Lucian Freud est décédé

Le peintre Lucian Freud, est décédé à 88 ans à son domicile londonien selon son agent.
Arrivé en Grande-Bretagne en 1933 après la montée du nazisme, il était le petit-fils de l'inventeur de la psychanalyse Sigmund Freud.

Собор Василия Блаженного/Saint Basil's Chathedral/Cathédrale Saint-Basile-le-Bienheureux de Moscou 450 years

The Cathedral of the Protection of Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat (Russian: Собор Покрова пресвятой Богородицы, что на Рву), popularly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral (Russian: Собор Василия Блаженного) (or in Swedish Vasilijkatedralen/russian: Собор Василия Блаженного), is a Russian Orthodox church erected on the Red Square in Moscow in 1555–61.

It was built on the order of Ivan IV ('Ivan the Terrible') of Russia to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan.
The original building was known as "Trinity Church" and later "Trinity Cathedral" and contained eight side churches arranged around the ninth, central church of Intercession. The tenth church was erected in 1588 over the grave of venerated local saint Vasily (Basil).
In the 16th and the 17th centuries the church, perceived as the earthly symbol of the Heavenly City, was popularly known as the "Jerusalem" and served as an allegory of the Jerusalem Temple in the annual Palm Sunday parade attended by the Patriarch of Moscow and the tsar.

Without going in to details one can say that this cathedral has become a symbol not only for Moscow but for the whole of Russia and as such it's at least as important as the Red Square or Kremlin and to the Christians of course much more important than any of the other buildings.

According to some traditions the architect Postnik Yakovlev was blinded by 'Ivan the Terrible' after finishing this church and this because Ivan didn't want him to be able to create a equally beautiful building again!

(Photo of the St Basil Cathedrale taken from: https://rees.sas.upenn.edu/about/spotlight/saint-basils-cathedral-moscow-russia)

(Picture/painting of Ivan the Terrible copied from: http://www.masterandmargarita.eu/images/02themas/verschrijkkelijke.jpg)

(Picture/painting Saint Vasily/Basil copied from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ee/Saint_Vasily.JPG)

(The Jerusalem Temple during Solomo copied from: http://www.arounddeglobe.com/solomon-temple-the-temple-in-jerusalem/)

Another day in Paris... Passeport part two

La Grande Mosquée de Paris

As I had to travel twice to Paris in order to get my passeport, I took some photos this time too.

The first time I went to Paris I asked the personnel at the Swedish Embassy, if they could send my passport to the local 'City Hall' (La Mairie) in La Châtre, as they also issue passports but with the new 'safety passports' this was impossible. I had to return once more, et voila: Here I was.

On the same time it gave me an opportunity to meet my second 'first cousin first remowed', Elin Bjursell.
Now I'm not sure if this is the terminology in English but she and her sister Jenny - whom I met last time in Paris (29/6) - are the children of one of my cousins.
Unfortunately I didn't take any photos of her and not her sister either and this is a shame as they are both very beautiful and photogenic.

We went to the mosque - La Grande Mosquée de Paris - where we ate and drank, accompagnied by birds as the photos will reveal. Elin is working as a stylist (as you can see through the link on her name), Jenny is working as a make-up artist at Shu uemura in Paris.

Jardin des Plantes et

Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle

When eating at the mosque we were accompagnied by House Sparrows.
To the left one of them trying to pinch the bread.
To the right his friend (wife, husband, brother, sister?),
wh has joined him, finishing the rest of the couscous

The pidgeon was not appreciated by Elin who shooed him/her off.

Roland Petit dead

Roland Petit, one of the greatest dancers and choreographers of our time has died at the age of 87.

He was the son of the stylist Rose Repetto (photo above) and he created 'Les Ballets des Champs-Élysées' and 'Le Ballet national de Marseille' among msmu other things he succeeded in achieving during his lifetime.

He cooperated with Serge Gainsbourg, Yves Saint Laurent, César Baldaccini, Jean Carzou, Max Ernst, Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely and others.
He also participated in a couple of French and American films (IMDb).

(Photo Rose Repetto copied from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0cUk1i9Y4eHbX0KT6lGrQILDqp3K7UpPwBqDpDNdoUT-_efAmfxwiuny9IIgu_V2W5aXHIMK87x-HD_Pl9wIk6XUI4QZl7PXyqOculdliVMX0qA9QuW0RaEPx_ksLeYOKRM2i/s1600/Rose-REPETTO.jpg)
(Picture 'Dance à Paris. Ballets des Champs-Elysées' copied from: http://www.images-chapitre.com/ima2/original/738/33092738_6724915.jpg)