fin, and her voice was a little flirtatious. Fortunately, Kaoru and Kenshin were looking at a different goldfish from the one Mikio was staring at out of the two buckets.

“Oh, this must be a *Ranchū,” Kenshin said.

“What are you talking about? This is a goldfish called *Marukko.”

“Well, I remember the proprietress of the inn where I used to stay told me that a goldfish similar to this one was called a Ranchū,” Kenshin shook his head.

“Aah.. this young lady must be born in Edo (Tokyo) and this mister must be born in another part of the country,” the goldfish merchant guessed right, just like a great detective.

“Eh, how did you know?” Kaoru asked in surprise.

“Marukko is what Ranchū is called in Edo,” the merchant explained.

“Sometimes there are things that are called differently in different regions, I didn't realize that the goldfish have such different name too, that it is”

“It’s really interesting, right? The miso tasted different in the west and east regions, and the language is different. Isn’t it wonderful that with the development of transportation in the Meiji era, we can experience these differences so close to home in Tokyo?”

“Is that what we do, right?”

“Yes, it’s very wonderful. I hope that in the future, we will be able to feel more familiar with more things from far away.”

Kaoru looked at the goldfish. Her eyes were sparkling with the light reflected in the water of the bucket. Kenshin felt like she was really looking into the future.

“So, what do you want to do? Do you want to take the round fish home with you?”

The goldfish vendor poked at a hanging glass container he brought.

It was a goldfish ball, put the goldfish in this small glass container and take it home.

“This goldfish ball is not only used for bringing the fish to your home, they are also beautiful when hung on the eaves of the house after you return home.”

“They are really beautiful, aren't they? The goldfish balls shine in the sunlight. But it is also nice to keep them in a bowl and look at them from above.”

“Ah, young lady! You know what I mean,” the goldfish seller smiled.

My late grandfather was an ink painter. He was a person who loved elegant style. He used to draw goldfish paintings when he was alive.”

“Oh, that's really cool, isn't it?”

Mikio, who had been listening intently to the conversation, thought, "Now!".

Then he pulled on his woman’s sleeve and sneaked away from the goldfish merchant bucket. She was interested in the goldfish, but not today.

Kenshin and Kaoru was still looking at the goldfish,

“Hmmm… But I wonder if it would be a good idea to bring home a goldfish right after the rabbit fiasco,” Kaoru seriously considered taking a goldfish.

“The rabbit fiasco? Young lady, could it be related to Akabeko? The rabbit incident was very serious, wasn't it?” The merchant responded.

“Oh, you mean related? Well… yes we are,” Kaoru answered curtly.

“Did you see or hear anything about someone bringing rabbits into Akabeko?” Kenshin started to inquire about their original purpose.

“No,” the merchant answered. “I carry my goldfish bucket on my shoulder only when I see a lot of people walking by. The rabbit was brought to Akabeko in the morning, right? I wasn't around at that time.”

“You don't know anything?”

“Only that there were a lot of rabbits in the store.”

“Is that so?”

“Hmm. Too bad.”

The merchant didn’t know anything, then Kenshin asked Kaoru,

“How about the goldfish then, should we keep it?”

They had to decide whether to keep a goldfish or not.

“Hmmm… I like goldfish, but Kenji puts everything in his mouth right away.” Kaoru was a little dismayed, remembering Kenji almost putting rabbit poop in his mouth.

“Wouldn't it be better to wait until Kenji is older and more sensible?”

“Sure, I agree with you. I'm sorry, mister goldfish seller, that we have bothered you for so long.”

“No, no, no, it's fine. It's better than having a deserted shop. When customers stop by like this, it makes it easier for other customers to stop by.”

Then a customer called out to the goldfish merchant right after his words as proof of it.

“Mister, I want two goldfish, a red one and a black one.”

“My pleasure!”

With their cheerful voices behind, they left the goldfish merchant.

・

Mikio endured the tension, he was breaking out in cold sweat, and slowly back off from the goldfish merchant, couldn’t help being unnatural.

He needed to make a gap while Kenshin and Kaoru were talking to the goldfish merchant, but he could not run or rush. He must act like an ordinary passerby.

Slowly and gently.

Slowly.... But then....

“I'm sorry! I'd like to ask you a few questions.”

He was too good at pretending to be a passerby, and Kaoru called out to him.

Mikio cringed and his head spun fast, trying to figure out how he could get away with it.

“Let me see…”

He looked around and saw a man with something like a rental library. He carried a wooden rack with a shoulder strap and put a stack of books inside. He was just about to pass by Mikio.

This is it! he thought.

Mikio pretended to stumble over a hair to his right and slammed himself into the book-lender man!

“Oops!"

The rental library was hit and flipped over, scattering books all over the street.

“Ah! Stop it! What are you doing?”

“Oh, I stumbled. My bad.”

“Oh, no. I was careless too.”

The book lender bowed his head, even though he had done nothing wrong.

“Mister, I’m really sorry”

The woman picked up the books scattered on the street, apologizing for Mikio's carelessness.

“Oh, my God!”

“Oro!”

Both Kenshin and Kaoru helped her pick up the fallen books which were for loan.

“Oh, this is Jules Verne's "Around the World in Eighty Days!” Kaoru shouted happily.

“Miss, you have a good eye. It's a science fiction novel that's currently popular in the world. Would you like to borrow it?" The book-lender spoke to Kaoru as he picked up the book.

“Ah, it was so popular that by the time I really wanted to read the book, all the rental books didn’t have it because it was out on loan. I ended up buying it at a bookstore in Nihonbashi.

“I see… You like to read.”

“Yes, I love to read.”

“How about Samuel Smiles' "The History of Western Country" (English title : Self Help)*?” It is a book that describes the success stories of great people who have succeeded in the Western countries. Fantasy novels are good, but success stories of real people are interesting and informative.”

Success story. I hear it's interesting!"

Kenshin looked at the book.

“Ah, that's the famous book, "Heaven Help Those Who Help Themselves," isn't it?”

“Yes, it is! Yes! Since its translation came out about ten years ago, it has been very popular.”

Kenshin, Kaoru, and the book-lender are excitedly talking about the "Self Help" book.

Mikio glanced at them while hiding his face behind Takizawa Bakin's "Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki," and gently put the book back in the wooden rack, then quietly, but not unnaturally, left that place and then hid in the shadow of the dango stall.

And.

“Hey, Kenshin. Do you want to eat Dango?” Kaoru asked.

Mikio was stumped again, cold sweat pouring down his face, then he left the dango stall before Kenshin and Kaoru could get close enough to him. He thought he would escape while the two were eating dango.

“But I feel bad eating dango when Kenji and the others are waiting for us at home. Let's do it again next time when we all come together,” Kaoru said in a cheerful voice and it turned out that they did not stop by the dango stall shop where Mikio had just left.

What the hell, damn it.

Mikio cursed in his mind and tried to hide behind the wind chime shop.

“Hey, look, Kenshin! A wind chime! I think I'll buy it as a souvenir and take it home. If I hang it high, Kenji won't mess with it, it's beautiful, and it has a nice tone.”

Mikio became increasingly irritated.

This stupid couple! How long will you keep following me around?

He wanted to yell at them, but he held himself which was unusual for Mikio.

・

Meanwhile at the police station, Chief Uramura was so enchanted by the fluffy rabbit that he forgot his duties and patted the rabbit all over the place.

Notes:

Ranchū : A type of goldfish with round head

Marukko : How Ranchū was called in Edo (Tokyo area), literal meaning: round child.

Book-lender: a man who goes around and lends books to people in town, he brings the books on a wooden rack on his shoulder. (If you wonder how he is look, Hannya in episode 10 of anime remake is disguised as a book-lender)

Jules Verne : French author, his work ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ was first translated into Japanese in 1878. Kaoru asked Kenshin to buy the book referring to chapter 32.

Samuel Smiles was a British author and government reformer. His work ‘Self Help’ was introduded as ‘Heaven Help Those Who Help Themselves’ in 1859, （天は自ら助くる者を助く), then it was translated as ‘The History of Western Country’ (西国立志編) in year 1867 by Nakamura Masao, who studied in UK. In 1871 it was first published in Japan.

Takizawa Bakin a.k.a. Kyokutei Bakin, was a Japanese novelist of the Edo period. Born Takizawa Okikuni, he wrote under the pen name Kyokutei Bakin. Later in life he took the pen name Toku. Modern scholarship generally refers to him as Kyokutei Bakin, or just as Bakin.

Ps: Kurosaki-sensei wants to give us the view of the lively street at Asakusa, in the remake anime at the episode 2 shows us a good deal how the town and the merchant looks like in the street.

.…..to be continued in chapter 70…… https://www.tumblr.com/kenkaodoll/731981457127604224/kamiya-dojo-monogatari-tale-70-jump-sq-2311

TLnote(1): translating Japanese is so hard because the sentence structure is very different compared with English. Also the style of writing is different, plus there’s a lot of figurative, poetic language and things that don't make sense if it’s directly translated into english. So forgive me if this is very weird to read, and please tell me if you want to give corrections.

TLnote(2) I will provide the original Japanese text for correction if any of you who read have better knowledge of the Japanese language. Just dm and I’ll send the file.

TLnote(3) Dtninja had translated some earlier chapters on his website. You can go and check on there

Read the rest of the story here: https://www.tumblr.com/kenkaodoll/686193523858538496/rurouni-kenshin-tales-of-kamiya-dojo?source=share

#Kamiya Dojo Monogatari #Tales of Kamiya DOjo #Rurouni Kenshin #Ruroken #Himura Kenshin #Kamiya Kaoru #Himura Kaoru #Himura Couple #Himura Family #Kenkao #unofficial translation #Kurosaki Kaoru #Kaoru Kurosaki

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1533-secrets-from-history · 1 year

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Eleanor of Aquitaine- The grandmother of Europe

(part 1)

The First person on my list would be Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of France,Queen of England, Duchess of Aquitaine(suo jure). I will talk about her life and legends that surrounds her.

Origin and birth

Birth of Eleanor was result of one scandalous marriage. Courtly love was very much appreciated and encouraged in France and therefore in Aquitaine as well. As a result, paternal grandfather of Eleanor, William IX duke of Aquitaine, took Eleanor's maternal grandmother as official mistress. The name of her grandmother is officially unknown, though it is theorised to be Amauberge de I'Isle Bouchard,but she is widely known as dangereuse, for her seductive nature. Her family was not the most important in France, therefore her interest in powerful men is understandable. During her time as mistress, she acquired great wealth and influence, William built the tower of maubergeonne in Poitiers castle. However, William's infidelity was widely known, therefore if she wanted to remain in her position, she would need to act further. Around 1121, she wedded her daughter Aenor to the son of William IX, future William X. Three children were born from this marriage. First Eleanor,the Petronilla and another William.

Palais de Justice, Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes, France. seat of House Ramnulfid and center of Duchy of Aquitaine. Famous court of Eleanor was held in this castle.

The date of birth of Eleanor is the subject of discussion. 13th century genealogy of her family lists her as 13 years old in 1137,making her date of birth 1124. However according to British historian, author and biographer Alison Weir, her fourteenth birthday was celebrated in 1136, which means she was born in 1122,that is supported by her widely accepted age of 82 at the time of her death.

According to some historians, she was named Aenor after her mother and was called Alia Aenor, meaning "the other Aenor" in Latin, later she adopted her name as Eleanor. Detailed appearance of her is never mentioned in any source or chronicle of her time, though many later painters, authors or filmmakers, usually depict her as women of golden/blonde hair and gray-blue eyes.

However, we can estimate her appearance by indirect sources. The effigy of her tomb represents a tall, big boned woman, while her seal from 1151 depicts the slender woman. Despite her general appearance being unknown, her beauty is non-questionable. By contemporary sources she was beyond beautiful, gracious, regal and lovely with charming eyes. Even in her old age the beauty of Eleanor was widely admired.

Along with her physical beauty, her personality was very fascinating. She was extroverted, lively, intelligent and outspoken, she knew how to talk, joke and win people's hearts. However, she also had a side that was considered undescribable for a woman and wife. She was fierce, stubborn, confident, ambitious and determined.

Upbringing and education

In 1130 her mother and brother, heir of Poitiers, died. That made 8 years old Eleanor heir presumptive of Aquitaine, the richest and largest land in France. Future duchess would need best education,which her father ensures she would get. Along with feminine arts like embroidery, needle work, singing,dancing,sewing,weaving and household management, she was also taught history, philosophy,poetry, arithmetic, constellation and court politics. Eleanor was a renowned horse rider,hunter and archer. As future leader, she learned diplomacy and negotiation skills, as well as Latin and France along with her native poitevin. We can freely say- she was utterly well-prepared for her role and duty as duchess when she inherited Aquitaine in 1137 after the death of her father on 9 april of the same year.

Inheritance and first marriage.

The day his father died, he left the will according to which, Eleanor would succeed him as Duchess of Aquitaine and king Louise VI was named her guardian. As ruler of the largest and richest land in France Eleanor soon became the most desirable bride in all Europe. King Louise himself was gravely ill, it was his best interest to strengthen the kingdom of France and royal family of Capets for his heir did not exactly have powerful characteristics. As a result of those circumstances, Louis VI of France wedded Eleanor and price Louise on July 25 about three months after Eleanor's succession. They were crowned as Duke and Duchess of Aquitaine,but duchy retained independence from France and would remain so until their future son would inherit it from his mother and join two lands as king of France and duke of Aquitaine. The plan that was never meant to be fulfilled. For the wedding price Louise accompanied Eleanor to France along with 500 knights. The bride herself gifted a lavish vase to future husband. A piece of art that still survives these days.

Vase of Eleanor

Per tradition the newly wed couple started royal procession through french provinces,it was not even brought to it's end when on 1 August,barely a week after the wedding, king died. News only reached the couple's ears on 8 August, they were now king and Queen of France and were crowned on 25 December of same year. Eleanor was loved by a young husband so much that he would spare no expense to fulfill her every whim, even if it meant reconstructing the castle to match her taste. That caused major dislike from other influential french people, for example Queen mother,who considered Eleanor as a bad influence and her actions irresponsible. Morever, some northerners and religious leaders considered her confident, outspoken and high- spirited nature as too undignified for proper queen.

Picture that depicts marriage of Eleanor and Louis(left) and going to crusades(right)

Eleanor the crusader

If you ask me, and I as confident many historican would agree, the idea of the second crusade was long formed, however Eleanor was indirectly responsible for an excuse that started the second crusades. In 1142-44 conflict between Louis and Theobald took place, the reason behind this was Eleanor's involvement. On her pressure, Louis permitted Roul I,count of Vermandois to reject the hand of Eleanor of Blois in marriage and instead marry the sister of the Queen. As the count was offended war broke out. One of the consequences of the war was the massacre of vitry, during which nearly thousand people died of fire, when they were hiding in church. Louis felt personal fault in this incident and asked the pilgrimage to Holly lands to atone the sin. In turn, Pope Eugine III suggested him to lead second crusades. Eleanor had given birth to long Desired child the same year after dreadful miscarriage in 1138,but she was not going to be stay-at-home mom and lead Aquitainian forces herself in 1147. Many things happened during the second crusades,but I want to underline some major events around Eleanor.

Louise was an ineffective leader, not the best tactican or inspirator, could not maintain order and discipline in the army. For that reason he was not particularly liked, unlike Eleanor who showed quite the opposite qualities, she was admired so much that some Greek historians even compare her to Queen of Amazons. After that their relationship started to get worse, they would argue much and it was clear(in my opinion) that Louis was jealous of his wife.

During the battle of mount cadmus, many French soldiers were trapped and killed by Turks and as leader Geoffrey de rancon, who suggested to continue the way after some conflict about the plan, blame was put upon him and through him Eleanor. However, the fact that Eleanor still remained popular and Louis became even more disliked, as well as Aquitainian forces not joining the battle might mean that Eleanor was not a supporter of the plan and refused to take part in it. That would make accusations against her wrong.

Eleanor requested divorce due to matter of consanguinity,but Louise rejected it, even more he forced Eleanor to accompany him in further raids, which humiliated and deeply upsets her and her knights as a result french army practically divided in two, followed by Louis's wartime failures and final return to home.

The crusades were not particularly fruitless.While in the eastern Mediterranean, Eleanor learned about maritime conventions developing there, which were the beginnings of what would become admiralty law. She introduced those conventions in her own lands and later in England as well. She was also instrumental in developing trade agreements with Constantinople and ports of trade in the Holy Lands. While they were returning to France their separate ships were attacked and they lost the track of one another, they thought each other to be dead and after two months, Eleanor was sheltered by king of Sicily, that's where she learnt that her husband was alive,but uncle, whom was rumoured to have relationship with Eleanor, was killed by Muslims. That caused her to change plans, she went to Pope Eugine and persuaded him not to divorce them. She even arranged to deconsumate the wedding that caused the birth of another daughter. Without son marriage was doomed and in march of 1152 by the agreement from both sides the marriage was annulled. Eleanor once again became the most desirable bride in all Europe, many French noblemen wanted her hand in marriage as per treaty Aquitaine was still hers due to not having a son with Lous. The duchy was more than third of whole France so such lands could not have been lost. However Eleanor refused all suggestions and instead married Henry duke of Normandy, future king Henry II of England. The marrige would cause another scandal.

I will continue the part II with her marriage to Henry.

#medieval women #12th century #medival #eleanor of aquitaine #england #france #english history #history

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tamelee · 9 months

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What are your thought about modern art? I know a lot of artists on the Internet absolutely hate modern art, and talk about it like it was the thing that was killing art in general.

Personally I don’t agree at all, I think contemporain art can bring very interesting concepts and experiments.

And usually the people I’ve seen criticizing contemporain art were the one who make an obsession about realism. Tbh I think realism is kinda overrated…

But I’m curious to hear about your opinion :D

Well, I don't think contemporary art equals a certain style anyway as it is made by people today. You see realism and abstract now as well as in our history (not photo-realism ofc.). The father of my mother (so my grandfather, but it feels weird to call him that as I never knew him) was a well-known painter here in the Netherlands and his art was very abstract with lots of colors and shapes. So what some refer to when they say 'modern' often in such discussions is mostly the more 'simple' styles where they criticize it and say "a child can make this" where the comeback is "but you didn't".. At times they refuse to call it art as it requires little to no skill. Where the actual skill doesn't really get the recognition anymore. That's when these concepts becomes experimental and it makes people talk. I guess AI in a way is part of that as well though still in a much lesser form, but a bigger issue.

If I put up a simple photo of a child depicted in a wooden box and said: "Look, isn't that great?!" You'd probably think I was out of my mind but if I told you that it was Chris Hadfield as a 9 y/o pretending the box was a space rocket because he had an ambition to become an astronaut and actually realized his dreams later- only then it becomes interesting. A picture itself doesn't always tell a story (it can) and in 'modern' art a lot of the time the same thing applies. Yes, like the taped up banana which earned the title; a piece of art.

Authenticity (as vague as that is) as told by Pine & Gilmore can actually be measured by something (a story or art etc-) being faithful to itself and/or whether it says what it is. (At least that's what we in general do when it comes to communication in business.) The banana obviously is just a banana and the creator of this absurdity said they were making fun of the person (multiple) spending 120k on a rotting banana and said they deserved to be scammed. Which fair, I don't necessarily agree with it, but in that sense, they're being true to the message. This is how you can measure most media and businesses because it almost always works. (It is a bit more complicated than this, but you get the idea.)

But here's the kicker, people, in this case 'artists' or people who call themselves one, idk, can give their creation whatever message they want despite the visuals. Though spending 120k on a rotting banana is most likely money laundering and the artist must know that as well.. so, to then say it's just 'funny critique' regarding art and capitalism and "believing" the buyer got scammed, changes the message a bit. Yes? How valuable is it then really?

Not all art has to have some deep value-driven meaning at all, but most 'modern' "art" pieces that require no skill need other ways to gain attention and do so by provoking the audience. Marcel Duchamp was called an artistic genius because he turned a urinal upside down.. a damn toilet.

How does that compare to an actual drawing where someone put their heart and soul into the making of it through perhaps even years of experience, where you can see the person has skill? Or the making of a sculpture? Even things like graphic/interior design? Have we realized what happened to photographers? If you want to talk about the toilet as 'a piece of art' or even a simplistic circle because to you ~somehow~ the meaning behind it changes the world, then bring it along to your TED-talk and actually talk about it. Become that storyteller. It is proven that through the PSE (picture superiority effect) visual elements leave a lot more impact on your audience compared to just text or speech and that you remember it better by 65%. But to replace masterpieces in art galleries and auction them off for thousands/millions worth that we know goes also into money laundering regardless and call it art? And there must be some sort of meaning.... I guess? Nah. I have no clue what 'killed art' specifically because I'm not too knowledgable on that topic, but if this is art, then why aren't we calling your average Tiktokker professional movie directors/actors etc? Why isn't your YT-short or Tiktok clip an actual short film instead? How about calling this "thought-provoking art" just a concept as you say? Or the jpg that I forgot to include in my powerpoint? Comedic relief? An idea? And yes ideas can be art, but not every idea is art. AI images are generated prompts, but certainly not art and their makers are prompters and definitely not artists. So I agree with you that it can be experimental or perhaps provoke interesting concepts, but depending on the... 'art' and its intention... we should call it as it is. That's what I think. Perhaps 'modern art' in that sense as a term is too broad to judge.

So when you say realism, do you mean hyper/photo-realism specifically? Or just realism in general? Because as an artist my own opinion is that I wouldn't want to draw photorealistically as it takes too much time and if people can't tell whether I actually used up all my time to draw it or took the photo, even used photo-bash.. then for me, I don't really see the point in putting in all the effort. But, it is an amazing way to learn how to draw though, that's how I started. Looking at photo's and replicating it. In my earlier art I tried to render it to the best of my abilities as I had no idea how to draw so I had to look at pictures and see how light falls, how colors blend, what skin does and how it reflects.. On Instagram I often got comments that it looked so real, like a photo. I didn't know what to think of that, because even though it is a compliment, it wasn't a photo, I actually drew it and so it almost feels like an insult somehow. Does that make sense? I now want to almost erase parts of what I've learned when it comes to things feeling 'real' and stylize my art better. That's not something you learn in photo's but by finding out a tiny thing you like and then doing that over and over again until the next tiny thing. And lemme tell you... that is hard. So, I don't think realism is overrated, I think stylized art, often recognizable from an artist is severely underrated.

#asktamelee #art talk

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wackyrumble · 11 months

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Van Gogh v.s. Zaphod Beeblebrox

Van Gogh - Fate

Spirit of the Greek nymph Clytie with the memory and mind of Vincent Van Gogh. Three forms consisting of a girl with plant toes, a blue slimy one, and a jellyfish hybrid. Her head also turns into a flower when she gets excited. Tried to feed the player character a salad out of her flesh as a Valentine’s Day gift. Read more about Van Gogh below.

Zaphod Beeblebrox - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Zaphod is president of the galaxy, the reason as to how that is he sealed from his own brain. Zaphod has also been voted the worst dressed sentient being for some years. He gave himself a third arm and a second head, and time travelled to make himself his own great grandpa. Searched to found out if he has a soul and upon confirming he does, was depressed. Read more about Zaphod below.

Full description of Van Gogh:

"She’s the summoned spirit of the Greek nymph Clytie, but with the memories and mindset of Vincent Van Gogh stuffed inside her head by an eldritch abomination from beyond the edges of the universe. So essentially, she’s part plant part jellyfish part human part spirit part imaginary numbers. Simple, right?

Well it gets better. She has three different forms, the first of which resembles a young girl but with plant stems for toes and a giant dandelion-shaped buzzsaw for a weapon. In her second form her skin turns blue and slimy, and in her third one she becomes a full-on jellyfish hybrid with huge bouquets of sunflowers for hands. Also when she gets overexcited her head turns into a giant flower.

She’s suicidal but also refuses to die. She’s constantly making terrible Van Gogh puns. At one point she tries to make a salad out of her own flesh and feed it to the player character as a Valentine’s gift. She’s gay for the summoned spirit of the daughter of the Japanese painter Katsushika Hokusai, who is also an octopus (it makes sense in context). In one scene her character sprite suddenly clones itself and goes careening around the screen (this is never explained). All in all, she’s probably just slightly above the average level of weirdness for Fate, though given how batshit the canon has been getting of late wouldn’t be surprised if she seems positively normal a year from now."

Full description of Zaphod:

"TRULY the guy ever. direct quote from the first book: "Zaphod Beeblebrox, adventurer, ex-hippie, good-timer (crook? quite possibly), manic self-publicist, terrible bad at personal relationships, often thought to be completely out to lunch." He's the president of the galaxy, he's spent 2 of his 10 years in office in jail, became president for a reason he's sealed out of his own brain (he signed it, btw. instead of memories there is ZB. big mood honestly /fictive), he's been voted the worst-dressed sentient being something years in a row, his therapist describes him as "just some guy, y'know?", he attached a 3rd arm to himself (and presumably a 2nd head too, considering his cousin has one head), he used time travel to become his own great×something grandfather, and he goes soul searching sometimes to see if he has one (and, upon discovering he does have a soul, he went into a depressive funk). his girlfriend hates him. his introduction in the books was him stealing this high-tech spaceship on live tv, and his introduction in every other version is him on said spaceship watching the news covering his theft and includes the line "if there's anything more important than my ego around here, i want it caught and shot now". guy ever, 10/10. he sucks"

#van gogh fate #fate #zaphod beeblebrox #the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy #wacky round 1a

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backintimeforstuff · 21 days

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Tag Game

Thank you for the tag @ellivia and @justice-for-queequeg!!!! (I am DAYS late doing this lmaoo whoops)

Favourite Painter: Van Gogh 🥰 (I'm biased from that one Doctor Who episode)

Favourite Writer: Francis Pryor!!! He's a British Archaeologist who's famous here for doing documentaries and writing books and I literally LOVE his explanations about history :DD (context: I have a history degree and have read my fair share of terribly written books full of terrible takes but he hits the nail on the head every time.)

Favourite Band: Lots!!! Scouting for Girls, MCR, McFly, Busted, all your standard early 2000s suspects

Favourite Meal and Drink: Literally anything with pasta? Also I am one of those weird people who only drinks water-

Favourite Outfit Aesthetic: The emo phase I had in 2007 has me in a chokehold so I still wear skinny jeans :((( Although I saw my friend the other day while i was wearing rainbow braces and she said "why do you look like a gay lumberjack?" so there's that.

Favourite Singer: not to out myself as a swiftie or anything but 👀 folklore my beloved ✨

Favourite Item I Own: I have this half-finished embroidery project that I inherited from my grandmother when she passed away (who inherited it from HER mother, who didn't finish it either); and it's the insignia of my great grandfather's regiment who were rescued from Dunkirk during the Second World War. The thread and the needles and embroidery hoop are literally from the 1940s and I hope someday I get to finish it :)

Favourite Perfume: Am I still using my Charlie Red? YES (you can prise it from my cold dead hands)

Tagging: at this point I have no idea who's done it or not already so LITERALLY ANYONE who wants to do it !! <3

#ty!!!#tag game #tagged #mine

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hoyatype · 4 months

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I had always heard about my grandfather George that he had a greatness of spirit, that he was a charming, fun, witty, cultured man, a great athlete, a loving father and man. I also understood that he never became the painter he wanted to be, and this understanding of him has always haunted me; the grandfather who did not or could not put all of himself into his art as he longed to do. From an early age, an understanding of the sort of single-mindedness and great luck involved in being an artist, and how unlikely it is to become one, was with me like a warning. I began to see that it took all of one’s forces constantly driven in one direction, and the will of the world, and the happiest of circumstances, all working together, to enable one to make a life in art.

sheila heti, 'a common seagull', in the yale review, 2020

#sheila heti #quotes #quotes on writing #an artistic life

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mrseeker · 10 months

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Hey there, lovely souls! It's an absolute pleasure to introduce myself - I go by the name of Seeker! Let me tell you, the journey of tracing my family roots through the intricate branches of my family tree has been nothing short of exhilarating. However, what has truly blown my mind is the unexpected revelation that I happen to be kin to a couple of renowned artists. And guess what? I just can't resist sharing about these remarkable individuals who've left an indelible mark on the world of artistry! but only sharing two!

First up on my illustrious family tree is none other than my 13th great grandfather George Jamesone of Scotland first eminent painter Just thinking about his incredible artistic talents sends a shiver down my spine. (here's his wiki, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&search=George+Jamesone&wprov=acrw1_0) and then there's Kenyon cox I'm 2nd Cousin 7X Removed to his wife but we look a lot alike its scary it weird his wife's last name was his father's last name could a weird incest story. here's his wiki (Kenyon Cox - Wikipedia)

#ancestry #artists #historical #scottish #american #art #famous #history

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haruhar-u · 5 months

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laughs in apparently a direct descendant of a painter who was apparently semi-famous according to grandma (he was my great great grandfather) yet I cannot paint for the life of me

#haru rambles

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indigowallbreaker · 1 year

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Baltholst anon here! Though I'm requesting a different ship this time. XD Marianne and Claude for the hand-holding prompts, "grabbing the other's hand to show them something." Thank you if you decide to pick it up!

Baltholst anon beloved!! Happy to see yah again :D

(Currently accepting rare ships! Click here for an UPDATED info post!)

Marianne looked upon the flower with unease. It wasn't the flower's fault-- its purple and pink petals stirred in the breeze with well-deserved innocence. Marianne tried to come up with something insightful to say about it, but to no avail.

The Riegan Estate gardens boasted many beautiful flowers. Objectively, it was quite a lovely place. Right by the sea but protected from the worst of the wind by clean white walls, well maintained by a dozen or so gardeners, popular with painters and the children of visiting nobility. With the war heating up, however, there were few taking the time to visit such places. The recent fight on the Great Bridge of Myrddin had apparently reminded the people of the Alliance that they weren't as safe as they might have first thought. Today the gardens were empty but for Marianne and her partner.

Claude gave Marianne's hand a squeeze before tugging her towards a row of rose bushes. "You might like these better. They're bred to bloom faster and stay open longer. My grandfather explained it to me but I'll admit I don't understand it much."

"I've liked all the flowers so far," Marianne said even as she let Claude pull her along.

"Are you sure?" Claude pressed, a worried tilt to his voice. "You don't really seem to be enjoying yourself."

Marianne reached out to caress one of the rose petals. Apart from the roses perhaps being a bit larger, she couldn't see anything unique about these compared to normal rose bushes. "I'm not sure what this has to do with the war." Marianne's hand dropped and she turned to look at Claude, wondering what she had missed. What part could the Riegan gardens have to play in this conflict that he was hoping she would see?

Her confusion only deepened when Claude gave a nervous laugh. "They don't have anything to do with the war?"

"They don't?"

"No?" Claude scratched his chin, his normally easy smile turning strange. "But they do have something to do with a date."

"A date?" Marianne repeated. "So this-- We're on a date?"

"Not a very good one if you didn't realize it," Claude said with that same laugh.

"O-Oh..." Marianne lowered her head. The leaves on the rose bush looked smaller to her than they should be.

Claude squeezed her hand again. "Hey, don't be like that. I should have been clearer." His tone took on a teasing note as he added, "I just figured you kissing me when we went riding that once time meant you might like a date at some point."

Marianne's cheeks burned at the memory. The two of them had been paired up for a scouting mission soon after the Empire had attacked Garreg Mach, and something about the near-death experience had caused Marianne to act... improper.

Now she felt silly for trying to find war clues in a rose bush. A date, a date with Claude, sounded wonderful.

Squeezing Claude's hand in return, Marianne lifted her head and tried for a smile. "Do you want to try again? Dating, I mean."

Claude brightened. "Absolutely. And we have plenty of time-- it'll be a few more weeks until the Alliance lords figure out how many troops to send us."

"I meant right now."

"Now? Uh, sure! Where did you want to go?"

Marianne giggled and began pulling Claude towards the wrought iron gates. "To the beginning. Show me everything again so I can appreciate all the flowers properly."

The grin that took over Claude's face caused Marianne's own smile to widen. The lords could take their time as far as she was concerned-- Marianne wanted to fit in as many dates as possible while she still could.

#fire emblem three houses #marianne von edmund #claude von riegan #mariclaude #balthost anon #if i may be so bold as to name you lol #rare pair run

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lunarpanda · 11 months

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mtheTagged by @wholeroastpotion (I hope you don’t mind me making a new post rather than just adding to the post)

15 questions for 15 mutuals

Are you named after anyone? I think I was named after my.... great grandfather? I’m not sure. I feel like I asked that a long time ago and I forgot the answer...

When was the last time you cried? Eh I’m not sure... prolly a while ago I’m guessing if I can’t remember. These days tears only come out of me when I’m sleepy yawning.

Do you have kids? Nope, don’t want them.

Do you use sarcasm a lot? No

What sports do you play/have played? Nothing really outside of being forced to at gym class.

What's the first thing you notice about other people? Uh... I guess their vibe. Like IRL I’m not very observant but on the internet I try to at least see what kinda vibe they’re putting out by their tone in text... I know text isn’t very good for indicating but doing some sleuthing with other posts can give you something you know?

Eye colour? Blue/grey kinda thing.

Scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings. Me and scary movies don’t mix.

Any special talents? I’m a real good painter! And I’m hoping to be even better!

Where were you born? Ohio

What are your hobbies? Watching anime, playing games, drawing and painting~

Do you have any pets? Not ready for pets tbh. I’d love to have one but that’s a lot of responsibility and cleaning and I don’t like cleaning...

How tall are you? 5' 6"

Favourite subject in school? Art. Wish I could’ve paid more attention tho, or at least got some actual help. I was too stubborn in my ‘I can draw anime I’ll be fine!’ ways... now I wanna learn how to do more stuff beyond anime. I love anime don’t get me wrong it’s fun to do but still.

Dream job? Artist. Technically doing that rn but I don’t really earn a paycheck just yet. I really need to buckle down and study up on commissions and stuff.

Tagging!~ (No pressure if you don’t want to do so): @karamatsusquirrel @stormethecat @colakissing @konjiki @yoshis @themasterdisaster @minty-seas @modmonsterra @libra-pup @crtter @chockmatsu @mimiaou @chillkoki(No worries if you can’t do it!)

#Panda tagged #I forgot my original tag for being tagged #I feel like it was what I've been tagged but I wanna change that tbh #Either way yee!

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mybeingthere · 2 years

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Elizabeth Blackadder (1931 - 1921 , UK)- Celebrated artist admired for her paintings of flowers and the first woman to be elected to both the Royal and Royal Scottish academies, a long interesting article by Charles Darwent, which gives great insights in her seemingly dated art.

"In 1994, the year that Damien Hirst made his first vitrined sheep, Away from the Flock, pickled in formaldehyde, the artist Elizabeth Blackadder, who has died aged 89, finished a work called Still Life With Cats. The cats were painted in oil on canvas, joining many others in Blackadder’s oeuvre, alongside arum lilies, Japanese fans and tins of sweets.

Mere difference of age does not explain the gap between Blackadder’s art and Hirst’s. Painters of her own generation – Bridget Riley was born in the same year, 1931 – worked in a style that was insistently modern. This was not Blackadder’s way. When she and her husband, the artist John Houston, visited New York in 1969 on the way to paint the Wyoming landscape, they made trips to the Museum of Modern Art to see Picasso and Matisse, not Pollock and Warhol. Modern art institutions returned the compliment: there are only half a dozen or so Blackadders in the Tate, all but one of them lithographs, few ever on show and none more recent than 1963. The British Council Collection holds only two Blackadders, the Arts Council’s none at all. And yet, there is more to the story than meets the eye.

At first glance, a painting such as Iris Oncocylus (1996), in the collection of the National Gallery of Scotland, is not so much unapologetically outdated as defiantly so. Where Georgia O’Keeffe defeminised flower-painting by making oils of lilies that looked like vulvas, Blackadder’s watercolour irises might have been painted by an unusually adept aunt. A second look shows something more complex. Blackadder’s eye is not so much meticulous as engineered: this is botanical painting rather than flower painting. The disposition of her flowers on the paper is just that, a disposition rather than an arrangement.

In an untypically expansive moment, Blackadder hazarded that “the space between flowers [in her work] is as important as the flowers themselves”, adding that her pictures invented themselves as they went along. The two-dimensional sculpturalism of her irises owes more to Matisse than it does to, say, the flower painter Mary Butler. If Blackadder’s flowers are representational, the voids they create are abstract.

Daughter of Thomas and Violet Blackadder, she came from a family of Falkirk engineers. Her father’s factory in the town, Blackadder Brothers’ Garrison Foundry and Engine Works, had been built by Thomas’s own grandfather in 1851. Elizabeth was born in its shadow, in a sandstone villa at 6 Weir Street.

In later life, she refused to talk about her art. If forced to do so, she spoke in the kind of commonsensical terms that would have had conceptualists such as Hirst in tears – “I paint the centre of my flowers black,” Blackadder might say, adding, in a rare confessional burst, “Well, a kind of bluey-black.” She did, however, admit to having had an early teacher. “My father was an engineer, but he drew a lot, mostly boats,” she recalled in a BBC interview to mark her 80th birthday. “From a young age, he helped me to draw.” Blackadder’s father died when she was 10.

Another childhood influence was also familial. During wartime German bombing of Clydebank, Falkirk being on the bombers’ flight path, the young Elizabeth was dispatched by her mother to her grandmother’s house on Holy Loch. “I got sent out as a gardener for all [her] friends,” Blackadder would wryly recall. By her teens, she knew the Linnaean names of all the local wildflowers, and had pressed most in an album. This dual inheritance was to appear in her work as an artist.

After leaving Falkirk high school, she joined the new joint fine-and-applied arts course at Edinburgh University in September 1949, where the Byzantinist David Talbot Rice was her tutor. Blackadder found herself exposed to the Byzantine obsession with pattern, a taste at once formal and decorative. Another discovery was the Italian primitives, particularly Piero della Francesca. In her final year, spent at the Edinburgh College of Art, she met Houston, a fellow student. When Blackadder won a travel scholarship with her first-class degree, the pair set off for Italy. They were married in Edinburgh the following year, 1956, a partnership that was to last until Houston’s death in 2008.

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mothy-leaf · 2 years

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*crashes window* I've had an epiphany

Specifically about okami it's in my head now sorry!!!!

Do you think one of the reasons Issun didn't want to become a Celestial Envoy, besides being pestered constantly about it from his grandfather was, because there was a detachment from it? He loves art, hes a great painter! But being forced to devote something he enjoys towards something that's.. probably faded with time?

Throughout the game you notice that besides some characters they make it a point that people forgot about the gods, they don't believe in them as much which is why they became so weak or lost.

He leaves home, tries to live a leisurely life and then meets Amaterasu, the literal goddess of the Sun.

And in their journey they bond! They do so many things together and he learns about all the other gods firsthand! A connection has been formed just like it had 100 years ago with another similar companion.

So after they separate and a very eye opening but harsh talk from Waka, I think Issun realized that yes, hes gonna be a Celestial Envoy, but hes gonna be Ammy's, why wouldn't he help his best friend in her time of need? To make sure people never stop believing in her like he does? She deserves the best, and he is the best wandering artist.

So like in a nutshell being just a celestial envoy wasnt enough it felt empty to paint something that you didn't give your all. For Ammy though? He poured his heart into each painting and it saved her life.

#okami #this fucking game I CANT ESCAPE IT OOUAAGH #i probably dotn make sense but i!! dont!! care!!!

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semperlitluv · 1 year

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cactus ⇢ something you’re currently learning (about)?

taro ⇢ if someone called you right now to catch up, what’re the things you’d tell them about?

abelia ⇢ do you have a particular piece of jewelry you always wear or can’t part with?

Cactus: I got a book about Mary Cassatt, who is one of my favorite painters, and I can’t wait to read it!

Taro: Probably how my job is going, since it’s still relatively new. Christmas plans. Where I’m going next on my travels!

Abelia: I wear two silver rings every day! One was a gift from my Nonna and Papa and the other is from a trip I took to visit my other grandparents, so it’s like keeping my family close. I also have a jewelry set of my great-grandmother’s (it’s a gorg ruby set that my great-grandfather gifted for her 40th birthday in the 60’s) and my Nonna’s locket that are both very special to me.

#thank you love!#asks #caity's tag

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dreadgloom · 4 days

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thoughts about dio.

I have been thinking about what/who/how Dio would be if they were raised by their Seldarine drow mother. You all know how much I love lists so here is one for my thoughts.

They would have been raised for a short time in a group of Druids as their mother was a member of a small gathering commune of about a dozen where she was one of only two practicing Circle of Spores. In this group, Dio would be looked down upon as they got older and showed more physical features of their Lolthite heritage (black sclera, pointy teeth).

Their father is most likely dead and didn’t make it to the surface due to his bad health. He most likely left his House emblem and journal with her mother hoping it would be given to Dio. However since it was connected to a Lolthite drow House her mother most likely disposed of them after making it back to the surface.

Realizing that Dio is miserable and unwanted by their commune, their mother would send them away to Waterdeep to be raised by maternal grandparents at age 6. It’s done out of purely selfish reasons on their mother’s part as she did not want to give up her place in the commune.

Because of their mother’s selfish decision to not allow Dio access to information about their father, they are never exposed to the poison that prevents (and can fully suppress if taken young enough over several decades) the growth of psionic gifts. Their grandparents have no idea how to help them and it really damages their relationship. This would make them an Aberrant Mind Sorcerer instead of a Gloomstalker Ranger. The need to be understood would most likely have them reaching out for something that understands them and potentially making them also a Great Old One Warlock.

Dio loves drawing but never purses it outside of a casual hobby in their main/canon verse. In a timeline where they were raised by their maternal grandparents mother I can see this gift being encouraged. I love the idea of Dio becoming popular as a portrait painter due to their grandfather’s upper crust connections. Sadly, I think they would slowly fall into a type of paranoid madness/tortured artist trope and their art becoming more of an oddity as the portraits turn from classical works into twisted versions of what people actually view themselves as. This would stem from some of the Aberrant Mind subclass abilities and being able to hear the inner thoughts of others (often when they don’t want to hear them).

Bonus Thought: It’s sad to think that the parent the truly loved Dio and was good for them is their father even if they were in a terrible environment in the Underdark. He wanted Dio to have as many choices as possible and know that he loves them. Their mother was not the right kind of person to be a parent as she is unable to put her child before herself.

#『 pay no attention to that man behind the curtain 』 . . . out of character.#[ ooc . . . what you all think? 🤔 ]

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xtruss · 3 months

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Britain’s First Black Queen? The Real Story of Queen Charlotte

Historians still debate whether she was really Britain’s First Black Queen. But a new Netflix spin-off of the popular 'Bridgerton' makes clear that interest in her life is stronger than ever.

— By Erin Blakemore | May 10, 2023

Scottish Painter Allan Ramsay's Portrait of Queen Charlotte in her Coronation Robes has inspired debate over whether she was Britain's First Black Queen—a question that persists today, centuries after she ruled over Great Britain and Ireland. Image Via Art Collection /Alamy Stock Photo

When 17-year-old Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz caught her first glimpse of the London palace that was to be her home in 1761, she turned pale. She was set to become Queen of Great Britain and Ireland within hours, but she had never set foot in England or met her husband-to-be.

What happened next is the stuff of royal history—and the subject of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The new Netflix limited series fictionalizes the life of the timid German girl destined to rule England—and who is rumored to have been its first Black queen. But who was the real Queen Charlotte?

How Charlotte Became Queen of Great Britain

Just beneath this Oval Portrait of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, you'll see the Initials of the Royal Couple: G for George III and C for Charlotte. Despite the Queen's initial timidity, historians say that the Monarch by all accounts had a Happy Marriage. Image By Johann Esaias Nilson Via BTEU/RKMLGE/Almay Stock Photo

Born in 1744 in Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a duchy in what is now Northern Germany, the princess had an unremarkable childhood in what other members of the European aristocracy considered to be a mediocre and provincial dukedom. But this would work in the young woman’s favor when a far-off prince became king.

In 1760, George III’s grandfather died, making him King of England—and making his unmarried status a matter of national alarm. George needed a wife, and he needed one fast, his advisers decided—and they mounted a desperate search for a Protestant princess to share his life and sire an heir.

Charlotte was unknown and thought to have no political connections or aims. This was seen as a plus by George’s political advisers, who wanted British interests to prevail after the king’s marriage. And so, though George had never met Charlotte, in 1761 an emissary proposed marriage on his behalf. Charlotte accepted, and the arranged marriage took place just six hours after the young princess arrived in England.

Though she spoke no English and had never met her husband before her wedding day, Charlotte was now Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Everyone wanted to greet the new king and queen: At their coronation, so many well-wishers crowded them that it took two hours to for their procession to make it from the street into Westminster Abbey. Soon, Charlotte had her first child, a daughter. She would go on to bear 15 children during her long marriage.

Were Queen Charlotte and King George in Love?

By all reports, the king and queen had an unusually happy marriage, and George III was a devoted father and husband. But court life was difficult for Charlotte, who clashed with her mother-in-law over the formal rules of the British aristocracy and found the expectation to bear plenty of heirs exhausting. By the time she had borne 14 of her 15 children, she wrote that “I don’t think a prisoner could wish more ardently for his liberty than I wish to be rid of my burden.”

Though Charlotte struggled with the boredom and confinement of court life, she found her own ways to deal with the crushing expectations of her new role. The year after her marriage, George bought her a large country estate owned by the Dukes of Buckingham. Buckingham House, now known as Buckingham Palace, was called the “Queen’s House,” and there she lived in comfortable domesticity, reading, doing needlework, and playing the harpsichord.

She shared a love of botany and plants with her husband, who became known as “Farmer George” due to his agricultural interests.

The 'Madness' of King George

But the couple’s happiness did not last. In 1765, George experienced a bout of mental illness so serious that his ministers proposed having Charlotte temporarily take the throne while the king was incapacitated.

Though the king soon recovered, he experienced relapse after relapse, and eventually it became clear his mental illness would not pass. The king experienced mania, depression, hallucinations, and convulsions, and historians report that he attacked and even sexually assaulted members of his family.

These bouts of illness devastated the queen. “The queen is almost overpowered with some secret terror,” wrote Francis Burney, one of Charlotte’s attendants, in 1788. “I am affected beyond all expression in her presence, to see what struggles she makes to support serenity.” Over time, the bouts turned into lengthy episodes, and the king was isolated and even incarcerated.

Social stigma and lack of understanding of mental illness meant it was nearly impossible to help the “mad” king or gain the kind of support now regarded as key for the caretakers and loved ones of people with mental illness.

Eventually, Charlotte’s son George (later George IV) took over the throne as regent. But her husband would remain ill for the rest of his life, and by 1789 the queen’s hair had “turned white under the stress of the King’s illness.” When Charlotte died in 1818, her husband was so ill he did not understand his wife was dead.

George III and Queen Charlotte Pose with their Children. The Queen gave birth to 15 children—a responsibility of her position that she found particularly exhausting. Image By Richard Earlom, Via National Museums in Berlin, Art Library/Anna Russ

Was Charlotte Teally Britain’s First Black Queen?

Today, Charlotte is remembered as a faithful wife and a tragic figure connected with the king’s mental illness. But some see her as noteworthy for another reason—they claim she was Great Britain’s First Black or Biracial Queen. For decades, historians have debated whether Charlotte’s Ancestral Ties to Portuguese Aristocracy Mean She had Brown Skin.

Those who believe she had Black ancestry point to portraits that show what they describe as “African” features and say other depictions of the time that show the queen as light-skinned would have been hiding her ancestry to conform with the era’s Eurocentric beauty ideals. But others say the queen’s ancestry was so distant it likely did not affect her looks, and argue that modern conceptions of race are what’s driving the belief that Charlotte was black.

Since it’s impossible to determine how Charlotte really looked in real life, the argument will likely never be settled. Nor will public interest in Charlotte’s life, as evidenced by the new Netflix limited-run series—which has gained fans, charmed reviewers, and drawn newfound attention to the tragic queen’s life. But as narrator Julie Andrews says in the show itself, “It is fiction inspired by fact.”

#Britain 🇬🇧#First Black Queen #Story #Queen Charlotte #History #Historians #Great Britain 🇬🇧 | Ireland 🇮🇪#Britain's First Black Queen Charlotte #King George #Ancestry #Ancestral #Portugal 🇵🇹#Portuguese 🇵🇹

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