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Thomas Edward Lawrence was a British scholar-archaeologist, military intelligence and strategist, writer and poet.
Thomas studied at the High School and Jesus College, Oxford, studying medieval military architecture in particular, researching Crusader castles in France and in Syria and Palestine. Then in the early 1900s he took part in an excavation, though more likely a cartographic reconnaissance from Gaza to Aqaba for strategic military purposes. The study was published in 1915 under the title The Wilderness of Zin (The Wilderness of Zin).
At the outbreak of World War I, Lawrence became a member of the cartographic staff of the War Office in London, tasked with producing a militarily useful map of Sinai. From 1914, with the rank of lieutenant, he was already active in various operations in Cairo and other Arab countries. It is believed that Lawrence made a significant contribution to the victory of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire, and locals gave him the nickname Lawrence of Arabia.
Lawrence had time to work on his war memoirs as well, publishing a book about his activities, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, in 1926. Also of interest are his poignant service chronicle "The Mint" and a considerable amount of correspondence. He was commissioned by book designer Bruce Rogers to translate Homer's Odyssey into English. Lawrence also wrote over 100 poems, which were published in the collection Minorities in 1971.
After World War I, Lawrence worked for the British Foreign Office and served in the Royal Air Force. He died in a motorcycle accident in May 1935 at the age of 46.
Marc Chagall (Russian: Марк Заха́рович Шага́л), born Moishe Shagal in 1887 near Vitebsk, Belarus (then part of the Russian Empire), was a Belarusian and French artist celebrated for his pivotal role in the avant-garde movement and his unique integration of Eastern European Jewish culture into modern art. His contributions spanned several artistic formats including painting, stained glass, stage sets, ceramics, tapestries, and fine art prints. Chagall's early modernist tendencies were enriched by his experiences across Saint Petersburg, Paris, and Berlin before World War I, leading to a distinctive style that melded Cubism, Symbolism, and Fauvism with his Jewish heritage.
Chagall's work is recognized for its emotional depth, often exploring themes of love, memory, and Jewish folklore through vibrant colors and dreamlike imagery. Notably, art critic Robert Hughes described him as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century," a sentiment echoed by art historian Michael J. Lewis who regarded Chagall as a significant figure within European modernism and as the world's preeminent Jewish artist of his time.
Among Chagall's famed contributions are his stained-glass windows for the cathedrals of Reims and Metz, the UN, and the Jerusalem Windows in Israel. His monumental paintings include parts of the ceiling of the Paris Opéra and works that explore biblical themes, a hallmark of his oeuvre that underscores his enduring engagement with spiritual and religious motifs.
For art collectors and antiques experts, Chagall's works are notable not only for their artistic innovation but also for their rich cultural and historical significance. His art is housed in many prestigious museums worldwide, including the Marc Chagall National Museum in Nice, France, which focuses on his works inspired by religion and houses the series of paintings illustrating the biblical message.
For those interested in exploring Chagall's legacy and the vibrant intersection of culture, art, and history his work represents, signing up for updates on new product sales and auction events related to Marc Chagall can provide invaluable insights and opportunities. This is an invitation to engage more deeply with the world of art and culture that Chagall so uniquely encapsulated in his work.
Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the establishment of the Roman Empire. His extensive writings include treatises on rhetoric, philosophy and politics. He is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the Roman equestrian order, and served as consul in 63 BC.
His influence on the Latin language was immense. He wrote more than three-quarters of extant Latin literature that is known to have existed in his lifetime, and it has been said that subsequent prose was either a reaction against or a return to his style, not only in Latin but in European languages up to the 19th century. Cicero introduced into Latin the arguments of the chief schools of Hellenistic philosophy and created a Latin philosophical vocabulary with neologisms such as evidentia, humanitas, qualitas, quantitas, and essentia, distinguishing himself as a translator and philosopher.
