Torre Del Lago

School's Out For Summer! The weekend after I got back from Paris and had a final faculty meeting, it was off to the beach. Tuscany is famous for its beaches and I chose to head up to Torre del Lago between Pisa and Cinque Terre. As you can see perfect beach weather! Being that I don't burn, my summer tan is already in place. Those mountains in the back are the Apuan Alps.

After spending six hours a the beach, I drove into the Apuan Alps to see the quarries where from where they get the famed Carrara marble. Here's the view from above the town of Seravazza. That road coming into the mountains is the only way in and out.

Sunset at the beach.....

On the drive back, I stopped by and spent time at a black sand beach north of Piombino and then stopped by Saturnia, a famous hot springs in southern Tuscany. The springs were warm, but there wasn't enough contrast with the warm summer air. I think Saturnia would be better in the winter.

The Louvre -- Greece through the Italian Renaissance

This is why Paris is so beautiful. The back of a building on the Left Bank has been turned into a piece of art. One almost doesn't realize that it's just the back of a building.

And back to the Louvre with the Lady of Auxerre (650BC) from the Archaic Period. A kore, with her hand over her breast as a gesture of prayer.

Because she doesn't wear a headdress, she is probably not a goddess.

Her dress has geometric patterns...the introduction of decoration and fashion. If you look at her on the whole, there are geometric shapes, the triangle head and rectangular body.

The Panathenaic Festival on the Parthenon Frieze (447BC), height of the classical period. The controlled movement is a great contrast to......

The Nike of Samothrace (190BC) is what I came to see. It is a classic of hellenistic sculpture. She is placed on the prow of a ship. In a rejection of Greek classicism, Nike is emotive and incredible movement.

The statue itself was placed in a fountain thereby the water rushing by giving the effect of the boat on the seas. Art and nature in combination.

But to me it is the drapery and windswept clothing tight on the body that is amazing. It's totally fluid looking, but made of tons of stone.

The famous Venus de Milo (150BC) is another hellenistic sculpture. She's a bit sexual and playful in her interaction with the viewer.

You know me.....I have to include Augustus, although this one isn't one of my favorite sculptures of "the man."

Madonna of the Angels by Cimabue (1280). These cardboard figures are about to be made into 3-D with volume and perspective, but we're just not there yet.

Assisi Receiving the Stigmata by Giotto (1290's). This is where we're starting to see perspective, with Giotto. We also have human emotion and representations of the physical world.

At the bottom, are three panels, on the right see the birds coming to listen to Francis. The mid-flight of the birds is amazing considering the high renaissance is a century away.

I love the fact that I now can see a painting and figure out the artist. I saw this, and because of the dancing girl, guessed it was Botticelli, because the girls are dancing in the same manner as his Primavera.

I joke with Yvonne that when I see sticks, I immediately think Paolo Uccello. And I was right, this is his Battle of San Romano (1450BC). I think that the sticks are attempting to show time lapse.

There are two Madonna of the Rocks (1483) by Da Vinci, one here in the Louvre, the other in London. The technique of "sfumato" or smoky is on display here in great technical mastery. The the delicate shadings from light to dark.

Obviously.....a portrait by Piero della Francesca. Obviously.

Le Belle Jardinere by Raphael (1507). Raphael mastered the soft colors and beauty. There is intense intimacy here.

Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione by Raphael (1514). It's the eyes.....you can see his soul and his psyche.

In contrast to this portrait of a boy by Bronzino, well not as much. And also, what's the boy doing with that statue?(1550s)

Old Man and Grandson by Ghirlandaio (1490). This was on an art history test last year. Note the nice play of light and the 3-D nature perspective in the background.

I remember the nose....and here it is up close. What's up with the nose?

And we have to end with a Caravaggio. The Fortune Teller where the girl using her wiles is looking the boy in the eye while telling his fortune, but stealing his ring.

Leaving Paris......with beautiful copper pots. Paris is unbelievable beautiful.

The Louvre -- Ancient Near East

Those of you regular readers not into the Art History stuff I post, skip this! I post these mostly to document and solidify my understanding of what I've seen and learned.

Dated at 2450BC, "The Stele of Vulture" named because of this bird" is one of the oldest depiction of a historical event. King Eannatum has trapped defeated soldiers in his net.

King Eannatum leads his soldiers into battle behind a shield and trampling their enemies

An ox is about to become a sacrifice with cuneiform writing

The Stele of Vultures provides insight into Sumerian society, the nature of warfare and the stature of King Eannanum.

Gudea, Prince of Lagash. He was one of the great rulers of Sumeria and built many temples to honor god, Ningirsu..





Gudea, full chest indicating health and prosperity, holds in his lap plans of a temple to Ningirsu.

Stele of Naram Sim (2254BC) commemorates the defeat of the Lullibi by the Akkadians. It's one of the first times we see the rejection of registers. Is the King scaling the ladder to heaven? King Sargon's forces march in step, but the enemies are in a disordered array.

King Sargon steps on his enemies as they beg for mercy.

King Sargon, the highest and biggest figure on the stele, wears horns signifying divinity!

Stele of Hammurabi (Law Codes of Hammurabi), King of Babylon (1760BC). Inscribed this diorite stele are the 282 laws of Hammurabi.

Just the stele itself is beautiful regardless of its historical importance.

Here's a sample of the writing (although from a different stele)

At the top of the stele, Hammurabi (standing) receives the rod and rope from the seated god of justice.

The Lamassu (Winged Bulls) from the Palace of Sargon II (720BC)

Uh yeah, they're HUGE. These 14-feet tall bulls with human faces guarded the entrace of the throne room of King Sargon II.

Note the they have 5 legs. From the front, the Lamassu are standing, but from the side, they are in motion.

Sargon II (on right) receive a dignitary. The set of Sargon friezes are as large as Lamassu and were on display in the palace of King Sargon II.

The next panel shows soldiers in his defense as well as bringing the King transport.

Servants bringing table, chair and food.

Again, huge panels, this time showing the transport of cedars from modern day Lebanon to Assyria to build his palace.

And the unloading of the cedars.

Bringing the materials to the build site.

Sea life along the journey. What is amazing to me is this is the way stories are told and preserved.

Queen Napir-Su of Elam (1350BC) She is a votive offering. Note the cylindrical form, but there is femininity in the hands and fingers. The hands over the full belly might indicate fertility to ensure dynastic succession.

Amazingly, the statue of Queen Napir-Su is SOLID BRONZE. She weights 3,760 pounds (WOW).

Persepolis, in modern day Iran, is the source of much of our knowledge of ancient Persian art and society. Here's a capitol from the apadana at Persepolis.  

These "hunters" were on the face of the apadana. It's unfortunate that modern politics precludes us from getting to see Persepolis.