Once The Seat Of Clan Donald, Armadale Castle On The Isle Of Skye Was Originally Built Around 1790 And

National Unicorn Day 🦄

The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland. Although a mythical creature that has never actually existed, it has long been a symbol of Scottish heritage and culture.

The unicorn first appeared on the Scottish royal coat of arms in the 12th century, and has since been featured in many works of art and literature.

The unicorn is associated with qualities such as purity, innocence, and power, and is often depicted as a graceful and majestic creature.

As a national symbol, the unicorn represents the unique and magical spirit of Scotland, and is beloved by Scots and visitors alike.

𝙼𝚒𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎

𝚄𝚗 𝚍𝚎𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚞𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚡 𝚟𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜 𝚍𝚎 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎

𝙳𝚛𝚘̂𝚖𝚎 / 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 🇫🇷

𝙱𝚢 ©️𝙻𝙼®️

The painting featured is Édouard Manet’s “The Balcony,” created between 1868 and 1869. This iconic work depicts three figures on a balcony, depicting a scene from 19th-century Parisian life. The painting is notable for its composition and use of light, and is one of Manet’s most famous works. The Balcony is an example of Manet’s realist style, which sought to depict everyday life in a straightforward, non-idealized way.

some portraits :)

In the forest

Yesterday I visited the Penates - the house of Russian painter Ilya Repin. It stands surrounded by pine forest, and the Bay of Finland is a 5 minute walk from the house.

The wooden house is very Russian style with little roofs and multiple terraces and enamel fireplaces in every room. There's a large studio on the second floor with large windows and skylights to allow as much natural light in as possible.

Repin was a very prolific painter and a huge name in his day, but also a bit of an eccentric. He always slept in a small unheated terrace, even through the winter. Him and his wife were vegetarian and practiced no-help dinner parties (with no servants at the door or the table). His weekly dinner parties on Wednesdays were attended by a multitude of artists, musicians, scientists. He was friends with Gorky, Mayakovsky, Chukovsky, Tolstoy, Yesenin etc. etc.

(Last picture: Ilya Repin paints opera singer Fyodor Shalyapin in his studio, 1914.)

"Even in the grave, all is not lost"

- Edgar Allan Poe

the rain knows all my secrets

Stars over Seabeck, WA