# Para Bellum research record

## Scope and identity
Project 261, Ethereum contract 0xa7d8d9ef8d8ce8992df33d8b8cf4aebabd5bd270, canonical slug para-bellum-by-matty-mariansky. Canonical identity retains the trailing space in the index title. Fresh project and token/AB5D linked-account queries retained with inline identity filters, empty variables, response and retrieval time. These are indexed records, not pinned chain calls.

## Full code reading
Complete 30,558-byte minified script read, including embedded upper/lowercase Inter glyph paths and probability table. RNG class alternates two seeded generators derived from both hash halves, warmed for one million combined calls. f() draws next characters from v[previous-character], starting from space, capitalizes first letter, can disregard an early generated space and continue from the space row, ends at a space after more than five letters or after length exceeds ten. This is a character-transition generator, not evidence of a neural model or online API. Corpus provenance is an artist statement, not independently recovered training input.

Logical canvas P=1000,R=1200 fitted into viewport. lt chooses full portrait field or top/bottom square field with text in remaining strip. nt selects recursively split field B or growing and sometimes splitting rectangles F, w recentres/scales compact sets. D split uses width ratios N or vertical half. Avoid untested frequency claims. Thirty-seven palette arrays counted in inspected script. Texture pt toggles many irregular polygons, brush-like line marks, occasional circular marks, grain. Safari blur alternative and mobile pixel density branches, so exact pixel identity across browsers not claimed. Embedded glyph paths parsed into p5 vertices/quadratic curves. b() positions/advances glyphs, wraps optional text, can rotate certain layouts and uses blend modes or erase against saved background. Six main text strategies include large word, varied word lines, one positioned word, upper-case paragraph, repeated fading word, oversize overlapping word. Additional rectangles can overpaint letters. draw staged et0/1/2/3/4 ends noLoop. No audio calls, mouse/key handlers or windowResized handler found. Official originals executed by Chrome; retrieved local code was read, not locally executed. Raw artist code must be stripped from published evidence.

## Primary sources
Official Art Blocks collection inspected: Curated, 1,000, release 7 February 2022; statement emotion/colour versus logic/words, rebellion/anarchy books, embedded font. Current index licence is composite: CC BY-NC 4.0, Inter Font under Open Font License. Script notices separately credit SVG code modified from Robert Cook and Peter Collingridge under MIT, and Inter by Rasmus Andersson/contributors under OFL. p5.js 1.0.0 upstream LGPL2.1 licence, current Inter upstream OFL1.1 and CC BY-NC4 deed inspected. Exact Inter font version/modified glyph history and full SVG upstream version not recovered. Never extend component notices to all artist code.

Jeff Davis interview, The Link / Art Blocks, Medium, 4 February 2022, full substantive body inspected. Relevant passage: amulet collecting/Kabbalah; small on-chain almost-word algorithms; Rothko colour-field influence; Swiss poster resemblance prompted portrait format; interest in pairings rather than rarity. Keep total interview-derived prose under 200 words. The artist's linked project page https://supersize.co.il/portfolio/para-bellum/ returns Page not found in Chrome; web fetch failed. Do not count as inspected substantive source. No original numeric price, allocation schedule or complete source corpus recovered.

## Original visual evidence
Observer: GPT-6 Astra through Chrome screenshots, 19 September 2026 Melbourne. Screenshots 1689x796 viewport, portrait original centred on white surround. Exact capture timestamps/elapsed intervals not instrumented; no measured render-duration claim.
- #0: ochre/gold field; blue and red textured blocks, circular brush pattern above centre; huge mixed-case lines in ochre/red/blue partly clipped left and blending with ground. Multiple rows interrupt block reading; no prose transcription needed.
- #1: cyan upper-case paragraph on pale blue with red right blocks and dark brown lower-left block; blue circle right of centre; small dark block and blue bottom strip occlude letters. Text wrap breaks strings mid-word. Sharper letter edges contrast painted-looking forms.
- #10: predominantly red/ochre blocks and dark borders, strong pale vertical strip lower centre; two circular sweeps; only dark rotated letter fragment entering from bottom; index Fadelines is not equivalent to many visible lines.
- #20: huge warm orange/yellow capital letters across upper half over red/orange textured rectangles; lower right broad red mostly unlettered, small yellow dot below central letters. Oversize type becomes shapes, not a conventional readable title.
- #659 (AB5D): first capture plain red textured ground, later completed diagonal ochre and magenta capital letters, clipped at all edges, over red/burgundy blocks. Pale block upper right and thin strokes cover/intersect text. Image transitions observed, timing not measured. Finite buildup consistent with noLoop code, not looping animation. No audio audition claim; no audio implementation found. No custom controls to test.

Fresh linked-account response returns all three AB5D addresses; #659 owner 0xdd19308a9731cdecb67e0d80ca6823394208c045 matches. Other sample editions selected before viewing, not selected for rarity. Canonical token-page GET outcomes retained in token-page-checks.json, separate from renderer inspection.

## Historical distinctions
Current 1000 invocations/current max1000. First1Feb2022 17:38:30, activation3Feb07:17:36, scheduled7Feb18:00:00, second7Feb18:16:55, completion7Feb19:08:25. Current price0.1ETH does not prove original public price or realised sales. Do not calculate public sellout from second mint/completion or infer reserved allocation count.

## Status
Research and 2535-word draft completed; seven files present, identity/citations/digest/rights and observations reviewed. No complete per-essay token telemetry or measured start time available. Keep usage null with scope, not a fabricated estimate.

## Additional staged observations
All five originals were observed in an initial or intermediate state and then complete. #0: sparse ochre field, initial blocks and circle before dense text. #1: pale blue ground, two red blocks and blue circle before paragraph and additional fields. #10: near-black ground with narrow red strip, larger red block and small red disc before the complete red/ochre composition. #20: yellow ground before red fields and large capitals. #659: red ground before diagonal text. #659 was viewed again after completion and remained unchanged. Times were not instrumented. These observations concern finite drawing; no loop-duration claim.

## Per-essay checks report
- Identity/package: project261, verified contract/slug and all seven files. Canonical title preserves roster whitespace.
- Structure/citations: 2535 body words, seven ordered sections; Markdown generated from identical JSON sections and sources; 11 unique and materially cited sources. Paragraph support and interpretation labels reviewed.
- Research: full substantive interview, official collection, script, five originals and three licence records inspected. Artist's detailed technical page unavailable; corpus and original price unresolved.
- Code: complete 30558 bytes read and actual SHA-256 checked against retrieved bytes. Indexed retrieval query retained with empty variables. Raw script recursively removed from public evidence. Official generator executed in browser, retrieved local source not locally executed.
- Visual: five distinct exact token identities with original-renderer URLs and observation IDs. Sustained readings of #0, #1 and #659. Intermediate and completed drawing states observed; no custom interaction or audio implementation; no audio-audition claim.
- Header: all linked AB5D accounts checked; #659 owner matches. Official renderer, aspect5/6, caption and artwork CC BY-NC4 terms supplied.
- History/rights: scheduled/release/first/second/activation/completion distinguished; no original-price or public-sellout assumption. Artwork, font, SVG helper and p5 rights separated; blanket artist-code licence unknown.
- Provenance: GPT-6 Astra, original prose CC0. Complete token telemetry unavailable, metrics null. No fabricated elapsed time.
- Submission state: complete-draft, ready for coordinator publication with stated historical gaps. Structural pass does not prove research.

### Validator output
Command: uv run scripts/validate_series_essays.py .ab500-cache/series-expansion/para-bellum-by-matty-mariansky

Validator SHA-256: f7b561578fa3ece1680ef69a2b8b484c660ca3d0b17275df10c6ff2026f09fdc

Executed: 2026-09-18T19:43:05.435282+00:00

Exit status: 0

```json
{
  "status": "PASS",
  "scope": "Structural package validation only. Does not grant editorial acceptance or confirm publication.",
  "essays": [
    {
      "title": "Para Bellum ",
      "slug": "para-bellum-by-matty-mariansky",
      "words": 2535,
      "sources": 11,
      "examples": 5,
      "pendingEditorialExceptions": 0
    }
  ],
  "totalWords": 2535,
  "errors": []
}
```