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The Armada Portrait is the name given to one of three remaining paintings which show Queen Elizabeth I of England with a backdrop depicting the defeat of the Spanish Armada.  Elizabeth I, The Armada Portrait. Photograph © James Edward Hughes 2017 My photograph above shows the copy known as The "Drake" version, and currently forms part of the collection of the Royal Museums Greenwich. It was purchased from Sir Francis Drake’s descendants for the nation for £10.3 million in July 2016 after an appeal by the Art Fund. “The Armada portrait is a compelling historic icon, illustrating as it does a decisive conflict, inspiring female leadership, maritime power and the emergence of the Elizabethan golden age. This image has shaped our understanding of Gloriana, the Virgin Queen, for over 400 years" - Sir Peter Luff Behind Gloriana are two seascapes: the left showing the English fireships menacing the Spanish fleet, while the right hand scene shows the Spanish fleet dashed upon the rocky coast of Ireland by the "Protestant Wind."
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The "Maggot from Italy's Tomb?" The "Black Widow" of St Bartholomew? Or one of the finest examples of power politics and survival ever seen? Well, I would have to say yes to all of the above, and more! Catherine was one of the most complex characters in a time of massive internal strife in France, with enemies both within (Guise, D'Albret) and abroad (Philip II of Spain).
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Born in Kent Town, Adelaide, Australia, Mark Oliphant was a Physicist, who received the prestigious Hughes Medal (other recipients include Alexander Graham Bell, Enrico Fermi, Stephen Hawking, and Andre Geim). He was also a life-long vegetarian after seeing a pig slaughtered at a farm as a child.
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The third movement of Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major is one of my favourite pieces of music. It is a truly joyous piece, and one which I find uplifting. The first performance I heard was by 13-year-old Han-na Chang, who took my breath away with her skill, musicianship and dynamism.
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New research from Dutch scientists has revitalised the search for the elusive Majorana Fermion. The Majorana Fermion was first predicted about 75 years ago by Italian scientist Ettore Majorana, one of the Via Paspernera Boys - a group of scientists named after the street where their lab was located.
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Water. Without it, we would not exist. Covering nearly 71% of the world’s surface, it is one of the key building blocks of life on Earth. We think we know all about it, how it works, and what it does. But Gerald Pollack, Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, is sure we don’t!
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Franco Fagioli is an Argentinian Countertenor "who seems to redefine the capabilities of the countertenor voice." He has won great acclaim for his performance in the role of Arbace in the recent all-male production of Vinci's Artaserse, and will soon be releasing an album celebrating the star castrato Caffarelli.
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© James Edward Hughes 2013