A new book, published by the Czech Philharmonic in collaboration with the National Heritage Institute and the National Technical Museum, pays tribute to one of Prague’s most beautiful landmarks, the Rudolfinum concert hall. On the space of five hundred pages, it maps the history of the building from the first construction plans to the early 1990s. The book, called Temple of Art: Rudolfinum, also features over 270 historical photographs, drawings, plans and posters.
The neo-Renaissance building of the Rudolfinum, one of the oldest concert halls in Europe, was designed by the architects of the National Theatre Josef Schulz and Josef Zítek. It was named after the Austrian crown prince Rudolf and it was opened to the public on February 7, 1885.The building has been used as a concert venue by the Czech Philharmonic since the orchestra’s foundation in 1896, but it is also home to one of Prague’s leading art galleries.
Summary: Supreme Court Oral Argument in Federal Republic of Germany v. Philipp
Readers interested in learning about another Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act case currently before the Supreme Court, Hungary v. Simon, can read Jeremy Gordon s summary of oral argument in that case here.
Does the “expropriation exception” of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) afford U.S. courts jurisdiction to resolve claims brought by German citizens against the German government? The extent of the protections the FSIA affords sovereign states was in question on Dec. 7, when the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Federal Republic of Germany v. Philipp.
The case itself presents two separate but intertwined issues. First, does 28 U.S.C. § 1605(a)(3) of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, commonly referred to as the “expropriation exception,” afford U.S. courts jurisdiction over claims related to the actions of a foreign government against its citizens within the foreign governme
Argentinean dinner for six
Ray McVinnie discovers the old-fashioned charm and European-city style of Argentina’s capital.
I recently spent what could be described as a very enjoyable long weekend, Friday to Tuesday, in Buenos Aires. My first time, I was there to get the feel of the place and naturally, eat the food and see the sights. Buenos Aires is big with wide boulevards, leafy parks and a varietyof architecture. Each building is signed by the architects with a plaque naming them. There is everything from elaborate ornate Belle Epoque buildings to more utilitarian Soviet style blocks, one with a gigantic neon of Eva Peron which greets you as you drive into the city.
The Tiara of Saitaphernes: Initially Commissioned As A Gift
The story of the Tiara of Saitaphernes begins in 1894 AD. In that year, the object was commissioned by a pair of brothers from the Ukrainian city of Ochakiv. The brothers Shepsel and Leiba Gokhman (also spelled as Hochmann) approached Israel Rouchomovsky, a goldsmith and jeweler based in the Ukrainian city of Odessa, for the job. Rouchomovsky was a master of his craft and his work was appreciated by Peter Carl Fabergé. The Russian jeweler, famed for his Fabergé eggs, considered Rouchomovsky to be the “greatest goldsmith of all time.”
Rouchomovsky was born in 1860 into an Orthodox Jewish family. His parents, who wanted him to become a rabbi, sent him to a religious school. Even as a child, however, Rouchomovsky was much more inclined towards the arts. Possessing both passion and skill, he taught himself and mastered engraving and jewelry making. Thanks to his creative mind, Rouchomovsky was always making som