Nymphs

Flower of fancy

Vanishing Dream

Destiny

Oblivion

 

Every time that I visit Chirk I admire these statues. I know they might not be to everybody's taste but I think they are magnificent. I particularly like the two which are placed next to each other which are called "Destiny" and "Vanishing Dream". 

They are in a naturalistic and symbolist style (apparently) and while the figures are nude for me the power of each sculpture is in the facial expressions and the symbolism. I don't understand the symbolism in each sculpture, for example why one is standing on a serpent, or another has her hands bound behind her back and another has her eyes bound with cloth, but they are elegant and beautifully crafted.

I have shared images of them before I know but today I have gone all out and shared several images and included shots of all four sculptures which I have not done before

They were made by Andrea Carlo Lucchesi who work predominantly in London. He died in 1924 aged 64. The sculptures collectively known as "The Nymphs" were owned by Lord and Lady Howard de Walden who leased Chirk Castle between 1911 and 1946 and were brought to the castle from the couple's London home. Originally they stood in the family's dining room until Lady Howard de Walden insisted they be moved to "a more appropriate location"

Copenhagen - Art and Architecture

 I think I have shared the first of todays images before but the other two, I don't think so.

These are from Copenhagen in the summer of 2018 when I was on a road trip with my youngest son. We didn't really have too much time in Copenhagen and it is a city that I would love to go back to and explore some more. There is some fantastic modern architecture, like the Opera House which sits opposite the Amalienborg (Royal Residence) and Amaliehaven which is a small park on the waterfront. This is a lovely restful spot along the waterfront, in each corner of the garden is a bronze statue created by the Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro. I thought they were really impressive as you can see from the two columns in the images above. 

High on a Hill

 So here are three more, very different images from the Chateau de Haut Koenigsbourg in Alsace.

The first image is taken from one of the towers looking along the ramparts and into the distance towards Germany. This region was hotly contested throughout the centuries and changed hands between France and Germany several times. The castle itself has fallen into ruin and been reconstructed over time too and is now a remarkable place to visit.

The second image is og a sculpture that sits on top of the well in the inner courtyard. I wish I could say more about it but sadly I didn't pay enough attention to the information display so all I can say is that it is an interesting sculpture of a mermaid.

The final image is of the main staircase which leads from the inner courtyard and is housed in a hexagonal tower. Can you tell whether you are looking up or down the stairs?

Water Sculpture

These abstract images are from shots of fountains near to the Lego House in Billund, Denmark taken on my road trip in 2018.

I love taking photos of water, it offers so many opportunities for some stunning images whether that is ripples, reflections, or rushing rapids, or perhaps refracted light through dewdrops, waves and waterfalls. Or as here in these two mid air sculptures as the water reaches the top of its trajectory and hangs momentarily before falling back on itself.

If you look long enough you can see all sorts of different shapes, a bit like staring at clouds and seeing faces or rabbits, and in the second shot you can see the ripples on the surface where smaller droplets have fallen and left their mark.

More Art In The Park

Yesterday I shared three views of the magnificent bronze head by Igor Mitoraj that is found in the Boboli Gardens in Florence.

Today I have shared two more art works from the park, these are both by the German sculptor Fritz Koenig. He is most famous for The Sphere which stood in the plaza between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre.

These sculptures were part of the first exhibition of his work since his death in 2017 and were my favourite works on display. I didn't realise at the time how important this collection was but I am pleased that I got to see these fascinating sculptures.

I don't know what the symbols on the sphere represent but the second sculpture "Grosse Flora D, Grande Flora D" (1979/1980) I think could represent a flower or it could be a heavily stylised human form. 

Nicely Framed

Canon 24 - 105mm 1:4 L IS USM

ISO 100  28mm  f/14  1/125 sec

ISO 100  45 mm  f/14  1/125 sec

ISO 200  28 mm f/11   1/400 sec

More pictures today from the waterfront in Copenhagen.

These were taken in Amaliehaven or Amalie Garden which sits between the Amalienborg Palace and the river. 

Firstly looking out towards the Opera House, but unlike the other day when the focus was on the Opera House itself today the focus is on the sculpture which is one of four abstract columns created by the Italian sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro who also designed the fountain in the centre of the second image.

As we were enjoying our visit to the garden my son commented that the sculptures had a "Vex like quality" which he explained relates to structures in the game "Destiny" and I am sure anyone who has played the game will be able to see what he means. I really like these structures and the impression that under the flat exterior there is lots going on inside. 

In the second picture you can see the dome of the Amalienborg Palace which is nicely framed by two of the pillars. In this picture I also like the fountain which is almost like a cushion of spray which is nicely illuminated by the evening sun.

Passing Through...

For tonight we are staying in a lovely guest house in the small town of Casale Monferrato in the province of Alessandria.

We drove up from Florence the long way round again to avoid the motorways. It meant twice as long traveling but it was worth it.

The first surprise along the way was that we passed through Pisa and saw the famous leaning tower, we didn't stop but we did get to see it from different perspectives as we passed through.

Later we had a fantastic drive through the mountains via the Passo del Bocco. The road was amazing with so many twists and turns it was fun to drive. Unfortunately we got stuck behind a truck on the way down, the driver was on his phone the whole way so rather than using his gears to slow down he was on his brakes almost the whole time. When we got through the pass and into the town below thick smoke was pouring from his brakes.

The next thing along the way was the view of the Ligurian Sea and a drive along the coast before heading inland again towards our destination.

Casale Monferrato seems fairly quiet but there's some fine architecture and a nice atmosphere. We popped into the Cathedral which is where the first picture was taken. In the entrance there were a few interesting sculptures and this shot is just a part of one. The Cathedral was actually closed and the priest came to tell us this but allowed us a few moments to walk around which was really nice as it was very peaceful with a simple elegance inside.

 The next shot is of a street lamp set against the windows of the building behind.

Finally, after dinner we went for a walk down to the River Po where I captured this beautiful sunset.

So today really has been a day of passing through different places but even  though we are just passing through the sights we have seen have left a good impression before we move on, this time into France.

Night time on Rochester Row

These three shots were taken on my walk back to my hotel after dark. The first is iron work on the gates to a school and I like the imagery of planting the tree and feeding it so that it will grow.

The school in question is the Grey Coat Hospital School and that is the subject of the second image.

The third picture is of the doorway to a church. I like the gothic arch leading to a place of sanctuary. At work this week I have been inside one of the most fantastic gothic structures in London, the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. Unfortunately photography is forbidden inside so even if I did have pictures I wouldn't be able to share them...

Ecclesiastical Perspective

If you Google "Ecclesiastical Perspective" (or use any other search engine for that matter) you will find images of churches, inside and out.

Here are a few shots of my own. Like yesterday's pictures these are from the Palace of Versailles. The first and third images are of the Royal Chapel which is quite fantastic.

The second picture is of one of the long corridors and not strictly ecclesiastical although the statues lining the corridor are religious figures (at least I think they are).

The final picture is of the chapel in the  Petit Trianon in the Domaine de Marie Antoinette.  It is still quite opulent with the marvelous marble floor and the fine sculptures but it is quite simple and understated.

I've left the description of the fourth picture til last, because its not a religious building but it is a feature of several French Chateaux that I have visited and it is a "Cathedral" of trees, walking through it is like walking through the nave of a grand cathedral and it is very peaceful.

A Frog on a Stick

So today I am in St Helier, capital of the island state of Jersey. I'm here for work and only have limited time between appointments and my flights so sadly I don't have any real opportunity to take photos.

Added to the time constraints the weather this evening has been abysmal and I felt like I'd had a bath in my clothes by the time I got back to my hotel. I had mananged to find a nice restaurant and so after some succulent lamb and some delicious profiteroles my mood was lifted somewhat (those who know me well will know how much I like profiteroles).

Anyway the first of today's images is of a statue of a frog which was perched upon a stone column in a small square in the centre of the town. It was unusual and quirky and therefore worthy of a spot in my blog.
The other shots are abstract images of the lights around the harbour which I rather like. I hope you do too.

Escape to the country

Having said yesterday how much I love the city I have been cooped up all day in a windowless room, so I decided to post some pictures of the great outdoors. 

Seen here in the first picture is the sunset over Haverigg harbour, more of that later in the week or maybe next week.

The second shot is the view across the dales from Litton, towards Tideswell.

The final picture is of a sculpture on the seashore at Haverigg, it is there to commemorate lives lost, by those who died trying to save people in peril at sea. In Haverigg there is an independent inshore lifeboat and the volunteers who man the service deserve much credit, praise and respect.

Four Horsemen

These sculptures are the work of the Belgian artist Rik Poot and they stand in Arendts Gardens in Bruges.  They represent the four horsemen of the Apocalypse "Conquest", "War", "Famine" and "Death" (I don't promise the pictures are displayed in that order though).

They are pretty gruesome and menacing, but then with the subject matter I don't think I could expect anything else.

The City of Lights

The final stop on the road trip was Paris.  I have been to Paris quite often and it is one of my favourite places to visit and I have lots of photos so didn't expect to take any pictures this time, however walking along the banks of the Seine I saw the statue in the first photo with the chair on its head and I thought it quirky and fun so couldn't resist taking the shot.

After that I took several other pictures.

The locks are just a few of the many thousands on one of the bridges, the main span of the bridge has been boarded up so that no more locks can be added and now they have been put on the side railings and fences in other spots overlooking the river. "Love locks" have been a feature in several of the cities we have visited on this trip but none so many as in Paris.  Although I like this feature in Paris I think I prefer the picture I took on the bridge in Heidelberg which I shared on 18th March so why not revisit that blog and compare...

The lamp post was in the square in front of Notre Dame and I thought it was an interesting detail.

Finally, I almost decided not to post the last two images but the Eiffel Tower is such an iconic site it seemed wrong not to and I think that with the illumination and the detail of the structure they make for nice pictures.