LONDON Anton Slepyshev Jersey , April 14 (Xinhua) -- A new exhibition here exploring the remarkable life and work of 17th-century artist and naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian is to open at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace on Friday, the Royal Collection Trust said on Thursday.

 

Telling the extraordinary story of Merian through her works in the Royal Collection, Merian's Butterflies presents images of the natural world. Several of her pieces in the exhibition are going on public display for the first time.

 

Of the 49 watercolors included in the exhibition, many depict the flora and fauna of Suriname Brian Ferlin Jersey , taken from Merian's ground-breaking publication Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, published in 1705.

 

Partially printed and partially hand-painted on large sheets of vellum by the artist, these versions of the Metamorphosis plates were collected by King George III for his scientific library at Buckingham House.

 

One of the leading naturalists of her day, Merian developed an interest in the life cycle of insects from a young age and her curiosity led her to undertake an unusual and dangerous expedition to study specimens in the wild.

 

In 1699, aged 52 Pontus Aberg Jersey , Merian travelled to the Dutch colony of Suriname in South America. Without any official patronage and selling the contents of her studio in Amsterdam to finance the journey, Merian, accompanied by her daughter Dorothea, undertook the arduous two-month journey across the Atlantic.

 

Merian and her daughter settled in the country's capital Paramaribo and for two years worked in the hot and humid climate, making trips into the rainforest to collect insects. They nurtured the caterpillars they collected and recorded the transformation from chrysalis to butterfly in beautiful detailed drawings.

 

The watercolors with the artist's annotations later formed the basis of Merian's Metamorphosis publication.

 

Merian's studies were not limited to insects. She also made colorful drawings of the lizards Zack Kassian Jersey , crocodiles and snakes of South America, including a Golden Tegu lizard -- an aggressive creature native to Suriname and one of the largest lizards in the world.

 

Exhibition curator Kate Heard of Royal Collection Trust said: ""Merian's determination to understand the world around her took her on an incredible adventure, and her artistic skill allowed her to express her findings through truly beautiful works of art. Her watercolours remain as fascinating to us today as they were when they were first painted.""

 

Royal Collection Trust, a department of the Royal Household, is responsible for the care of the Royal Collection and manages the public opening of the official residences of The Queen.

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　　BRUSSELS， April 8 (Xinhua) -- The EU said on Friday the European Investment Fund (EIF) has signed two new agreements to provide a further 400 million euros (456.3 million U.S. dollars) in finance to innovative SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in Italy over the next two years.

 

　　The EU said in a statement the two agreements were signed with Banco Popolare， the fourth largest banking group in Italy， and Banca Popolare di Bari (BP Bari)， an Italian banking group.

 

　　The EIF and Banco Popolare have signed an agreement which would benefit 1，500 innovative companies in Italy and will allow Banco Popolare to provide 300 million euros of bank loans to innovative companies over the next two years， said EIF's chief executive Pier Luigi Gilibert in a statement.

 

　　The agreement with BP Bari will bring 100 million euros in fresh loans to innovative Italian SMEs.

 

　　""Today's agreements mark yet more good news for SMEs in Italy. Thousands of growing， innovative businesses can now access fresh loans worth EUR 400 million in total. Once again I congratulate Italian banks for showing such initiative and collaborating with the EIF so effectively，"" said Jyrki Katainen， European Commission Vice-President responsible for Jobs， Growth， Investment and Competitiveness.

 

　　The EIF is part of the European Investment Bank group. Its central mission is to support Europe's SMEs by helping them to access finance.

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Finance > Insurance > Home InsuranceCement Home Ownership With 30-year Mortgage Rates

Posted by nick_niesen in Finance on October 29th Al Montoya Jersey , 2010

 

A house is made of walls and beams, while a home is built with love and dreams. Both house and home have one ingredient in common, however, and that is mortgage. If your house is the substance your dreams are made of, mortgage payments may be fodder for several nights' worth of nightmares.

 

Loan Term

 

In home loan lending Iiro Pakarinen Jersey , loan term refers to the period over which you must make payments. Different loans have different terms. The safest term to go for is fixed-rate mortgage. Under this type, your monthly mortgage payments do not change over the life of your loan. You may take your pick from a multitude of terms, such as 5, 10, 15 Ryan Stanton Jersey , 20, 25, and 30 years. This article will focus on the merits of getting 30-year mortgage rates.

 

Advantages of Getting 30-Year Mortgage Rates

 

A 30-year mortgage is the granddaddy of all home loans in home loan lending. As a rule of thumb, the longer the loan term, the lower the monthly payments. If you get 30-year mortgage rates Jujhar Khaira Jersey , your monthly dues will be so affordable you will have more disposable income for your living expenses. Furthermore, you will be able to funnel more money towards your savings for retirement, tuition, or whatever purpose you have in mind.

 

The good thing about having extra cash is that you may use it to make additional payments on your mortgage balance. This will help shorten the term of your loan.

 

Another benefit of availing of 30-year mortgage rates is that it is easy to get a loan approved if it comes with longer terms. In fact, with longer terms Ty Rattie Jersey , you may even be able to get a larger or finer house. In home loan lending, long-term lo. Cheap Puma Shoes   Cheap New Balance   Cheap New Balance Shoes   Cheap New Balance Classic   Cheap New Balance 574   Cheap New Balance Sale   Cheap Nike Presto Sale   Cheap Air Presto White   Cheap Air Presto Ultra Flyknit   Cheap Air Presto Mid Utility