THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM PRESENTS 'VIENNA CIRCA 1780: AN IMPERIAL SILVER SERVICE REDISCOVERED'

18th CENTURY EUROPEAN COURT SOCIETY WAS FAMOUS FOR ITS LAVISH BANQUETS FEATURING ELABORATE SETTINGS AND PROTOCOLS DESIGNED TO INDICATE THE STATUS OF BOTH THE HOST AND GUESTS. INTEGRAL TO THESE EVENTS WERE EXTRAVAGANT DINING SERVICES OF SILVER AND GOLD, MANY OF WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY WERE MELTED DOWN TO FINANCE THE FREQUENT WARS OF THE PERIOD. 'VIENNA CIRCA 1780: AN IMPERIAL SILVER SERVICE REDISCOVERED', ON VIEW AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART FROM 13.APRIL THROUGH 7.NOVEMBER, WILL PRESENT A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE SURVIVING IMPERIAL SILVER SERVICE,MADE ABOUT 1779-1782. IN 2002, SHORTLY AFTER THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM ACQUIRED TWO VIENNESE SILVER WINE COOLERS FROM THE SACHSEN-TESCHEN SERVICE, THE CORE OF THE SURVIVING PARTS WAS DISCOVERED IN A FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION. THE SUPERB ENSEMBLE WAS LAST DISPLAYED AT THE END OF THE 19th CENTURY AND WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN LOST. MADE BY AUSTRIAN IMPERIAL COURT GOLDSMITH IGNAZ WURTH, THE SO-CALLED SECOND SACHSEN-TESCHEN SERVICE COMPRISED MORE THAN 350 ITEMS, INCLUDING WINE COOLERS, TUREENS, CLOCHES, SAUCEBOATS, CANDELABRA, CANDLESTICKS AND SERVING IMPLEMENTS, AS WELL AS 24 DOZEN SILVER PLATES AND PIECES OF PORCELAIN-MOUNTED SILVER AND GOLD CUTLERY. REPRESENTING THE SPLENDOUR OF ROYAL DINING DURING THE ANCIEN REGIME, THE SERVICE WAS MADE FOR DUKE ALBERT CASIMIR OF SACHSEN-TESCHEN AND HIS CONSORT ARCHDUCHESS MARIE CHRISTINE OF AUSTRIA, DAUGHTER OF EMPRESS MARIA THERESA. THE ENSEMBLE WILL BE PARTIALLY REUNITED AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM AND PLACED IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY SILVER FROM OTHER EUROPEAN CITIES.

PRINCE OF WALES IN ROW OVER NEW SUPERMARKET

THE PRINCE OF WALES HAS BECOME EMBROILED IN A ROW WITH LOCALS AFTER GRANTING PERMISSION TO BUILD A SUPERMARKET ON HIS CORNISH ESTATE. WAITROSE ALREADY HAS A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRINCE, WHICH BEGAN EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE NEW CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSAL HAS OUTRAGED LOCAL BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNERS WHO FEAR THE NEWLY PLANNED SUPERMARKET WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE AREA. THE PROPOSAL TO BUILD THE STORE ON DUCHY OF CORNWALL LAND AT UNION HILL IN TRURO COMES ONLY MONTHS AFTER WAITROSE SIGNED AN EXCLUSIVE DEAL TO LICENSE THE PRINCE'S DUCHY ORIGINALS BRAND. BUT THE TRADE MAGAZINE THE GROCER REPORTED THAT LOCAL GREEN AND BUSINESS GROUPS ARE UP IN ARMS AT THE PLANNED PROJECT. WAITROSE CLAIMS THE STORE WOULD SHOWCASE THE BEST OF CORNISH PRODUCE. THE PLANS WILL BE PUT TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AT A MEETING IN JUNE AND, IF THEY GO AHEAD, WAITROSE HOPES TO OPEN THE STORE IN 2013. IT WOULD BE THE THIRD SUPERMARKET TO OPEN ON DUCHY-OWNED LAND ADDING TO AN EXISTING TESCO IN DORCHESTER AND A BUDGENS IN POUNDBURY. A SOURCE CLOSE TO THE DUCHY ORIGINALS SAID THAT THE PLANS WERE UNCONNECTED TO THE LICENSING DEAL. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE PRINCE WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT.

PRINCE CHARLES COMMISSIONS MUSIC TO CELEBRATE HIGHGROVE GARDENS

THE PRINCE OF WALES HAS COMMISSIONED A PIECE OF MUSIC TO CELEBRATE HIS BELOVED GARDENS AT HIGHGROVE. HE RECENTLY ASKED THE BRITISH COMPOSER PATRICK HAWES TO WRITE A FOUR-MOVEMENT SUIT FOR HARPS AND STRINGS WHICH ARE INSPIRED BY AND CELEBRATE THE ORNATE GARDENS AT HIS HOME NEAR TETBURY IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE. FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, THE PRINCE, HAS TAKEN A PASSIONATE INTEREST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GARDENS WITHIN THE HIGHGROVE ESTATE. THESE INCLUDE A WILD FLOWER MEADOW, A WALLED KITCHEN GARDEN, A STUMPERY AND AN ISLAMIC CARPET GARDEN, WHICH WON A SIVER MEDAL AT THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW IN 2001. THE HIGHGROVE SUITE IS INTENDED TO CELEBRATE THE HORTICULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN MUSIC. THE COMPOSITION HAS DEVELOPED OUT OF PATRICK HAWES ONE-MOVEMENT WORK FOR HARP AND STRINGS ENTITLED 'GODDESS OF THE WOODS', WHICH WAS PREMIERED ON THE PRINCE'S 60th BIRTHDAY IN NOVEMBER 2008 BY THE ROYAL HARPIST, CLAIRE JONES. THREE NEW MOVEMENTS HAVE NOW BEEN ADDED TO COMPLETE THE SUITE, EACH ONE INSPIRED BY AN ASPECT OF THE GARDENS AT HIGHGROVE. THE FULL 25 MINUTE COMPOSITION WILL BE GIVEN A ROYAL PREMIERE BY JONES AND THE PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA WITHIN THE GROUNDS OF HIGHGROVE THIS SUMMER. THE CONCERT WILL BE IN CELEBRATION OF THE PRINCE'S FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN AND THE ARTS.

CAB DRIVER RECEIVES DAMIAN HIRST DOODLE AS TIP

MOST PEOPLE'S IDEA OF A TIP FOR A TAXI DRIVER IS SAYING 'KEEP THE CHANGE' WHEN PAYING THE BILL. BUT THEN NOT PASSENGER IS THE WORLD RENOWNED ARTIST DAMIAN HIRST. THE ARTIST GOT ON SO WELL WITH HIS CABBIE JON HORSLEY DURING A 30 MINUTE RIDE THAT HE HANDED OVER A SKETCH WITH THE £20 FARE. ALTHOUGH LITTLE MORE THAN A DOODLE, ART EXPERTS HAVE NOW VALUED IT AT £1,500, AND SAID IT COULD EVEN FETCH UP TO £5,000 AT AUCTION. THE PENCIL DRAWING, WHICH TOOK HIRST JUST A FEW MINUTES TO PRODUCE WHILE IN THE BACK OF THE TAXI, FEATURES A SHARK, BUTTERFLY AND SKULL, ALL NODS TO SOME OF HIS MOST FAMOUS ART WORKS. HE SIGNED IT FOR HORSLEY'S 15 YEAR OLD SON, WHO IS STUDYING ART AMONG HIS GCSE SUBJECTS, WRITING: 'FOR LJ. DON'T GIVE UP ON THE ART.' ALTHOUGH LJ MIGHT HOPE TO DO A LITTLE BETTER IN HIS EXAMS THAN HIRST, WHO SCRAPED AN E GRADE IN HIS ART A LEVEL. THE ARTIST IS NOW BEST-KNOWN FOR PICKLING A SHARK IN FORMALDEHYDE AND COVERING A SKULL IN DIAMONDS, AS WELL AS ARRANGING BUTTERFLY WINGS INTO PATTERNS. HE HAS BEEN DUBBED THE 'ENFANT TERRIBLE' OF THE ART WORLD, WHICH SOME CRITICS AND MUCH OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC THINK IS A DESCRIPTION OF HIS ABILITY TO DRAW. BUT NOT MARY MCCARTHY, CONTEMPORARY ART DIRECTOR AT DREWEATTS & BLOOMSBURY, WHO WILL AUCTION THE SKETCH IN NINE DAYS.

QUEEN PAYS TRIBUTE TO POLAND'S PRESIDENT

QUEEN ELIZABETH II PAID TRIBUTE LAST NIGHT TO POLAND'S PRESIDENT LECH KACZYNSKI, WHO DIED WITH HIS WIFE MARIA AND AT LEAST 88 OTHERS WHEN HIS PLANE CRASHED AS IT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A RUSSIAN AIRPORT. DONALD TUSK, POLAND'S PRIME MINISTER, SAID THE ACCIDENT WAS THE MOST TRAGIC EVENT IN POLISH HISTORY SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS IN THE CRASH WHICH HAPPENED IN THICK FOG NEAR SMOLENSK. THE PRSEIDENT'S PARTY WAS ON ITS WAY TO COMMEMORATE A MASSACRE OF POLISH OFFICERS IN 1940 BY SOVIET SECRET SECRET POLICE. IN A MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE, THE QUEEN DESCRIBED HER 'SORROW' AND SENT 'DEEPEST SYMPATHY' TO THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF POLAND. THE PRINCE OF WALES ALSO EXPRESSED HIS SADNESS. GORDON BROWN, THE PRIME MINISTER, DAVID MILIBAND, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, AND THE TORY LEADER DAVID CAMERON ALL PAID TRIBUTE. A STATEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER SAID PRESIDENT KACZYNSKI WAS 'ONE OF THE DEFINING ACTORS IN POLAND'S MODERN POLITICAL HISTORY'. THERE WERE SCENES OF GRIEF IN WARSAW AS PEOPLE SET UP MAKESHIFT SHRINES TO THE PRESIDENT. A WEEK OF MOURNING HAS BEN ANNOUNCED. KACZYNSKI HAD BEEN KNOWN AS A FERVENT ANTI-COMMUNIST AND NATIONALIST DURING HIS LONG POLITICAL CAREER. DOZENS OF SENIOR POLITICIANS AND GENERALS ALSO PERISHED IN THE CRASH. VLADIMIR PUTIN, THE RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER, ASSUMED CHARGE OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO WHY THE 26 YEAR OLD RUSSIAN-MADE AIRCRAFT CRASHED. THE POLISH COMMUNITY IN LONDON WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE LOST AT LEAST ONE IF ITS OWN IN THE INCIDENT. FATHER BRONISLAW GOSTOMSKI, FROM ST ANDREW BOBOLA CHURCH IN SHEPARD'S BUSH, WEST LONDON, WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN ON THE PLANE.

HAMMER MUSEUM TO PRESENT THE RED BOOK OF CG JUNG: CREATION OF A NEW COSMOLOGY

THIS SPRING THE HAMMER MUSEUM, LOS ANGELES, WILL BE PRESENTING 'THE RED BOOK OF CG JUNG: CREATION OF A NEW COSMOLOGY', AN EXHIBITION OF PREEMINENT PSYCHOLOGIST CARL GUSTAV JUNG'S FAMOUS RED BOOK, THOUGH TO BE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL UNPUBLISHED WORK IN THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY BY MANY CONTEMPORARY SCHOLARS. JUNG ALSO CONSIDERED THE RED BOOK TO BE HIS MOST IMPORTANT WORK, OR AS HE DESCRIBED IT, THE 'PRIMA MATERIA FOR A LIFETIME'S WORK'. UNTIL NOW, HOWEVER, THE BOOK HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS EXISTENCE IN A SWISS SAFE DEPOSIT BOX, AND VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN IT. THE EXHIBITION IS THE FIRST PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF THE REMARKABLE BOOK AND IT COINCIDES WITH THE PUBLICATION OF A FACSIMILE EDITION OF THE RED BOOK BY WW NORTON & COMPANY. THE HAMMER IS THE ONLY WEST COAST VENUE FOR THE EXHIBITION AND THE PRESENTATION WILL ALSO INCLUDE AN IMPORTANT SERIES OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS TO FURTHER EXPLORE THE WORK OF CG JUNG AND HIS LEGACY. FOR THE BETTER PART OF 16 YEARS JUNG CONSISTENTLY DOCUMENTED HIS DREAMS AND RECORDED HIS FANTASIES IN A BEAUTIFUL VOLUME THAT RESEMBLES A SMALL MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPT. IT IS A HYBRID OS THOUGHT AND IMAGE, TAKING THE FORM OF A 11.5 X 14.25 INCH RED LEATHER-BOUND BOOK. ON MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THE PAGES, JUNG PAIRED HIS ABSTRACT AND BRIGHTLY HUED GRAPHIC FORMS WITH THOUGHTS WRITTEN IN A BEAUTIFUL CALLIGRAPHIC STYLE. OUT OF THIS WORK AND THESE EXPERIENCES JUNG WOULD TRANSFORM PSYCHOTHERAPY FROM A PRACTICE CONCERNED WITH THE TREATMENT OF THE SICK INTO A MEANS FOR THE HIGHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERSONALITY. ALONGSIDE THE 95 YEAR OLD VOLUME, WHICH JUNG WORKED ON FROM 1914-1930, THE HAMMER MUSEUM WILL PRESENT A NUMBER OF OIL, CHALK, AND TEMPERA PAINTINGS AND PREPARATORY SKETCHES RELATED TO THE RED BOOK, AND OTHER ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS, INCLUDING THE BLACK BOOKS, WHICH CONTAIN IDEAS AND FANTASIES LEADING UP TO THE RED BOOK.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT hammer.ucla.edu

THE MACALLAN ANNIVERSARY LALIQUE DECANTER

THE MACALLAN HAVE CREATED A BEAUTIFULLY UNIQUE DECANTER TO CELEBRATE THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF RENE LALIQUE'S BIRTH. THE LALIQUE CIRE PERDUE DECANTER CONTAINS AN EXTREMELY RARE 64 YEAR OLD MACALLAN SINGLE MALT WHISKEY FROM THEIR HISTORIC CELLARS. THE DECANTER WAS DESIGNED AT LALIQUE'S DESIGN STUDIO IN PARIS, BASED UPON A SHIP'S DECANTER OF THE 1820s, THE DECADE IN WHICH THE MACALLAN WAS FOUNDED. THERE IS A HAND ENGRAVED PANORAMA OF THE MACALLAN ESTATE BY THE RIVER SPEY, IN NORTH EAST SCOTLAND AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE ONE OF A KIND DECANTER, WHICH WILL BE AUCTIONED OFF BY SOTHEBY'S 15.NOVEMBER WITH ALL THE PROCEEDS GOING TO CHARITY.