Feature: Has the way that leaders are portrayed in art been corrupted over time?

Has the way that leaders are portrayed in art been corrupted over time? 

Following on from last week's article about Thera and the wonderful paintings at Akrotiri, I was reminded of the research I did for this piece I wrote last year surrounding the theme of the portrayal of leaders in artwork. Below the cut: French cave paintings, Byzantine artwork and Soviet propaganda. 

Feature: "A little man lost in the immensity of his realm" - the downfall of Nicholas II and the Romanovs.

Today, July 17th 2013, marks 95 years since the assassination of the Tsar Nicholas II, his wife, children, and most of their household at the hands of the Bolsheviks in the Russian town of Yekaterinburg following a period of imprisonment. This marked the end of the Russian autocracy and the start of the road to Communism in Russia. Many were pleased to see the Tsar go, but how well had he performed as Tsar? Below the cut: the problems facing Nicholas II in his reign as ruler, how effectively he played his role, and the eventual lead-up to the demise of himself and his family.

Historical Sites: Lincoln Cathedral

As a resident of Lincoln, the Cathedral has always been a source of great interest to me -- especially since I started volunteering there in Spring this year. Below the cut: Lincoln's history, the Cathedral's origins and some key facts and dates.