Tuesday | July 22, 2008

From the Middle East

catalogo.jpg picture by GraTosi   Last year I visited a very good exhibition held at Palazzo Pilotta in my hometown, an exhibition of rare art and manuscripts from the Aga Khan Museum collections being shown at the Palazzo della Pilotta in Parma, contains some of the rarest pieces of Muslim art, including Fatimid pottery and a copy of Ibn Sina’s Canon of Medicine, which was the medical reference book in Europe for 500 years.

Just a few pieces from the catalogue (pics were forbidden)

piattoXVI.jpg picture by GraTosi

piattoX.jpg picture by GraTosi

scrignoXV.jpg picture by GraTosi

vasoXIV.jpg picture by GraTosi

bruciatoreincensoXI-XII.jpg picture by GraTosi


Posted by Gracie at 10:24:28 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday | July 16, 2008

Budapest

budapest12.jpg picture by GraTosi   I was there in 1995, and I'd like to come back one day..................

I didn't expected such a great exhibition, it was a really nice surprise..........

Peasants at the Table (Velasquez)

VelasquezBudapest.jpg picture by GraTosi

The Chess Players (De Man)

man_de_cornelisBudapest.jpg picture by GraTosi

The Virgin and Child in an Archway (Petrus Christus)

PetrusChristusBudapest.jpg picture by GraTosi

The Virgin of the milk (Correggio)

corregioBudapest.jpg picture by GraTosi
Posted by Gracie at 16:14:25 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday | May 29, 2008

Airborne

Back in 1996 we enjoyed a trip throu Normandy. In the little village of St-Mere-Eglise we visited the Airborne Museum. Just to satisfy hubby's passion for planes, and to learn more about the D-day

Airborne.jpg picture by GraTosi

espacek-13.jpg picture by GraTosi

eglise18.jpg picture by GraTosi

argonia.jpg picture by GraTosi

050613_cbrown_mp_his_am241.jpg picture by GraTosi

050613_cbrown_mp_his_am295.jpg picture by GraTosi
Posted by Gracie at 15:06:13 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Monday | April 21, 2008

Andy Warhol

Yesterday afternoon it was time for some pop art, I finally managed to see the Andy Warhol exhibition at the Magnani Rocca Foundation

2369691774_5508892ea3_b.jpg picture by GraTosi

allegato_080506181453_fondazione-ma.gif picture by GraTosi

magnani-rocca4-g.jpg picture by GraTosi

The Foundation itself is worth a visit, for the very interesting permanent collection, and the huge park surrounding the villa.

The works dispayed were obviously only a part of the entire Warhol production, but a good one. Here're some of the works you can see (from the catalogue, it's absolutely forbidden to take photos inside)

George2520Gershwin1.jpg picture by GraTosi

4cm609.jpg picture by GraTosi

10207504.jpg picture by GraTosi


AndyWarhol_Flowers.jpg picture by GraTosi

Cowboys-and-Indians-John-Wayne-2012.jpg picture by GraTosi

FS-II127.jpg picture by GraTosiimage71520128.jpg picture by GraTosi

interview-sting.jpg picture by GraTosi

mao_tse_tung-743642.jpg picture by GraTosi
MM.jpg picture by GraTosi

For more about Andy Warhol, you can take a look at the Pittsburgh Museum, or at his Foundation site.
Posted by Gracie at 19:06:40 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday | March 28, 2008

Mercedes Benz Museum

Last year, while in Stuttgart we visited the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
I'm not that into cars, but I have to admit the experience was worth it. First of all the museum spaces and architecture are themselves worth the entrance fee

SANY0133.jpg picture by GraTosi


507991806_91a829a7e9.jpg picture by GraTosi 335529659_7348a59bf7.jpg picture by GraTosi

355235801_1b5662bf98.jpg picture by GraTosi

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And the pieces exhibited are rare and more than often, unique

M8.jpg picture by GraTosi

M6.jpg picture by GraTosi

M5.jpg picture by GraTosi

M2.jpg picture by GraTosi

318735006_79fe042c14.jpg picture by GraTosi

IMG_2379.jpg picture by GraTosi

Every floor and every room has a specific subject in a specific time, along the paths some billboards explain what were the world events of the time, and the audio guide is very precise and complete. Highly recommended.
Posted by Gracie at 16:39:26 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Wednesday | February 27, 2008

Diamant Museum - Bruges

0-1311-858.jpg picture by GraTosi In 2001 we visited Belgium. I've been always fascinated by the Flanders' culture and traditions, so finally we were there. We had a great time and we met very nice people. I personally enjoyed Bruges very much.
While there we took a look at the diamonds cutting history, and the best place to do it is the Diamant Museum.

525997123_85e98233f9.jpg picture by GraTosi

N-78-Foto5.jpg picture by GraTosi

N-78-Foto2.jpg picture by GraTosi

N-78-Foto1.jpg picture by GraTosi

95249801_601105ed7c.jpg picture by GraTosi

281717904_6c398df814.jpg picture by GraTosi

Posted by Gracie at 12:39:24 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Friday | February 08, 2008

Kemet - the birth of a culture

4205.jpg picture by GraTosi  In march 1998 we took a weekend off town, headed to Ravenna (a beautiful city, worthing a visit for its monuments and lots of mosaics, really stunning). We enjoyed the town strolling among the many monuments and buildings, but the main reason to go there was the exhibition about the early stage of egyptian civilization.

From the exhibition catalogue:
'For many centuries and to many peoples, Egypt and its culture have signified something mysterious and incomprehensible. 'Kemet' follows the steps of an unrepeatable and unique human experience, which still leaves us amazed. When and how was this civilisation with its unique cultural, artistic and religious features, born? The exhibition tackles one of the least-known and most complex aspects of Egyptian civilisation: that of its origins. All civilisations, as we know them, have developed in history, from the Neolithic age to the most culminating moments of their culture, through more or less gradual stages, without interruption. What we witness is basically a cultural evolution which can only rarely be pin-pointed to a limited and precise chronological 'point', especially for the most ancient eras. This is strikingly different if we look at the Egyptian civilisation. The "Mystery of Egypt" has a precise feature: the passage from the Neolithic to documented history happened very quickly, in the space of a few decades. The concepts of royalty, state, religious life, economics, business, art and science, all sprang up suddenly, and almost from nothing. A mature civilisation with brand new characteristics was born in just a few decades. The cultural trajectory followed by the exhibition shows the evolution of the Egyptian cultural experience, from the pre-historic age until maturity. The Neolithic (4400-3000 BC), with its Badarian, Amratian and Gerzean cultures, was almost like a forge where various artistic 'attempts' were made. Then suddenly, around 3000 BC, something 'triggered the explosion': it seems like the move was from pre-history to the future, without going through an intermediate age. The Old Kingdom (from the III to the IV Dynasty, 2686-2184 BC) is the background for all the new and sudden expressions of human creativity. The Protodynastic (I Dynasty, 3000-2890 BC; II Dynasty, 2890-2686 BC), was a decisive historical moment: Upper and Lower Egypt were unified by the legendary King Menes. And with the presence of the king, of the Crown, of the God over two lands turned into one, the history of Egypt made an unprecedented leap forward. In the following era, the institutions and the Crown were consolidated and became completely intertwined; architecture and art acquired a 'classical' typology. This was the period in which the great, majestic Pyramids were built. The exhibition - a journey through time to the real origins of Egyptian culture, art and literature - is co-ordinated by Barbara Adams, Sergio Donadoni, Anna Maria Donadoni Roveri, Enrichetta Leospo, Paolo Pasini, Sylvia Schoske, A. Jeffrey Spencer, Francesco Tiradritti, Dietrich Wildung.'

953_g.jpg picture by GraTosi

950_g.jpg picture by GraTosi

952_g.jpg picture by GraTosi

951_g.jpg picture by GraTosi

The pieces of the exhibition were very well displaced, lots of panels explaining everything in a very satisfying way, I couldn't resist to buy the catalogue!

4029_1_b.jpg picture by GraTosi
Posted by Gracie at 12:22:30 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday | January 17, 2008

Vivienne Westwood in Milan

Two days ago Marty and I made a short trip to Milan to see the exhibition of her clothes, finally in Italy after more than three years!
We enjoyed what we saw, for me it was like re-living my youth, she was a myth for a lot of people of my generation. For Marty was like touching first hand a world she had only read about. The lights were just right to create the atmosphere, the videos very interesting to explain the London in which VW first created her clothes.
These are some pics.....

1441945214_471f89f3d7.jpg picture by gra1961

1441944112_201a95b225.jpg picture by gra1961

1441943784_70af80d043.jpg picture by gra1961

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VWdeYoung.jpg picture by gra1961

VWdeYoung9.jpg picture by gra1961

VWdeYoung8.jpg picture by gra1961

VWdeYoung6.jpg picture by gra1961

VWdeYoung5.jpg picture by gra1961

VWdeYoung4.jpg picture by gra1961

IMG_6133blog.jpg picture by gra1961

Even the Molteni chairs in the rooms of Palazzo Reale (usually very sober) were re-designed with Mrs Westwod fabrics for the occasion!
Posted by Gracie at 18:51:24 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Monday | January 07, 2008

Gardens

Traveling throu Europe, among many other beautiful things, we discovered beautiful gardens, public ones, or belonging to huge mansions. We visited them just to please our eyes, or to rest a little.
I searched my pics and I've chosen the ones I remember as the most enjoyable, by country

the roses of the Volksgarten in Wien (Austria)

Volksgarten.jpg Wien 1997 picture by Pootchie

the path along the Maribel in Salzburg (Austria)

maribel-gardens.jpg Maribel picture by Pootchie

the herbs of the botanic garden of Roche Jagu in Bretagne (France)

Roche_Jagu_jardin.jpg La Roche Jagu picture by Pootchie

the exotic garden in Montecarlo (France)

jardin_exo.jpg picture by Pootchie

obviously the magnificent park at Versailles (France)

800px-Versailles_Garden.jpg picture by Pootchie

the little, charming Van Gogh garden in Arles (France)

arlesvangoghgarden.jpg Arles picture by Pootchie

the almost hidden Imre Nagy Memorial in Budapest (Hungary)

budapest10.jpg City picture by Pootchie

the fuchsia garden at Egeskov (Denmark)

Fuchsia.jpg Egeskov Castle picture by Pootchie

and the chromatic play at Rosenborg Castle in Copenaghen (Denmark)

RosenborgPalace.jpg Rosenborg Castle - Copenaghen picture by Pootchie

the japanese garden at the Irish National Stud in Kildare (Ireland)

irishstud.jpg Irish National Stud - Japanese Garden picture by Pootchie

the savage garden at the Muckross Estate in Killarney (Ireland)

muckrossgarden.jpg Muckross Estate Garden picture by Pootchie

and the amazing park and garden at Powerscourt Estate in Enniskerry (Ireland)

power3.jpg Powerscourt Estate picture by Pootchie

the peaceful Court Garden in Munich (Germany)

giardino.jpg picture by Pootchie

the botanical garden in Tenerife (Spain)

huerto-del-cura-elche-e1087.jpg picture by Pootchie

the "lake of love" in the Stadtpark in Bruges (Belgium)

image36.jpg picture by Pootchie

the many colors of the flowers in Regents Park in London

regent5.jpg Regent's Pak picture by Pootchie

the pond in Kensington Gardens in London

kensington3.jpg Kensington Gardens picture by Pootchie

the quiet atmosphere in Hyde Park in London

hyde2.jpg Hyde Park picture by Pootchie
Posted by Gracie at 16:53:37 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |

Thursday | January 03, 2008

Louvre Museum - Paris

I've been in Paris many times, I have a friend living there, so it's a usual thing go there to see each other. Obviously, the Museum of the Louvre is a must while you're there.

paris3.jpg picture by GraTosi

I like it so very much for the atmosphere you can feel walking through its rooms, never too crowded even if it's one of the most visited place in the world!

museo_Louvre.jpg picture by GraTosi

louvre_room.jpg picture by GraTosi

ceiling.jpg picture by GraTosi

The sections I like the most are the one dedicated to the ancient Egypt and the one collecting near eastern antiques

Senzanome.jpg picture by GraTosi Senzanome3.jpg picture by GraTosi Louvre_01.jpg picture by GraTosi

75394458_05bde92ef4.jpg picture by GraTosi louvre-egypte01.jpg picture by GraTosi

Louvre200008.jpg picture by GraTosi Louvre200006.jpg picture by GraTosi

Louvre200011.jpg picture by GraTosi

And there are masterpieces you can't avoid to see, after all they are the reason the Museum is so famous!

verginerocce.jpg picture by GraTosi Senzanome4.jpg picture by GraTosi

Louvre_VittoriaSamotracia.jpg picture by GraTosi cariatidi.jpg picture by GraTosi
amoreepsicheCanova.jpg picture by GraTosi 95706154_3add212dc0.jpg picture by GraTosi

and the most famous of all......

Louvre_02.jpg picture by GraTosi

I hope to come back again, each time I find something new, and new emotions are there to be lived.
Posted by Gracie at 17:40:47 | Permanent Link | Comments (0) |