Thursday 26 January 2017

Architectural Details of Preuilly XI


The scrolls and classical style broken pediment of this dormer window are typical high status 17th century. The urn in the centre of the pediment is known as a fleuron. Sometimes they are bowls of fruit, sometimes they are flaming torches.

The simple but elegant front door to the house.

The front of the building, which I believe housed the officers of the salt store originally. It is now a private home.
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Australia Day: Today is Australia Day. I completely forgot about it until yesterday when my cousin posted something on Facebook. In past years we have written an Australia Day post, but this year I just didn't think an expression of white western middle class national pride was necessarily helpful or appropriate. First there is the issue of what Australia Day actually commemorates (the arrival of white settlers) and how the Aboriginal population feels about that. Then there is the issue of how much pugnaciously jingoistic nationalism is floating about the globe at the moment. I really don't want to be associated with that. It's all a bit fascist for me.

4 comments:

chm said...

Un vent de folie extrémiste souffle sur le monde!

melinda said...

understand that!

Autolycus said...

Judging by the comments of the Australian Deputy PM, I can understand the feeling. On the other hand, yesterday morning was grey and freezing damp here in London, and on my way back from the papershop, two little girls were on their way to school, lugging an inflatable kangaroo bigger than both of them put together, and with corks dangling from their hats, and they wished me a cheery Happy Australia Day. It didn't exactly bring Australian weather to London, but it was a bit of a bright spot.

Susan said...

Do you think they were Australian?

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