Something Beautiful

Portrait of an Unknown Woman, by Frans Pourbus (1545-1603). Look at that lace!

Louis-David

Anne-Marie-Louise Thélusson, Comtesse de Sorcy, 1790, by Jacques-Louis David. 1790

Cathedral bells

The bells of the Bremen cathedral and those of other German churches as well (at YouTube).

Les Belles Heures

Here you can see three pages of the Belles Heures of the Duke de Berry, by the brothers Limbourg.

Crozier

I do love a fine bishop's crozier. This thirteenth-century French crozier has a rather peculiar theme, but its Limoges enamel decoration surely elevates it from the strange to the superb.

Autumn days

A remarkable photo essay at the Boston Globe site on Days of Autumn throughout the world.  

Cathedrals

I can never get quite enough of cathedrals, especially those of the historic variety.  And now comes Flickr with an entire category dedicated to that very subject. 

Knowing our enemies

If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility. -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Kolner Dom

The great cathedral of Cologne, Germany.

The entrance, closer-up. 

Bad states

I just found this on Twitter -- "No matter how bad a state of mind you may get into, if you keep strong & hold out ..... eventually the floating clouds must vanish & the withering wind must cease. -- Dogen