S07E03 - Literature⏐Salammbô, the quintessent...

Have you ever heard of abraxas? These are talismans in the shape of oblong shields, covered with motifs inspired by Egyptian, Greek, and Roman mythology, and engraved with Kabbalistic prayers, Hebrew words, and magical symbols. One could easily believe that these strange jewelry ...  Show more

“It was in Megara, a suburb of Carthage, in the gardens of Hamilcar…”This is the opening sentence of Salammbô, Flaubert’s great historical novel, which has become a cult classic. Just like its heroine … the Carthaginian princess with dazzling finery and a tragic destiny.Salammbô ...  Show more

This episode is something of an ode to jewels, goldsmithing and design – but also the human urge to collect. We’ll visit the imposing and eccentric Geneva home that inspires Maison Belmont; chat to the founder of jewellery brand Annoushka about the symbolism and personal history ...  Show more

As Orson Welles would say, "Ah, the French." Here, in a lead up to the French Revolution, we consider the tale of one randy Cardinal, one social climbing almost-noble, one doomed queen, and one hideous diamond necklace. C'est ridicule (especially Elizabeth butchering all French p ...  Show more

Marie Antoinette’s world renowned extravagance made her an icon and then an example as the Queen of France, but her beheading, and the French Revolution, may never have come to pass if not for a lavish piece of jewelry at the center of a salacious con. Hosted by Simplecast, an Ad ...  Show more

In a very self-indulgent episode, Allyson talks about her favorite period in art history, and one of her favorite artists: Rosalba Carriera, who did a…