Blog Reunion Day - 2020

Natazukii started this idea, of a blog-reunion of all RA-bloggers.

What a lively community it had been back in the year 2012, celebrating a blog event, shows the Fanstravaganza page with all the linked articles.

I am now one of the mostly silent RA-blogs and am not at the height of all news and updates, so I don't feel comfortable with commenting all too much either.

Natazukii in her tweet wanted to know, what became of the former active bloggers.

Now, here is what I did in the meantime and what kept me from actively taking part in the fandom lately:

I learned a new technique (or rather many, and I am still actively learning more) to achieve some results I could not get elsewhere, or at least not with the necessary specifications, attention to detail and quality I expected from the results, as what I wanted crossed many disciplines and would require a whole boatload of specialists.

An example of some of the techniques I learned and what I have been doing is here:

But of course, my fingers were twitching to do something more RA-related. See what snapshots I caught:

Biker Richard

What glorious movie ideas run through my head, when I look at these images of biker Richard or sophisticated philanthropist Richard ... ;o)

Philanthropist Richard

But I also did something for fun in between all the work and so created a little (blue) 'Richard', as the little guy reminded me so much of stick figure Richard:

Little Blue Richard

So that was what I have been up to. Though not blogging about Richard, not entirely absent of the RAtmosphere.

I hope you enjoyed my journey and have a lovely BlogReunionDay 2020!

Preparations & Hindrances for an "Intrigue"

You will surely wait for my continuing with "Intrigue" ;o)

I started preparing by seeing the whole of "Spooks", from the first episode to the last, again.

The fragility of Lucas North in Spooks 7 and 8 just had me mesmerised and I needed some time to continue with watching the rest of Spooks.
I really need to come back to "Intrigue" now, for my own sake and sanity of mind.
The story line of Spooks 9 just fits in so well with my story (what a coincidence ;o)
No, I really need to sort things out in my head and make sense of all the loose ends, rummaging around in my head from watching Spooks 9 again.

A hindrance on my way to "Intrigue":

Currently, I have a very pessimistic world view (no wonder after all my problems with computers, but those are not the cause for a change ;o)
Though I go through life with an optimistic attitude, this optimism rarely extends to myself. It also does not extend to poli*tics.
Lately, my experiences with poli*ticians were very, very, ... bad (and I must add that I already don't want or expect anything from poli*tics).
As I put Al Delarmy in a position where poli*tics [should rather be written 'poly-ticks'] play some kind of a backgroud role, I fear to let my experiences shine through too much.

Al Delarmy has a sceptic attitude towards rules and rulers all on his own.
Still, I fear to influence him too much to take a bad turn (or reveal too much of my own poli*tical pessimism).
So now, though we are similar in our pessimism, I need to try hard to keep my pessimistic influence on him to a minimum, to let his version of it come out.

Perhaps it really is a good thing that I will meet him soon in Hamburg.
He always wins every argument with me, so after our meeting in person, I am sure his wishes will dominate my writing again.
I am so looking forward to meeting my very favourite spy (on his mission for his own cause now).

After watching Spooks 8 and 9, I certainly can say, that my infatuation is far from over.

(Source: Own screenshot from "Spooks" 9.7)
A perfect role-play in a multitude of difficult layers of his character,
not at this point all obvious to the viewer.

(Source: Own screenshot from "Spooks" 9.7)
An observing and in control Lucas, John, Al again,
after an 'acted' breakdown ?

I am certainly in love with RA depicting 'bad' characters:
John Mulligan, John Bateman ,though I still ignore the truth about that and think of him only as
Al Delarmy, when he is not Lucas North.

I still do fear Guy of Gisborne, so he is not among them. While the other bad characters could easily get what they want with me, Guy of Gisborne would have a much harder time with trying to manipulate me. Perhaps because he never manipulates, but uses brute force?
;o)

At the Heart of ... Everything

You will wonder (or not) what became of me, keeping silent on my blog for so long.
After all the time, I had intended to do a nice little RA post over the long weekend, which I intended to spend relaxed and lazy at home together with my parents.
But if I tell you what I do most of the time, since the end of last year and far beyond, you won't ask for long and won't wonder what I spend my time with.

Last year, after all the computer break downs I told you about (and lots I did not tell you about and just struggled through), I finally bought a new computer.
Happy me ;o)
Now, you would think, my problems would finally have ended.
No, they didn't, far from it.

The new computer breaks down on a regular basis,
and after a repair, destroyling many of my so far unsaved work and mails, I was close to going crazy.
To keep my files safe, I had bought a small server together with the computer. When I was finally ready to start working with it (a month after the purchase), it had given up cooperation, so I had to send it in for repair (and so my files had not been saved when needed),
and don't even get me started on my telephone services. I could strangle the customer service person and avoid going close to the service center in case I really might do it. I certainly hate the new telephone I had to purchase because of their mistake(s) and stupidity.


But now, off to a relaxed long weekend ...

I get home to my parents. Finally far from my own internet and telephone line, only my notebook, still crashing on a regular basis, with me. But after a while one gets used to everything, so no worry on my mind.

First day, coming home. - Everything is fine. I fall into bed, so safe distance from any computers ;o)

Second day - The computers and phone lines seem not to have recognised yet, that I am home. Everything works fine ;o)

Third day - The computers seem to know I am home. No internet, not even a mini tiny little bit, and I had not even touched the line. ;o(

So, back to my daily business. Calling the hotline.
It is a Saturday. Usual tests from the hotline reveal nothing. (Why am I surprised? My computer problems never are the simple stuff.) So it has to go to the main technical staff, but they only work for a few hours longer and not on Sundays. If no feedback comes till the end of the day, my parents and I will have to wait till Monday.
Of course, there is no feedback. Why should there be a solution for me, when I am close to the computers and internet line of my parents?


So now, back at my 'working-home' and with working computers around me, another main central computer is a bit bumpy. At least my date with the doctor is a bit further delayed, as I did not get an appointment yet. Perhaps early next month ...
At the moment I just think it might be a side effect of acute hay-fever, as my doctor had warned me might happen years ago.

But I must not delay, I must use the opportunity as long as everything is halfway working and must finish this post!

How glad was I, to find a cute RA, to console me. Kermit and RA ;o)
Kermit for me is strongly rooted in a time, where no computer was even close to my home or even remotely related to my work. So Kermit is an excellent respite ;o)

(I am not, as some seem to be, envious of Kermit. I would rather like to bring a smile to RA's face ;o) [You know I am too shy to fully confess how ;o) But Miss Piggi need not be envious of me, nor you.])

I wish you working computers and hearts and ..., just that everything is fine !

Success & Envy

Lately, the news around King Richard III has been so wonderful, so full of joy and interesting revelations for me, that I was totally overwhelmed.
The only thing which could have topped the happiness, would have been an interview by Richard Armitage about King Richard III, but though it was intended, so far did not happen.

So I watch the news, look out for RA mentions and hope for the best ;o)

Today, on my search for King Richard news, I found this article. As it so well meets other development right now, one even in fandom which has caused me to make myself a bit scarce here, it was able to raise my full attention.
It expresses such typical, such destructive, uncreative and contra-effective behaviour, that it totally gets my opposition. I fight this behaviour all my life. I see it, but mostly must observe it and this behaviour once when started can't be made undone or the things repaired it has destroyed. The creatives only can collect the remains which this destructive behaviour left intact - which at the end mostly are not many.

I never understood and most likely never will, what makes this behaviour such a daily occurrence and so well accepted in society, that all journalists readily apply it, politicians make decisions based on their lobbyists acting under this maxime, colleagues, choir buddies, family and friends find it totally acceptable and do not even think about it twice,
though it destroys everything in its vicinity, creations, immense amounts of work, friendships, relationships, happiness, ...

If it is the battle of the Cities, the now arising battle of Universities or the existing, silent battle inside fandom.

I don't support it, as I support real effort and work, but not those wanting to shine based on the work of others.
I know that makes me a lonely fighter against things others do not even recognize as a problem. But I won't willingly support the destruction of happiness and creativity, which are the main motivators for every single step of my life.

I am so happy that one person can instil creativity and motivate me to ever more effort in my life.

RA even sitting gives the impression of overflowing creativity.
(Source: RANet.com)

Thank you, Mr. Armitage!!!

A Picture of Perfection

Today, I got a wish granted !

Ali posted my picture of perfection (or is it the picture of the day?) on RichardArmitageNet.com:

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

This image is a shot in the middle of a transformation on his face. He goes from annoyed to amused to interested in milliseconds and a load of mini-expressions, which only Servetus could describe properly.

Though that small transition from amused to tolerant, just happening/having happened in this screenshot, is how I presume he would look at me, if he ever by accident should encounter me. Slightly amused, tolerant, patient, ... ;o)

Still, I would like to ask him so many questions, but in real life, I know I will not have the bravery to ask them ;o)

You ask what questions? 
Loads and loads and a heavy accumulation of notes and pieces of paper already.
Alone his Budapest connection and his trip to Vienna would give me loads of material to grill him - and I would not even need to mention the circus.

So it perhaps really is best, I am not a reporter.

Also I would like to ask him, why he once mentioned he would like to learn German. It for English ears must be a guttural language, as it uses more parts of the mouth than English speakers in general do. Would he go for a northern 'dialect', a middle/southern one or the strict stage language? Has he at all decided yet and what area(s) would he like to see and visit to accompany his language learning, if at all.

Another part I surely would ask RA without end, would be about his preparations for Spooks in series 9. What did he make of his character, what of John Bateman, what outlook did he give him, what alternatives had he prepared, what really worked out - what not, ...
What was planned with the not available helicopter at the end?
What differences / preparations he felt uneasy to leave behind from the two previous Spooks series?
How Spooks helped him for Thorin Oakenshield
. . .


And that still is entirely without mentioning King Richard III!

You see, it really is best, I never get close to RA, otherwise I would never stop asking questions ;o)


If you have questions you would like to ask him, please comment. Suggestions are very welcome, to complete my kilos of notes ;o)

A Re-Invention of Identity

Either "The Hobbit" or RA himself has changed RA.
It is hard to tell, if hard PR-training or the whole experience with "The Hobbit" caused the latest change, but there at ComicCon, I had the impression that a new RA appeared once again.
He no longer is John Porter, whom he even brought back to Spooks at the beginning of series 9, and he certainly no longer is Guy of Gisborne or John Thornton, not even the RA of those times.

The mature, self-confident man is new. What remains the same, is the overwhelming good humour and friendliness, so vividly twinkling in his eyes.

How should one ever fall out of fandom, with such an addictive actor?
How can one possibly resist the mischief lurking in his eyes?

Picture from the HitFix interview at ComicCon by Katie Hasty
More details, the video and my favourite quote are here at KRA

I certainly can't resist ;o)
whatever the latest developments in fandom are or do or show.


For me, the one character trait I admire over all else in others is, what I found so rich in my mother.
She is the loveliest woman in my life, not only because she is my mother, but I also see it in her interactions with other people.
She even has and ever had a good word about her enemies. You could now ask, when she is that good, why does she have enemies (and she had quite numerous ones during the time I grew up).
But enemies (and bullies or mean spirited people or however you want to call them) don't need a reason to be mean. They are strong against someone who is not like them, as mean spirited and as vile as they are. They feel strong, by discrediting someone else, by building themselves up in comparison to someone else they intentionally disgrace for their own pleasure, by putting stones in their 'object's' way, just for their own narrow-minded entertainment.

You see, I know all the interactions and expressions of meanness, as I had experienced enough of it, just because I came into the shooting line of the mean people trying to hit my mother.

I won't ever defend or give space to any attempt of meanness - and why I write that here - I also will eradicate and immediately delete any attempt of being mean or vile or harmful to either another fan or RA immediately and without hesitation here on this blog.

I at the same time want to stress, every fan open for the wonder of the exceptional beauty of the RA-fandom is welcome here.

Though, with a sad eye, I recognise, that the vile comments on i*m*d*b took their toll and already changed the tone among friends in the fandom. I won't participate and I won't take sides.

I just come back to the motto of my headline and perhaps we as fans can join RA and re-invent our identity after the latest struggles and become a loving, caring and loveable group of witty and funny RArmy girls again, who embrace each other in their differences and don't try to become a fan-police, where there is no necessity for it.


I certainly don't like certain parts of the fandom. I resist from involving myself in them and won't give them more attention than they deserve.
I can't stand certain discussions about RA, just because I just don't need them to be a fan or find his acting wonderful and cherish every appearance of him on screen. I admire his work, love what he does, feverishly await what he intends to do and support him to ease his way to do whatever he wants to do in the future.

That is my credo of fandom.
 

Men on a Telephone - ARGHHH .... - I urgently need some RA-Therapy!

Today, during work, I suddenly get a call on my mobile phone. I never get a call there, as I normally don't give out this number and I am generally available on my other phone which also is my business phone all day long anyway.
A man I don't know, speaking quite familiarly to me, oh, I just need to remember him. Do I? Oh ... yes..., he is the contact who liked my business site on Facebook today.
What do you think he wanted ... - No! You are wrong, no information about my company.

He wanted to invite me into a concert at the weekend. He comes down from his northern town to my town and just had the congenial idea, after he saw my picture, I could fill his spare time up nicely.

My thoughts were rather close to: Could I strangle him through a mobile telephone line?

Why on earth did he 'like' my business page? To soften me up for his approach?

Now, after taking a calming shower, my thoughts are going round what picture I could use on my Facebook profile instead? Oh, I have the idea, I should take a picture of my father! - But that would not match the name... Not good. It also would irritate the professional contacts who already know me by sight. So perhaps better leave it as it is.

Did I ever tell you what I think about German behaviour in social networks? - Better don't ask! (And fortunately there are exceptions, even to bad rules.)

And most fortunately of all, there is a therapy to go to and calm down ;o)

One man who only utters sensible things during interviews, where others would be short for words. Who even can nicely hold his ground, even in interviews with chatty interviewers.

John Mulligan can take me out to dinner any time he likes ;o)
Source: RichardArmitageNet.com (Edited)

Tomorrow, I will start into a wonderfully long weekend (Pfingsten) and will be far away from 'sofisticated southern town life'.

Have a nice weekend and wherever possible, hopefully a long and sunny one!

Fan-Art & King Richard

To do fan-art about RA and leave out another Richard, right now is something quite impossible to me ;o)
So please excuse, that I had to come back to King Richard with my fan-art.

I experimented a bit with the crown:

And finally, came back to my first King Richard Armitage black-and-white image, when it came to create my bag ;o)

Fan-Art Continued

Inspired by JazRangoon's creative idea, I continued with drawing, to get my mind focused.

As I am not so talented with colours or free drawing and painting myself, I went back to my black-and-white projects.
Some went well, others not so much (I will spare you the total spoils ;o)

I also have some images, where RA appeares softer, but you will immediately recognize, they do not resemble him that well.

That got me thinking, why I especially have pictures of an angry looking Richard Armitage around. They are on my working desk, behind me on my shelf (to get me back to work ;o)...

Astonishingly, RA looking severe and angry has the best effect on my working mood. I think it has to do, that as a ground tendency, I want to please and so an angry looking RA has the best effect on me trying to work harder to please ;o)
Not that it entirely works that way, fortunately we are much too complicated for that. But fortunately I have a few people around me who believe in me, as that is a very good motivator for me to work as well. As I doubt myself, only my doubts otherwise would motivate me to prove me wrong and I must admit, I am very hard to please.


So it is much better to have an angry looking RA around ;o)

Creative Fan-Art Project

I re-watched Spooks 7 – 10 lately.
The stunning thing for me was that Spooks 9 suddenly made more sense, whereas I still – or even more so than before – was disappointed about Spooks 10. Even some of the sentences uttered sounded a bit out of character / context / stiff / cliché, and I had to drag myself through the episodes, whereas Spooks 9 at least every minute was gripping. But let’s better talk about something else ;o)



e.g. about the "North & South" group-watch on 1st / 2nd of June 2012, initiated by Fanny/iz4blue. More details can be found on her specially created blog here.


And JasRangoon had such a brilliant idea, I as a rather minor artistically talented person had to take up immediately.
As I could not leave or send her the picture, I publish it here as a response to her blog post.

She suggested 'colouring' greyscale printed images of Richard Armitage and posted an example.

Here is my response and funny experiment in colouring CBeeBies

It was great fun and also set me back on a bit of a creative path again.
My further experiments and results will follow in the next days ;o)

Richard Armitage - Historical Interest for Men (7)

Sunday, March 18th

Last, but definitely not least!
• Freeform: Agzy shares with us her favorite Armitage paper doll
• Ana Cris examines Lucas North's tattoos through Maori tattoo culture
• Jas Rangoon premieres her new John Bateman fanvid
• In fandom, jazzbaby1 thinks RA fandom is just groovy!
• C.S. Winchester asks "naughty or nice?" in a picspam
• Mrs. E.B. Darcy thinks about Armitage's future after TH to wrap up the Hobbit chain
• Jo Ann offers the last King Richard Armitage post, on Richard III and the Tudors
• In fanfic, Maria Grazia reviews and compares works by the authors she's interviewed
• Gratiana Lovelace wraps up the event with a guest post by Melissa the Mouse!

Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of the event!

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Richard Armitage - Historical Interest for Men

Or: What historical interest of a man can tell a woman about him

When it comes to reading and book publications, one might get the impression, that women are especially interested in history. But what are the aspects, making history or the interest in history so very interesting for women?

In our research throughout the week, we already found out, that history is a very special combination for actors, mingles well with fantasy, all time periods do work for Mr. Armitage regarding clothing- and hair-styles, his interest for King Richard III is special, but today, we will find out, what does interest in history tell us about the man himself !

Some fans of Mr. Armitage hesitate to share his interest in King Richard III, because of ...
-  Missing interest in history (They remember boring schooldays, where they had to learn dry and boring names and dates. If they were anything like me, forgetting them after a short while ;o)
-  Missing splashyness or prestige of a historical topic
-  Minor financial backing for historical film projects
-  RA will be hidden in costume (Though he is in more costume and prosthetics now in “The Hobbit”.)

But those fans are missing out on the greater implications and secrets, this historical interest reveals to us women ;o)

Historical interest means:

Project Magazine (edited) -
Source: RANet.com

-  Attention to detail and patience (as the research to find out reliable material between all the spread propaganda and intentional misinformation is extensive. The good researcher must be willing to go on till he can be content with the results he found.)

-  Imaginative capabilities (see article FanstRAvaganza Day 2: History & Fantasy)

-  Understanding of complex connections, systems, rituals, behaviours, reasonings and motives

-  Open for intellectual challenges

-  Good with seeing the detail in complex contexts

-  Not too great or self-important, to let only the present rule; so needs to be openminded

-  Interested in different attitudes, approaches to life, systems to explain life and the world in general

Project Magazine (edited) -
Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

-  Interested in the great system and the reasons behind our presence. For example, where and why did society evolve in a certain way, why did mankind come to the dead end it is right now, what traditions lie behind certain behaviourisms, how did the legal system come to be the way it is, why do we have certain rules of politeness or a definitive feeling for what is adequate, ...

-  Good memory, to keep track of all complex and connected facts and diverse motives and influences. (Can well be used to remember birthdays and anniversaries and so of good use to keep a partner happy ;o)

- Well organized, as what a historian can't remember, he must be able to easily find again.  (or again patience, as what he does not find he has to search for ;o)

- It also is a sign that this man can stay quiet, do research or think and come up with the right answer at the right time, instead of trying to generally fight down other opinions, because he wants to dominate or feels cornered and wants to prove his superiority.

- He is an interesting partner in a discussion, because he has to tell something. His knowledge is based on his research and reading. Though I must admit, in my experience, I had to draw the dialogue out of their noses, as they tend to be quite shy and thoughtful persons and open up slowly, as they don't want to offend or bother someone who is uninterested in their topic.

Project Magazine (edited) -
Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

As a final result, historical interest in men is a sign of character-strength, which shows that this person is interested in more than his own self. (In my experience really a major advantage and sure sign of historians or historically interested men, compared to 'ordinary men' ;o)

So watch out and if you don't already have one, search for a good historian or historically interested man like Mr. Armitage ;o)  [Be careful to evade the 'blenders' who only have one topic they repeat time over time again, as a kind of chat-up line.]


<<  FanstRAvaganza now came to an ending. I hope you have enjoyed the journey through history and had or still have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the wonderful articles of this year's FanstRAvaganza, collected here at the FanstRAvaganza-Index-Page. >>

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I don't need to mention who made this wonderful banner and you will know anyway ;o)

Richard Armitage & Historical Hairstyle (5)

Friday, March 16th

Friday F3!
In the Hobbit chain, Mrs. E.B. Darcy projects what our hero may do in TH: There and Back Again
• Ana Cris discusses a Maori ceremony Mr. Armitage witnessed in New Zealand's mountains
• In King Richard Armitage, fitzg guestposts at judiang's on non-Richard roles for Armitage in a Richard III project
• In fanfic, Jas Rangoon continues  her modern N&S fic
• Maria Grazia presents an interview with Cat Winchester and giveaway of her book, Northern Light
• In freeform, fedoralady asks about our dream Armitage-narrated audiobooks
• John Thornton wonders if anyone else could play him
• Agzy discusses Heinz Kruger's sartorial choices -- and what's underneath them!
• In fandom, jazzbaby1 maps Armitage in the Tommyverse

Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day.

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Richard Armitage - Historical Hairstyle

In Search of a Hairstyle for King Richard III

In yesterday's post, we saw, that Mr. Armitage has the admirable ability to make all costumes and all time settings work for him. He looks fascinating as Roman Soldier, intriguing as a gangster from Chicago of the 1920th and admirably free-spirited as a road-gang leader of the mid 20th century.
That he can make a King Richard III work for us on screen, I have no doubt at all.
But, while engaging in activities for KingRichardArmitage, I met various opinions regarding Mr. Armitage playing a historical figure of the late 15th century.
Some complained, the 15th century had such awful hairstyles. Can't he play someone more attractive?
I only could shake my head and think: Really, how could you doubt that Mr. Armitage would make that work, that he would look attractive in whatever he wore or whatever hairstyle they put upon him. (Sidenote: He even makes a 'hairy dwarf' look good ;o)


How could one not like Richard Armitage with long hair after seeing such pictures?

"Robin Hood", ep. III.5 - Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

What better proof  could there be than longhaired Sir Guy of Gisborne?

So I think I need not prove that Mr. Armitage can indeed make the Renaissance hairstyle work for him, but rather must show you the comparison and similarity of the hairstyles:

Source: Cardiff Church window by Leo Reynolds

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com (edited)

The hairstyle already looks very similar. Add the right cap or a crown, and King Richard is ready to go.


Though I like Mr. Armitage with beard:

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com (edited)

I also find him quite adorable without one.

And I am quite sure that at least the anti-beard fraction of fans will agree, that Mr. Armitage without a beard is quite a sight.

Source: armitage-online.ucoz.ru

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

The sideburns (Koteletten) Mr. Armitage mostly wears, (visibly in the right picture and especially pronounced in his role in "North & South") in my continental view clearly declare him to be a British man ;o)
My grandfather called them something like 'hearing stoppers'. I think I already mentioned once here on the blog, that my grandfather could make fun of everything and brought a smile to every face ;o)



Beard Excursion:
King Richard III is said to have been clean shaven, so no Thorin-look possible or one like the late photo shoots with Mr. Armitage.
To be well groomed was the expression of a well versed man in society. To control one’s body was a sign to show that one could rule the surrounding world as well, when one was in control of oneself.
A very distant idea, when one considers our 'flower-power' era. Our more recent attention to well groom one’s body, first the womans body, legs, arms, eyebrows, etc, ;o) – I won’t go into any more detail – does result from an entirely different motivation:
Here the wish to appear younger is the leading motive, which is associated with less and more controlled growth of hair on the body.
So you see, by far not as honorable motives as in the late 15th century.

Source. Wikimedia.org

To continue the discussion of yesterday with the historical costumes, to fill the time gaps in his historic performances, I would like Mr. Armitage to play Friedrich von Schiller. But then he would have redish hair and mostly would be pressed to wear a white powdered and awfully scratchy wig. (Immediately my protection mode is activated ;o) So perhaps I should refrain from that wish and let him have his natural colour or black like in most of his roles.







Servetus just added a wish for him to play John Locke, which I would support, though here, he would be forced to wear wigs or at least powder his hair too.

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

And the natural style, if short or long or middle or ruffled or wet ...
just pleases him very well.

Franz Liszt by Henri Lehmann (1839)-
Source: Wikimedia.org

But perhaps the artistic genius Franz Liszt, who had quite an effect on the women of his time, might be something for him? Here he would not need to change the hair colour, could bring in his musical talent, though Liszt did not play the cello, but the piano. But a similar effect on womankind is already in place.













Conclusion
So after adding different hairstyles to yesterday's different costumes, I would say, Mr. Armitage is well versed to make long, short, overflowing much, extremely short hair and different colours work. So no limit far and wide to see here, why any kind of role should be unavailable for him. (Though I would not want him to play just everything, only the roles he likes ;o)


Mr. Armitage can make every time, style and context work for him, so either historical or contemporary roles are open for him, as he makes everything a perfect experience for us viewers.


Have an enjoyable rest of the FanstRAvaganza-Week !


<<  Tomorrow follows my contribution to the KingRichardArmitage tagged blog chain about why I admire Richard Armitage for wanting to do the film about "King Richard III"  >>

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I don't need to mention who made this wonderful banner and you will know anyway ;o)

Richard Armitage & Historical Costume (4)

Thursday, March 15th

Half over, already!
• In King Richard Armitage, Servetus admits to (gasp!) stray thoughts while lecturing
• In fanfic, Margaret Hale guestposts at John Thornton's on why she loves him
• Jo Ann continues her story
• In freeform, Jas Rangoon jokes about potential reproductive partners for Mr. Armitage
• Itsjsforme reveals another Guy of Gisborne PSA (still not safe for work!)
• Gratiana Lovelace needs more help captioning "Whimsical Moments with Deadly Serious ChaRActers!"
• In fandom, IngeD3 focuses on Ricky Deeming
• Fabo confesses her Richard Armitage eyelash fetish!
• In the Hobbit, it's calories galore as Antonia Romera discusses fingerlicking at the Hobbit table
• The Queen takes on Hobbit cakes

Links to all FanstRA 3 posts appear here at the end of each day.

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Are Men Especially Attractive in Historical Costume?

Analysis on basis of Mr. Richard Armitage

This question in regard to Mr. Armitage in general is quite difficult to answer. With an attractive actor to begin with, it is hard to judge objectively. But I will try and will give you examples to judge for yourself.

The earliest historic reference we have of Mr. Armitage, is of him being a Roman soldier, around 40 BC.
(I have not seen the film, so no more exact dating or comment about the film here.)

Source: RichardArmitageNet.com (edited & combined)

 
He certainly cuts a fine figure on a horse and the Roman style is not exactly unbecoming.

Source: RichardArmiatageNet.com

Unfortunately then, Mr. Armitage takes a long break and does not appear for more than thousand years.
From the strange style of his clothing, it is a bit hard to exactly date his next appearance in time as Sir Guy of Gisborne. But I would say, something about high Middle Ages (and lots of Fantasy-land).

He perhaps traveled with the Roman invaders, as now, he is in England (that for a strange coincidence is situated in Hungary, another part of the Roman Empire) and certainly developed a liking for dark colours in his clothing.



Then again Mr. Armitage leaves us for many a hundred years, though reminiscent to his earlier appearances either jumps from the Roman Empire to the British Empire and continues his preference for black cloths. As John Thornton he continues his way north, though only slightly from his last appearance in Nottingham castle.

Mr. Armitage's next sightings are closer together and he slowly approaches our time.
Here some excerpts of his later appearances in history:

Malice Aforethought - Source: RichardArmitageNet.com

Mr. Armitage seems to develop a liking for top-hats, reminiscent to Mr. Thornton.

Mary Lloyd (around 1900 AD) - Source: RANet.com

Ordeal by Innocence (around 1910 AD) -
Source: RANet.com

Clearly not happy without a hat.

Captain America (around 1910 AD) -
Source: RANet.com

But Mr. Armitage really would make a good gangster boss in Chicago in the 1920th, though the hat is missing ...

George Gently (around 1950 AD) -
Source: RANet.com

Even after the Great Wars in the 20th century, Mr. Armitage has historic coverage of the time.
















We then already come to more contemporary roles, but as we all know those well, I will leave them out, as they do not especially classify as 'historical', at least not from our point of view as contemporaries.

But what we discovered in this overview, Mr. Armitage still has wide historical gaps to cover. So to come back to my favourite topic, a King Richard III really would fill one of the gaps nicely.

But for imagining him in such a time, we mostly must rely on (unmanipulative manipulations of) historical material.

Topic Excursion about King Richard III and Venice:
What I would rather rule out for King Richard is, that he, like William Shakespeare depicted him, was a bodily impaired king.
Though at a timebreak and at the end of our later defined time period of the "Middle Ages", still some rules of reign significant for the earlier Middle Ages dominated the thinking of the population.
King Richard III by Shakespeare is described as the hunchbacked king.
In my view, for the time of the late 15th century it is not possible for one to become king, have a hunchback and this stay unmentioned for his whole life. If that would have been the case, it would have been discussed not only in England by all his subjects, but also on the continent by all visiting diplomats and traders coming into or hearing news about the country. The topic would have spread, together with a firestorm of a debate, if an impaired king could hold the divine right to rule a country. (As impairement still in a way was recognized as God's punishment.)
Especially when even the healing ceremony is documented for King Richard III’s coronation and nobody would have believed an impaired king to have the divine healing ability, when he could not even heal himself.

It also must be mentioned, that the late 15th century was a time of spies, informal informants and a well established news system covering the whole of Europe. Among the best informed diplomats and chroniclers of the time are the Venetians, though all Italian states were well informed, to support their trade and interests.
Unfortunately, there is a reason why we have rather little knowledge about King Richard III’s time from sources in Italy, the first and mostly reliable (or at least reliable to act in their own interest and write history under that premise) chroniclers of that time. The War of the Roses brought insecurities  and something traders can’t use is insecurity, especially when each side of the rivaling parties tended to gilden their war coffers by confiscating the goods of foreign traders. Therefore, the most reliable and effective sources of the time, the Venetians with a well established state propaganda (today we would call it “well advised advertisement”) and state collected history, are mostly silent about King Richard III.
Venice was hit by anti-foreigners assaults against their property once too often during the War of the Roses and so they drew back their diplomats from England.
Unfortunately that leaves us without the best chroniclers of the time, as they only returned after King Richard III’s reign.
Though their informal sources, as a well informed town like Venice never left a potential market completely, did not mention a hunchbacked king, but rather a just king. It even is, as far as some researchers go, due to King Richard’s levelheaded reign that Venice decided to send their diplomats back. It only came to fruition after King Richard III’s death and so the Tudor dynasty passively profited from King Richard III’s good management of the state once more.
King Richard III is said to have preferred the Italian style of clothing and also admired and supported learned men from the University of Padua, which belonged to The Serenissima, the town of Venice, at that time.
Still, King Richard III also limited the power of the foreign traders, by demanding an exchange in goods, so that the foreigners could not only draw out money and gold from England, but also had to buy goods from England in return for their own goods as well. (A fair trade principle, but when we see today’s markets, it did not survive into our days.)

But now you really deserve an Italian styled 'King Richard' image:

RA as Italian Nobleman (15th century) -
Source: Catalogue by Frick Collection (edited)

As now also the 'hunchback'-topic is out of the way, I will show you some (slightly manipulated) contemporary sources for Mr. Armitage appearing as King Richard III: (Please excuse the sometimes bad picture quality. I did not have better source material available to use.)

Anne Neville - Richard III and their son -
Source: Wikimedia.org (edited)

King Richard III -
Source: Wikimedia.org

RA as Man in King Richard III's time -
Source: Dion Clayton Calthrop "Historical Costume"

As a result of today's journey through time, we found out, that Mr. Armitage fits into all periods and traveled far and wide through time. He still has some large gaps to cover, but otherwise, at least I come to the result, that he can wear and make each costume work excellently for him and his character.
Time difference is no hindrance for him, so the historical roles can come flowing in now. I would not mind at all ;o)


Please let me know your thoughts and what time period you especially would like Mr. Armitage to select.

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Doge Loredan -
Source: Wikimedia.org

And as I have talked so much about Venice today, I will also reveal a secret wish of mine to you:
I would also like Mr. Armitage to play that historic person, when King Richard III is finished, of course ;o)
(Portrait is by Giovanni Bellini of the Venetian Doge Leonardo Loredan.)
The high age this person reached, leaves Mr. Armitage quite some more time, though I am not sure how Mr. Armitage would look with the hair hiding cap of the Venetian Doges. But more regarding 'Hair' tomorrow ;o)






Have a wonderful FanstRAvaganza Week!


<<  Tomorrow I will continue this topic with adding my musings about Mr. Armitage and historic hairstyles.  >>

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