Saturday, January 31, 2015

Commerce

Commerce by Jean-Antoine Injalbert, Pont Mirabeau, Paris

“Commerce” by Jean-Antoine Injalbert, 1896
Pont Mirabeau, 15th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

See also: The City of Paris - Abundance - Navigation

Friday, January 30, 2015

Mercato di San Lorenzo

Mercato Centrale, Central Market, Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Florence

First floor, Mercato Centrale (Central Market)
Piazza del Mercato Centrale
Florence, April 2014

“At the Mercato Centrale, in the San Lorenzo area, you'll find a diverse selection of shops offering visitors quality food from all over Italy, most of which are managed by the 3rd or 4th generation owners. Here, hospitality is a defining characteristic and shoppers can taste exhibited products. From April 23, the first floor of Florence's Central Market is open again. The market's renewed space of 3000 mq now offers 500 seatings and hosts 12 workshops, a restaurant, a pizzeria, a brewery, the Chianti Classico shop, a bookshop and a cooking school. Among the first floor new workshops you'll find cheese, bread, gelato, chocolate, pasta and cold cuts shops exhibiting the best food products from Italy.” (Around Florence: 5 food markets, Turismo in Toscana)

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Angel's Wings

Angel's Wings by Thomas Heatherwick, Paternoster Square, City of London, London

“Angel's Wings” by Thomas Heatherwick, 2000
Paternoster Square, City of London
London, September 2014

“The artworks, which have been likened to ‘angel's wings’, also act as cooling vents for a London Electricity substation. Heatherwick developed the design through experimenting with the repetition of isosceles triangles to form a complex helical form. The ‘wings’are constructed from stainless steel which has been blasted with tiny glass beads to create a satin finish. Stanhope and Mitsubishi Estates commissioned the sculpture as a new focus for Bishop's Court, at the western end of the square.” (Designer Thomas Heatherwick, Architects' Journal)

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Temple of Hercules Victor

Temple of Hercules Victor, Piazza Bocca della Verità, Rome

Temple of Hercules Victor
Piazza Bocca della Verità
Rome, May 2012

“The design of the round temple is Greek and there were two types. The first was the monopteros which consisted of a circular arrangement of columns which supported a circular system of beams which carried a cupola. Within this arrangement would be placed a representation of the deity the to whom the temple was dedicated. This type of temple did not incorporate a cella and therefore the statue of the god or goddess would be visible to passers-by. The second type of round temple was the peripteros which did incorporate a cella, had a greater number of columns forming a circular colonnade carrying an entablature supporting with a beam system and roof or cupola. (Guhl and Kroner, 1995) The Temple of Hercules we are discussing is of the second or peripteros type.” (The Temple of Hercules, The Illustrated History of the Roman Empire)

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Rue Copernic


Plaque remembering the victims of the 1980 bombing
Synagogue of the Union Libérale Israélite de France
Rue Copernic
Quartier de Chaillot, 16th arrondissement
Paris, July 2012

(In memory
of
Jean Michel Barbé, Philippe Bouissou
Hilario Lopez Fernandez, Aliza Shagrir
killed during the odious attack
committed against
this synagogue
on 3 October 1980
)

Monday, January 26, 2015

Luna Piena

Luna Piena, Full Moon by Judi Harvest, Vallaresso, Venice

“Luna Piena” (Full Moon) by Judi Harvest
Vallaresso vaporetto stop, San Marco
Venice, September 2012

“After years illuminating Venice's Vallaresso / San Marco Vaporetto stop, Judi Harvest's monumental Luna Piena (Full Moon) is now on view at the Linea Arianna glass factory in Murano. A glowing marvel of steel and 2,070 masterfully hand-blown Murano glass spheres, Luna Piena was transported in July 2014 to Linea Arianna, where Harvest has been collaborating with Murano glassblowers for over two decades. Harvest will host a Moon Dance event September 9 from 6-9 pm at the Linea Arianna.” (Luna Piena Now on View at Linea Arianna Glass Factory in Murano, BroadwayWorld.com)

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Holborn

Official blazon of Holborn, Holborn Town Hall, High Holborn, London

Official blazon of Holborn, Holborn Town Hall
High Holborn, Camden
London, September 2014

Arms: Argent a Cross Gules charged in the centre point with a Hind pierced by an Arrow Or and on a Chief Sable three Escallops of the field. Crest: Out of a Mural Crown proper a demi Figure representing St. Andrew the Apostle vested Azure holding in the dexter hand an open Boook also proper and supporting on his sinister arm a Saltire Azure. Supporters: On the dexter a Lion and in the sinister a Gryphon both Or each gorged with a Collar Gules suspended therefrom an Escutcheon barry wavy of ten Argent and Azure. Motto: Multi pertransibunt et augebitur scientia (Many shall pass through and learning shall be increased) (Holborn, Civic heraldry of the United Kingdom, Heraldry of the World)

Saturday, January 24, 2015

The Apple

The Apple by Stephan Weiss, Pier 46 at Charles Street, Hudson River Park, New York

“The Apple” by Stephan Weiss, 2004
Pier 46 at Charles Street
Hudson River Park
New York, September 2008

“Stephen Weiss, the late husband of Donna Karan, created his “Larger than Life” collection shortly before his death from a long battle with lung cancer in 2001. The collection includes for pieces; a high-heeled shoe, a roll of film, a Dressage horse and this big apple, which is a tribute to New York City. The Dressage Horse was the final piece, completed posthumously by Weiss’s son, was presented at Hampton Classic. The Apple, here in Millennium Garden, is a 3 ton and 9 foot bronze that sits on a bench of apple cores. It symbolizes the heart and ‘core’ of the city. Weiss was part of Donna Karan’s company, but still continued to create art, although never sought public recognition for his pieces.” (The Apple by Stephen Weiss, Art Nerd New York)

Friday, January 23, 2015

Abundance

Abundance by Jean-Antoine Injalbert, Pont Mirabeau, Paris

“Abundance” by Jean-Antoine Injalbert, 1896
Pont Mirabeau, 15th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

See also: The City of Paris - Commerce - Navigation

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Loggia del Mercato Nuovo

Statue of Bernardo Cennini by Emilio Mancini, Michele di Lando by Antonio Bortone, Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, Florence

Statues of Bernardo Cennini by Emilio Mancini, 1889
and Michele di Lando by Antonio Bortone, 1895
Loggia del Mercato Nuovo
Piazza del Mercato Nuovo
Florence, April 2014

See also: Giovanni Villani

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Queen Alexandra Memorial

Queen Alexandra Memorial by Alfred Gilbert, Marlborough Road, London

The Queen Alexandra Memorial by Alfred Gilbert, 1932
Marlborough Road, City of Westminster
London, September 2014

“According to Dorment, the Alexandra Memorial provides a summation of the artist's ideas. It also forced a reluctant King, who heartily disliked the sculptor, both to confer a knighthood upon him and make the Royal Academy readmit him. The memorial, in other words, had enormous significance to Gilbert as a man and an artist. But the apparent sleep of the two crowned virtues renders the meaning — and the achievement — of the memorial far less clear than it might have been.” (Sir Alfred Gilbert, The Victorian Web)

See also: Anteros

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Pope John Paul II

Monument to Pope John Paul II by Oliviero Rainaldi, Rome

Pope John Paul II by Oliviero Rainaldi, 2011
Piazza dei Cinquecento
Rome, May 2011

“The city of Rome unveiled a revamped statue of Pope John Paul II on Monday after the first one was pilloried by the public and the Vatican. Artist Oliviero Rainaldi said he was pleased with the final product, saying it matched his original vision. He blamed workers for a botched assemblage the first time around. When the larger-than-life statue was first unveiled in May 2011, it was widely criticized by passers-by as looking more like Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini than the beloved Polish pope. The Vatican's own art critic wrote that it looked like a ‘bomb’ had landed. That few could recognize it as honoring John Paul was a ‘sin,’ critic Sandro Barbagallo declared.” (Revised Statue of Pope John Paul II inaugurated in Rome, The Huffington Post)

Monday, January 19, 2015

Langoustines

Langoustines, Norway lobsters, Marché Cours de Vincennes, Paris

Langoustines (Norway lobsters or scampi)
Marché Cours de Vincennes
Cours de Vincennes
Quartier du Bel-Air, 12th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Kayaking in Murano

Kayaking along the canals, Murano, Venice

Kayaking along the canals
Rio dei Vetrai, Murano
Venice, September 2013

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Up at The O2

Climbers on the top platform of The O2, Millendium Dome, North Greenwich, London

Climbing over the roof of The O2
Drawdock Road / Millennium Way
Greenwich Peninsula, North Greenwich
London, September 2014

See also: On Top of The O2

Friday, January 16, 2015

Call a Bike

Call a Bike docking station, Linkstraße, Berlin

“Call a Bike” docking station
Linkstraße at Potsdamer Platz
Berlin, September 2011

Thursday, January 15, 2015

The City of Paris

The City of Paris by Jean-Antoine Injalbert, Pont Mirabeau, Paris

“The City of Paris” by Jean-Antoine Injalbert, 1896
Pont Mirabeau, 15th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

See also: Abundance - Commerce - Navigation

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Eighteen Colors

35 Euro shoes in 18 colors, Via de' Gori, Florence

35 Euro shoes in 18 colors
Via de' Gori
Florence, April 2014

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Barclays Cycle Hire

Barclays Cycle Hire docking station, Monument Street, City of London, London

Barclays Cycle Hire docking station
Monument Street, City of London
London, September 2014

“The first 30 minutes of bicycle use are free, so if you spent the day cycling between bike racks less than 30 minutes apart - bear in mind that the time will increase as the day progresses - you could have all this for a quid. Then again, if you keep the bike for more than 24 hours there's a £150 penalty, so it's not much cop if you want to go on a cycling holiday in the Black Forest. On the whole, though, it's almost a brilliant idea. But there are two obvious problems. The first is that, by being yoked to the rack system, the bicycle, this ultimate symbol of mobility and freedom for the masses, effectively becomes public transport: it doesn't leave from precisely where you are and doesn't arrive at exactly where you want to be. Unless you work as a bicycle rack attendant, the very point of the bicycle is somewhat defeated.” (Cycling proficiency with James May, The Telegraph)

Monday, January 12, 2015

Nizami Ganjavi

Monument to Nizami Ganjavi by by Salhab Mammadov and Ali Ibadullayev, Villa Borghese gardens, Rome

Statue of Nizami Ganjavi by Salhab Mammadov and Ali Ibadullayev, 2011
Viale Madama Letizia
Villa Borghese gardens
Rome, April 2013

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Ets Chevalier SARL

Établissements Chevalier SARL, rue de Paradis, Paris

Vente, achat, echange (Sale, purchase, exchange)
Rue de Paradis
Quartier de la Porte-Saint-Denis, 10th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Nicola Pisano

Statue of Nicola Pisano by Salvino Salvini, Pisa

Statue of Nicola Pisano by Salvino Salvini, 1864
Santa Maria del Carmine
Corso Italia
Pisa, December 2014

“The first classical work of the Renaissance period is Nicola Pisano's pulpit for the Baptistery of Pisa Cathedral, which he signed and dated in 1260. Both its general form and the modelling and pose of some of the figures show the influence of antique sculpture, which Nicola could have studied in Apulia, where he lived as a young man. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, under the rule of Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor, produced a secular style of classicizing sculpture which also affected Nicola's training.” (Michael Greenhalgh, Nicola Pisano and Giotto: Founders of Renaissance Classicism)

Friday, January 9, 2015

Cross the Divide

Cross the Divide by Rick Kirby, St Thomas' Hospital, Lambeth, London

“Cross the Divide” by Rick Kirby, 2000
St Thomas' Hospital, Lambeth
London, September 2014

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Peace Fountain

Elephant, Peace Fountain by Greg Wyatt, Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York

Peace Fountain by Greg Wyatt, 1985
Cathedral of Saint John the Divine
Amsterdam Avenue, Morningside Heights
New York, September 2008

“At the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, 112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, is an enormous fountain erected in 1985. The cast-bronze work stands 40 feet tall, weighs 16 tons and has a place of honor on the church's Great Lawn, where two peacocks are sometimes seen strutting around. Entitled ‘Peace Fountain,’ it is the work of the sculptor Greg Wyatt, and is an amalgam of forms and figures that include nine giraffes, an enormous crab, a sun face, a moon face and a DNA-like spiral. At the heart of this maelstrom stands the figure of the archangel Michael, who has just finished beheading Lucifer, whose head hangs by a thread.” (A Look at the Splashiest Shows in Town, The New York Times)

See also: Peace Elephant - Mikhail Baryshnikov - Two Rivers - Two Peacocks - Soul of the Arts

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Baudelaire's Cenotaph

Cenotaph of Charles Baudelaire by José de Charmoy, Montparnasse Cemetery, Paris

Cenotaph of Charles Baudelaire by José de Charmoy, 1902
Cimetière du Montparnasse, Montparnasse Cemetery
Quartier du Montparnasse, 14th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Mercato Centrale

Mercato Centrale, Central Market, Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Florence

Ground floor, Mercato Centrale (Central Market)
Piazza del Mercato Centrale
Florence, April 2014

“Inside the market are myriad vendors dedicated to the primary ingredients of Tuscan cuisine. On the ground floor you will find butchers of all types, with everything from pig's feet to whole chickens with their heads and feet still on, to giant, milky-white sheets of tripe, rabbits, wild boar, steaks, sausages, etc. You will also find gastronomie offering cheeses, cured meats, olives and other delicatessen fare, as well as stalls selling bread, pasta, wine and other grocery items.” (Central Market, Florence Online)

Monday, January 5, 2015

Hunter Regent Street

Hunter Regent Street, Regent Street, London

At work for the new Hunter flagship store
Regent Street
London, September 2014

“Hunter announced on Friday the development of a new website in an effort to increase its online sales, both in the UK and internationally. The company's first global flagship store will be opened on London's Regent Street at the end of October.” (Hunter wellies sales soar as it continues to enjoy ‘Kate Moss effect’, The Telegraph)

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Porta della Sapienza

Porta della Sapienza, Gate of Wisdom by Pietro Cascella, Pisa

“Porta della Sapienza” (Gate of Wisdom) by Pietro Cascella, 1995
Pisa International Airport
Piazzale D'Ascanio
Pisa, July 2014

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Bouquiniste's Stand

Bouquiniste's stand with not so many books, quai de Montebello, Paris

Bouquiniste's stand... with not so many books
Quai de Montebello
Quartier de la Sorbonne, 5th arrondissement
Paris, July 2010

“Paris has many grand monuments dominating its skyline, but for regular visitors to the 'city of light' there is a sight every bit as ingrained into its terroir as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and Sacre Coeur - that of the riverside booksellers who for centuries have plied their trade on the banks of the River Seine. Les Bouquinistes can count Presidents (including Mitterand and Thomas Jefferson) as regular customers, and boast a proud history of providing a source of literatures thought subversive to the prevailing authorities of the day.” (The Paris Bouquinistes, BBC Radio 4)

Friday, January 2, 2015

La Partigiana

Monumento alla Partigiana, Monument to the Female Resistance Fighter, by Augusto Murer, Venice

“La Partigiana” (The Female Resistance Fighter) by Augusto Murer, 1961
Riva dei Partigiani, Castello
Venice, September 2012

“La Partigiana, by Augusto Murer. The original statue, by Leoncillo Leonardi, (in the Giardini Pubblici) was destroyed by a fascist bomb in 1961, four years after its installation. This was installed in 1964 on a setting designed by Carlo Scarpa. It was supposed to float, but the mechanism failed after a few months. The area had been under restoration for a long time. It was re-opened on 6 June 2009.” (La Partigiana Veneta, Venice Daily Photo)

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Boadicea and Her Daughters

Boadicea and Her Daughters by Thomas Thornycroft, Westminster Bridge, London

“Boadicea and Her Daughters” by Thomas Thornycroft, 1903
Westminster Bridge
London, September 2014

See also: Charles George Gordon - Oliver Cromwell - Boadicea and Her Daughters