Drawing Worlds: Viollet-le-Duc at Bard Graduate Center

The Temple of Neptune, Paestum, 1836, graphite, ink, and
wash on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

My recent visit to Viollet-le-Duc Drawing Worlds at the Bard Graduate Center Gallery was both inspiring and deeply absorbing. On view only through May 24th, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to encounter the extraordinary imagination and precision of Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (1814–1879), whose drawings, restorations, and theories reshaped the understanding of Gothic architecture in the modern era. With nearly 200 works on view, many rarely seen in the United States, the exhibition illustrates how drawing became for him not merely a technical exercise, but a way of thinking through history, nature, and design.

From cathedral studies and Alpine landscapes to visionary restorations and fantastical architectural forms, the works feel remarkably alive and contemporary. It was a great pleasure to spend time with these drawings and ideas, and to experience the enduring power of an artist who believed that the past could still illuminate the present.

(L) Messina Cathedral, detail of the painted timber rafters, June 22, 1836, graphite, ink, watercolor, gold, and gouache on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Violet-le-Duc. (R) Palatine Chapel, Palermo, interior, April 23, 1836, watercolor on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

Arch of Trajan, Benevento, 1825, pen and watercolor
on paper, Henri Labrouste (French, 1801-1875)

Temple of Juno Lacinia, Agrigento, May 24, 1837, graphite
on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

Pompeii, a section of one of the Championnet houses in its current state,
1828, ink, wash, graphite, and watercolor on paper, mounted
on board, Léon Vaudoyer (French, 1803-1872)

Palermo Cathedral, April-May 1836, graphite and
watercolor on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Violet-le-Duc

Upper crater of Mount Etna, June 11, 1856, graphite, watercolor,
and gouache on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

View of the Azun Valley from the Pourgue Mountain, Hautes-Pyrénées, July 11, 1833, watercolor on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

View of Puy de Dôme from the Puy Pariou, July 25, 1831,
graphite on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

Model of the spire of Notre-Dame de Paris, ca. 1858, wood and
paint, Auguste Bellu (French, 1796-1862; carpenter), after
a design by Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

"Sculpture" section of Dictionnaire raisonné de l'architecture française du XI au XVI siècle (Systematic dictionary of French architecture from the eleventh to the sixteenth century), vol. 8, 118-19, Paris: A. Morel et Cie, 1866, printed book, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. The placard reads: "In this entry of his Dictionnaire raisonné de l'architecture, Viollet-le-Duc offers a racialized reading of medieval sculpture. Comparing two sculpted heads from church portals—one identified as Gallic or Celtic (on the left), the other as Merovingian or Frankish (on the right)—he interprets their features as evidence of distinct racial identities. The Gallic figure, he writes, appears more refined and noble; the Merovingian, though heavier, shows a self-assured dominance. For Viollet-le-Duc, these sculpted faces revealed not just style but deeper historical meaning. Such contrasts between Gallic and Frankish 'races' became particularly topical after the Prussian army defeated French forces in the war of 1870."

(Left and below) Physiognomic studies from a scrapbook of preparatory sketches and first run woodcuts for Histoire de l'habitation humaine depuis les temps préhistoriques jusqu'à nos jours (The Habitations of Man in All Ages; Paris: J. Hetzel, 1875), undated paper and tracing paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. (R) Histoire de l'habitation humaine depuis les temps préhistoriques jusqu'à nos jours (The Habitations of Man in All Ages) Paris: 1. Hetzel, 1875, printed book, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

The placard reads: "These physiognomic studies-some of them preparatory sketches for woodcut illustrations in Histoire de l'habitation humaine (The Habitations of Man in All Ages, 1875)-reflect Viollet-le-Duc's complicity with the visual language of nineteenth-century racist anthropology. His caricature-like studies morphing human heads into primate profiles explore visual links between the features of what were then considered 'lower' human types and those of primates— a notion rooted in deeply problematic theories of racial hierarchy that circulated widely in the period. While these drawings reflect the intellectual climate of their time, they also offer an opportunity to reflect critically on how racialized ways of seeing were constructed, naturalized, and reproduced through art and illustration."

Le refuge de montagne (The mountain refuge), July 1871,
watercolor on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

Fictional rendition of the mountain refuge at Nant Borrant, July 1874,
graphite and gouache on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

(L) Viollet-le-Duc in his study, ca. 1850, plaster, Adolphe Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume (French, 1816-1892). (R) Desk from the office of Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc on rue Condorcet, Paris, after 1862, oak

(L) Monstrance, ca. 1900, silver gilt, Maurice Poussielgue-Rusand (French, 1861-1933), from a design by Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. (R) Unlabeled statuette of Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

Château de Pierrefonds, bird's-eye view of the castle, partially restored,
1858, ink and watercolor on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

(L) Pyrenees, pine forest in the Marcadan Valley, 1833, ink and wash on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. (R) Preparatory drawing for "Le Beffroi" (The belfry) in Histoire d'une forteresse (History of a fortress; Paris: J. Hetzel, 1874), fig. 47, watercolor with gouache on paper 

Château de Pierrefonds, exterior elevation of the south façade,
1858, ink and watercolor on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

(L) Château de Pierrefonds, painted decor for the chimney overmantel in the empress's bedroom, 1866, ink, watercolor, and gouache on paper, Maurice Ouradou (French, 1822-1884), from a design by Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc. (R) "Tournoyeur, Milieu du XVe siècle" (Mid-fifteenth-century tourney participant) in Dictionnaire raisonné du mobilier français de l'époque carlovingienne à la Renaissance (Systematic dictionary of French furniture from the Carolingian era to the Renaissance), vol. 2 (Paris: A. Morel, 1871), plate 53, 1871, lithograph, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

La Grande Scheidegg, 1879, graphite and gouache on paper,
Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

Pyrenees, view of the Marboré Peak, above Gèvre, July 1833,
watercolor on paper, Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc

Solar eclipse, undated, wash and gouache on paper

Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine in East Harlem, NY

Feast of the Ascension at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Jersey City, New Jersey

The Founding of Constantinople

The Founding of Constantinople by Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

Reprinted from Western Exile @westernexile

We commemorate a day holy in the annals of history indeed. For it was on the 11th May AD 330, the Feast of Saint Mocius, that the Emperor Constantine the Great consecrated the imperial city of Constantinople, Byzantium of old and bastion of Christendom new, as the Second Rome.

Almost six centuries after the banner of the Romans was furled over the Golden Horn, her spirit remains unbroken.

New Book — Peter the Sicilian: History of the Paulicians, Sermons and Florilegia

A forthcoming title that may be of interest to our readers. Available at Amazon.com

• Peter the Sicilian: History of the Paulicians, Sermons and Florilegia by Carl Dixon

Publisher: Liverpool University Press
Pub. Date: May 28, 2026
Hardcover: $140.00
Language: English
Pages: 176

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Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the Oratory of St. Josaphat in Bayside, Queens

Feast of the Ascension at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Jersey City, New Jersey

Preparing for the Siege at Castello di Lettere

Photos courtesy of 1° Reggimento Re

Members of the 1° Reggimento Re historical reenactment and cultural association are preparing and training at Castello di Lettere, Napoli, for their next event with discipline, dedication, and a passion for history.

Prayer for the Beatification of Madame Élisabeth of France

Servant of God Princess Élisabeth of France,

sister of King Louis XVI by Élisabeth Louise

Vigée le Brun (circa 1782)

God our Father In your great mercy You called Élisabeth of France to the offering of her life for her loved ones in the heart of the tumults of the Revolution. Driven by an unwavering faith in eternal life she supported her family in their ordeals and brought hope to those who were going to die with her.

Unmarried, she helped the poor and the sick, supported by fervent prayer.

Through her intercession grant us, according to Your will, the graces that we implore.

In Your great kindness, make the Church recognize soon in her an authentic witness to the Gospel, a model of celibacy, diligent in prayer and attentive to the most fragile.

We ask You through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prière pour la béatification d'Elisabeth de France

Dieu notre Père Dans Ta grande miséricorde Tu as appelé Elisabeth de France à l'offrande de sa vie pour les siens au coeur des tumultes de la Révolution. Animée d'une foi inébranlable en la vie éternelle elle a soutenu les siens dans l'épreuve et apporté l'espérance à ceux qui allaient mourir avec elle.

Célibataire, elle a secouru les pauvres et les malades, portée par une prière fervente.

Par son intercession accorde nous selon Ta volonté les grâces que nous implorons.

En Ta grande bonté, fais que l'Eglise reconnaisse bientôt en elle un authentique témoin de l'Evangile, modèle de célibataire, assidue la prière et attentive aux plus fragiles.

Nous Te le demandons par Jésus le Christ notre Seigneur. Amen

* Prayer courtesy of hozana.org

A Poem For Mother's Day

Photo courtesy of The Art Institute of Chicago

In loving memory of my mother I'm posting November 2, a moving poem by the great Neapolitan poet Salvatore Di Giacomo.* The accompanying photo of Charity by Francesco de Mura (1696-1782) was part of a series of Allegories of the Virtues commissioned by Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy. Charity, representing maternal love, is depicted as a nursing mother caring for three children. In the foreground is a pelican feeding her young with her own blood, a symbol of sacrifice.

November 2

When my mother died, I was too stunned
to grieve; at the foot of the bed,
I stared, unseeing, at the drab clad body;
blinding, blunting all living memories.

No, I did not cry, no wail, not a tear,
I imagined her asleep, a halo
of a mother about that worn grey face;
waiting for me to come home, she dozed.

A year now that she is deep in her grave,
in my dreams she appears, her love unslaked,
vanishing, she strands me in a desert.

Suddenly my heart overflows, cascades
with tears, laving these dear remembered walls,
I choke up, tears, tears, are drowning my poem. 

2 de Nuvembre

I’ nun saccio pecché, quanno murette
màmmema bella e, comm’ a nu stunato,
sulo, a tenerla mente io rummanette,
appede de lu lietto addenucchiato;

tanno, io nun saccio pecché, nun chiagnette,
guardannola accussì, zitto, ncantato,
comm’ a na vota ch’ essa s’ addurmette,
mentr’ io vicino lle steva assettato…

Mo ca fa n’ anno ca ii’ aggio perduta,
mo, mo ca nzuonno me sta cumparenno,
mo la necessità nn’ aggio sentuta…

E mo mme vene a chiàgnere, e chiagnenno
sceto sti mmura ca ll’ hanno saputa,
nfonno sti ccarte addó stongo screvenno…

(*) Reprinted from The Naples of Salvatore Di Giacomo: Poems and a Play, translated by Frank J. Palescandolo, Forum Italicum, Inc., 2000, page 65

Major Feast Day Liturgies at Holy Trinity Church in Hackensack, New Jersey

Grace in Victory, Pride in Defeat

I congratulated two Inter supporters after they took the Scudetto from us. The first was a woman close to my age who works at the café near me—radiant, humble, almost disbelieving with joy. We spoke for a few minutes, and honestly, seeing someone that happy made the loss easier to stomach. Football is cruel, but shared humanity softens it.

The second was a younger guy I occasionally run into. Smug, dismissive, almost bored by winning—as if another Scudetto was beneath his notice because Inter are simply “used to it.” By the end of the conversation, I regretted congratulating him at all. I’ll never lose sleep or start a fight over football, but I’d be lying if I said his disrespect didn't stir a brief flash of anger in me.

Napoli may not have defended our title, but this squad endured injuries, chaos, and adversity all season and still stands on the verge of Champions League qualification and a second-place finish. No small feat. Not even close. Forza Napoli Sempre!

Feast of San Gregorio Nazianzeno

San Gregorio Nazianzeno, ora pro nobis

May 9th is the Feast of St. Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 329–390), also called Gregory the Theologian, one of the Cappadocian Fathers and a central figure in early Christian theology. Born at Arianzus, near Nazianzus in Cappadocia, he was the son of a bishop and received a classical education in Athens, where he formed a lasting friendship with St. Basil of Caesarea.

Gregory played a decisive role in defending the doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity against Arianism. His renowned Theological Orations, delivered in Constantinople, proclaimed with clarity the divinity of Christ and of the Holy Spirit, earning him the title “Theologian” in the Eastern Church.

He briefly served as Archbishop of Constantinople, but, amid ongoing ecclesiastical disputes and challenges to his authority, he voluntarily resigned his office, choosing peace and unity over contention and preferring a life of prayer and contemplation. He spent his final years in retirement, devoted to writing sacred poetry and theological works. He is venerated as a saint and Doctor of the Church.

Evviva San Gregorio Nazianzeno!

In celebration of his feast, we offer this prayer:

Prayer to St. Gregory of Nazianzus

O glorious St. Gregory, zealous defender of the true faith, lover of the sacred liturgy, and faithful shepherd of souls, obtain for us, we beseech thee, a share in thy virtues. Intercede for us, that we may grow in faith, hope, and charity, and bring Christ into the hearts of our families and of all whom we encounter.

Look with favor upon our parish, our priests, and our deacons, and obtain for them strength and holiness in their sacred duties.

Deign also to intercede for me before the throne of God, that I may receive the graces I seek, persevere in faithful service, and at last attain the eternal joys of heaven.

St. Gregory of Nazianzus, pray for us.

*Pictured: San Gregorio Nazianzeno by Domenichino (1609-12), Cappella dei Santi Fondatori, Abbazia di Santa Maria, Grottaferrata, Italy

Italian Charities of America Summer 2026 Virtual Language Courses

Fifth Sunday After Easter at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Jersey City, New Jersey

Il tramonto di un regno: Maria Sofia, ultima regina del Regno delle Due Sicilie

Rudolph Valentino: The Latin Lover of Silent Film

Valentino and Nita Naldi in Blood and Sand (1922)

I have everything—and I have nothing. It's all too terribly fast for me. ~ Rudolph Valentino

Rudolph Valentino was born Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi on May 6, 1895, in Castellaneta, Puglia, Italy. After his father’s death, he struggled to find direction and, in 1913, emigrated to the United States with little more than ambition, seeking opportunity and a new beginning.

His early years in America were unsettled. Valentino worked a variety of jobs, including as a gardener and taxi dancer in New York City, before eventually making his way to Hollywood. There, he began with small film roles, often cast as a villain or exotic supporting figure, before gradually attracting wider attention.

His breakthrough came with The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), where his performance—and especially a memorable tango sequence—made him an international star almost overnight. He soon became known as the “Latin Lover” and the “Great Lover,” a screen persona defined by romance, elegance, and intensity. Films such as The Sheik (1921), Blood and Sand (1922), The Eagle (1925), and The Son of the Sheik (1926), his final film, confirmed his popularity and established him as one of the most recognizable actors of the silent-film era.

Valentino’s personal life was often in the public eye. He married actress Jean Acker in 1919, though the marriage was brief and troubled. In 1922, he married costume designer and artistic collaborator Natacha Rambova, whose strong influence over his career contributed to tensions with film studios and the press. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1925. Beyond these marriages, he was linked to several romantic relationships, reinforcing the image that made him famous.

During World War I, Valentino tried to join the United States military but was reportedly rejected because of poor eyesight. Although his direct connection to the war remained limited, the effort to enlist reflected his desire to establish himself fully in his adopted country.

At the height of his fame, Valentino became one of cinema’s first great male idols, attracting enormous audiences and inspiring an intensely devoted fan following around the world. His influence extended beyond film, helping define modern ideas of masculine glamour, celebrity, and romantic stardom.

Rudolph Valentino died on August 23, 1926, at the age of 31, following complications from surgery for a perforated ulcer. His death led to widespread public mourning, with thousands gathering to pay their respects in scenes of near hysteria. He is remembered today as one of early Hollywood’s defining figures—the original “Latin Lover,” whose image and screen presence helped shape the enduring mythology of romantic stardom in cinema.

~ By Antonio Isernia