'LAS VEGAS AT NIGHT' BY JASON HAWKES

FOR THE FIRST TIME, INCREDIBLY DETAILED PHOTOGRAPHS DEPICTING THE STUNNING GLITZ OF LAS VEGAS, USING NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT HAS BEEN RECENTLY DEVELOPED IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TOGETHER IN A BOOK ENTITLED 'LAS VEGAS AT NIGHT'. THE AMAZING SERIES WAS TAKEN BY RENOWNED AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER JASON HAWKES, FROM HENLY-ON-THAMES, OXFORDSHIRE, IN MARCH. IN THE PAST HAWKES HAS SHOT FAMOUS DAY-TIME PICTURES OF LONDON, AND OTHER MAJOR CITIES AROUND THE WORLD. PHOTOGRAPHERS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE ONLY RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE DETAILED AERIAL IMAGES AFTER DARK. USING A STATE-OF-THE-ART GYROSCOPIC MOUNT, PROFESSIONALS LIKE HAWKES ARE NOW ABLE TO SHOOT ANY LOCATION FROM A CIRCLING HELICOPTER AT NIGHT AND GET DAZZLING RESULTS. HAWKES SAID: "PREVIOUSLY WHILE YOU COULD DO THIS KIND OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE DAY, IT WAS TOO DIFFICULT AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF THE BACKGROUND 'NOISE' YOU COULD GET IN THE IMAGES. WITH LITTLE LIGHT YOU HAD TO USE CAMERA SETTINGS WITH VERY HIGH FILM SPEED WHICH CREATED NOISE. IT MADE THE IMAGES GRAINY AND PRETTY UGLY." ADVANCES IN CUTTING-EDGE PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT MEAN THAT AERIAL SPECIALISTS LIKE HAWKES CAN NOW GET CRISTAL CLEAR SHOT THAT SHOW WORLD LANDMARKS AS THEY TRULY APPEAR. THE GYROSCOPIC MOUNT IS ESSENTIALLY A TRIPOD WITH SIX SETS OF SPINNING GYROS, CONTAINED INSIDE THREE EGG-SHAPED CASES, THAT ROTATE EXTREMELY QUICKLY. THEIR MOVEMENT CANCELS OUT THE WOBBLES AND SHAKES CAUSED BY THE HELICOPTER BLADES. USING THE NE GEAR HAWKES WAS ABLE TO HEAVILY REDUCE THE FILM SPEED, PRODUCING STUNNING VIVID NEON-LIT IMAGES OF THE MOST FAMOUS ENTERTAINMENT CITY IN THE WORLD. HAWKES' LATEST WORKS SHOW MANY OF THE DESERT CITY'S MOST FAMOUS AND ICONIC CASINO LANDMARKS INCLUDING THE EIFFEL TOWER OF THE PARIS LAS VEGAS, THE GIANT PYRAMID OF LUXOR AND THE FAMED ERUPTING VOLCANO AT THE MIRAGE.

DUCHESS OF CORNWALL RED-FACED AFTER HOLIDAY LIGHT MISHAP

THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL HAS CONTINUED HER AMAZING RUN OF UNFORTUNATE MISHAPS AT ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS AS SHE STRUGGLED TO SWITCH ON THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS AT BRITAIN'S OLDEST SHOPPING ARCADE. THE DUCHESS WAS INVITED TO ILLUMINATE CENTRAL LONDON'S EXCLUSIVE BURLINGTON ARCADE AND MEET SOME OF THE SHOPKEEPERS IN THE HISTORIC COVERED THOROUGHFARE, WHICH OPENED IN 1819. BUT AFTER A BOISTEROUS COUNTDOWN FROM SHOPPERS, WHEN SHE WENT TO TURN ON THE LIGHTS BY PULLING A ROPE WAIT A LARGE ORNATE GOLD TASSEL, THE TASSEL CAME OFF IN HER HAND AND THE DECORATIONS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE BLUNDER WAS MET WITH HOWLS OF LAUGHTER FROM THE CROWD OF GUESTS, WHILE THE DUCHESS LOOKED AROUND SHEEPISHLY WITH A BROAD GRIN ON HER FACE. THE ROW OF 19 GEOMETRIC LIGHT SCULPTURES WHICH LINED THE ARCADE'S ROOF EVENTUALLY LIT UP AFTER A BRIEF DELAY TO THE CHEERS FROM THE CROWD. THE EMBARRASSMENT FOLLOWS SEVERAL OTHER INCIDENTS IN WHICH THE DUCHESS HAS BEEN LEFT RED-FACED AT OPENING CEREMONIES. IN 2007, THE DUCHESS FAILED TO SMASH THE BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE AT THE NAMING OF THE QUEEN VICTORIA CRUISE LINER. EARLIER THIS YEAR, SHE WAS ALSO REDUCED TO HYSTERICS WHEN SHE BROKE A PLAQUE AT AN UNVEILING CEREMONY FOR A HOMELESS CHARITY IN PLYMOUTH. AFTER THE LIGHTING CEREMONY, THE DUCHESS SPENT MORE THAN AN HOUR CHATTING TO THE OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF STORES AT BURLINGTON ARCADE, WHICH SELLS A WIDE RANGE OF LUXURY ITEMS FROM CASHMERE GOODS TO DIAMOND JEWELRY.

BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA RE-ACQUIRES CODEX RESTA AFTER RESTORATION

RECENTLY THE HISTORIC BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA, MILAN, UNVEILED 280 DRAWINGS BY SUCH MASTERS AS RAPHAEL AND LEONARDO DA VINCI COLLECTED BY A 17th CENTURY FRIAR THAT HAVE RETURNED FROM A FLORENCE STUDIO WHERE THEY WERE METICULOUSLY RESTORED. THE SO CALLED "CODEZ RESTA", A COLLECTION OF DRAWINGS NAMED FOR THE FRIAR SEBASTIANO RESTA WHO ASSEMBLED IT, WAS RETURNED TO THE LIBRARY THIS WEEK IF FIVE SPECIALLY DESIGNED CRATES, SEVEN YEARS AFTER THE VOLUME MADE THE JOURNEY TO FLORENCE IN A TROLLY SUITCASE. "THIS A MEASURE OF THE OPERATION", SAID CECILIA FORSININI, DIRECTOR OF RESTORATION AT THE FLORENCE BASED STATE CONSERVATION INSTITUTE, OPIFICIO DELLE PIETRE DURE. INSIDE THE CONTAINERS WERE SMALLER BOXES TO PROVIDE MORE SUITABLE STORAGE FOR THE DELICATE DRAWINGS, AND ALLOW THEM TO BE CONSULTED AND VIEWED WITHOUT CAUSING FURTHER HARM, FORSININI SAID. MUCH OF THE DAMAGE TO THE DRAWINGS IN THE 'CODEX RESTA' WAS CAUSED BY THE BINDING; SOME DRAWINGS HAD INADVERTENT FOLD, SOME HAD WRINKLES AND ALL OF THE PAGES, EACH CONTAINING UP TO TWO DRAWINGS, WERE WAVY. THE DRAWINGS WERE FIRST UNBOUND FROM THEIR WOVEN LEATHER BINDING, AND THEN EACH RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT DEPENDING ON ITS CONDITION, FROM CLEANING TO REPAIRS. SOME HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REMOVED, AND THEN PUT BACK IN WITH SCOTCH TAPE, REQUIRING EXTRA CARE TO RESTORE. MILAN'S BIBLIOTECA AMBROSIANA PLANS TO DISPLAY THE COLLECTION WITH OTHER TREASURES IN THE FUTURE, BUT NO DATE HAS BEEN SET. IT IS CURRENTLY SHOWING THE FIRST OF 24 EXHIBITS SPANNING SIX YEARS THAT WILL DISPLAY ALL OF LEONARDO DA VINCI'S 1,119 PAGE 'CODEX ATLANTICUS'. RESTA COLLECTED SOME 3,500 DRAWINGS IN SOME 30 VOLUMES IN HIS LIFETIME, BUT ONLY SIX VOLUMES REMAIN INTACT, INCLUDING THE 'CODEX RESTA'.

FOUR VOLUME BOOK SERIES DEDICATED TO THE SISTINE CHAPEL TO BE RELEASED

A SERIES OF FOUR BOOKS PRESENTED RECENTLY AT THE VATICAN SEEKS TO EXPLAIN HOW MICHELANGELO AND OTHER ARTISTS TRANSLATED THE BIBLE INTO IMAGES TO PRODUCE THE SISTINE CHAPEL SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST RENOWNED AND DAZZLING FRESCOES. THE FIRST VOLUME FOCUSES ON MICHELANGELO'S CEILING AND ITS SCENES FROM THE BOOK OF GENESIS AND THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. VATICAN MUSEUMS DIRECTOR ANTONIO PAOLUCCI SAID THE VOLUME OFFERS A 'BASIC CODE' TO UNDERSTAND THE SYMBOLS AND SCENES THAT ADORN THE ROOM WHERE POPES ARE ELECTED. "EVERYBODY KNOWS THE SISTINE CHAPEL, BUT HOW MANY CAN RECOGNIZE THE SCENES?", PAOLUCCI SAID AT THE BOOK LAUNCH JUST STEPS AWAY FROM THE SISTINE CHAPEL. HE SAID THE BOOK SUCCEEDS IN CLARIFYING 'THE INFINITE FOREST OF SYMBOLS THAT ARE ALL LINKED TO EACH OTHER' IN THE CEILING THAT THE RENAISSANCE MASTER PAINTED BETWEEN 1508-12. THE SERIES IS CALLED "THE PAINTED WORD" AND IS PUBLISHED BY THE VATICAN MUSEUMS' PUBLISHER ALONG WITH ITALIAN DAILY IL SOLE 240ORE. THE FIRST INSTALLMENT, A COFFEE-TABLE VOLUME RICH IN PHOTOGRAPHS, COMES OUT FRIDAY. TWO MORE WILL FOLLOW FOCUSING ON THE WALL PAINTINGS BY THE 15th CENTURY ARTISTS SUCH AS BOTTICELLI AND THE SERIES WILL END 11.DECEMBER WITH A VOLUME ON MICHELANGELO'S LAST JUDGMENT.

THE VATICAN RESTORES 6th CENTURY CRUX VATICANA GOLDEN CROSS

ONE OF THE GEMS OF THE VATICAN'S PRICELESS RELIGIOUS ART COLLECTION, A 6th CENTURY RELIQUARY CONTAINING WHAT IS REVERED AS FRAGMENTS OF THE CROSS ON WHICH CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED, HAS BEEN RESTORED TO ITS BYZANTINE-ERA GLORY. THE VATICAN RECENTLY UNVEILED THE RESTORED CRUX VATICANA, A FOOT-HIGH JEWEL-ENCRUSTED GOLDEN CROSS. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WAS GIVEN AN EARLY LOOK AT THE STUNNING PIECE, AND BYZANTINE ART EXPERTS SAID THE RESTORATION RENDERED THE CROSS MUCH CLOSER TO WHAT IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE AT THE TIME THE BYZANTINE EMPEROR JUSTIN II GAVE TO THE PEOPLE OF ROME. MOST SIGNIFICANTLY, THE RESTORATION CORRECTED A BOTCHED 19th CENTURY RESTORATION THAT THREATENED TO CORRODE THE PIECE. AND IT REPLACED THE BRIGHTLY COLOURED GEMS THAT WERE ADDED IN PREVIOUS CENTURIES WITH THE LARGE, IMPERFECT PEARLS THAT ARE EMBLEMATIC OF BYZANTINE-ERA IMPERIAL MASTERPIECES. A CIRCLE OF 12 PEARLS NOW SURROUNDS THE RELIC, AND PEARLS AROUND THE CROSS' EDGE NOW ALTERNATE WITH EMERALDS AND SAPPHIRES, THE TWO OTHER GEMS MOST OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH BYZANTINE EMPERORS.
WHILE THERE ARE PURPORTED FRAGMENTS OF CHRIST'S CROSS IN CHURCHES AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING PARIS' NOTRE DAME AND EVEN ACROSS TOWN AT ROME'S HOLLY CROSS BASILICA, THE CRUX VATICANA IS CONSIDERED THE OLDEST RELIQUARY OF THE CROSS. IT IS THE CROWN IN THE VATICAN'S TREASURY OF ST. PETER'S COLLECTION OF RELIGIOUS AND HISTORIC ARTIFACTS, AND IT'S A RARE EXAMPLE OF AN IMPERIAL GIFT AND AN EXPRESSION OF THE EMPEROR'S CHRISTIAN FAITH. ACROSS THE PIECE IS WRITTEN IN LATIN: 'WITH THE WOOD WITH WHICH CHRIST CONQUERED MAN'S ENEMY, JUSTIN GIVES HIS HELP TO ROME AND HIS WIFE OFFERS THE ORNAMENTATION'. FOR CENTURIES, THE CROSS WAS USED IN THE VATICAN'S MOST SOLEMN CEREMONIES AT CHRISTMAS AND EASTER. BUT 1,500 YEARS OF CANDLE WAX AND SMOKE HAS DULLED TEH GEMS AND THE CROSS' WARM GOLDEN HUE, GRIME THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED FOLLOWING A TWO-YEAR RESTORATION. THE WORK WAS PAID FOR BY AN ANONYMOUS DONOR WHO DIDN'T WANT THE PRICE TAG TO BE MADE PUBLIC, VATICAN OFFICIALS SAID. THE CROSS WILL BE ON PUBLIC DISPLAY INSIDE ST. PETER'S BASILICA THROUGH 12.APRIL.

KNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART ACQUIRES RARE ANSEL ADAMS PHOTOGRAPH

THE KNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART ANNOUNCED THE RECENT ACQUISITION OF DAWN, AUTUMN FOREST, GREAT SMOKEY MOUNTAINS, TENNESSEE (1948)' BY LEGENDARY AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER ANSEL ADAMS. ADAMS (1902-1984) IS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS TIMELESS BLACK AND WHITE IMAGES OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK AND OTHER NATURAL WONDERS OF THE AMERICAN WEST. IN 1948, HOWEVER, HE TRAVELED TO THE GREAT SMOKEY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, HIS FIRST AND ONLY RECORDED VISIT TO TENNESSEE, IN ORDER TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS AS PART OF A GUGGENHEIM FELLOWSHIP ON AMERICA'S NATIONAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS ADAMS DISCOVERED THE SMOKIES TO BE AN INTIMIDATING SUBJECT. IN A LETTER OF 9.OCTOBER.1948, THE ARTIST CONFIDES THAT 'THE SMOKYS ARE OK IN THEIR WAY, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO BE DEVILISH HARD TO PHOTOGRAPH . . .' ADAMS ONLY PUBLISHED FOUR IMAGES FROM HIS VISIT. PRINTS OF THESE ARE LITTLE KNOWN AND EXCEEDINGLY RARE. THE KMA WAS ABLE TO ACQUIRE ONE OF THE FOUR, 'DAWN, AUTUMN FOREST, GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, TENNESSEE', THANKS TO THE GENEROUS FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM PATRICIA AND ALAN RUTENBERG AND MARY ELLEN AND STEVE BREWINGTON. 'DAWN, AUTUMN FOREST, GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, TENNESSEE' WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN THE KMA MAIN LOBBY BEFORE BEING INCORPORATED INTO 'HIGHER GROUND: A CENTURY OF THE VISUAL ARTS IN EAST TENNESSEE', THE MUSEUM'S PERMANENT INSTALLATION DEVOTED TO THE ART AND ARTISTS OF THE REGION. THE KMA IS SEEKING PRINTS OF ADAMS' OTHER THREE PUBLISHED IMAGES OF THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS WITH THE HOPE THAT IT CAN BECOME THE FIRST MUSEUM TO ACQUIRE A COMPLETE SET.

BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE JOIN FORCES WITH ASPREY FOR JEWELRY COLLECTION

THERE'S A NEW DESIGNER DUO IN THE LUXURY JEWELRY WORLD, BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE ARE BREAKING INTO THE HIGH END JEWELRY DESIGN WITH ASPREY VIA A CAPSULE COLLECTION OF GOLD JEWELRY AND SILVER ACCESSORIES CALLED THE PROTECTOR, AND INSPIRED BY THE SNAKE. THE LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION, WHICH WAS CONCEIVED AND DESIGNED BY PITT AND JOLIE, HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, AND WILL GO ON SALE AT ASPREY STORES IN LONDON, NEW YORK, BEVERLY HILLS, TOKYO AND DUBAI LATER THIS MONTH, ACCORDING TO ASPREY OFFICIALS. PRICES START AT $525 FOR A SILVER BABY SPOON WITH A CURVING, SERPENT-SHAPED HANDLE, AND ALL THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALES WILL GO TO THE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN OF CONFLICT, WHICH WAS CO-FOUNDED BY JOLIE IN 2006. THE CHARITY RAISES AWARENESS AND FUNDS TO EDUCATE CHILD VICTIMS OF WAR, CONFLICT AND NATURAL DISASTERS.