“The Libro de los Epítomes manuscript … contains more than 2,000 pages and summaries from the library of Hernando Colón, … who made it his life’s work to create the biggest library the world had ever known in the early part of the 16th century.” Only about a quarter of the actual volumes have survived, so the catalogue provides invaluable information on what was being published at the time. – The Guardian
Author: Matthew Westphal
New Violin Design (Only Somewhat Unorthodox) Gets First Major Demo
The “Santa Cecilia” violin — so named because it was developed in the instrument-making program at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome — makes its debut on Thursday at a conference in Lisbon. Its main differences from a standard violin are an asymmetrical shape at the top of the body (to provide more room for fingering) and additional harmonic holes and soundpost (better acoustic projection). – The Strad
Actor Geoffrey Rush Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Tabloid That Accused Him Of Sexual Harassment
“[The] Oscar-winning actor … has been awarded $850,000 [Aus] in damages and will receive further damages for economic loss after he won his defamation case against Sydney tabloid The Daily Telegraph over reports accusing him of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards a female co-star” in a 2015 Sydney Theatre Co. production of King Lear. – Sydney Morning Herald
Vienna’s State Ballet Rocked By Reports Of Abuse At Its School
“The ballet academy at Vienna’s renowned State Opera was hit Wednesday by allegations of serious physical and mental abuse against its students, as well as sexual assault. The weekly Falter newspaper published findings of a detailed investigation which it said exposed ’19th-century’ methods inflicted on students, illustrating the piece with a photo of the bloodied feet of a student after a day’s training.” – Yahoo! (AFP)
FBI Needs Help To Return Huge Haul Of Indigenous Artifacts Captured In Raid
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s art crime team is seeking help to return thousands of objects, works of art and Native American human remains that it seized in 2014 in Waldron, Indiana, from the property of the late ethnographic collector Don Miller.” – The Art Newspaper
EU To Crack Down On Smuggling Of Cultural Heritage Goods
“The European Council yesterday adopted new rules to clamp down on the illicit trafficking in cultural goods, including a requirement for import licences on artefacts more than 250 years old.” – The Art Newspaper
Amazon Prime India’s New Series Goes Where No Bollywood Saga Gone Before
“Centered on Karan (Arjun Mathur) and Tara (Sobhita Dhulipala), two friends who run a wedding-planning business, [Made in Heaven] takes on a wide array of issues that a burgeoning generation of South Asians is facing, including class, homophobia and sexual harassment. At the helm are three acclaimed Bollywood directors and screenwriters, who also happen to be women.” – The New York Times
Germany’s Largest Book Wholesaler Goes Bankrupt; Germany’s Publishing Industry Freaks Out
“When German book wholesaler and distributor Koch, Neff and Volckmar (KNV) filed for bankruptcy in February, Europe’s largest book market was deeply shaken. Coming hot on the heels of a controversial merger between two leading book chains — Thalia and Mayersche — KNV’s plight added massively to the already fraught mood in the industry. If no buyer is found for the family-owned business, the implications could be severe … for the German book industry as a whole.” – Shelf Awareness
Yes, Returning Native American Artifacts From Museums Really Does Help
Chip Colwell, senior curator of anthropology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, in a New York Times Op-Ed: “Repatriation can turn museums from places of colonialism into mediating spaces that confront and then move beyond their own pasts. If my grandfather took something from your poor and powerless grandfather — and your community continues to suffer because of it — then I am presented with the chance to make things right.” – The New York Times
This Theatre Asks Audience Members To Help Plan Its Programming
“For the last year or so, the Theatre Royal [in the English city of York] has not only been asking its audience what they think of their shows – it has invited them to make programming decisions themselves.” Visionari, a group of about 20 (old) Yorkers assembled by Theatre Royal, “[have] attended workshops, met everyone from the artistic director to the graphic designer, and taken responsibility for a week-long festival in the studio.” – The Guardian