Three time lucky, as they say – and all my three visits to Florence have been a charm. I will never tire of this city. With most of the main sights lying within walking distance of one another, Firenze, is the cradle of the Renaissance and one of Europe’s great art cities. There is so much exquisite art and architecture within its ancient walls that it is easy to become overwhelmed. The plan is to visit sites I have not seen before. On exhibit at Palazzo Strozzi is Donatello, the Renaissance. A historic exhibition which sets out to reconstruct the…
Tag: Art
Art at Sensei Lana’i
I was awe struck by the wide variety of artworks at Sensei Lanai. One of the hotel staff mentioned to me that the collection is valued at $1 billion. Intentionally placed among expansive garden foliage, it is an impressive display of unique sculptures by world-renowned artists. The outdoor sculpture garden includes larger-than-life works by Jeff Koons, Fernando Botero, Jaume Plensa, Marc Quinn, Emily Young, Ju Ming and others.
O’ahu
It is my first visit to Hawaii and first stop for 36 hours is the island of Oahu or “The Gathering Place“. Oahu is the third largest Hawaiian island and home to two-third of Hawaii’s population. Hawaii‘s state capitol, Honolulu, is located in this island. I came across an art exhibit which was part of the Hawai’i Triennial 2022 and I was taken by Sun Xun’s art works, drawn on newsprint gathered in Hawaii in 2020 during the pandemic.
Lisbon 2.0
Almost to the date four years later, I am back in Lisbon. The beauty of not getting to see all sights on the first visit is that there are more new things to see upon one’s return. Convento do Cormo (or the Convent of Our Lady of Mount Carmel) was built between 1389 and 1423 in the Gothic style. Considered by many to be Lisbon’s loveliest church, this convent has not had a roof since it fell in during the 1755 earthquake. A lawn now covers what was once the main nave. Mannerist and baroque architecture dominate the São Roque Church,…
The Belvedere
The Belvedere was built by Prince Eugene of Savoy upon his arrival at the Habsburg court from Paris at the age of nineteen as a summer home. It consists of two palatial buildings, the Unteres Belvedere (Lower Belvedere) built in 1714 to 1716 and Oberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere) built between 1721 and 1723. During the reign of Maria Theresa, the Upper Belvedere was used for the first time as a picture gallery to feature works from the imperial collection. Masterpieces by Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele can be found in the Gallery.
AMS is Art
One will never run out of impressive art to appreciate in Amsterdam. From Rijksmuseum (where Rembrandt’s Night Watch resides), the Van Gogh Museum, the Hermitage Amsterdam (outpost of the famous Hermitage Museum of St. Petersburg), to the Stedelijk Museum. Currently on exhibit at the Hermitage is Portraitt Gallery of the Golden Age, featuring thirty colossal 17th century group paintings from Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Museum. The Stedelijk has a permanent installation of iconic works by the likes of Piet Mondrian, Gerrit Rietveld, Nola Hatterman, Barnett Newman, Yves Klein, Roy Lichtenstein, and Yayoi Kusama. …
Museo Sorolla
I am glad I followed a friend’s suggestion to visit the Museo Sorolla in Madrid. Joaquin Sorolla excelled in the painting of portraits, landscapes and monumental works. Many of the famous pieces include the impressionist beach scenes. The museum occupies what was the Spanish artist’s family home from 1911. The house has been preserved, including his studio, together with a vast collection of his masterful works. The Museo Sorolla is considered one of the best preserved artist’s homes in Europe.
Zurück nach Berlin
After four years, “Back to Berlin“! This trend-setting German capital knows how to show visitors a good time and that is the reason I have returned. Whether one comes here for the art, the Wall (or what’s left of it), the food or the nightlife, Berlin will excite and entertain! The Alte Nationalgalerie is one of the galleries I was not able to visit the last time I was in this city. With a collection of 18th to early 20th century masters in a backdrop as magnificent as the works on display. …
Archaeological Museum
The National Archaeological Museum in Athens is the country’s largest archeological museum with a massive collection of Greek artifacts, ranging from the Prehistoric Neolithic era to the late Roman period. The museum also has an overwhelming collection of more than 2,500 Greek vases.
The Met & MoMA
It’s probably been more than twelve years since I last visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Regarded as one of the world’s largest and finest art museums with more than two million works of art, somehow I keep procrastinating a re-visit. I made it back last week and was glad to see again their wonderful collection. On the other hand, my last visit to the Museum of Modern Art was last year. I always enjoy dropping by when I am in town.