February 07, 2023

ART HISTORY  A Hidden, Mysterious Portrait  Last spring, the Cincinnati Art Museum held a special exhibition showcasing works by five 19th-century French artists who used the still life genre to experiment with new painting techniques. One of those artists was famed Post-Impressionist Paul Cézanne, and the exhibition included Still Life With Bread and Eggs, one of his earliest masterpieces. A conservator decided to bring it down to the lab for some cleaning, which itself isn’t unusual. Finding a hidden painting underneath the paint, however, is extremely unusual.  READ MORE →   GASTRO OBSCURA Dumplings and Noodles Every Lunar New Year, billions of people gather to celebrate with their families—and to feast. Traditions vary from country to country, but food is always at the core of the festivities. Among the many dishes that have a place at the table are dumplings and noodles both thought to bring good fortune and longevity, respectively. From the oldest continuously-operating Chinese restaurant in the United States to a half-century-old handmade dim sum joint, here are a few unusual places to get these auspicious staples. READ MORE →   DENBIGH, WALES Maen Huail Maen Huail sits in St Peter’s Square at the center of the Welsh town of Ruthin. This weather-beaten stone, just under four feet long and two feet tall, is believed to be the place where King Arthur of the Britons beheaded Huail, a man who embarrassed him. READ MORE →   HISTORY COMES TO LIGHT Food Of The Underground Railroad In the 1800s, the house owned by the Bayly family was home to a garden, some livestock, and an unobtrusive two-story building. For years, thanks to a mix of oral history and legend, locals referred to the place as a “slave cabin,” speculating that the people Bayly enslaved must have lived there. Yet no one had attempted to verify this archaeologically until 2018, when a team of archaeologists uncovered a stunning breadth of objects that provided insight into the lives of the enslaved and free Black residents on this property, as well as a glimpse into the culinary skills and traditions that may have sustained those escaping slavery. READ MORE →   BON AQUA, TENNESSEE Johnny Cash’s “One Piece at a Time” Cadillac Plenty of songs have been inspired by cars, but there’s likely only one car that’s been inspired by a song: Johnny Cash’s “One Piece at a Time” Cadillac, located in Bon Aqua, Tennessee. The bouncy number from 1976 follows a Detroit auto worker who fashions himself a car out of parts he steals off the assembly line, resulting in a patchwork car. In 1977, an Oklahoma car collector named Bill Patch constructed his own “One Piece at a Time” DeVille from salvaged parts, but this time as a gift to Johnny Cash himself. READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES The Art of Paper Botanicals Join master paper florist Kate Alarcón for a step-by-step overview of building a small woodland scene, learning techniques used for paper botanicals as we go. You’ll learn about crepe paper crafting, the basic construction of natural forms, advanced techniques to create naturalistic plants, fungi, and algae, and learn some finishing details that will elevate your projects. ENROLL NOW →   GODALMING, ENGLAND Witley Wonder Underwater Ballroom Well… we only call it an “underwater ballroom.” In reality it was a subterranean smoking room built beneath a roof aquarium. Either way, it was spectacular, and like everything else on Whitaker Wright’s Lea Park estate, including the man who commissioned the room itself, it was doomed. READ MORE →   HISTORICAL MYSTERIES Dramatic Life, Mysterious Deaths These days, if people know anything about Theodosia Burr, it is because of the lovely lullaby “Dear Theodosia,” sung by the character of Aaron Burr in the sensational musical Hamilton. But the real-life Theodosia grew from a beloved child into a highly intelligent, complex adult, whose fascinating story is largely unknown and worthy of its very own Broadway smash. Here’s an account of her life, which ended with a strange disappearing act. READ MORE →