Wikipedia:Picture of the day/August 2023
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Thesefeatured pictures,as scheduled below, appeared as thepicture of the day(POTD) on the English Wikipedia'sMain Pagein August 2023. Individual sections for each day on this page can be linked to with the day number as theanchorname (e.g.[[Wikipedia:Picture of the day/August 2023#1]]for August 1).
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August 1
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Anambigramis acalligraphicortypographicdesign with multiple interpretations as written words. Alternative meanings are often yielded when the design is transformed or the observer moves, but they can also result from a shift in mental perspective. This animation shows a half-turn ambigram of the wordambigram.The word is written calligraphically with 180-degreerotational symmetry,such that it reads identically when viewed upside down. Calligraphy and animation credit:Basile Morin
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August 2
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TheSan Francisco cable car systemis acable-carrail network inSan Francisco,California. Conceived byAndrew Smith Hallidie,the system's first line was theClay Street Hill Railroad,which opened on August 2, 1873. By 1890, the system had expanded to twenty-three lines, of which three remain in operation as of 2023. The cars are pulled by a cable running below the street, which is held by a grip that extends from the car through a slit in the street surface, between the rails. This 2016 photograph shows a cable car traveling onHyde Street,withAlcatraz IslandandFisherman's Wharfvisible in the background. Photograph credit:Thomas Wolf
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August 3
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Sol de Mañanais an area withgeothermal manifestationsin southern Bolivia, includingfumaroles,hot springs and mud pools. It lies at about 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) elevation, south ofLaguna Coloradaand east ofEl Tatiogeothermal field. The field is located within theEduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserveand is an important tourism attraction on the road betweenUyuniandAntofagasta.The field has been prospected as a possiblegeothermal power productionsite, with research beginning in the 1970s and after a pause recommencing in 2010. Photograph credit:kallerna
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August 4
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Jacques Isnardon(1860–1930) was a Frenchbass-baritone,writer andvoice teacher.After winning a competition at theConservatoire de Paris,he made his debut as Baxter inÉmile Paladilhe'sDianeat theOpéra-Comiquein 1885, before moving to Brussels and theThéâtre Royal de la Monnaie,whose history he chronicled. He sang inDie MeistersingeratCovent Garden,ManonatLa Scala,andLe médecin malgré luiatMonte Carlobefore returning to the Opéra-Comique in 1894. One of his students was the American actress, writer, and translatorVirginia Fox Brooks.This photograph of Isnardon was taken by French photographerNadarin the late 19th century. Photograph credit:Nadar;restored byAdam Cuerden
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August 5
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Viburnum opulus,the guelder rose, is a species offlowering plantin the familyAdoxaceaenative to Europe, northern Africa and central Asia. Its common name relates to the Dutch province ofGelderland,where a popular cultivar, the snowball tree, supposedly originated. This photograph of aV. opulusinfructescence(ensemble offruits) was taken inKeila,Estonia. Photograph credit:Ivar Leidus
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August 6
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South Georgiais an island in the South Atlantic Ocean that is part of theBritish Overseas TerritoryofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.It lies around 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) east of theFalkland Islands.Stretching in the east–west direction, South Georgia is around 170 kilometres (106 mi) long and has a maximum width of 35 kilometres (22 mi). The terrain is mountainous, with the central ridge rising to an elevation of 2,935 metres (9,629 ft) atMount Paget.The northern coast is indented with numerous bays and fjords, serving as good harbours. This satellite image of South Georgia was taken by theEuropean Space Agency'sSentinel-2in February 2018. Photograph credit:European Space Agency
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August 7
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Texas Raiderswas an AmericanBoeingB-17Flying Fortressbuilt byDouglas-Long Beach.In 1967, it was purchased by a group of theCommemorative Air Force'sGulf Coast Wing,which maintained and flew the aircraft out ofConroe-North Houston Regional AirportinConroe, Texas.It was destroyed on November 12, 2022,in a mid-air collisionwith aBellP-63Kingcobraat anair showatDallas Executive Airport.All five people on boardTexas Raidersand the pilot of theP-63were killed. This photograph, taken in 2019 atEllington AirportinHouston,showsTexas Raidersre-enacting a scene from the filmTora! Tora! Tora!during a simulated attack by members of the Commemorative Air Force's Pearl Harbor re-enactment group. Photograph credit: Alan Wilson
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August 8
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Sceloporus malachiticus,commonly known as the emerald swift or the green spiny lizard, is a species of smalllizardin thePhrynosomatidaefamily, native to Central America. This photograph of aS. malachiticuslizard taken inAntigua Guatemala,Guatemala, wasfocus-stackedfrom nine separate images. Photograph credit:Charles J. Sharp
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August 9
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Lidia Patty(born 1969) is a Bolivian politician who is a former member of theChamber of Deputiesfor theMovimiento al Socialismo(Movement for Socialism). A member of theKallawaya– anindigenous peoplenative to western Bolivia – she was a domestic worker and schoolteacher before entering politics. After maintaining a low profile in parliament, Patty gained national attention after her term ended when she opened acomplaintfor the2019 Bolivian political crisis,which resulted in the criminal prosecution of former presidentJeanine Áñez.A polemical figure for her frequent denunciations of opposition and ruling party officials, Patty ran unsuccessfully inthe 2022 electionforombudsman of Bolivia,and was briefly the Bolivian consul toPuno,Peru, in 2023 before being withdrawn amiddeteriorating relations between the two countries.This official portrait of Patty as a member of thePlurinational Legislative Assemblywas taken in 2016. Photograph credit: Alejandra Vaca
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August 10
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The Young Sabot Makeris an oil-on-canvas painting made by the American artistHenry Ossawa Tannerin 1895. It was accepted for the 1895Paris Salon,and was Tanner's second painting entered for the Salon. The painting follows a theme Tanner used for his genre paintings, "age instructing youth", which can also be seen inThe Bagpipe LessonandThe Banjo Lesson.The painting was purchased by a group of donors and sponsors and given to theNelson-Atkins Museum of ArtinKansas City, Missouri,in 1995. Painting credit:Henry Ossawa Tanner
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August 11
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AKármán vortex streetis a process influid dynamicsin which a repeating pattern of swirlingvortices,caused byvortex shedding,is responsible for the unsteadyflow separationof a fluid around blunt bodies. It is named after the Hungarian-American engineer and fluid dynamicistTheodore von Kármán.This satellite image, taken byNASA'sLandsat 7in 1999, shows a Kármán vortex street caused by wind flowing around theJuan Fernández Islandsoff the Chilean coast in the South Pacific Ocean. The flow of atmospheric air over obstacles such as islands can cause visible vortex streets when a cloud layer is present at a certain altitude. It can reach a length of more than 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the obstacle in such cases, with a typical vortex diameter of 20 to 40 km (12 to 25 mi). Photograph credit:Robert Cahalan,NASA
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August 12
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Sissieretta Jones(1868 or 1869 – 1933) was an Americansoprano.Sometimes nicknamed "The Black Patti" in reference to the Italian opera singerAdelina Patti,her repertoire includedgrand opera,light opera,andpopular music.Jones was trained at the Providence Academy of Music and theNew England Conservatory of Music,and made her New York debut in 1888 atSteinway Hall.Four years later, she performed at theWhite Housefor PresidentBenjamin Harrison.She sang for four consecutive presidents and theBritish royal family,attaining international success. Besides the United States and the West Indies, Jones toured in South America, Australia, India, southern Africa and Europe. This colorlithographof Jones was produced in 1899 to advertise her performances. Lithograph credit: Metropolitan Printing Company; restored byAdam Cuerden
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August 13
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Lestes barbarusis a species ofdamselflyof the familyLestidae,the spreadwings. Its common names in English include the southern emerald damselfly, the shy emerald damselfly, and the migrant spreadwing. The species is found across southern Europe in a band across Spain, France, Italy and Greece, and its range also extends east to India and Mongolia. It is less common in northern Europe, although some can be found as far north as Sweden. This femaleL. barbarusdamselfly was photographed in Blankaart Nature Reserve nearDiksmuide,Belgium. Photograph credit:Charles J. Sharp
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August 14
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ThePalace of AssemblyinChandigarh,India, is a legislative assembly building designed by modernist architectLe Corbusierforming part of theChandigarh Capitol Complex– a larger government compound including several other buildings such as theSecretariat Buildingand thePalace of Justice.Constructed to serve as the administrative capital forthe eastern halfof the historic British IndianPunjab provincethat remained in India after the 1947partition of India,the compound, along with sixteen otherglobally scattered buildings designed by Le Corbusier,was designated aWorld Heritage SitebyUNESCOin 2016. The Palace of Assembly houses the legislatures of the present-day northern Indian states ofPunjabandHaryana. Photograph credit: duncid, retouched byUnpetitproleXandAristeas
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August 15
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TheDevi Mahatmyais a text ofHindu philosophydescribing the goddessDurgaas the supreme power and creator of the universe. It is part of theMarkandeya Purana.This illustration, created withwatercolourand ink on paper, is from an early-18th-century Nepalese folio of theDevi Mahamya,and depicts the goddessAmbikaleading the eight mother goddesses in battle against theasura(demon spirit)Raktabīja.A fewSanskritwords are written across the painting, which was gifted to theLos Angeles County Museum of Artin California. Painting credit: unknown
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August 16
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TheVermont State House,located inMontpelier,is thestate capitolof the U.S. state ofVermontand the seat of theVermont General Assembly.The currentGreek Revivalstructure is the third building on the same site to be used as the State House. Designed byThomas Sillowayin 1857 and 1858, it was occupied in 1859. This photograph of the Vermont State House was taken in October 2021. Photograph credit:Tony Jin
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August 17
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Józef Mehoffer(1869–1946) was a Polish painter and decorative artist, one of the leading artists of theYoung Polandmovement and one of the most revered Polish artists of his time. This 1897oil-on-boardself-portrait of Mehoffer has dimensions of 34.7 cm × 26.7 cm and is in the collection of theNational Museum in Kraków. Painting credit:Józef Mehoffer
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August 18
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Thehazelnutis the fruit of thehazel tree,including all nuts of the genusCorylus,especially those of the speciesCorylus avellana.Hazelnuts are used as a snack food, in baking and desserts, breakfast cereals such asmuesli,confectionery, and also in combination with chocolate forchocolate trufflesand products such as chocolate bars,NutellaandFrangelicoliqueur. Hazelnut oil, pressed from hazelnuts, is strongly flavored and high inmonounsaturated fat;it is used as a cooking oil and as a salad or vegetable dressing. Turkey is the world's largest producer of hazelnuts, accounting for 64% of total production in 2021. This photograph shows two whole hazelnuts alongside twokernels,one of which is peeled. Photograph credit:David Ifar
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August 19
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Edgaris an opera in three acts byGiacomo Puccinito an ItalianlibrettobyFerdinando Fontana,freely based on the play in verseLa Coupe et les lèvresbyAlfred de Musset.It premiered atLa Scalain Milan in 1889 and was repeatedly revised until 1905, but Puccini did not regard it as a success, describing it as "warmed-up soup". The opera is still occasionally performed, including a 2005 recording by theOrchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Ceciliaconducted byAlberto Veronesiand featuringPlácido Domingo.This undated set design for act 3 ofEdgar,from the archives of the music publisherCasa Ricordi,was created byGiuseppe Palantiwith pencil andtemperaon paper. It depicts an outdoor glade nearCourtrayinFlanders,the main setting of the opera. Set design credit:Giuseppe Palanti
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August 20
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Theviscosityof afluidis a measure of itsresistanceto deformation at a given rate. TheSI unitof viscosity is thepascal-second. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness": for example, syrup has a higher viscosity than water. Viscosity quantifies the internalfrictional forcebetween adjacent layers of fluid that are in relative motion. For instance, when a viscous fluid is forced through a tube, it flows more quickly near the tube's axis than near its walls. Thisfluid animationshows a simulation of two fluids with different viscosities being poured into identical containers. The blue liquid on the left has a lower viscosity than the orange liquid on the right. Animation credit:Gvbox
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August 21
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Thelion(Panthera leo) is a large cat species in the genusPantheranative to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It issexually dimorphic;adult males are larger than females and have a prominent mane. The lion is asocial species,forming groups called prides. A pride consists of a few adult males, related females, and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on largeungulates.It is anapexandkeystone predator.Although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans, they typically do not actively seek out and prey on humans. This six-year-old male lion was photographed in thePhinda Private Game ReserveinKwaZulu-Natal,South Africa. Photograph credit:Charles J. Sharp |
August 22
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ThePresidio of San Franciscois a park and formerUnited States Armypost on the northern tip of theSan Francisco Peninsulain the city ofSan Francisco,California, forming part of theGolden Gate National Recreation Area.Thepresidiowas established as a fortified location in 1776, whenNew Spainfounded it to gain a foothold inAlta Californiaand theSan Francisco Bay.It passed to Mexico in 1820, and in turn to the United States in 1848. As part of a military reduction program under theBase Realignment and Closureprocess from 1988, theUnited States Congressvoted to end the presidio's status as an active military installation. In 1994, it was transferred to theNational Park Service,ending 219 years of military use and beginning its next phase of mixed commercial and public use. This lithograph, published in 1822, shows the Presidio of San Francisco and its surroundings during the Spanish era, with theGolden Gatevisible in the background to the right of the image. Lithograph credit:Victor Adam,afterLouis Choris;restored byAdam Cuerden |
August 23
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Dennis Schröder(born 1993) is a German professionalbasketballplayer for theToronto Raptorsof theNational Basketball Association(NBA). He previously played forSG BraunschweigandPhantoms Braunschweigin Germany, before spending his first five seasons in the NBA with theAtlanta Hawksand two years with theOklahoma City Thunder.He is the sole owner of Braunschweig, his German hometown team, and has been the majority shareholder since 2018. This photograph depicts Schröder playing with theGerman national teamin 2022. Photograph credit:Steffen Prößdorf
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August 24
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Thelemon(Citrus × limon) is a species of smallevergreentree in theflowering plantfamilyRutaceae,native to Asia, primarily northeastern India (Assam), northern Myanmar, and China. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, which has both culinary and cleaning uses. The pulp andrindare also used in cooking and baking. The distinctive sour taste of lemon juice, derived fromcitric acid,makes it a key ingredient in drinks and foods. This photograph shows a whole and halved lemon against a black background. Photograph credit:Ivar Leidus
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August 25
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Pénélopeis an opera in three acts by the French composerGabriel Fauré.The French-languagelibretto,byRené Fauchois,is based onHomer'sOdyssey.Dedicated toCamille Saint-Saëns,the opera was first performed at theSalle Garnier,Monte Carlo, in March 1913. Thislithographposter was designed byGeorges Rochegrossefor the 1913 Paris premiere ofPénélopeat theThéâtre des Champs-Élysées. Poster credit:Georges Rochegrosse;restored byAdam Cuerden
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August 26
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Pobiti Kamaniis arock formationlocated inVarna Province,Bulgaria. There are a number of theories regarding its origin, with two broad hypotheses. According to one, the formations are the result ofcoralactivity, while another explains the phenomenon with the prismaticweatheringanddesertificationof the rocks, the formation of sand and limestoneconcretions,or lowerEocenebubbling reefs. The stone pillars were first described by the Russian archaeologist and historian Victor Teplyakov in 1829, and the site was designated a natural landmark in the late 1930s. This photograph shows the pillars of Pobiti Kamani in 2016. Photograph credit:Diego Delso
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August 27
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John Adams(1735–1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, andFounding Fatherwho served as the secondpresident of the United Statesfrom 1797 to 1801. Beforehis presidency,he was a leader of theAmerican Revolutionthat achieved independence fromGreat Britain.During the latter part of theRevolutionary Warand in the early years of the new nation, he served the U.S. government as a senior diplomat in Europe. Adams was the first person to hold the office ofVice President of the United States,serving in the role from 1789 to 1797. He was a dedicated diarist and regularly corresponded with important contemporaries, including his wife and adviserAbigail Adamsand his friend and political rivalThomas Jefferson.Thisoil-on-canvas paintingof Adams was produced byGilbert Stuart,approximately between 1800 and 1815, and is in theNational Gallery of Artin Washington, D.C. Painting credit:Gilbert Stuart
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August 28
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TheTreptowersis a complex of buildings with a distinctive high-rise in the district ofAlt-TreptowinBerlin,Germany, on the riverSpree.Constructed on the site of a formerAEGelectrical-appliance factory, the complex consists of four buildings and was the result of an architectural competition held in 1993 and won by the architect Gerhard Spangenberg. It was completed in 1998, with a final construction cost of 190 millionmarks.The 30-metre-tall (98 ft) sculptureMolecule MenbyJonathan Borofskywas installed in 1999 and sits in front of the complex in the Spree, seen on the right of this photograph of the Treptowers in 2017. Photograph credit:Ansgar Koreng
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August 29
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Thebarred owl(Strix varia), also known as the northern barred owl, the striped owl or the hoot owl, is a bird in the familyStrigidae,the true owls. It is largely native to eastern North America, but has also expanded its range to the continent's west coast, where it is considered aninvasive species.Its preferred habitat ismature forest,but it can also acclimate to various gradients of openwoodlands.The barred owl's diet consists mainly of small mammals, but this species is anopportunistic predatorand is known to prey upon other small vertebrates such as birds, reptiles and amphibians, as well as a variety ofinvertebrates.Barred owls are brown to gray overall, with dark striping on the underside. This barred owl was photographed inWhitbyinOntario,Canada. Photograph credit:Mdf
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August 30
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Arthur Balfour(1848–1930) was a British statesman andConservativepolitician who served asPrime Minister of the United Kingdomfrom 1902 to 1905. During his time asForeign Secretaryin theLloyd George ministry,he issued theBalfour Declarationin 1917 on behalf of the Cabinet, which supported a "home for the Jewish people" inMandatory Palestine.During his tenure as prime minister, Balfour passed theLand Purchase (Ireland) Act 1903,which bought mostAnglo-Irishland in the UK, as well as theEducation Act 1902,which had a major long-term impact in modernising the school system in England and Wales. He secured theEntente Cordiale,an alliance that endedcenturies of intermittent conflict between Britain and France and their predecessor states.This photographic portrait of Balfour was taken byGeorge Charles Beresfordin 1902. Photograph credit:George Charles Beresford;restored byMyCatIsAChonk
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August 31
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The Architect's Dreamis an 1840oil-on-canvas paintingcreated byThomas Colefor the New York architectIthiel Town.Cole incorporated pieces of architecture fromEgyptian,Greek,RomanandGothicstyles in various parts of the painting, having himself done some architecture work previously. Cole finished the painting in only five weeks and displayed it in theNational Academy of Design's annual exhibition that year. Town refused to accept the painting, claiming that it was "exclusively architectural".The Architect's Dreamis now in theToledo Museum of ArtinToledo, Ohio. Painting credit:Thomas Cole
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