Category Archives: History

When in the course of human events…

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

The Declaration of Independence in American H.L. Mencken 1921 WHEN THINGS get so balled up that the people of a country got to cut loose from some other country, and go it on their own hook, without asking no permission … Continue reading →

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Faces of Paris

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

The Pantheon is not one of my favorite Paris attractions, but French artist  JR may have changed my opinion with his recently installed series of massive collages there in which his signature black and white portraits of everyday people have … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, Europe, History, Museums, Photography, Travel Writing | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Before Columbus

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Self-taught cartographer Aaron Carapella created this amazing map of Native American tribes showing their original geographic locations prior to contact with European colonialist. He spent nearly a decade researching archives, history books, visiting reservations and interviewing tribal leaders for his … Continue reading →

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Lost Tracks

Posted on June 28, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

I’m a dewy-eyed sentimentalist when it comes to old fashioned steam trains, but photographer Matthew Malkiewicz has an enduring passion for the historic locomotives of the 19th and 20th centuries. He travels North America in his spare time capturing the … Continue reading →

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Memorial Library

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Standing incongruously amidst the graves and memorials of the Jüdischer Friedhof Krems are three wooden bookcases. This library was created ten years ago by artists Martin Guttmann and Michael Clegg as a memorial to the destroyed Jewish community of Krems, … Continue reading →

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An American Odyssey

Posted on May 31, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

These rediscovered Photochrom and Photostint postcard images were produced by the Detroit  Photographic Company between 1888 and 1924. Using a photolithographic process they offered peoplethe very first color photographs of The United States. For the first time, America’s colors were … Continue reading →

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Take the A Train

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve ridden the New York City subway system since infancy, sadly I never paid much attention to the intricate tiling, murals and typography throughout many of the stations. However, New York-based designer Adam Chang has opened my eyes to the … Continue reading →

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Discovering Literature

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Last week the British Library launched Discovering Literature, an online treasury of more than 1,200 items from the Romantic and Victorian periods, including first editions, manuscripts and rare illustrations. A wealth of contextual material – newspapers, photographs, advertisements and maps … Continue reading →

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Friet, Frite or Fries It’s Friday

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

With its breathtaking Gothic city center, stunning Begijnhof, awe-inspiring medieval churches, wonderful museums and magnificent Belgian beer, Bruges has more than enough tourist magnetism to draw massive crowds. But to top it all off there’s the Friet Museum (Musée de … Continue reading →

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Time Travel London

Posted on May 3, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

The terrific video (see below) titled “Wonderful London 1924 & 2014” offers a unique opportunity to time travel between 1924 and 2014. The video was produced and directed by Simon Smith after he stumbled upon a series of short documentary … Continue reading →

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