The Public Domain Review
“Wretches, Speak Evil of Me”: Goethe and Schiller’s Xenions (1896 edition)
One of the most elaborate works of literary insult ever written.
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Dispatches
Curious stories and events from around the world.
← Latest dispatchesThursday, 26 March 2026
Wednesday, 25 March 2026
The Public Domain Review
Doing Impressions: Monet’s Early Caricatures (ca. late 1850s)
Moneymaking caricatures by a teenage Monet, before he turned to Impressionism.
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Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Historic Mysteries
The Mapinguari: Amazon Cyclops of Brazilian Folklore
Deep within the almost impenetrable emerald expanse of the Amazon rainforest, indigenous tribes and rubber… The post The Mapinguari: Amazon Cyclops of Brazilian Folklore appeared first on Historic Mysteries.
Read at Historic MysteriesFriday, 20 March 2026
Thursday, 19 March 2026
The Public Domain Review
Fear and Fragility: The Glass Delusion and Its History
In early modern Europe, around the time when lenses began to bring the world (and heavens) into newfound focus, patients started appearing in medical records with a particular ailment: a firm belief that they were made of glass. Tamara…
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Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Historic Mysteries
The Mystery of Kota Gelanggi: A Lost City in the Malaysian Jungle
Within the dense tropical jungles of Johor, Malaysia, near the Linggiu Reservoir, lies a mystery… The post The Mystery of Kota Gelanggi: A Lost City in the Malaysian Jungle appeared first on Historic Mysteries.
Read at Historic MysteriesWednesday, 11 March 2026
The Public Domain Review
Calicornication: Postcards of Giant Produce (1909)
"Tall-tale" or "exaggeration" postcards illustrating the bounties of California.
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Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Ancient Origins
Roman Forum Found Beneath Barcelona Hotel Rewrites Barcino
Roman Forum Found Beneath Barcelona Hotel Rewrites Barcino What started as a routine elevator shaft installation in a Barcelona hotel basement has turned into one of the most significant Roman archaeology discoveries in Spain in decades.…
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Thursday, 5 March 2026
The Public Domain Review
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s Herland (1915)
A utopian novel where men are no longer necessary.
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Tuesday, 3 March 2026
The Public Domain Review
Wayang Kulit: Raden Soelardi’s Illustrations of Javanese Puppets (1919)
Illustrations of Javanese *wayang kulit* puppets with vivid colour and gilding.
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