If this issue has a theme, it would seem to be about what happens when intelligence and rigor are brought to bear in the pursuit of the aesthetic. As we all know, the intellect can be cruel and beauty can be shallow, but when these two get together, they can be a powerful force for good, and even happiness. Deeda Blair is the rare embodiment of these two qualities operating in equal measure in a single person. She is, of course, if you have ever come across her, an astounding beauty, and her manner of living - the way she dresses, decorates and entertains - makes her one of the most exquisite women in the world. Her realm is the result of an exacting eye in which every detail is painstakingly considered. In lesser hands, a completely considered interior lacks spontaneity or a lively sense of happenstance. Indeed it can feel oppressive or overwrought, or worse, pretentious. In Deeda's glorious apartment every element is the result of intelligence and reason. This judicious elegance extends to every aspect of her life, from the way she treats others to the way she conducts her working life as an advocate for innovative new approaches to scientific research, clinical trials and the exchange of information. Elegance is a term used in the worlds of mathematics and science for something that is perfectly resolved, something that can be imagined no other way. So it is for Deeda. The marriage of intellect and aesthetics shows up quite literally this month at the Fondation Maeght, where the knows-no-bounds French intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy, who is by turns a war reporter, human rights activist, novelist, polemicist, professor, filmmaker and culture columnist, adds art curator to his repertory. His wildly ambitious exhibition seeks to tease out the rivalrous conversation he sees playing out, from the dawn of history until now, between artists and philosophers in their search for the essence of truth. He has spent much time tracking down (and often seducing from of the hands of reluctant private owners) rarely seen works by the likes of Rothko, Duchamp and Rubens, and highlighting their connections to each other as well as to the written word. Miuccia Prada is a designer whose clothes manage to capture our collective cultural longings, often well before we are even cognizant of them. It may even be argued that she creates our desires, our ideas of what kind of women we want to be. Her seminal "geek chic" collection from 1996 may not have influenced you in that year when minimalism still reigned, but if you find yourself ever wearing clashing prints, say a floral and a check together, it's likely because of Miuccia. Thinking about wearing pants more lately? You have Miuccia to thank. Or perhaps you want to look like you're not trying too hard, like you have a certain insouciance about your appearance? That's the power and influence of Prada's clothes. Her output is the product of her own internal contradictions and struggles - as a socialist with a nagging disdain for luxury and as a businesswoman challenged by the vagaries of femininity. It is her funny, conflicted intelligence that in part defines our standards of beauty. Read more from the issue >>