In an astonishing discovery, two exceptional paintings by the renowned Dutch artist Rembrandt were recently found in a private collection. These remarkable portraits, depicting relatives of Rembrandt himself, were completely unknown until now. The artworks, signed and dated from 1635, are expected to fetch a staggering sum of between 6.25 and 10 million dollars as they go up for auction. Let’s delve into the fascinating story behind these newly unveiled treasures.

The portraits, measuring a mere 8 inches in height, reveal the faces of an elderly husband and wife. The husband, Jan Willemsz van der Pluyn, was a prosperous plumber, while his wife was named Jaapgen Carels. Residing in the Dutch city of Leiden, they were a wealthy and well-known family during their time.

Jan and Jaapgen were related to Rembrandt through marriage, as their son, Dominicus, was married to Rembrandt’s cousin, Cornelia van Suytbroec. This familial tie established a close relationship between the two families. Rembrandt’s association with the couple is what makes these portraits all the more intriguing.

After being sold at an auction in 1824, the paintings found their way into the hands of a British family. For nearly two centuries, these masterpieces remained tucked away in their private collection, unbeknownst to the world. It wasn’t until recently that the significance of these artworks came to light.

Art experts and historians were astounded by the discovery. David Pettifer, an art consultant, expressed his amazement, stating, “What’s extraordinary is that the paintings were completely unknown. They had never appeared in any of the Rembrandt literature of the 19th or 20th century, so they were completely unknown.” This revelation adds a whole new chapter to Rembrandt’s oeuvre.

The portraits’ unique charm lies in their small size and intimate nature. They possess an air of spontaneity, revealing a close connection between the artist and the subjects. Unlike grand and formal commissioned paintings, these portraits offer a glimpse into the personal lives of Jan and Jaapgen.

For art enthusiasts eager to witness these extraordinary pieces, there is good news. The portraits will be exhibited in both New York and Amsterdam during June, offering a rare opportunity to admire them up close. Following the exhibitions, the paintings will be auctioned in July, where they are expected to fetch a substantial sum of money.

The recent discovery of two previously unknown Rembrandt portraits is nothing short of extraordinary. These small yet immensely significant artworks shed light on the artist’s personal relationships and highlight the connection between Rembrandt and the wealthy Van der Pluyn family. With their profound historical value and the intimate touch of the artist, these paintings are set to captivate art lovers and collectors alike.

Sofia Akel, a writer and cultural historian, has taken it upon herself to ensure that reading is not a privilege, but a right for everyone. Her non-profit organization, the Free Books Campaign, has given away over 6,000 books by authors of color to people who cannot afford them.

Akel’s love for books started at a young age when she would go to the library near her home to read. However, as she grew up, she realized that not everyone had the same access to books that she did. Many people couldn’t afford to buy books, and libraries in some areas did not have a wide selection of diverse authors.

This realization led Akel to form the Free Books Campaign in the UK in 2020. The non-profit organization collects books by authors of color and distributes them to people who cannot afford to buy them. The organization is funded by donations, and all the books are given away for free.

The Free Books Campaign has been a great success, having given away over 6,000 books so far. The non-profit’s website also allows people who cannot afford a particular book to email them with the name of the book they want. If the organization has the funding, they will buy the book and send it to the person for free.

Akel’s work with the Free Books Campaign has been recognized and appreciated by many people. She strongly believes that reading is a right and not a privilege and that everyone should have access to diverse authors and books.

The Free Books Campaign has also gained the attention of several organizations, and Akel has been invited to speak about her work at several events. She hopes that her organization will inspire more people to donate books and help spread the joy of reading to those who need it the most.

Australia’s endangered Booroolong frog has been the target of intensive protection efforts in recent years. For this unusual amphibian, there is finally some positive news after decades of population decline.

In Australia, the number of Booroolong frogs has decreased below 5,000 over the previous forty years. Human activity has caused habitat degradation and fragmentation, and imported predators and diseases have put them in danger. Recent conservation initiatives have demonstrated that it is feasible to stop this decline and save the Booroolong frog from extinction.

The destruction of the Booroolong frog’s natural habitat has been one of the major causes of its decline. One of the most important aspects of attempts to restore the frog’s habitat has been the removal of willow trees, which have occupied many waterways in Australia. It has been demonstrated that willow plants can cause erosion and sedimentation, which can harm the frogs’ habitats for breeding and foraging.

Recent flooding occurrences have also contributed to the increase in the Booroolong frog population in addition to habitat restoration. Australia’s east coast received significant rainfall in 2020, which led to widespread flooding. While many towns were devastated by these floods, the Booroolong frog population benefited from them. Many breeding events were noticed in areas where effective breeding had not occurred for many years because of the floods, which provided a perfect breeding environment for the frogs.

Programs for captive breeding and the release of captive-bred frogs into the outdoors are also part of the Booroolong frog’s conservation efforts. These initiatives have improved genetic diversity in the community and increased the number of Booroolong frogs in the wild.

In spite of these encouraging advancements, the Booroolong frog still confronts formidable obstacles in its struggle for survival. The effects of disease, habitat loss, and climate change continue to endanger the species. The Booroolong frog can recover and flourish once more, though, thanks to recent successes in conservation efforts.

Amsterdam created an underwater parking garage for up to 7,000 bicycles – how cool is that? They are known for their innovative approach to urban planning and sustainable transportation, and the underwater bicycle parking garage is no exception. It was built near Amsterdam’s central railway station to meet the city’s ever-increasing demand for bicycle storage.

The underwater parking garage was created with the city’s many cyclists’ needs in mind. It’s secure and dry and also outfitted with cutting-edge security features such as cameras and electronic locks. Bike thieves will have to look somewhere else! The garage is also open 24 hours a day, allowing cyclists to get their bikes whenever they need them.

The city of Amsterdam has long prioritized sustainable transportation and reducing its carbon footprint, and this underwater parking garage is just one example of the city’s efforts to make cycling more accessible and convenient. With more than 60% of Amsterdam residents cycling as their primary mode of transportation, the need for secure and easily accessible bike storage is more important than ever.

This underwater parking garage is not only functional, but it is also an engineering marvel. The structure was built in a unique way that allowed it to be placed underwater without disrupting the local ecosystem. This was accomplished by employing an interlocking concrete block system that was filled with sand and gravel to form a stable foundation.

The underwater parking garage exemplifies Amsterdam’s commitment to sustainability and innovative urban planning. It provides secure and accessible bike storage for residents and visitors to the city, and it serves as a model for other cities around the world looking to reduce their carbon footprint and promote sustainable transportation.

Being a genuine book author, as in writing traditionally for a published piece of work, has never been an easy path towards success. For every successful author that makes it, there are probably 10,000 would-be authors that never see the light of day. That said, Chelsea Banning is not one of them. She managed to achieve the first big leap in getting her first book published.

Along with publication, authors traditionally have to help with marketing their books, which means attending book signings in person. So, Chelsea made it known she would be present at a given booksigning located in Ohio one recent weekend. At least 40 people online confirmed they would show up for support. However, even though she took that metric and both her and the bookstore owner expected a showing, only two people visited. It was the straw that broke her back mentally.

Chelsea worked tirelessly to get her book accepted, published and put in print, being the first one in her trilogy. With a concept of picking up the story of what happened after King Arthur’s death, she put in a decade and half to see the book come to fruition. The lack of anyone showing up then for the booksigning was the final insult in her mind.

So, after an embarrassing day of sitting and staring at the insides of a bookstore and basically being ignored, Chelsea closed up, apologized to the bookstore owner, and went home. Trying to sleep it off didn’t help. So, she vented on Twitter about the experience and her literary frustration. Then, the unexpected happened.

There were responses. And, more interesting, they were not just people she knows or average folks online. Instead, a slew of famous and well-known book authors threw in their opinions, some humorous, all sympathetic and some reminded Chelsea that poor book-signing attendance was normal for a book author’s life. Many of the comparisons were personal and illuminating, being in stark contrast to the fame of the authors today. The names included Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Jodie Picoult and more. In fact, Chelsea’s post response read a bit like a who’s who among modern famous authors in 2022.

The best part, however, was the fact that Chelsea’s confidence was restored. Hearing from all the big names that have come before her, she’s realizing she’s not alone. And, yes, Chelsea is definitely planning to attend another book signing, even if someone mistakes her for help and asks where they can find the bathroom.