Behind the mask

Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. Oscar Wilde. Mask – a strange, unnatural for an animal, but a natural for human thing, a product of his contradictory inner world and the ability to be creative. Like a chameleon changes color, so are the people, very often in life it remained a mystery – who they really were. “He wears a mask” – we say about a dishonest, insincere person. Known since ancient times, mask was the main attribute of various magical rituals, rites of burial, the sacraments. Mask appears in a different guise of spirits and demons, hides specific human traits, remains unrecognized and misleading – such goals pursued a man wearing a mask.
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Audrey Hepburn as Natasha Rostova in the film “War and peace”. Fan Kaleidoscope

Fan Kaleidoscope
With the departure of “Belle Epoque” the most necessary accessory of a civilized woman – fan became thing of the past. From now on, the invention of antiquity, not only female but also male accessory, has become only attribute of bohemian, artistic image. Almost all ancient peoples have stories and legends associated with a Fan. One says that when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, Eve tore a branch from a nearby tree, began to fan it, overcoming the embarrassment of her own nakedness. Chinese sources tell us about the famous beauty Lamsa, who during protracted ceremony, tired of stuffy and severity of precious robes, began to fan her mask, which caused indescribable delight of others, following her example.
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The Wedding of Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger at their wedding in the South of France, July 2013

It is believed that bride on a wedding day should wear the traditional white dress, as white is the color of purity. Black color is associated with the wedding fashion less often. However, nothing lasts forever, especially fashion! Perhaps the most black wedding which the world has ever witnessed, was Avril Lavigne’s: Gothic medieval castle Château de La Napoule in the South of France France, black dress, black bridal make-up, black flower, black cake. The couple married on 1 July 2013 (Canada Day). Her black dress didn’t bring luck in marriage – on 2 September 2015, Lavigne announced her separation from Kroeger. The black wedding dress didn’t make happy other stars either – Marilyn Monroe married Joe DiMaggio in a modest black dress. Years later, after the wedding, the actress Sarah Jessica Parker admitted in an interview that the only thing she regrets in life – a black dress at the wedding.
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Caterpillar luxurious jewellery. Unique 19th Century Ethiopian Golden Caterpillar Robot

This so called Ethiopian Caterpillar is a unique work of Swiss jeweler and watch maker Henri Maillardet. 200-year-old masterpiece of high jewellery, the caterpillar is still in excellent working condition. The realistic automaton was created for some wealthy Chinese aristocrat. When the Ethiopian Caterpillar was sold at auction in 2010, it fetched a price of more than $415,000. It joins five other such caterpillars known to exist, all of which reside in prestigious art collections. At one time, robots were meant for the amusement of wealthy collectors and art enthusiasts. This stunning caterpillar automaton from approximately 1820 is a wonder of both artistry and workmanship. The Ethiopian Caterpillar is made of rubies, diamonds, emeralds, pearls, and turquoise all set in gold. The caterpillar’s eleven jointed ring segments combine to form a “body” that undulates like a real caterpillar, crawling realistically. Its body moves up and down simulating the undulations of a caterpillar by means of a set of gilt-metal knurled wheels.
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Christmas star Poinsettia

On Christmas eve it is customary in European countries to give Poinsettia as a gift. Poinsettia is a very beautiful plant, topped with huge crimson flowers resembling stars. Christmas plant Poinsettia is very elegant and festive, creates a joyful mood. There are varieties of cream, white and pink color, but the most popular is still red. The star-shaped leaf pattern symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood sacrifice through the crucifixion of Jesus. Poinsettia decorates Christmas homes, churches, offices, stores. In the United States, December 12 is National Poinsettia Day.
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Precious triad Cross-Anchor-Heart

Faith, hope and love – three Christian virtues, mentioned in the first letter to the Corinthians from the Apostle Paul: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor. 13:13)” These virtues are of great importance for Christianity. Three signs of triad – Cross – Anchor – Heart, according to historians, for thousands of years are an allegory to describe the three main Christian virtues: faith, hope and love. Together, they symbolize the Holy Trinity. In Europe, you can meet these designations in architecture, ornaments, patterns. Sometimes artists portray the Virgin and angels that keep the allegorical subjects. Precious triad Cross-Anchor-Heart was often depicted in the works of jewelers of the late 18-19 centuries. It is believed that the jewelry with symbols of the Cross – Anchor – Heart came into vogue in the 1830s, and for decades remained in favor.
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Victorian brooch in the form of a dove and a horseshoe, 1880s, symbolizing luck, peace and love

A friend was visiting the famous atom scientist, Nobel Prize winner Niels Bohr in his home. During the talking, the friend kept staring at a horseshoe hanging over the door. At last, his curiosity made him ask:
“Niels, it can’t possibly be that you, a brilliant scientist, believe the foolish horseshoe superstition?!”
“Of course I don’t,” replied the scientist. “But I understand it’s lucky whether you believe in it or not.”
Belief in lucky horseshoe quality – one of the most common modern superstitions among many people, regardless of religion – Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and atheists. Everyone believes that a horseshoe brings good luck to the house, but not everyone knows where this belief has come from. Here are some interesting facts in Horseshoe jewellery kaleidoscope.
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