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February
16 – February 22
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February 16th... Born on that day in 1853 was the outstanding Russian
philosopher Vladimir Solovyov. A  man
or a complex and versatile nature, Solovyov was filled with painful anticipation
of the global upheavals awaiting the human race and those dark forebodings
were so acute that Solovyov’s ideas eventually took on a loud prophetic
ring. Vladimir Solovyov was also known as a very gifted journalist
and poet.
During his ebbing years Solovyov was a brooding pessimist. Renouncing autocracy and capitalism, just like he did revolutions, he was prophesying about the advent of the Anti-Christ. As a young man, Solovyov was close to Fyodor Dostoyevsky who used his paradoxical friend as the prototype for the central characters of his world-acclaimed novel “The Brothers Karamazov”… Also born on this day, in 1884, was the great American filmmaker, screenwriter, cameraman and producer Robert Flaherty. The founding father of American documentaries, Flaherty shot to international stardom on the strength of his Nanook of the North film unveiling to the civilized world the almost prehistoric life of the first nations of the North. Also born on February 16, but of 1906, was the Russian chess player Vera Menchik, the first world chess champion among women. Being way ahead of competition in the game’s female department, she won four world championships, played on a par with men and once even outplayed the great Max Eiwe. Vera Menchik was tragically killed during a Nazi bombing of London in 1944. We are now going to February 17. On this day in 1952 the Hermitage museum
made its impressive art collection open the general public. In Russia the
tradition of art collecting goes back to the times of Empress The Hermitage museum has since come a long way and now boasts a collection of nearly 3 million of art and culture monuments from around the globe. The International Organization of the Red Cross was founded on February 17, 1863 in Geneva as a voluntary society to help POW’s, sick and wounded soldiers. February 18. On this day in 1229 Emperor Frederic II of the Holy Roman Empire signed an agreement with Sultan Malik of Egypt allowing Christian pilgrims unfettered access to Jerusalem and Nazareth. Italian carmaker, racer and the designer of the Ferrari motorcars, Enzo Ferrari, was born on this day in 1898. On February 18, 1930 Ellie Farm Ollie became the first cow in US history to go up in the sky. During the flight Ellie was milked, the milk was packed in paper bags and parachuted down on St. Louis. And on this day in 1979 the Sahara desert saw its first snowfall in centuries… We now move to February 19th. Born on this day were: the Great Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, in 1473; the outstanding English actor David Garrick, in 1717. Famous for his impeccable performance of Shakespeare‘s characters, Garrick is touted as a father figure of educational realism in theater. On February 19 of 1847 Russian surgeon Fyodor Inozemtsev performed Russia’s first ever operation under total anesthesia. Two weeks later the same thing was done by the great surgeon Nikolai Pirogov who studied the effects of anesthesia and worked with government commissions researching the newly discovered method of painless operations. And on this same day in 1964 Jacques Demy released his “Umbrellas of Cherbourg” musical film starring Catherine Deneuve. The music written by Michel Legrand made the “Umbrellas” a world hit. Well, let’s go to February 20… The first convent was founded in Bethlehem on this day in the year 395 CE. On February 20 of 1947 Lord Louis Mountbatten became India’s last Viceroy. The British government announced that the following summer India would become independent. February 21… A really happy day for American inventors: John Greenau patented the sewing machine on this day in 1842; the first burglar alarm was installed on this day in 1858 by Edwin Holmes, in Boston; on this day in 1947 the first instant developing Polaroid black-and-white camera was demonstrated in New York City by Edwin Land. And on February 21 of 1935 Armand Petitjean and team of his business
partners announce the birth of a And we finally arrive at February 22nd… The Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci who gave his name to America, died on this day in 1612. George Washington, America’s founding President, was born on this day in 1732. |
Catherine the Great whose reign is rightfully hailed as the “Golden Age”.
The Empress ordered the construction of a larger than life palace ensemble
that served as both an official royal residence and an art depositary.
new
company that derived its name from that of the medieval Lancosme castle.
The letter “s” was deleted and thus came the now famous cosmetics company
Lancome.
