Bill Rau


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21 posts by Bill Rau:

Brush Strokes of a Renaissance Man: The Paintings of Winston Churchill

August 12th, 2011

Few figures in Modern history evoke images of leadership, integrity and political prowess as does Winston Churchill. His iconic speeches and steadfast direction during World War II galvanized the Allied forces in Britain and abroad. Few people realized that, though he was most revered for his rolls as statesman, orator, historian, politician and writer, [...]

Out of this World!

July 19th, 2011

When was the last time you went outside on a clear night for the sole purpose of looking at the night sky?  I sometimes wonder about the level of amazement that must have gone through the minds of early man, observing comets, eclipses and moon phases with a surreal combination of awe and trepidation. These first [...]

The Right Snuff: Antique Snuffboxes

July 5th, 2011

The “taking of snuff” was a very social activity among Europe’s upper class, beginning in the early 16th century. It’s hard to believe a habit that caused frequent, and at times messy, sneezing fits would become so en vogue, but it did. And, with such widespread usage by seemingly every person [...]

An Image is Worth 1000 Words: The Triptych

April 20th, 2011

Whether it’s meant to tell you what to wear, what to eat or what to admire, images surround us in our media-rich society. But not that long ago, images served a much higher purpose. Images were a visual representation of the world and its principles of both order and morality. Various forms of ecclesiastical art [...]

For the Love of Tiffany: Silver and Jewelry by Tiffany & Co.

April 20th, 2011

 When Charles Lewis Tiffany opened his stationary and fancy goods shop in 1837, he could not have imagined the indelible mark the name “Tiffany” would leave on the history of American decorative arts. Its mere mention conjures images of the timeless elegance and refinement seen in every work of silver and fine jewelry the firm [...]

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