A Critical Turning Point

Beginning of the speech given by Député Claude Malhuret before the French Assemblée Nationale on 5 Mar 2025. Why can’t United States politicians stand up to Trump like this?

The history of Europe is at a critical turning point. The American shield is vanishing, Ukraine may be abandoned, and Russia may be strengthened. Washington has become the court of Nero, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a buffoon on ketamine in charge of purging the civil service. It’s unfortunate for the free world, but it’s also unfortunate for the United States.

#antitrumpspeech #ClaudeMalhuret #france #trump #uspolitics #frenchpolitics #politicalspeech #blacklettercalligraphy #frakturcalligraphy #gothiccalligraphy #sumiink #winsornewtonwatercolor #goldleaf #cansonmiteintespaper 

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History Repeats Itself

By H. L. Mencken, 1920

On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

Henry Louis Mencken was a journalist, satirist and social critic who wrote for the Baltimore Evening Sun. His pieces targeted incompetent political leaders such as Warren G. Harding, whom he is referring to in this citation. It still rings true today.

#HLMencken#Warrenharding#Incompetentpoliticalleaders#socialcriticism#politicalsatire#texturacalligraphy#gothiccalligraphy#blacklettercalligraphy#frakturcalligraphy#drmartinsbleedproofwhiteink#cansonmiteintespaper#winsornewtongouache#goldleaf#calligraphybyraoul

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L’Amour n’est Pas un Feu

Jean Racine, 1667

L’amour n’est pas un feu qu’on renferme en une âme : 

Tout nous trahit, la voix, le silence, les yeux ; 

Et les feux mal couverts n’en éclatent que mieux.

Love is not a fire that can be shut up inside one’s soul. Everything betrays us: our voice, our silence, our eyes; stifled fires burn all the brighter.

Andromaque is a tragedy written by Jean Racine in 1667, loosely based on Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid. Oreste loves Hermione, who loves Pyrrhus, who loves Andromaque, who is mourning her dead husband Hector.

In this dialogue, Oreste observes that Hermione is unable to disguise her love for Pyrrhus.

#calligraphybyraoul #italiccalligraphy #chancelrycursive #calligraphy #foccreates0225 @friendsofcallligraphy #frenchtheater #jeanracine #andromaque #drmartinsbleedproofwhite #cansonmiteintespaper

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Cicero’s De Orationis

After seeing the exhibit “The Invention of the Renaissance” at the BNF, and the work of the humanist Petrarch I wanted to write out a quote by one of his favorite Roman writers, Cicero.

Philippe Dabasse, of Barbedor Paris, inspired me to dust off my italic at his recent calligraphy class, using a model by scribe Bernardino Cattaneo.

From De Oratore, Book III, 55 B.C. by Marcus Tullius Cicero.Cicero’s De Oratore is a detailed study of the techniques and skills required by the ideal orator.

Animi est enim omnis actio et imago animi vultus, indices oculi: nam haec est una pars corporis, quae, quot animi motus sunt, tot significationes [et commutationes] possit efficere

For all the powers of action proceed from the mind, and the countenance is the image of the mind, and the eyes are its interpreters. This, indeed, is the only part of the body that can effectually display as infinite a number of expressions and changes, as there is of emotions in the soul;

Translated by J.S.Watson (1860).

#calligraphybyraoul #CiceroQuotations #RenaissanceScribe #chancellerycursive #cursivechancellerie #italic @phildab @barbedorparis #cattaneo #calligraphy #calligraphie #calligraphiechancellerie #calligraphieitalique #walnutink #broudenoix #watercolor #aquarelle

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Illuminated Names

Des tableaux calligraphiés pour mes petits neveux.
Illuminated names I did for my grand nephews.

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Luther on the Beauty of Nature

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver. -Martin Luther King Jr.

Denn in der wahren Natur der Dinge ist, wenn wir recht bedenken, jeder grüne Baum viel herrlicher, als wenn er aus Gold und Silber wäre.

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Raphael

Extrait du Paradis Perdu, John Milton, traduction de François-René de Chateaubriand, 1861.
Pour le fils de ma nièce.

Publié dans le Speedball Textbook, 25ème Edition.

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Il Canzoniere, Poem 4

Petrarch - Il Canzoniere, Poem 4

The Renaissance poet Petrarch, one of the earliest humanists, wrote Il Canzoniere (The Songbook) in the vernacular Italian. Many of the poems in this collection were dedicated to Laura, whom he allegedly met on 6 April 1327. This excerpt from Poem 4 shows how smitten he was.

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Jacques Chesnais Quote

Jacques Chesnais (1907 – 1971) was a French engraver, painter, illustrator and marionnettiste. His troupe, Les Comédiens de Bois de Jacques Chesnais, performed throughout Europe. A friend of mine who is a puppet enthusiast commissioned this piece.

Citation attributed to Jacques Chesnais
De tout temps les hommes ont cherché à pénétrer le mystère de la vie et à défaut à créer l’illusion de la vie. La marionnette reste bien la plus touchante et la plus parfaite réussite de cette auto-suggestion.
Translation: For ages men have sought to penetrate the mystery of life, or at least create the illusion of life. The puppet remains by far the most touching and most perfect achievement of this self-illusion.

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I Remember Sky


I Remember

This song by Stephen Sondheim has always moved me. But given the recent wildfires that have obscured the sky of Northern California, the lyrics are particularly appropriate.

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