"But where shall wisdom be found?" [Job 28: 12]. Not necessarily, it would appear, within the pages of Wikipedia. For only recently, in pursuit of something entirely different, we happened upon a self published, biographical entry which, at best, from certain knowledge, was entirely flawed and, at worst, totally misleading. That it had been amended some thirty-seven times was, we felt, indicative of the false premise upon which it had been based.
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| Russian Poster 1969: Lenin, Pravda [Truth] |
Things, as Grigori Aleksandrovich Potemkin knew only too well, can be deceptive. In order to impress the Russian Empress Catherine II on her tour of the Crimea in 1787, he installed a number of sham villages along the route in order to demonstrate to her the prosperity, neatness and order to be found, even in the remotest corner of the Empire, of the great Motherland over which she ruled.
And so he gave rise to the term 'Potemkin', to mean 'sham', 'false', even 'untrue'. Ideas, as is well known, are infectious. It comes, therefore, as little surprise to learn that by the time of his death in 1791, a row of cottages in the village of Tattingstone in Suffolk was already being encased in the stonework of a 'church', complete with 'tower', as a means of improving the landscape for the local landowner.
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| front facade of 'church' cottages at Tattingstone, Suffolk |
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| rear view of cottages revealing sham 'church' and 'tower' |
Almost 100 years later, in 1888, the Templeton Carpet Factory in Glasgow was built with a frontage inspired by the Doge's Palace in Venice to a design so grand that it could not, after several planning applications, be rejected by the then Glasgow Corporation.
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| the facade of the Templeton Carpet Factory, Glasgow |
Once completed, those rich enough to live in the nearby Monteith Row were daily transported from their drawing room windows to the Serenissima, rather than to be confronted with the unsightly trappings of late nineteenth century industry. Such overt deception!
Today, one of our young Russian friends, Dmitry, informs us that the competitors' accommodation, currently under construction in Sochi on the Black Sea for the 2014 Winter Olympics, is considered Potemkin - all front and very little substance. Or, as our mothers would have said, all fur coat and no knickers!!
Very interesting Jane and Lance. I wasn't aware of the Suffolk church facade but of course because it's not far from here, the Templeton factory is quite famous. What a magnificent facade it is.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you enjoyed your weekend away.
Such craftsmanship in this post!
ReplyDeleteI love Potemkin, Wikipedia however should be treated wuth caution, it's like a learned friend who gets a little bit drunk and turns into a buffoon
This is absolutely fascinating - I had no idea! I have photographed the Templeton Carpet Factory building in Glasgow often and had no clue what lay behind it the building of it. I've often thought it sits 'like a pea on a dumpling', as we say here, as behind and beside this beautiful structure there are very grey, drab council houses! Plus the magnificent Doulton Fountain and "The People's Palace", which portrays exactly how the poor of Glasgow lived!
ReplyDeleteWill bear this in mind when I link to Wikipedia.
Craig:
ReplyDeleteWe are so pleased that you like the factory facade too. It is, as you say, splendid.
We had a wonderful time away, thank you. No doubt, more shall be revealed in future posts.
Bourbon and Pearls:
ReplyDeleteYour description of Wikipedia is so perfectly apt. Although there are the cautionary warnings, it is all to easy to overlook them and be completely taken in.
And yes, Potemkin sounds to have been a most inventive man. A perfect virtual dinner party guest we think.
Bella Bheag:
ReplyDeleteWe just find the whole idea of buiding sham villages, castles, churches and palaces completely fascinating. And, we rather think that there is more 'Potemkin' around than perhaps we realise.
We love the description of 'pea on a dumpling' and can well appreciate how perfectly this describes the whole scene.
Glad to have you back and with what is a really interesting post. Great pictures as well. Diane
ReplyDeleteI always learn such alot when I visit your blog. Thanks for sharing yoir latest snippet, hope you had a good break
ReplyDeleteFood, Fun and Life in the Charente:
ReplyDeleteWe are so pleased that you enjoyed the post and thank you for your warm welcome back!
Caroline Lovis:
ReplyDeleteThere are so many strange things in the world and we are always fascinated to learn about them too.
We did enjoy a wonderful time away, thank you!
We tuttut about lies, smoke and mirrors in modern day life when we should remember that human nature is now, and always has been, given to put a "pretty aspect" on things.
ReplyDeleteSometimes for the better, as you have shown with your industrial frontage, sometimes for the worse. But who is to judge. The one who creates the illusion clearly feels justified and always entitled. So often lies are ostensibly "for the good" of the ones being lied to.
While I personally have no great problem with small, polite lies, the major untruths irritate and annoy at the same time as they make me feel even more cynical than usual.
Plus ça change . . .
I had never seen either of those two sham buildings! We in Bath have the famous 'Sham Castle', built to improve the view from Ralph Allen's town house, but at least he never forced anyone to live or work in it!
ReplyDeleteIn Simon Sebag Montefiore's wonderful book Cathrine the Great and Potempkin he states that it was Potempkin's foes who created the rumor that nothing had been done in the South and that the whole show was a stupendous fraud, and that there is absolutely no evidence in Potempkin's own orders or in the accounts of eye-witnesses for the "Potempkin villages." The deception was dreamed up by his foes to discredit him. Potempkin's work in Russia's South was in fact impressive and real. This pleases me because I find Potempkin a very simpatico historical figure.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Glasgow for a few years and loved the Templetons Carpet Factory building. I like buildings which are not quite what you expect them to be. The Central Electricity Lighting Station in Cheltenham is another example. Designed in 1895 by the Borough Surveyor, Joseph Hall, it replicates the Strozzi Palace in Florence..............Rosemary
ReplyDeleteThere is always the temptation to deceive when the state or a subsidiary of it tries to hide the truth. We are all too familiar with it here. Perhaps less so in physical images, but certainly in what is allowed in thought and deed. All rather sad, and an admission that things are rotten in the "state of Denmark". I enjoyed the historical references you gave. The internet and the wider information sources it provides is a great tool to break down lies. Arab Spring et al.
ReplyDeleteFriko:
ReplyDeleteWe identify very much with what you have written here. As you say, to 'put a good front on things' can be an admirable quality but to deliberately deceive for particular gain can be incredibly irritating to say the least. The trouble is, sometimes, sorting out which is which, especially in a foreign land when so much can be 'lost in translation'!!
Tom Stephenson:
ReplyDeleteTalking of 'sham castles', of course, both Belvoir in Leicestershire and Eastnor in Herefordshire are not what they first appear to be. However, both are lived in!
Paul Gervais de Bédée:
ReplyDeleteHow perfectly splendid that you put forward the other, more accurately researched, view of Potemkin's influence and work, which we are sure is most likely nearer to the truth. Dmitry, our Russian friend, says the word 'Potemkin' in Russia has come today to mean everything which is without any real substance. This is perhaps rather hard on Potemkin!
Anonymous-Rosemary:
ReplyDeleteAlthough we have visited Cheltenham many times over the years, we were totally unaware until now of the Central Electricity Lighting Station. When next we have occasion to be in Cheltenham, we shall certainly seek it out!
Columnist:
ReplyDeleteSmoke and mirrors is certainly a way of life for many in Hungary, although the people in general are getting pretty adept at spotting fake promises as they have had so much practice over the years.
Perhaps we go more for the description 'Middle East Firestorm' than 'Arab Spring'.
The faux-church is wonderful. But not all such trickery is so. Crazy paving on the outside of houses fools no-one, and my own faux-painted-marble is always intended to appear as such. I believe faux-blow-up-policemen by the roadside work well, and faux military kit usually puts the wind up an enemy.
ReplyDeleteIs there perhaps a range of make-up named 'Potempkin'?
What an education your post provides! Now I have something fascinating to delve into and learn more about. Fascinating -- both the history of Potemkin, the man, and the word as description...
ReplyDeleteSo good to have you back again -- the 'blogosphere' is just not the same without you!!
Cro Magnon:
ReplyDeleteWe are at one with you over crazy paving...anywhere! We have a penchant for faux marble and are terribly impressed that you are able to do this. We sit for hours and marvel at it in Venetian churches. And yes, the dummy tanks of World War II, we had completely forgotten about them.
Maquillage de Potemkin....we think that it could be a winner!
How fascinating, Jane and Lance. I must immediatley go and find out more....
ReplyDeleteWe used to live not far from Tattingstone and always felt that the cottages had a faintly embarassed air as if apologising for their 'makeover'.
ReplyDeleteLove the Templeton carpet factory photo. I may not always like the look of the result, but I do love the way they always married the decorative with the functional--even when taste wise it was OTT :-)
Antoinette
The Broad:
ReplyDeleteWe found it all fascinating too, and intrigued that clearly in Russia today they see the Winter Olympic village as something of a Potemkin revival.Although, one does have a sneaky feeling that the man was much maligned, after all Catherine the Great was no fool!
Perpetua:
ReplyDeleteIt is all the stuff of argument and counter argument......so finding the truth could take some time!
Niall and Antoinette:
ReplyDeleteIt made us smile to think of the Tattingstone cottages as 'embarrassed'!! Yes, as you say, although one may not always approve of the final 'makeover', the bravura of something like the Templeton Carpet Factory can only be admired.
My Russian family had wonderful expressions that were trotted out on many occasions. I don't know "all fur coat and no knickers" from personal use, but I know exactly what it means :)
ReplyDeleteHels:
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have a Russian family, such an interesting country and fascinating people. Perhaps for them, especially in Siberian winters, fur coats AND fur knickers would be the order of the day!
I love to view things from the corner of my eye - where imagination is required to make some sense of a glanced vision. This post has the same effect on me! Love it - thank you!
ReplyDeleteAx
Very interesting indeed. I am reading through all the comments.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting post. I feel that perhaps I am a little 'potemkin' myself - underneath the powder and paint is the real me, rarely seen!
ReplyDeletewow how absolutely fascinating...I never knew about any of those!!
ReplyDeleteThe main streets of many small Canadian town are false fronted buildings, appearing very grand from the street, but merely plain boxes from the rear.
ReplyDeleteA most interesting post. Thank you.
Welcome home Jane and Lance
ReplyDeleteAgain, a wonderful post which invites questions. Now I know who to blame as the source for these mirages which fester cities. One such craze in North America is the ubiquitous trompe l'oeil paintings on architecturally displeasing walls/buildings/bridges. Potemkin you played your trump card, or should I say your three card trick, when you put Las Vegas under your spell. Recently someone announced, "I used travel to Italy but now I don't have to be bothered by airport security and passport control and such as Las Vegas has all it all from gondolas to palaces when I stay at the Venetian Hotel"
Mr. Potemkin,with respect, please just be yourself and take some well deserved rest, you have made your point(s). R.I.P.
I must run and apply my makeup now
Hugs
Helenxx
I have to say it was a pleasant surprise for me to hear how often this phrase gets used in the UK.
ReplyDeleteNatalia is off to Russia this Saturday on a Grand Tour of Sochi - just to see the scale of Potemkin Villages there. :)
My recent favourite phrase is Potemkin Numbers though - false or misleading stats that politicians and corporations use to make their point.
As I read your post and the accompanying comments I keep thinking over and over, "all that glitters isn't gold". As always an informative and entertaining post.
ReplyDeleteThe modern equivalent? Large hotels, especially in Asian countries where the gliz and glam of the foyer is not repeated in the rooms. This possibly applies to other countries too, but I have not been a guest at such. It's a pity such sayings as 'all fur coat and no knickers' are disappearing from modern speech. Australia had many imported from the UK and Ireland and added many of our own.
ReplyDeleteAnnie:
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful, and imaginative, interpretation you put on this post. And such a good way of looking at life. We go some way towards achieving a similar effect but in our case it is because of myopia.
Ana Degenaar:
ReplyDeleteWe are so pleased that you find the post of interest. We always feel that through the comments which others are kind enough to leave, the scope of the subject is widened considerably and in so many different ways.
Vintage Jane:
ReplyDeleteAh, Marina, what an interesting idea and one in which you remain enigmatic. We shall, in future, read your posts with a great deal of care, looking to discover and place the 'real' you!!!
Young at Heart:
ReplyDeleteLike you, we are always so very excited to discover something new, or about which we knew very little, when reading someone else's blog. One learns so much.
Razmataz:
ReplyDeleteGrand facades, behind which are quite modest and undistinguished buildings, seem, from what you say, to be fairly commonplace in most countries. Are humans, by nature, inclined to be pretentious?!
Helen Tilston:
ReplyDeleteOh, indeed, here you touch on yet another horror - the ubiquitous trompe l'oeil which appears without rhyme or reason and is, in most cases, totally unconnected with its surroundings and often, we are afraid to say, rather badly executed.
But the story you relate of Las Vegas leaves any criticism of inappropriate trompe l'oeil completely in the shade. What a nightmare and one from which, we earnestly trust, we shall be forever spared! Whatever, it, and your wonderfully witty comment, have made us laugh which has, in turn, made our day.
Jane and Lance~
ReplyDeleteAnother fascinating post! Bourbon and Pearls apt description of Wikipedia had me laughing out loud~
MoscowLondon:
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful for an authentic Russian perspective on all things Potemkin and we shall certainly look to Natalia to report exactly on the quality of the 'village' being built at Sochi - such a strange choice, as Dmitry pointed out, with its temperate climate. Why not Siberia - guaranteed to be cold in winter?!!
Now, Potemkin Numbers. So useful for governments facing the ballot box!
Tell Dmitry we very nearly used his gift instead of the Lenin poster. But it is bound to come in!
Bonnie:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. As you say, 'The Merchant of Venice' is quite a close call! Wise Bassanio!
Andrew:
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right about modern day, large hotels where the entrance foyer and public rooms show conspicuous spending and where the bedrooms, all too often, are uniformly dull.
Yes, it is a pity when phrases which can suggest so much in so few words fall out of common use.
Cheryl:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. We are pleased that you enjoyed the post. Yes, we entirely agree. Tabitha [Bourbon and Pearls], who has a wonderful way with words, summarises Wikipedia exactly. But it is rather sad that there are those who try to promote themselves by publishing autobiographical entries which are entirely without external verification.
Wikipedia entries are often a collaborative fiction, intriguingly grounded in fact, and always so charmingly accessible. The church is wonderful! I'm just popping out to do some measuring with a view, God Willing, to erecting something similar around my own place.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic & thoughtful post. All fur coat & no knickers is one of my mothers favourite sayings. Sums up quite a lot of modern consumerist values don't you think? Would not live back in 'the good old days' - think you have shown beautifully that it was ever thus. x
ReplyDeleteAgain, I learn something interesting reading your post. Smoke and mirrors comes to mind; what you see is not necessarily what is.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago we traveled out west through California, Arizona and Nevada. After enjoying the sights of the Pacific, the splendor of the red rocks of Arizona and the magnificence of the Grand Canyon, we ended up in Las Vegas, which is glitz on steroids. Here in the middle of the desert was this kingdom of greed, promising riches for all, but hiding the truth that the house always wins. Too often we believe in the facade. Such is life!
Mise:
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful, and generous view of Wikipedia about which we are in danger of becoming rather too cynical.
Now, Mise, we should not expect you to settle for a mere church to enclose your house. Go for something more along the lines of a cathedral or basilica, although you may well have to add an additional edging to those new curtains to fit the increased size of window. Or, dispense with the curtains altogether and rely on stained glass!
Karen:
ReplyDeleteThank you for such an appreciative and generous comment. Sadly the fur coat and knicker saying really does increasingly reflect modern day life. But you are right, very little changes with the passage of time.
Starting Over......Maybe:
ReplyDeleteWe do so like your metaphor of smoke and mirrors which is, as you say, so very true of life, especially life today.
That said, your trip through several different States sounds magnificent - the journey of a lifetime - and to see the Grand Canyon is something we should so much wish to do. However, Las Vegas, as you and others describe it, does rather leave us cold and, doubtless, if we were there, somewhat out of pocket.
Your researches - Wikipedia or not - are always fascinating. Truth is so elusive anyway. Another of the big myths.
ReplyDeleteWhat it's a big big truth, is the success of your recently started blog, well deserved in your case. And still you find the time to comment kindly, always with wise words, in blogs like mine.
Pet:
ReplyDeleteYou are so right about the elusive nature of truth. Rather like freedom, perhaps, it is all relative.
And, thank you so much for your most kind and generous words about our blog. As our very first Follower, you will always have a special place in our hearts!
There is matter and then there is anti-matter-- and, in a grand cosmic clash, the two cancel one another out. Having laid that semantic foundation, from what I can perceive, my dear Jane and Lance, you are anti-Potemkin.
ReplyDeleteSuze:
ReplyDeleteAnd you, dear Suze, our Fairy Godchild are a gift from heaven!
Hello Jane and Lance,
ReplyDeletemmm...there's probably as much 'truthiness' in the C21 as ever there was:
Words of spin
and words of gloss,
words that cringe
around the boss:
they make me sick,
I need fresh air:
deceipt and politics
everywhere!
Gardener in the Distance:
ReplyDeleteHighly original and amusing! We love your poem, Faisal. And, how accurate about 'truthiness', the boundaries of reality and fantasy are definitely blurred but, quite probably, it was for ever thus!!
I enjoyed the subject of your posting and especially the strange front and back of the Tattingstone cottages. They reminded me of a house my father was shown when he was in the market for a retirement home. His heartbeat quickened when he saw the structure because it looked like Tara and yet was well within his price range. And wasn't he surprised to discover the "estate" was only one room deep!
ReplyDeleteMark D. Ruffner:
ReplyDeleteYes, the Tattingstone cottages are quite extraordinary - a functional folly rather than simply something built as an eye-catcher.
How intriguing is the story of the 'Tara' retirement home. We are now left wondering if he bought it and, if so, whether or not it is still in your family? Fascinating indeed!
"All fur coat and no knickers". Haha! Great one!
ReplyDeleteActually I always quite liked Potemkin.
La Sombra Sofisticada:
ReplyDeleteWe rather agree about Potemkin, much maligned we fear and certainly Catherine the Great found him much to her liking!
That was incredibly, incredibly sweet. I cannot tell you how big my smile is after reading your words. Can you picture? :)
ReplyDeleteI agree that we should be wary of deception but I have rather a weak spot for places like the church and the factory facades, they are architecture at its most human!
ReplyDeleteSuze [again]:
ReplyDeleteThat makes us happy too!!
Jane the Booklady:
ReplyDeleteWe do agree that there is something quite charming about these 'faux' buildings. One can only admire the creative spirit and, no doubt, wit behind their creation.
This is so interesting. It almost seems to be a metaphor for life itself. The facade that has been created and continually recreated, the additions that continue the deception. Much to consider....
ReplyDeleteThe Wikipedia experiment is interesting. I believe that the company employs very few people, and their function is merely to 'moderate' the entries, which, of course, are written by anybody in the world with knowledge, or occasionally an axe to grind. It's probably apocryphal but there was a story that the White House maintains staff to read the Wikipedia articles and rewrite them if they don't reflect well on American policy. I quite like the idea of a great power rewriting history in the pages of Wikipedia, only to have it all altered again the next day. It would be good if man's propensity to fight his fellow man could be confined to the pages of an online encyclopedia. But I daresay it's urban myth!
ReplyDeleteAlec
In the 80's some government officials had the brilliant idea of painting the windows of abandoned building in the South Bronx to look as though there was life inside--flower pots, curtains, etc. These buildings were visible from the highways that criss-cross the Bronx and might offend visitors to Manhattan. Anyway, I remember the phrase "Potemkin village" being used, probably by journalists.
ReplyDeleteI adore the phrase All fur coat, no knickers! Helen had found herself in that situation before with no idea what to call it! The western version I have heard about men pretending to be cowboys is - All hat, no horse. Loving another educational visit with you.
ReplyDeleteI knew of course of Potemkin but haven't seen the two examples you posted. However I do live in Southern California, not too far from Hollywood, where absolutely everything is sham! Fun post.
ReplyDeleteYet another fascinating post! I was reminded of the false building and store fronts that were very popular in the U.S. during the 19th century. It is true that some parts of Wikipedia are most certainly to be taken with a grain of salt (or a bucket of salt, as the case may be). Thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteAh communist propaganda, isnt it just pathetic? When Gierek was our frst secretary of the communist party they painted grass GREEN. And teh saddest thing of all is that these people who had to execute those missions must have felt like schitsophrenics... Playing puppets in a theater. Well, dolls are numb, dumb and blind, and have no feelings. It seems funny now, but then it was absolutely sad and many people who couldnt cope with it ended up tragically.
ReplyDeleteLovey that you mentioned this.
May the both of you have the sweetest day! :)
Teresa Evangeline:
ReplyDeleteWhat a very interesting and valid idea, Teresa, and one which we had not really considered. Perhaps we all live Potemkin lives where the 'real' person is hidden somewhere behind all the many and very different facades with which he/she surrrounds himself/herself.
Alec Lindsay:
ReplyDeleteAlthough we had not previously heard what you say here of the White House and Wikipedia, we can well believe the truth of it, if not in its entirety, then certainly partially. But the endless updating required, the rubbish to be read, the reinvention of 'fact'.....a highly skilled operation!! But such a wonderful thought!
Jen of Country Weekend:
ReplyDeleteSomewhere, at some time, most likely via Wikipedia(!!), we think we have read something of this and, possibly, seen pictures! What an extraordinary thing to have done and, no doubt, carried out using public money! An excellent example of Potemkin, as the journalists at the time were quick to spot.
DearHelenHartman:
ReplyDeleteExchange is no robbery!! For you have given us 'All hat, no horse' which we think is just wonderful and which is now firmly placed in our own vocabulary. Such phrases are so good for they allow for imaginative interpretation whilst conveying an almost exact meaning.
La Vie Quotidienne:
ReplyDeleteWe can so readily see how Potemkin applies to Hollywood both within the film industry [understandably so] and in real life itself where, possibly, so many people are anxious to appear as something which, perhaps, they are not. Oh, the pressure!!
Louise:
ReplyDeleteVery often in the UK, possibly in the US too, new houses are given facades in a certain style - Tudor, Georgian - when what lies behind is just a very normal, standard 'box'. The result is that they appear to be grander, and more expensive, than is really the case.
We agree that sometimes buckets of salt are required when reading Wikipedia!!
Kasia:
ReplyDeleteWe do so agree with what you say about the nature of propaganda and are both surprised, and alarmed, at how very effective it can be. Here, no doubt similar to your own experiences, there were the absurd, and totally unrealistic, five year plans which had to be met. To fail to do so could result in a prison sentence. Your metaphor of dolls is most apt.
That 'church' is great, I wonder if I can get to Suffolk for a nose when I visit relatives in Kent and Surrey at the end of this month? Must try.
ReplyDeleteI know the Templeton Carpet factory well as I used to drive past it every morning on my way to work. I found it utterly confusing until a colleague explained its story to me.
There is an awful lot of Potemkin going on. Only recently our local council had all the empty shops in Dumfries town centre (a shit-hole if ever there was one) muralled in an attempt to make them look like vibrant establishments for the Queen's visit.
Eryl:
ReplyDeleteHow really fascinating that you know of the Templeton Carpet Factory first hand, so to speak. As we understand it, the 1930s additions have been removed and the whole building has now been converted into apartments.
We are appalled at the Potemkin treatment of Dumfries for the Queen's visit. What a reckless waste of public money. Indeed, we have friends, living in Dumfriesshire, who once had an interior design shop in the centre of the town.
Hi Jane and Lance,
ReplyDeleteI've always found the Templeton Business Centre faintly ridiculous, certainly not my cup of tea. But I'd take the fur coat and nae knickers over the plain old nae knickers ugly developments which have ruined many Scottish towns.
Yet again I must thank you for your informative post - and I have a new word to use - potemkin - I like it a lot.
What a great post Jane and Lance. I have learned something new as I have never heard that expression! The lengths that people will go to unbelievable.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the fur coat quote!
Happy Wednesday, Stephie x
magic and drudgery:
ReplyDeleteSadly it is not only Scottish towns which have been spoilt by, and with, unsightly and inappropriate development. The same may be said of England and Wales [and probably Northern Ireland too].
But yes, Potemkin, used as either a noun or turned into a verb is a very useful addition to the language.
StephieB:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. Your enthusiasm is always much appreciated.
DearHelenHartman [see above] has contributed 'All hat, no horse' of cowboys, which we love too!
Wikipedia has proven time and time again to not be a trusty or totally reliable publication. You would think in some cases, there is a "hidden agenda":) This is not unlike much of what I see here in the U.S. albeit on a smaller grander scale, things that on the facade look impressive and worthy only to venture inside and be greatly disappointed, its "all fluff". Interesting and thanks for my history lesson of the day!
ReplyDeleteThe enchanted home:
ReplyDeleteWe totally endorse what you say here, Tina. That anyone should write his or her own entry on Wikipedia about himself or herself is, we feel, verging on the ridiculous, particularly where so much of what is written cannot be substantiated.
Fluff, as you so nicely put it, does appear to be everywhere.
It's been said that during the late 60's, maybe early 70's, the University of California at Berkeley offered a major in Conspiracy. Sometimes a rumor is simply too delectable to check out.
ReplyDeleteWellfedfred:
ReplyDeleteRumour or not, we love it! And, shall now add this delicious titbit to our repertoire of known FACTS!!
I have really enjoyed reading not only the post, but also the comments. I also know the version that Potemkin wasn't the initiator of the construction of these places. Although what does it matter? He will remain in history as an extraordinary individual and politician who built these villages.
ReplyDeleteOlga:
ReplyDeleteWe are so pleased that you have taken the time to read the comments too. We always feel that they add so much to the original post and open up all manner of new avenues of interest and debate.
And yes, will the 'real' Potemkin ever no be known? No matter since the speculation of it all is sufficiently absorbing for us!
These are all fascinating. Thanks so much for sharing the info and pics! In defense of the people at Wikipedia — which does provide usually amazingly helpful information — my understanding is that they do try to keep up with and verify/validate all the information coming in. It's a huge task. To their credit, they did — repeatedly — correct the misinformation Sarah Palin's supporters entered on Paul Revere's ride when they tried to rewrite history to match Palin's lack of education. Still these "Potemkin" structures fascinate me.
ReplyDeleteMitch Block:
ReplyDeleteIt must indeed be a never ending and somewhat thankless task to try and keep the information on Wikipedia both relevant and accurate. And yes, we would agree that there is much to commend it for providing all manner of interesting and obscure facts in an easily accessible form.
We were most amused about the Sarah Palin saga...Potemkin rides again!!
Sadly, I must admit that I look a little less than perky after the removal of my foundation garments. Your mothers were quite correct!
ReplyDeleteSx
Very interesting, and very well written. I've only just discovered your blog, but will be back to discover more :)
ReplyDeleteMiss Scarlet:
ReplyDeleteOur mothers, we fear, were so often correct about so many things. If only we had listened...!!!
Little t:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your most kind and generous comment. We look forward to welcoming you here again!
Wow, fascinating. I feel many things are Potemkin these days.
ReplyDeleteM Pax:
ReplyDeleteWe agree! The more we think about it, the less we think is actually as it should be!!
Do I hear shades of Edith Hope's voice lingering amongst the rustling leaves of memory --or something of the kind?
ReplyDeleteTotally adore the bogus church.
When we lived in Marrakesh, M6 was going to worship at the shrine of one of the seven saints.....
so the entire walk to Sidi ben Slimane got a fresh coat of paint (including our chums' house)
Presumably QE2 was not to be offended by the squalor of Dumfries mentioned above.
Love your splendid blog. Broiling hot here in NY.
Elizabeth:
ReplyDeleteWe assume from what you write that you know of our friend, Edith. It was she who persuaded us to start our blog as our paths cross from time to time in Budapest.
We were most intrigued about what you had to say about the 'Potemkin' influence in Marrakesh and how fortunate that your friends were able to have some free decorating.
Thank you for your kind words about our blog. We shall now come to visit you!
Hello, Lance and Jane:
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating and illuminating post! Although now I am quite stuck on the image of a fur coat and no knickers....
Maggie Asfahani Hajj:
ReplyDeleteWe are pleased that you enjoyed it.
Yes, what an idea...fur coat and no knickers.... and, yet, another favourite mantra was to be sure of always wearing clean underwear in case one was run over by a bus!!
There are quite a few in Brighton too, in fact not far down in Kemp Town there is a lovely example. From the front it's a beautiful three floored house, same from the side, but at the back, well it's a courtyard and garage.
ReplyDeleteHappy days.
Me thinks Potemkin started something that has now traveled all the way to Seattle in the form of semi-extravagantly built condominiums that are really ridiculous rabbit hutches in disguise...and they'e asking life's blood for them...the interiors are all Potemkined up as well, with the 'granite' and builders slate meant to cover up the hutchiness...shame on all of them.
ReplyDeleteI do have to say though that I am very intrigued by the historical one's (the church!). They have a certain charm about them and are really something visually exciting to look at...now I want to see more!
Hope you enjoyed your trip...and thank you for opening a new door of interest for me.
xo J~
btw- I ask Job's question just about every day...thank heavens I find a large portion of wisdom here in blogland, all is not hopeless!
Oh dear, I meant to mention in my comment that Cote de Texas has a post I think you both will enjoy immensely...do take a look, the video's are fascinating.
ReplyDeletexo J~
The only 'Potemkin' reference I was sort of familiar with was the movie one. But thanks to you, Jane and Lance, I now have another PLUS a word to use whenever I can rightly insert it into my conversation. :)
ReplyDeleteIt just never occurred to me: false villages? What will they think of next? But wait, they've already thought of it. This kind of thing seems so odd. Sometimes you just have to shake your head.
I never know what I'm going to learn when I come visiting over here, Jane and Lance. But one thing I do know, it's always fun and educational.
Hope you had a great visit with your friends. :)
Jason Shaw:
ReplyDeleteWe shall certainly have a closer look at the Kemp Town architecture when we return to Brighton! But it is almost true of many of the terraces and squares which have very grand fronts and are rather less so at the back.
24 Corners:
ReplyDeletePerhaps Seattle is only one of many places to have been visited by Mr. Potemkin! Certainly what you say about modern apartment blocks is, in many instances, also true in the UK where people are clearly expected to live in very mean spaces which have been overlaid with granite and marble.
Not so some of the many 1960s and 1970s 'panel' flats here which are, very sadly, basic beyond belief both inside and out.
The cottages disguised by the 'church' are, as you say, something entirely different and today are a rather nice architectural oddity.
24 Corners [again]:
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. We shall certainly go and explore - always fun!
Yvette:
ReplyDeleteThe whole Potemkin 'story' is most certainly fascinating and very intriguing. He was also said to be a lover of Catherine the Great so we imagine that there are many other tales to be told.
But, according to our friend, Dmitry, the Sochi Olympics Village is of very poor construction and fits the Potemkin model very well. Another friend is going to Sochi next week so we shall await reports from her!!
I missed the Templeton carpet factory on my visit to Glasgow. Quite lovely. As for Wikipedia, not to be taken as gospel. What is the dividing line between deception and embellishment? All theatre is deception, when you think about it. What an interesting blog, thank you for visiting me! Consider yourselves blogrolled.
ReplyDeleteDaphne Wayne-Bough:
ReplyDeleteWhat you say about Wikipedia is so very true. That very thin line. And when it is completely crossed, and becomes simply an untruth, then one begins to wonder!! But of course the theatre is all about the suspension of disbelief.
Thank you so much for 'visiting' us; we shall very much hope to welcome you here again.
I have just had the pleasure of knowing that time has been well spent reading your post and the comments annexed.
ReplyDeleteHaving been cut off from the Blogosphere by a combination of Google and Blogger for some weeks it was good to come back to one of your posts.
I knew the carpet factory facade when young, passing on the way to the People's Palace and the 'Potemkin villages' was an image used by my father to describe political cover ups...long before the days of 'spin' which was then a term I associated only with cricket.
I do agree about Wikipedia.
I have recently found the entry for a French bigwig with whom we had endless trouble. It is written by his son and will shortly be subject to amendments...by me...if I can work out how to do it. But I wouldn't be so blind as to think that my amendments would provide the 'truth' about the bigwig....just an alternative view of his activities.
Gransmother's equivalent of the fur coat and no knickers was
'Red hat and no drawers'....which for some reason I associated with cardinals until the meaning finally clicked.
Hello:
ReplyDeleteWe agree with you and your father that the concept of 'Potemkin villages' is a rather better way to describe political [and all manner of other] cover-ups than spin. So much more visual and it does go some way to expressing the extraordinary lengths people will go to in order to deceive.
We can just imagine the 'Guerre de Wikipedia' which will ensue as your amendments hit the internet. We do hope that your reinstated broadband connection can cope!
Wonderful to see your return to the blogosphere and our blog. Thank you for your kind words.
I just saw that Cote de Texas put up a new post...the one I was referring to was about the abandoned chateaus.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy...
xo J~
24 Corners{again]:
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you we did see the post and thought that it must have been the abandoned house in Belgium to which you were referring. Just the kind of place we should so much like to have but can imagine that it would need a great deal of money to return it to its former glory. But, what fun it would be!
Thanks so much for sharing and stopping by. Richard at My Old Historic House.
ReplyDeleteRichard Cottrell:
ReplyDeleteIt is always a pleasure to read your posts.
I could spend all day here and read the smart and witty comments. Thank you J and L for always teaching this uneducated Yank a thing or two...never heard of this word and now ya got me intrigued...Thank you also
ReplyDeletefor your visit and comment on my humble blog.
Beatnheart:
ReplyDeleteThis is really kind and generous of you, Cynthia, but we are absolutely certain that there is a great deal that we Brits could learn from one lively, interesting and fun Yank as yourself.
Dear Jane and Lance, a really fascinating post. I never knew about any of these interesting follies. Who's to say what any of us would do if we had the money or power to create a fantasy. I rather like those rural idyll's that the French Aristocracy had.So glad you had a lovely time when you were away. Love, Linda x
ReplyDeleteFlowers on my table:
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Linda, if money were no object, then what should we invent? Well, a private chapel instead of our guest accommodation would be first on our list. We dream of plaster Madonnas, armies of saints, carved stations of the Cross and, of course, bells and smells. If only....
Dear Jane and Lance - this reminds me of Hollywood...all show and no substance or all facade and no "stuff". As to Wikkipedia...there are only folks who give their opinion and, low and behold, sometimes what is false becomes true!
ReplyDeleteSometimes, as you saw, the falsehood may be revised or amended but, I fear, the damage is done.
"Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see" as Benjamin Franklin once said.
How was your weekend?
Wow, how sneaky is that? It had made me want to build a Roman fortress on the front of my cottage, complete with moat.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite was the cottages made to look like a church .... seeing the image of the back was amazing!
Thistle Cove Farm:
ReplyDeleteSuch wise words of Benjamin Franklin.
Such facts as are to be found on Wikipedia are hugely useful in acquiring information on all manner of legitimate subjects. What is posted by those who seek personal publicity should be read with a great deal of caution.
Thank you, we had a wonderful time and will write about it at some future point.
Annie [Lady M]:
ReplyDeleteSurely wrapping a 'church', 'castle' or similar around your cottage will not come to the notice of the Oxfordshire Planning Authority. If there is a problem, then go for retrospective planning!! A moat may be a step too far!
What an absolutely fascinating account. I have always been bemused by Facadism as an architectural genre, but this truly takes it to an even more absurd level.
ReplyDeleteBlue Fruit:
ReplyDeleteIndeed so. And, apparently, according to our Russian friends, Potemkin is a term now used to describe almost anything which is not what it at first appears to be.
Dear Jane and Lance, I have been reading this post over and over for the past couple of days wanting to comment but blogger wouldn't let me...(started to really hate blogger!) and today (finally) it's letting me...alleluia! (couldn't believe it)
ReplyDeleteI forgot some of the things I was going to say (of course! very typical of me) but what I would really like to say to you both is:"what a fascinating post this was. I loved it (as I love all your posts) and it feels great to be part of the conversation you create with all of your readers, I really look forward to visiting you"
Hope you have a fantastic week end
Claudia xo
We humans are very good at hiding the unpleasant truth - or the mundane and boring - and presenting a much-improved version to the world.
ReplyDeleteSo many examples - and the buildings you have highlighted here are superb - there are also, as Cro Magnon mentioned, the hideous things we do to our houses today. Cladding and pebble-dashing being some.
There are other things, less obvious maybe. Wikipedia is certainly one of them. Building fabulous blogs and embellishing a less than exciting life is another. I have been taken in by this - a few years ago. Very easy to present a sham facade on a blog.
Great post as usual.
Claudia Lane:
ReplyDeleteThis is such a very generous comment for which many, many thanks.
Oh, 'Blogger' - it really does seem to play up all of the time. We constantly experience the same sorts of problems as you describe here which are so very frustrating and exceedingly time consuming. C'est la vie, as we remark all too often!
We hope you too will enjoy your weekend. A massage, perhaps, in a fantastic location?!!
wendz:
ReplyDeleteHow right you are about embellishing the truth, something which, in our experience, happens all too frequently on the self written, self publicity entries to be found on Wikipedia which, otherwise, is a very useful tool. And the same, of course is to be found on blogs but they seldom keep going. We know of one instance where even Comments and Followers were falsified!
Behind the glitz and gloss of Blogger is a nerdy geek with a ball of string and several tin cans...
ReplyDeleteSx
Miss Scarlet [again]:
ReplyDeleteWe should all mind much less if, occasionally, the string could remain untangled and the tin cans on the shelf [or desk].
We are all for nerdy geeks and count several amongst our friends!
Our President Obama is sort of a facade.
ReplyDeletexl:
ReplyDeleteMost likely we all have our own list of people, and places, to whom and to which Potemkin could be applied.
Thank you so much for visiting and for your comment.
i've noticed your comments on other blogs and decided i must come visit the source! nicely done piece, darlings! xoxo
ReplyDeletesavannah:
ReplyDeleteHow delightful it is to welcome you and thank you for visiting; we shall very much hope to see you again.
Excellent and very informative! I never knew such things existed in this country either. As my old Gran would say "you can't polish a turd!"
ReplyDeleteWow! Rad post, both informative and engaging. Thanks for expanding my world:)
ReplyDeleteMitzi:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your generous comment. She had a wonderful way with words your grandmother!
We are so pleased to welcome you here and hope to see you again.
Mark Noce:
ReplyDeleteWe are delighted to welcome you as a Follower and are so pleased that you enjoyed the post.
And, we too have so enjoyed reading of worldly things from your own highly original perspective.
as much as i love this post with it's historic and idiomatic lessons, the lively discussion that your blog never fails to generate, is especially interesting today.
ReplyDeleteas always, thank you jane and lance for that extra little pizzazz you bring to my days.
Chasing lightning bugs:
ReplyDeleteYes, for us too, it is the interesting and varied perspectives that others are kind enogh to offer that makes, for us, the joy of posting.
Thank you for your generous comment.
these is a lot of facade everywhere in life. noe like then- the truth is not always ...tolerable. you have to have guts to seek the truth. to want knowledge
ReplyDeleteDemie:
ReplyDeleteHow true this is. It is so often the case that the absolute truth is fairly unpalatable and so it is dressed in fancy clothes. Not always bad, not always good!
Love this Potemkin post. Should I ever get back to GB, I will be sure to peek around the edges of buildings ;)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Rose Stanton:
ReplyDeleteMost likely you do not even have to travel as far as the UK. We now think that Potemkin, in some form or another, is lurking around almost every corner!
Hello Jane and Lance,
ReplyDeleteThe Nassau County Museum of Art (a gem of a museum)
had an exhibition of similar posters this year. It was quite
a visual experience to see them. The museum is on Long
Island in New York.
I enjoy your blog.
Best wishes,
BarbaraG
BarbaraG:
ReplyDeleteThe exhibition which you mention sounds most intriguing and is very much of the kind we should find interesting.
We are delighted that you enjoy our blog and appreciate your taking the time to comment.
Hello again, really a private chapel with plaster cherubs! How magnificent, if only money were not an object, then you could build it and I could fly over to visit it, and you two lovely cherubs of course! Loving your eccentricity, Linda x
ReplyDeleteflowers on my table [again]:
ReplyDeleteOh, Linda, what real fun we could have. And you could do your wonderful and imaginative flower arrangements to decorate it all through the seasons. Do you think we could hire it out for weddings and all make some money?!!
sounds good to me! They will have to be A list of course....no riff-raff! Love Linda x
ReplyDeleteFlowers on my table [again]:
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, we had thought of nothing less,perhaps minor royalty too!
One has to admire the extent to which these shysters go to in order to deceive... However, as with any deception it found out none to soon. My grandfather used to say; "You may lie once and and get away with it, twice maybe, but the third time you will be found out..."
ReplyDeleteNicholas V:
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Some people just seem to have the knack of deception, perhaps because they are never too sure themselves of where reality stops and fantasy begins.
And, your grandfather's words sound very wise to us!
I know someone who visited Bucharest immediately after the fall of the dictator. Apparently some of the buildings there were only facades - so he could be photographed driving past them. I haven't researched to see if this is true - do you know?.
ReplyDeleteJenny Woolf:
ReplyDeleteWe have heard something to that effect about Bucharest but we have very little first hand knowledge of the city and so, unfortunately, cannot confirm the sham buildings theory. It certainly sounds possible!
I found this a most informative post, and the comments equally so. I went to bed dreaming of the little white bridge at Kenwood which is a nice sort of folly, or faux.
ReplyDeleteDolly:
ReplyDeleteWe do agree that the comments on this post, hugely varied as they are, make for the most interesting reading. To our shame we have never visited Kenwood but will, now, Google it to discover the little white bridge.