At the heart of the Italian city of Milan stands the imposing Castello Sforzesco, one of the largest citadels in Europe. The castle's long and storied history dates back to the 1300s, but it takes its name from Francesco Sforza, the 15th-century Duke of Milan.
The Castello Sforzesco had two roles; it was a secure fortification for the Sforza family following their capture of the city, and it was a princely residence that expressed the Renaissance ideals of the upstart usurpers.
The castle stands on the grounds formerly occupied by an ancient Roman fortress, the Castrum Portae Jovis. It was originally built by Galeazzo II Visconti, and expanded by his successors, until the city and the castle was captured by first the Republicans, and then the Sforzas.
Turn around as you pass through the main gate, and gaze up at the richly decorated Torre del Filarete, designed by the renowned architect Filarete in 1452. The original tower was actually destroyed in 1521 by a gunpowder explosion, and a modern replica stands today.
The rectangular castle is organised around several courtyards. This one is known as the Courtyard of Arms. Today, the thick defensive walls are used to exhibit architectural remains, including Roman columns and sarcophagi, recovered from archaeological digs around the site.
On top of the south east tower, we have a good view of the courtyard. It might be hard to believe, but until the 1900s much of the castle lay in ruins - the result of centuries of invasion and neglect. It's down to the careful work of conservators that we can enjoy it today.
Here, we can see the original walls of the Visconti castle, and the deep moat that surrounded them. Today, this is known as the Dead Moat. As we pass through the portcullis gate, you can see the high walls of the Rocchetta to your left, and the ducal palace to your right.
These are the ducal apartments are where the Sforzas lived. We have to imagine the loggias and courtyard filled with activity and the walls decorated with frescoes. Today, only one survives, it was designed by Benedetto Ferrini in 1473, and depicts an elephant and a lion.
The Rocchetta was a fortress within a fortress. This enormous windowless, bunker-like wall was intended to be the ultimate defence. Its a sign of the fear that pervaded the family. Today, the Rocchetta is home to one of the castle's many museums.
We're inside the Rocchetta, in the museum of decorative arts. The collection holds objects that would have been familiar to the Sforzas, including Italian ceramics, Bohemian glass, Renaissance-era bronzes, and the highlight - all twelve Trivulzio Tapestries by Bramantino.
The ducal palace is also occupied by museums, such as this, the Armoury. The weapons, armour, sculpture, and architecture collected here all date to the 14th Century, around the time that the Sforzas captured the castle - they would have known these weapons well…
Some of the most important rooms in the castle have thankfully been preserved. This was once the Ducal Chapel, where the Sforzas worshipped under a magnificently painted image of heaven. You have to wonder what they were praying for…
The Room of Doves owes its name to the image of a dove against a radiant sun, repeated across the entire room. It gives the impression of being inside an embroidered tent, a stark contrast to the formidable walls that wrap around this private palace.
It's hard to believe, but we've only seen half of what once stood here. In the 1500s, the castle extended into the parkland to the north. If you had arrived here from anywhere in Europe, you'd have been impressed by the sight of it, and the luxurious welcome that awaited.
Thanks for joining this tour of the Castello Sforzesco. We're back where we started, in the Courtyard of Arms. Why not take some time to walk around the battlements? Imagine how it felt to be a guard, always watching, never sure of when the next civil war might erupt…
It is said that ‘every painter paints himself’. In most cases, this comes in the form of a standard self portrait, such as this iconic image of Van Gogh (who liked to paint himself more than most). For others, it wasn’t quite so easy, fashionable, or desirable to create a self portrait. But that didn’t always stop them.
Some artists hide a self portrait in paintings focused around other themes. Artists sneaking in their own image in a crowd scene, in the background, or even hidden in other details is more common than you might think.
Below we have four examples of paintings where artists have hidden themselves. Take a close look at these pictures and see if you can spot them.
Clara Peeters was among the most talented still-life artists of her day. At first glance, this 1615 picture has no visible human figures. A humble display of dairy products with bread, it seems to be nothing more than a classic Dutch still life painting from the era. But can you spot the artist?
Look closely in the reflection of the ceramic goblet's pewter lid and you can see a small self-portrait, distorted by the curve.
The artist also ‘carved’ her name into the butter knife instead of signing the painting.
Napoleon commissioned David to paint his 1804 coronation in a huge work that sent a strong political message. Today, the artwork hangs in the Louvre's Great Hall. It's so big the people appear life-size. But can you spot the artist in the crowd?
He sits in the theater box in the back center of the composition, sketching the scene in his notebook (a big clue as to his identity). David was present at the actual coronation and his inclusion in the final version shows his allegiance to the crown.
Painted between 1536 and 1541, the Renaissance master was able to express his frustration while painting The Last Judgment fresco. Apparently, he loathed the commission to paint the Sistine Chapel and used this opportunity to have a little dig at his patron, the Pope. But can you see him?
In the center of the painting, Michelangelo's eyeless face and an empty suit of flagellated skin hang from Saint Bartholomew's hand. The figure is supposed to be waiting to discover if he is off to heaven or hell after a gruelling trial of faith, a reflection of the artist's own feelings about the commission.
Botticelli's Adoration of the Magi, painted circa 1475, depicts the three wise men visiting the baby Jesus. It was common in Renaissance Italy to portray members of important Florentine families as the magi. In this instance it is members of the wealthy Medici family. But the artist also managed to sneak himself into the scene. Can you spot him?
Standing at the far right in a brown robe, Botticelli has painted himself as one of only two figures in the painting looking directly at the viewer.
If you enjoyed Botticelli’s secret self portrait and would like to know more about his work, then you can discover more here.
Historic innovations in technology covers the invention of tools and techniques to transform and explore environments. Technological change is a force for economic growth and societal change, which also affects social and cultural traditions. New knowledge acquired over time empowers people to reshape and improve their worlds.
The Institution of Civil Engineers is the world's oldest professional engineering body. Its global membership has transformed the world since 1818. The Candidates Circulars are membership application certificates which provide a unique biographical record of engineers.
The Candidates Circulars chronicles the engineer’s role in shaping civilization and a provides socio-economic insight into their backgrounds. The certificates record personal contributions to what has become known as the Industrial Revolution and the infrastructure of the Modern World.
Three giant glass plate negatives – measuring 1.35 x 0.94 meters (53” x 37”) – are understood to be the world’s largest 19th century wet-process negatives. These images record the view of Sydney Harbour in 1875, documenting the future site of the UNESCO world-heritage listed Sydney Opera House. Bernhardt Holterman was determined to promote his adopted home to the world through photography.
With Charles Bayliss they designed a 23-meter (87 foot) high purpose-built tower, turning the 3 meter-square (10 foot) room at the top into a giant camera. There, they created a series of colossal wet-process negatives capturing one of the world’s greatest harbours in photographs bigger than had been ever thought possible, and toured them around the globe.
Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW, Australia
The Semmering Railway is a topographically challenging section of what is known as the Sudbahn or southern railway line. It made it possible to travel in comfort by rail from Vienna and reach the eastern foothills of the Alps in Austria in only two hours. It’s one of the world's first mountain railways.
The Documents on the Semmering Railway, from 1844-1910, detail the evolution of a major construction site and how the railway line’s, viaducts, and tunnels were built using engineering resources. They show technical innovations in the 19th century and the awareness that technical projects require meticulous documentation.
The Archives of Suzhou Silk from Modern and Contemporary Times cover technical research, production management, trading and marketing, and the foreign exchange of many Suzhou silk enterprises and organizations from the 19th century to the end of 20th century. They contain a large number of export trade certifications and pattern designs, along with silk samples with high preservation value.
These Archives have witnessed the change of Chinese silk industry from traditional workshop to industrial production; which reflect the East-West trade exchanges and culture changes of more than a century. The historical and international significance of the archives also echoes with the current exchanges between countries along the route of “Belt and Road” initiative.
The Landsat Program Records are recognized by scientists as the only accurate image record, spanning nearly four decades, of the Earth’s land surfaces, coastlines, and reefs at a scale revealing both natural and human-induced change in existence to users in over 180 countries.
The Records are obtained and continuously updated by sensors onboard a series of land-imaging satellites, since 1972. The data is critical to the discovery, monitoring, and understanding of changes to the Earth’s surface caused by climate, human impact, and natural disasters.