The Da Vinci Code movie is being credited in part for a surge in traffic on the Eurostar train between London and Paris. “Eurostar said the partnership with the movie – whose cast included French actress Audrey Tatou – helped generate ‘strong interest in overseas markets’, with travel agents reporting increased sales on the London-Paris route.”
Tag: 07.26.06
Chicago Art Institute Protests NYT Story
The Chicago Art Institute is protesting a caption and characterization of one of the museum’s artworks in the New York Times. The museum says that contrary to a Times caption, “a landscape painting by Gustave Courbet long owned by the Art Institute of Chicago was never found to have been confiscated by the Nazi regime in Germany during World War II.”
Chicago’s Ugliest Buildings
What are they? The Chicago Tribune has made a list…
Irish Find 1000-Year-Old Psalter In Bog
“Irish archaeologists are celebrating the discovery of their own Dead Sea scrolls after a bulldozer unearthed fragments of a psalter that may have lain in a bog for more than 1,000 years.”
Man Sues Police For Foiling Art Rescue
A UK man is suing police for preventing him from going back into his burning house to rescue his art. “Edmund Carlisle, 84, alleges that police falsely imprisoned him as he tried to get back into his 16th century home to rescue heirlooms and treasures he and his wife had collected over a lifetime.”
Canadian Museum Attendance Up
“More than 35 million people made a trip to a museum, art gallery, historic site or zoo in Canada in 2004, a 10.7 per cent increase from 2002, according to Statistics Canada.”
Americans Return Looted Artifact To Iraq
American officials have returned an important artifact looted from the Iraq National Museum three years ago. “The headless stone statue of the Sumerian king Entemena of Lagash was turned over to the Iraqi government when Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited Washington on Wednesday. The statue, which weighs hundreds of pounds, was taken by looters who slid or rolled it down the steps of the museum, damaging both the steps and other artifacts.”
Iran Bans Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code has been banned in Iran after complaints by Christians. “Eight previous editions of the Persian translation of Dan Brown’s book will remain in the country’s shops but no further versions can be produced. The Da Vinci Code has sold 40 million copies worldwide and was turned into a film, which was not released in Iran.”
Fewer Canadians Buying Magazines
“Canadian periodicals continue to occupy only about 15 per cent of the rack space in any decent Canadian newsstand, with U.S. titles taking up most of the remaining 85 per cent. But in the past quarter-century, the total number of these titles purchased by Canadians has dropped by 30 per cent, while the average circulation per American title has been slashed in half, to 13,243 in 2005 from 26,303 in 1983.”
Canadian Performing Arts Audiences Increase
And what are they going to? “Theatre, the predominant industry, accounted for 28 per cent of total revenue, followed by musical groups (everything from orchestras to rock bands), which accounted for 25 per cent. The remaining 47 per cent was split among opera, dance and a miscellaneous category including circuses and skating shows.”