In this week’s Leo Report:
I. The model Mariangela Imbrenda Turris Eburnea!
II. The Empress- a review of the netflix show
(Please remember the Leo Report is written between work and family life- typoes may appear)
Humor of the week
I. The model Mariangela Imbrenda Turris Eburnea!
A must view on Instagram, especially if you draw the figure is the art page by model Mariangela Imbrenda Turris Eburnea, which is handle turriseburnea_italianlifemodel. She is based in Rome, and works in person or online, and has modeled since 2010. Her page is full both of her own references which show her character, and that of many artist who have drawn inspiration from her work. The writer, here has drawn her as well and has an unfinished painting started.
Her model is very expressive and full of character. Of note is she has changes in poses, costumes, and hair styles from time to time which keeps her model page very fresh, and energetic. You find both classic poses, and new creative poses, sometimes with costumes.
Like the best of models, you find a natural energy that comes through their work, and you find in the art made by other artist who have worked with the model. Her work stands this test as an expression of her energy can be found in the artist works that have used her modeling.
Excitingly, she appears to have a photo book coming out. She also has a calendar.
If you draw or paint, I encourage you to take a stop by her page and follow her.
See my initial drawing of her with an I Ching.
II. The Empress- a review
Recently, I watched The Empress, season One. I am happy that another season is coming. I like it’s balance of wonderful history with some drama. As an American it’s certainly true we get little entertainment or time on this part of Europe. I believe Hapsburg’s are a footnote at best in our history books for school here. So it’s nice to see some new found attention on that whole part of Europe.
Truthfully, most of my Austrian knowledge comes from two minor hobby attempts at video game glory. In Civ V, Maria I, a Hapsburg, is a game setting, and in EU4 I have played Austria very unsuccessfully several times. Of course, my first encounter with Hapsburg'‘s and as a kid I would say Haps Sen Bergs, is a family history report made before the DNA tests. This relative found a way to link us to all sorts of royalty. Of course, by statistics most people are related to someone famous. Sadly my claims for multiple European thrones go unanswered. In college, I of course did the posh reading of the “Guns of August” which mentions Franz I, and bit of Austria though I recall it focused on Germany. I recall political science courses mentioned in passing, the Austrians. In another college course we read Winston Groom’s work on WWI and fighting in Belgium, and again there is always the in the distant mention of Austria. ( you may recall I reviewed Winston Groom’s most famous work Forest Gump Leo Report I)
The point of the run down of history is that for Americans we almost never hear about Austria. So the show is a wonderful introduction to an important figure and family.
The show has wonderful costumes, and scenes. It has a good balance of history, to drama that my Wife who falls asleep during history can watch it. It is also more serious than Bridgerton my Wife’s favorite program.
In one curious bit, Maxi is quite the character, and a person more Americans probably know about than Franz I. That is because Maximillian becomes Emperor of Mexico briefly, before being executed. It’s a bit of history much more likely to be covered in American schools as many of the western states have their own history courses, California history, Texas History, as such we learn more about Spain, and Mexico in school since our states were technically part of Spain, and Mexico at one point. Of course in the technical bit California was once an independent republic for a brief moment. Back to Maxi, I don’t see why he would take the Navy’s top spot, since his brother wants to industrialize. He could have built a larger merchant navy, or even patrolled for prirates - but alas the anti priracy always falls the U.S Navy. Maxi does appear to have been positioned to be Eurpoe’s most interesting man but alas he chases glory.
I am excited for the next season. Have you seen the show?