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Archive: 2024 (4 Posts)

Color photo at sunset, with dark blue sky with clouds in the distance. In the foreground, an illulminated glass pyramid is flanked by classical french buildings.

The Great Pyramid of Pei

Posted by: Mark Hartsell

In 1983, Chinese American architect I.M. Pei was commissioned to devise a solution to a growing problem in France: the outdated entrance to the Louvre museum in Paris no longer could accommodate increasing throngs of visitors. His solution of a glass pyramid, initially controversial, is now considered iconic, adding a dazzling touch to a city renowned for its architecture.

Cover of Harper's Bazar, featuring a romantic image of a woman by the beach, in hues of green, selling for 10 cents a copy

It’s Sew Complicated

Posted by: Mark Hartsell

Harper’s Bazar magazine opened up a wide world for the modern woman of 1902, including a large foldout sheet of sewing patterns for the thrifty homemaker. When unfolded, the sheet revealed a bewildering tangle of dots, dashes, lines, X’s and ovals that crisscrossed a total of 1,134 square inches of paper in an unholy mess covering both front and back. The marks delineated patterns for 60 articles of clothing. When unfolded, the sheet reveals a bewildering tangle of dots, dashes, lines, X’s and ovals that crisscross a total of 1,134 square inches of paper in an unholy mess covering both front and back. The marks delineate patterns for a whopping 60 different component parts of articles of clothing.