Saturday, February 28, 2015

The Bride in Red

Wedding photographer at work, Napoleon Courtyard, Palais du Louvre, Louvre Palace, Paris

Wedding photographer at work
Cour Napoléon (Napoleon Courtyard)
Palais du Louvre (Louvre Palace)
Quartier Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Friday, February 27, 2015

Vera da pozzo

Bronze well-head  by Alfonso Alberghetti, Courtyard of the Doge's Palace, Venice

Bronze “vera da pozzo” (Well-head) by Alfonso Alberghetti, 1559
Courtyard of the Doge's Palace
Venice, September 2013

‘Still, in 1814 there were 5000 well-heads in Venice; in 1856 only 2000. Now only 17 of the earliest or Italo-Byzantine period remain, and nearly half of these are in the hands of antiquity dealers. Venice is always wishing to sell its birthright of art-treasures.’ When describing the Doge’s Palace he does not fail to mention the two bronze well-heads: ‘in the court are two magnificent well-heads (puteali) of bronze, one by Niccolò de’ Conti, Director of the Foundries of the Republic (1556), the other by Alfonso Alberghetti (1559)’. (Venetian well-heads in nineteenth-century taste, Anna Tüskés quoting Venice by Augustus Hare, 1885)

See also: Bronze Well-head

Thursday, February 26, 2015

The London Bicycle Tour Company

The London Bicycle Tour Company, Gabriel's Wharf, South Bank, Southwark, London

The London Bicycle Tour Company
Gabriel's Wharf
South Bank, Southwark
London, September 2014

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Robert Burns

Robert Burns by John Steell

Robert Burns by John Steell, 1871
East Side at 65th Street on The Mall
Literary Walk, Central Park
New York, September 2007

“Robert Burns (1759-1796), Scotland's national poet, is most famous for his song Auld Lang Syne. He is placed on the Mall across from Sir Walter Scott, another Scottish literary figure. Burns is depicted sitting on a tree stump and his poem to his love, Mary, is written on a scroll at his feet.” (Robert Burns, Central Park Conservancy)

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Delphine de Cambacérès

Buste de Delphine de Cambacérès by Amédée Jouandot, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris

Buste de Delphine de Cambacérès by Amédée Jouandot, 1869
Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, (Père Lachaise Cemetery)
Quartier du Père-Lachaise, 20th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Monday, February 23, 2015

Saint Eligius



Sant'Eligio, Saint Eligius by Nanni di Banco, Orsanmichele Museum, Florence

“Sant'Eligio” (Saint Eligius) by Nanni di Banco, 1415
Orsanmichele Museum
Via dell'Arte della Lana
Florence, April 2014

See also: Christ and St. Thomas - San Luca - Madonna delle Grazie Altar - San Matteo - Santo Stefano - St. Matthew & St. Stephen

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Prudential Assurance War Memorial

Prudential Assurance 1914–18 War Memorial by Ferdinand Victor Blundstone, Prudential Assurance Building (Holborn Bars), Holborn, City of London, London

Prudential Assurance 1914–18 War Memorial
By Ferdinand Victor Blundstone, 1922
Prudential Assurance Building (Holborn Bars)
Holborn, City of London
London, September 2014

“This large bronze of angels bestowing the wreath of victory on a dead soldier whose body rests on the rubble of modern warfare, such as sprockets from a tank, displays its modernity — and its success as a war memorial — by its sharp contrast of the awkward legs of the corpse and the enclosing grace of the shape created by the two female angels. According to most theological commentary, angels do not have gender since they do not procreate, but by conceiving these crowning angels as such obviouslly sexualized figures, Blundstone sharply emphasizes a gender divide while conveying the idea as old as the Trojan War that men die for glory and for the sake of women. One thinks of the passage near the close of Conrad's Heart of Darkness which presents the Kurz's fiancé and other women back in Brussels as one of the many hearts of darkness.” (Prudential War Memorial, The Victorian Web)

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Saint Anselm

Bronze statue of Saint Anselm of Canterbury by Albert Wider, church of Sant'Anselmo all'Aventino, Rome

Bronze statue of Saint Anselm of Canterbury (or Anselm of Aosta) by Albert Wider
Chiesa di Sant’Anselmo all’Aventino (Church of Saint Anselm at the Aventine)
Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta
Rome, May 2012

Friday, February 20, 2015

Red Dormer Window

Hôtel de Sens, Paris

Dormer window facing the garden
Hôtel de Sens
Rue des Nonnains-d'Hyères
Quartier Saint-Gervais, 4th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Thursday, February 19, 2015

San Giovanni in Bragora

Interior of the church of San Giovanni in Bragora, Campo Bandiera e Moro, Castello, Venice

Interior of the church of San Giovanni in Bragora
(Baptism of Christ by Cima da Conegliano, 1492)
Campo Bandiera e Moro, Castello
Venice, September 2013

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Walkie Talkie

The Walkie Talkie by Rafael Viñoly, Fenchurch Street, City of London, London

The “Walkie Talkie” by Rafael Viñoly
Fenchurch Street, City of London
London, September 2014

“Developers have promised urgent action to ‘cover up’ the Walkie Talkie skyscraper in the City after an ultra-bright light reflected from the building melted a Jaguar car on the streets below. The 525ft, £200 million building has been renamed the ‘Walkie Scorchie’ after its distinctive concave surfaces reflected a dazzling beam of light which blinded passers-by and has now caused extensive damage to vehicles parked beneath it.” (Walkie Talkie City skyscraper renamed Walkie Scorchie, The Independent)

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Dreiheit

Dreiheit by Brigitte and Martin Matschinsky-Denninghoff, Berlinische Galerie, Alte Jakobstraße, Kreuzberg, Berlin

“Dreiheit” by Brigitte and Martin Matschinsky-Denninghoff
Forecourt of the Berlinische Galerie
Alte Jakobstraße, Kreuzberg
Berlin, September 2011

Monday, February 16, 2015

Le Triomphe de la République

Le Triomphe de la République, The Triumph of the Republic by Jules Dalou, place de la Nation, Paris

“Le Triomphe de la République” (The Triumph of the Republic) by Jules Dalou, 1899
Place de la Nation
11/12th arrondissements
Paris, July 2014

“The monument was inaugurated on 21 September 1899, the anniversary of the founding of the Republic in 1792. The Republic is balancing on a celestial globe above the chariot of Nation, with the figures of Work and Justice at its sides, Freedom showing the way and Peace closing the procession. Work is thus one of the main ideals of the fraternal, law-dispensing and protective Revolution. It is remarkable that Dalou chose to depict work as a half-naked forger, with strong, heroic muscles, symbolic of a positivist civilization which believes in progress through machines.” (Jules Dalou, Le triomphe de la République, Patryst)

See also: The Triumph of the Republic - Victor Noir - Eugène Delacroix - The Triumph of Silenus

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Four Crowned Martyrs

Santi Quattro Coronati, Four Crowned Martyrs by Nanni di Banco, Orsanmichele Museum, Florence

“Santi Quattro Coronati” (Four Crowned Martyrs) by Nanni di Banco, 1415
Orsanmichele Museum
Via dell'Arte della Lana
Florence, April 2014

See also: Christ and St. Thomas - San Luca - Madonna delle Grazie Altar - San Matteo - Santo Stefano - St. Matthew & St. Stephen

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Ming Exhibition

London

Ming exhibition introductory displayMing exhibition introductory display
Great Court, British Museum
Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury
London, September 2014

“Zheng He's voyages between Asia and Africa were a key part of this enterprise: the admiral was tasked with extracting declarations of loyalty to Yongle and exotic tribute gifts from rulers in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, to shore up the ruler's authority at home. One of the most celebrated of these offerings was a giraffe sent to Beijing in 1414 by a ruler of Bengal. On its arrival in the capital, Yongle's advisors opportunistically identified it as a mythical qilin – an animal that, Confucius explained, would only make an appearance during the reign of a sage emperor.” (Beauty and bloodbaths in the Ming dynasty, The Guardian)

Friday, February 13, 2015

Through the Keyhole


Saint Peter's Basilica seen through the keyhole of the gate
Villa del Priorato di Malta
Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, Aventine Hill
Roma, May 2012

“Known affectionately by Romans as the ‘hole of Rome’ its abiding attraction draws queues of visitors to this peaceable ‘out of the way’ spot. No key is required: it is sufficient to put an open eye to the keyhole, and focus. With kaleidoscope charm, a vision of St Peter's dome (affectionately known to Romans as the ‘Cupolone’) perfectly in perspective, framed by the tops of trees in the foreground, opens up. Often wrapped in a thin mysterious mist, seems to stand at the end of the garden path, just beyond the door.” (Piazza of Knights of Malta, ItalyGuides.it)

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Parisian Menhir

Modern menhir, rue Vercingétorix, Paris

Modern menhir
Rue Vercingétorix
Quartier de Plaisance, 14th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

“The menhir was erected outside a block of flats at 133 Rue Vercingetorix, south of Montparnasse, 30 years ago. It was a gift from Brittany, the region of France most strongly associated with Neolithic standing stones, from tall and beautiful menhir, to the thousands of megaliths that characterise the multiple stone rows at Carnac. This is not a prehistoric menhir, plucked from the Morbihan and transported to Paris, but rather a modern quarried equivalent of a megalith, a shiny new megalith (more or less), a gift from one area of France to another. At the base of the stone is a plaque which carries the (now almost impossible to read) inscription:
‘Ce menhir offert à la ville de Paris à l’initiative de la Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie du Morbihan et réalisé par sept granitiers bretons. Il a été inauguré en 1983 par le président du Sénat de l’époque, Alain Poher.’” (The 14th arrondissemont menhir, The Urban Prehistorian)

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Medusa at the Lido

Medusa by Franco Carloni, Lido di Venezia, Venice

“Medusa” by Franco Carloni, 2013
OPEN 16 International Exhibition of Sculptures and Installations
Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, Lido di Venezia
Venice, September 2013

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Snappy Snaps


Snappy Snaps Chelsea
King's Road, Chelsea
London, September 2014

Monday, February 9, 2015

United Nations Headquarters

Headquarters of the United Nations, New York

Headquarters of the United Nations
United Nations Plaza
New York, September 2008

“After much discussion, Harrison, who coordinated the meetings, determined that a design based on Niemeyer's project 32 and Le Corbusier's project 23 would be developed for the final project. Le Corbusier's project 23 consisted of a large block containing both the Assembly Hall and the Council Chambers near the centre of the site with the Secretariat tower emerging as a slab from the south. Niemeyer's plan was closer to that actually constructed, with a distinctive General Assembly building, a long low horizontal block housing the other meeting rooms, and a tall tower for the Secretariat. The complex as built, however, repositioned Niemeyer's General Assembly building to the north of this tripartite composition. This plan included a public plaza as well.” (Headquarters of the United Nations, Wikipedia)

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Navigation

Navigation by Jean-Antoine Injalbert, Pont Mirabeau, Paris

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

See also: The City of Paris - Abundance - Commerce

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Giovanni Villani

Statue of Giovanni Villani by Gaetano Trentanove, Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, Florence

Statue of Giovanni Villani by Gaetano Trentanove, 1890
Loggia del Mercato Nuovo
Piazza del Mercato Nuovo
Florence, April 2014

See also: Loggia del Mercato Nuovo

Friday, February 6, 2015

Royal London Fusiliers

Royal London Fusiliers Monument by Albert Toft, High Holborn, City of London, London

Royal London Fusiliers Monument by Albert Toft, 1922
High Holborn, City of London
London, September 2014

“Having received the consent of the City Fathers, Holborn Bars, one of the old gateways to the city was chosen. The main feature of the memorial, a bronze statue, was modelled on Sgt. Cox, a former Royal Fusilier who had served throughout the Great War, depicted in fighting order, grasping in his right hand a rifle and bayonet, in an attitude of Victory, thus guarding the entrance to the City of London. The bronze figure is 8½ feet high standing on a Portland stone pedestal of 16½ feet, a total height of 25 feet. On the East face is a large bronze plate listing all battalions, Regular, Service and Territorial that served in the Great War.” (The War Memorial at Holborn, The Fusilier Museum London)

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Silvio Spaventa

Monument to Silvio Spaventa by Giulio Tadolini, via Cernaia, Rome

Monument to Silvio Spaventa by Giulio Tadolini, 1898
Ministry of Economy and Finances
Via Cernaia
Rome, April 2014

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Orlyval

Orlyval automatic light metro shuttle, South Terminal, Orly Airport, Paris

Orlyval automatic light metro shuttle
South Terminal, Orly Airport
Paris, July 2014

“The construction was controversial: the competing proposal for a public transport link to the airport involved a railway line integrated with the RER, which would have allowed trains from various origins to serve the airport. The shuttle option was seen as the least integrated with the rest of the network. However, the small size of the VAL allowed the stations, in particular Orly – Ouest, to be at the same level and very close to the terminals.” (Orlyval, Wikipedia)

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Ponte dei Preti

Ponte dei Preti, Priests' Bridge, Rio del Paradiso, Castello, Venice

Ponte dei Preti (Priests' Bridge)
Rio del Paradiso, Castello
Venice, September 2013

Monday, February 2, 2015

HMS President

HMS President (1918) in dazzle camouflage by Tobias Rehberger, Victoria Embankment, City of London

HMS President (1918) in ‘dazzle camouflage’ by Tobias Rehberger
Victoria Embankment, City of London
London, September 2014

“Leading German artist, Tobias Rehberger, is transforming the HMS President (1918) by covering it entirely in ‘dazzle camouflage’ designs as part of 14-18 NOW, the official cultural programme to commemorate the centenary of the First World War. The completed work will be unveiled on 14 July 2014. ‘Dazzle camouflage’, also known as ‘dazzle painting’ was used extensively during the First World War as a means of camouflaging a ship, making it difficult for the enemy to target it accurately. As one of the last three surviving warships of the Royal Navy built during the First World War, the HMS President (1918), the first type of warship built specifically for anti-submarine warfare, was originally ‘dazzled’ in this way.” (Dazzle Ship London, HMS President)

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Albrecht Thaer

Albrecht Daniel Thaer by Christian Daniel Rauch and Hugo Hagen, Schinkelplatz, Berlin

Albrecht Daniel Thaer by Christian Daniel Rauch and Hugo Hagen, 1860
Schinkelplatz
Berlin, September 2011