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The 10 most beautiful libraries around the world

<p>Whether you’re a bookworm or just a lover of fine architecture, these gorgeous libraries are sure to fill you with wanderlust. Here are 10 of the most stunning libraries around the world.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Clementinum in Prague, Czech Republic</strong> – built in 1722, the Baroque library hall is adorned with elaborate frescoes and houses The National Library of the Czech Republic.</li> <li><strong>Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., USA</strong> – established in 1800 and boasting over 160,000,000 items on catalogue, the Library of Congress has the largest collection in the world.</li> <li><strong>Marciana Library in Venice, Italy</strong> – a pinnacle of Renaissance architecture, this stunning library took 50 years to build after construction began in 1537.</li> <li><strong>Trinity College Old Library in Dublin, Ireland</strong> – the grand Long Room is the most iconic part of this historic library, founded in 1592.</li> <li><strong>Bodleian Library at Oxford University, England</strong> – established in 1602, this library is the second largest in Britain and was used as a filming location in the first two Harry Potter films.</li> <li><strong>Biblioteca Joanina in Coimbra, Portugal</strong> – another Baroque masterpiece built in 1717, this library is known for its elaborate decorative elements.</li> <li><strong>Austrian National Library in Vienna, Austria</strong> – built in 1723, this incredible library was once the palace library, and once you see in side you won’t be surprised to hear of its royal past.</li> <li><strong>The Library of El Escorial in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain</strong> – this royal library is spectacularly adorned in gold and classic frescoes and is nestled in the magnificent royal site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.</li> <li><strong>Abbey Library in St. Gallen, Switzerland</strong> – at over 1,000 years old, this World Heritage site is designed in the Rococo style and survived the devastating fire in 937 which destroyed the Abbey.</li> <li><strong>Sainte-Geneviève Library in Paris, France</strong> – designed nearly 200 years ago, the grand glass and iron reading room is one of the most iconic libraries in France.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Books

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Secret Shakespeare library turns the page

<p dir="ltr">The State Library of NSW has delighted booklovers and avid library-goers across Australia - and beyond - with a long-awaited announcement: their secret library celebrating the late playwright William Shakespeare is throwing its doors open again, and welcoming visitors. </p> <p dir="ltr">The news comes ahead of Shakespeare’s birthday on World Book Day - April 23  - and promises seven days of fun each week, a move that serves as an historic first for the establishment. </p> <p dir="ltr">As State Librarian John Vallance explained, “The Shakespeare Room is one of Sydney’s true hidden gems. After being closed for three years due to COVID, we are pleased to be able to again welcome Shakespeare fans and visitors alike to this unique slice of Tudor England.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Inside you’ll find hundreds of books by and about Shakespeare, as well as stained-glass windows that depict the seven ages of man from his play As You Like It. The intricate design of the plaster ceiling is modelled on Cardinal Wolsey’s closet at Hampton Court Palace.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Once known as The Shakespeare Memorial Library, the room was built to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the renowned bard’s passing. To raise funds for the endeavour, the Shakespeare of NSW held a ball in 1916, with the intention of building the room on the State Library’s Mitchell wing’s ground floor. From there, the First World War saw work delayed, and it wasn’t until the 1940s that the project was brought to completion. </p> <p dir="ltr">Now, the room boasts hundreds of books by - and about - Shakespeare, and stunning stained-glass windows depicting the seven ages of man from As You Like It. And for those who happen to look up, visitors have the honour of checking out the intricately designed plaster ceiling, one modelled on Cardinal Wolsey’s closet at Hampton Court Palace.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Shakespeare Room, along with the Mitchell Reading Room of course, will no doubt become a popular attraction for ‘library tourists’ as we prepare for global celebrations to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s First Folio,” Vallance noted. </p> <p dir="ltr">The library is in possession of the only known copy - in Australia - of the 1623 First Folio, otherwise known as <em>Mr. William Shakespeares comedies, histories, &amp; tragedies</em>. It’s the book in which 18 of the bard’s original plays were first published, and will be part of the library’s For All Time: Shakespeare in Print exhibition alongside the Second, Third, and Fourth folios.   </p> <p dir="ltr">“There are no original manuscripts in the Bard’s hand,” the library’s rare book expert Maggie Patton explained, “so this volume [the First Folio] is the closest a reader can get to the original source of many of Shakespeare’s most loved plays.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Thousands have had the opportunity to admire all that the room has had to offer over the years, from the general public to Shakespeare fanatics, and even some well-known faces - the likes of Nick Cave, Kasey Chambers, Thelma Scott, Paul Kelly, and Sir Laurence Olivier have all stopped by for a visit. </p> <p dir="ltr">And thousands more are set to, with the Shakespeare Room opening on Monday 24 April 2023, inviting guests seven days a week to explore, to learn, and to reflect. </p> <p dir="ltr">To find out more, and to check out the opening hours to plan your next visit, head on over to the State Library’s website: <a href="http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au">www.sl.nsw.gov.au</a></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: State Library [supplied]</em></p>

Books

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Man cops library fine after returning book 84 years late

<p>After making it through 84 years, several generations and the bombing of an English family home, a classic novel has been returned to the library where it belongs. </p> <p>Paddy Riordan found the copy of Richard Jefferies' Red Deer while he was cleaning out his mother's home late last year, and decided against throwing the tattered book away. </p> <p>Instead, he discovered it was a library book that had been taken out on a load, and decided to return it a mere 30,695 days late.</p> <p>The father-of-two popped back into the Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library with the outrageously overdue book to hand it back to its rightful home. </p> <p>But being a numbers man, Paddy wasn't content to simply return the book, as he also whipped up a spreadsheet to work out how much he owed for the overdue fee. </p> <p>Luckily for him, the tardiness penalty was set at one penny per day, a weightier sum at the time but which when converted into decimal currency came to a grand total of just £18.27 ($32.68), which he donated to the library.</p> <p>"I've seen one or two people who've worked out that at the current rate of fines, if I was paying at the current rate, it should be over £7000 that I would be paying," he jokes.</p> <p>"So I may need to be careful not to visit Coventry for a number of years hence."</p> <p>He thinks the book must have been hired for his mother, Anne, who was just six on October 11, 1938, when it was first checked out, but has no idea what "nefarious reasons" his grandfather, Captain William Southey-Harrison, may have had for not returning the book.</p> <p>"I'm not too sure why my grandfather didn't return the book but in 1940, during one night of the Blitz, the family lost the house," he tells <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/library-books-overdue-man-returns-book-84-years-late-and-pays-the-fine/e9c197c5-7fe5-4060-9286-674b74354777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9news.com.au</a>.</p> <p>"But somehow in the rubble (they) clearly found the book, which has remained sort of with family possessions ever since."</p> <p>Lucy Winter, the library's community engagement coordinator, is just as surprised by the enthusiasm her quick Facebook post has generated.</p> <p>"Here's something you don't see every day... a copy of Red Deer by Richard Jefferies has been returned to us - a mere 84 years and two weeks overdue!" she wrote.</p> <p>"How wonderful that the book has finally made its way home!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Earlsdon Carnegie Community Library</em></p>

Books

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The pros and cons of Apple’s iCloud Photo Library

<p><em><strong>Lisa Du is director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a></span>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. </strong></em></p> <p>There seems to be lots of confusion around iCloud Photo Library, so it’s the perfect topic for us to look into today.</p> <p>With more and more photos being taken using our smartphones, photo management is becoming a very popular topic.</p> <p>If you have an Apple device, you may have been wondering what iCloud Photo Library is all about, and whether you should use it.</p> <p>iCloud Photo Library lets you upload images you have taken on your Apple devices to Apple's Cloud Service called "iCloud". <br /> <br /><strong>What does it upload:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Photos</li> <li>Screenshots </li> <li>Imported photos from cameras and other photos you have added to your Photos Library on your Mac</li> </ul> <p><strong>What is the cost?</strong></p> <ul> <li>Apple provides each apple user 5GB of storage for free (this storage is shared with other iCloud services such as backups)</li> <li>After the initial 5GB. you will need to choose a monthly plan to increase your iCloud storage </li> </ul> <p><strong>The Pros:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Easily "Sync" photos across devices</strong> - This means if you take a photo on your iPhone, and you have "iCloud Photo Library" turned on, you will see this same photo on your other Apple devices such as: iPads and Mac </li> <li><strong>Access your photos from anywhere!</strong> If you don't have an internet connection, you will see a low-resolution thumbnail of your pictures</li> <li><strong>Edit Photos from any device</strong> - iCloud Photo Library will sync your non-destructive edited images across your devices. This means you can start editing an image on your iPhone, and finish the touch ups on your Mac</li> <li><strong>Optimised Storage</strong> - This means the high resolution photo you took on your iPhone will be uploaded to iCloud Photo Library. The version you see on your iPhone is a low resolution thumbnail (thus saving physical storage on your iPhone). To get the high resolution image, you can download it from iCloud </li> <li><strong>Backup </strong>- The goal of iCloud Photo Library is to back up your photos. If you device malfunctions, or is lost, you can retrieve your photos by signing into your iCloud account </li> </ul> <p><strong>The Cons:</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Confusion</strong> - Confusion lies around photo backups. Think of iCloud Photo Library like your cloud emails. If you delete an email on your iPad, it is gone from your iPhone. Same with iCloud Photo Library. If you delete an image off your iPhone, it will deleted from all other devices </li> <li><strong>Storage Cost</strong> - You will get 5GB for free, but to utilise additional storage, you will need to pay. 50GB storage costs $0.99 a month, 200GB costs $2.99 per month, and 1TB will cost $9.99 per month </li> <li><strong>Can't choose what images to sync</strong> - Like it not, it's all or nothing! You can pick some images to stay locally on your device</li> <li><strong>All Apple </strong>- These photos are all tied to Photos for iOs or Photos for Mac. To use photos in other programs, you need to export them out of Mac Photos </li> </ul> <p><strong> The conclusion:</strong></p> <p>iCloud Photo Library is a great tool for photo backup, but you do need to understand that it will cost money to manage all your photos. Yes, you have 5GB of free storage, but the average person has more than 5GB of photos, so it's difficult to stay on the free plan. Although Cloud Storage is reliable, always back up your photos to a physical device as well... just in case!</p> <p>Do you use the iCloud library? How do you find it? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Technology

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6 most ridiculously overdue books returned to libraries

<p>Remember the horror of realising you’ve kept a library book past its due date? Well, imagine realising you’ve kept one 221 years longer than you should have. Here, we’re taking a look at 6 of the most ridiculously overdue books that were ever returned to libraries – who knows how many even older ones are sitting in bookshelves around the world!</p> <p><strong>6. <em>The Picture of Dorian Gray</em> by Oscar Wilde</strong></p> <p>While sorting through her late mother’s belongings, Harlean Hoffman Vision found a rare edition of this iconic novel originally borrowed from the Chicago Public Library and vowed to return it. “She kept saying, ‘You’re not going to arrest me?’ and we said, ‘No, we’re so happy you brought it back,’” recalled the library’s marketing director, Ruth Lednicer.</p> <p><strong>5. <em>Master of Men</em> by E. Phillips Oppenheim</strong></p> <p>Given that Oppenheim was born and bred in Leicestershire, the Leicester County Library couldn’t’ve been happier to reclaim this piece of local literary history, which turned up in a nearby house 79 years after it was borrowed.</p> <p><strong>4. F<em>acts I Ought to Know About the Government of My Country</em> by William H. Bartlett</strong></p> <p>Try to contain your excitement at the title of this undoubtedly thrilling read, which was returned one year shy of a century after it was borrowed from the New Bedford Public Library in Massachusetts, US. The man who returned it claimed his mother, a Polish immigrant, borrowed the book to brush up on the politics of her adopted country.</p> <p><strong>3. <em>Insectivorous Plants</em> by Charles Darwin</strong></p> <p>A copy of Darwin’s treatise on bug-eating plants was borrowed from Sydney’s Camden School of Arts Lending Library back in 1889. It was finally returned 122 years later on July 22, 2011.</p> <p><strong>2. <em>The Ancient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Macedonians, and Grecians (volume II)</em> by Charles Rollin</strong></p> <p>In 2013, this old tome (originally borrowed from the Grace Doherty Library in Danville, Kentucky) was found at a nearby school for the deaf, where it’s believed to have remained since 1854. “It’s been out of the library for at least 150 years,” librarian Stan Campbell said.</p> <p><strong>1. <em>The Law of Nations</em> by Emmerich de Vattel</strong></p> <p>This legal manifesto was borrowed from the New York Society Library by George Washington five months into his presidency – but he never returned it. For 221 years it remained hidden in his Virginia home and was finally sent back to the library in 2010. Lucky for his descendants, the library waived the $300,000 late fee. Phew!</p> <p>Do you still have any overdue library books from back in the day? Let us know in the comments!</p>

Books

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Garbage man saves 25,000 books and creates a library

<p>What do you do with a book you no longer want? Give it to a friend? Sell it? Donate it? Well, for many people, the easiest option is simply to toss it into the bin. Sadly, this means countless perfectly good books are being unnecessarily discarded rather than being put to good use and given to those who need them most.</p> <p>That’s exactly what José Alberto Gutiérrez from Bogota, Colombia is trying to fix. For the past 17 years, the 55-year-old garbage man has been saving books from going into landfill. His collection began with a copy of <em>Anna Karenina</em> by Leo Tolstoy and has since exploded to a staggering 25,000 books, which take up the entire ground floor of his home.</p> <p>Naturally, such a vast number of books didn’t go unnoticed by his neighbours. Visitors began to stop by and asked to borrow a book or two for their kids and soon enough, Gutiérrez had a full-blown library on his hands.</p> <p>Dubbed “La Fuerza de las Palabras” (“The Strength of Words”), the community library now delivers books, organises pickups, organises events and donates books to disadvantaged children.</p> <p>“I grew up, here and I can tell you it got me a Ph.D. in marginalisation and poverty. Kids here don’t have a place to study; instead, they have to start working early,” he told <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/05/bogota-bibliophile-trash-collector-rescues-books-170522084707682.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Al Jazeera</span></strong></a>. For Gutiérrez, the whole aim is to break that cycle of poverty. “The whole value of what we do lies in helping kids start reading.”</p> <p>The project has been so successful, in fact, that plans have been made to build a real, brick-and-mortar building to house the extensive collection.</p> <p>“Lots of people mocked me,” he recalled. “They would laugh when they found out about my project. But now 20 years later, they are amazed. My dream is to exchange my garbage truck for a truck full of books, and travel the country.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Fernando Vergara/AP.</em></p>

Books

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Inside top 6 cruise ship libraries

<p>Although digital books have become very popular, nothing beats visiting a traditional library on board a cruise ship. Here are the cruise ships that have the best libraries.</p> <p><strong>1. Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest</strong></p> <p><em>Cruise line: Azamara Club Cruises</em></p> <p>These two ships are of eight former Renaissance Cruises’ vessels which each feature a spectacular library. The Drawing Room library is lined with windows on the upper deck perfect for secondary viewing and natural light to enjoy your book. Azamara also hosts special dinners in the room.</p> <p><strong>2. Carnival Breeze, Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Vista</strong></p> <p><em>Cruise line: Carnival Cruise Line</em></p> <p>The Library Bar is a cosy nook that features on Carnival Breeze, Carnival Sunshine and Carnival Vista. The library has a great collection of books that you can enjoy and it also contains wine dispensers. The drinks cost extra but you can enjoy the rest of the library for free.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="496" height="275" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/37335/queen-maru_496x275.jpg" alt="Queen Maru"/></p> <p><strong>3. Queen Mary 2</strong></p> <p><em>Cruise line: Cunard Line</em></p> <p>Queen Mary 2 features one of the most magnificent libraries sailing today. The library is situated at the front of the ship with spectacular views. The adjacent bookshop once contained a greater selection of books but it still allows you to purchase any available titles that you fancy.</p> <p><strong>4. Pride of America</strong></p> <p><em>Cruise line: Norwegian Cruise Liner</em></p> <p>The S/S America Library celebrates the titular history of the classic US Lines vessel with breathtaking memorabilia from the ship.</p> <p><strong>5. Marina and Riviera</strong></p> <p><em>Cruise Line: Oceania Cruises</em></p> <p>Both libraries on the Marina and Riviera overlook the outer pool desks and give prime views of the ship’s surroundings. The libraries have comfortable chairs, ocean liner paintings and a coffee bar next door for convenience.</p> <p><strong>6. Viking Star and Viking Sea</strong></p> <p><em>Cruise Line: Viking Ocean Cruises</em></p> <p>There is no singular library on board but collections of books fill every nook onboard from The Viking Living Room atrium to the Explorers’ Lounge observation venue. Different genres are spread across different areas of the ship including poolside.</p> <p>Have you been to any of these libraries? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Cruising

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Man returns library book 49 years late

<p>It’s not often that a man returning a book to a library makes the news, but when the library’s been waiting 49 years for the book that’s another matter altogether. </p> <p>James Phillips, a former student at the University of Dayton, has finally returned the book he borrowed in his first year as a student.</p> <p><img width="499" height="405" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/17546/cef3soww4am60os_499x405.jpg" alt="Ce F3SOWW4AM60Os" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Mr Phillips returned the copy of <em>History of the Crusades</em>, which he borrowed in 1967, along with a handwritten note of apology. </p> <p>“Please accept my apologies for the absence of the enclosed book History of the Crusades,” Mr Phillips wrote. “I apparently checked it out when I was a freshman student and somehow it got misplaced all these years.”</p> <p>The library appreciated Mr Phillips’ sincere apology – and thank goodness they did! The fine (rising two cents every day under the library’s old system) would have been $350!</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter / UD Media Relations</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/03/jackie-kennedy-granddaughter-looks-just-like-her/"><strong>Jackie Kennedy’s granddaughter looks just like her</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/03/penguin-5000-miles-reunite-71-year-old-man/">Penguin swims 5,000 miles every year to reunite with 71-year-old man</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/03/85-year-old-man-finds-lost-wallet-71-years-later/">85-year-old man finds lost wallet, 71 years later</a></strong></em></span></p>

News

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Alexander Turnbull Library caught out with forged Lindauer portrait

<p>The Alexander Turnbull Library has admitted it paid $75,000 of public money for a forged Lindauer portrait. The national heritage collector, based in Wellington, bought the painting in 2013, despite being warned by an expert before the purchase that is was likely to be a forgery.</p> <p>It bought the portrait of Hoani or Hamiora Maioha, signed G. Lindauer, at auction.</p> <p>Gottfried Lindauer (1839-1926) painted hundreds of portraits of leading Maori figures, many of which are in public collections.</p> <p>Before making the purchase, the library got the advice of colonial art expert Roger Blackley, of Victoria University, who told them it looked likely to be a fake. However, it went with the advice of its own experts, and went ahead with the purchase.</p> <p>On Monday, chief librarian Chris Szekely admitted the library and its in-house experts had made a mistake.</p> <p>"After having the painting forensically examined, the painting is not what we believed it was," he said.</p> <p>However, he defended the process involved with buying the painting, and said the library made a "reasonable decision". "This wasn't a rash purchase but it was the wrong purchase," he said.</p> <p>Szekely said the painting was bought with due diligence.</p> <p>There were discussions with outside experts who did express some doubts but the library backed its own expertise, he said.</p> <p>He also defended the library's decision not to have the painting forensically examined during a one-week cooling-off period after the sale.</p> <p>"We had a week to decide if we were happy with the painting," he said. It would have cost a "few hundred dollars" to have the painting forensically examined.</p> <p>Blackley said he was very surprised when the curators went ahead and acquired the supposed Lindauer work. "It was always very odd-looking."</p> <p>However, it was "very brave" for the library to admit its mistake, and lessons could be learnt from the process, he said.</p> <p>"I imagine the library will be more cautious and also inclusive of outside opinions in the future."</p> <p>He felt somewhat vindicated by the discovery, but said spotting a fake was never absolute and, throughout the history of art, there had always been forgeries.</p> <p>The 60cm x 50cm painting was bought at auction through noted auctioneer Dunbar Sloane.</p> <p>Company spokesman Dunbar Sloane Jr said major paintings sold at the auction house were inspected by several experts, including the Alexander Turnbull Library.</p> <p>"In this case, the library bought a painting that it had authenticated itself and was satisfied with," he said.</p> <p>"We also hold viewings of pieces we put up for sale and, if someone says there is something wrong with a painting, we take it off the wall and get another opinion. Nobody said anything about the Lindauer."</p> <p>If a painting was found to be a fake, the auction house went after the vendor, he said.</p> <p>In this case, the Lindauer vendor had disappeared. "We've tried to reach them but have been unsuccessful."</p> <p>Thoughts on who produced the fake have brought up the name of New Zealand's most infamous painting forger, Karl Sim –  who changed his name to Carl Feodor Goldie.</p> <p>Sloane did not point the finger at  Sim as the culprit, but said a "rumour" going around hinted the forger worked out of the Hawke's Bay or Palmerston North area during the late 60s or early 70s.</p> <p>"Whoever it was was pretty good. They fooled the Alexander Turnbull Library."</p> <p>The forgery was confirmed earlier this year when Auckland Art Gallery conservator Sarah Hillary analysed the painting as part of her preparation for an essay on the painting style of Lindauer.</p> <p>Hillary told Radio NZ her forensic study indicated that there was no way the work could be a Lindauer as the pigments contained titanium dioxide, which was not available at the time Lindauer was painting.</p> <p>The library has informed police about the forgery.</p> <p>Written by Neil Ratley. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>  </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2015/10/iphone-photo-tips/">8 iPhone photo tips you’ll want to know about</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/10/gardening-is-healthy-study/">5 ways gardening is good for you</a></em></span></strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2015/10/woman-discovers-she-is-a-grandma/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em>Lady’s reaction that she’s a grandma is priceless</em></strong></span></a></p> <p> </p>

Art