Art

A dance in the desert

Part of our Dubai desert experience was the camp where we got to taste some really good food and I got my first (and last) puffs of the hookah. After the sumptuous repast we got to witness a remarkable display of belly-dancing. Her control and timing were excellent (I do admit that I am no … Continue reading →

Hermaphroditos

The statue of Hermaphroditos closes my Louvre trip (over 2 years after I actually visited it!). While the exquisitely crafted mattress it rests on was created by Bernini in the 17th century – and is a masterpiece in its own right – the statue itself is a Roman copy of a lost Greek original. The … Continue reading →

Sumerian antiquities at the Louvre – 1

If anything at all deserves the appellation “antique”, it is a relic from Sumer. The following pictures are from some of the most magical rooms at the Louvre, and that’s saying something. Sumer and its cities have always fascinated me and it was with something bordering on the reverence for the divine that I took … Continue reading →

Napoleon III’s Apartments at the Louvre – 1

A throwback to the time when the Louvre still was a royal palace, the set of apartments from the time of Napoleon III have remained largely untouched since the time they were in use, in the mid-nineteenth century, providing a glimpse into the art and decor of the period. If, like me, you do not … Continue reading →

Egyptian Art at the Louvre – 5

Art at the Louvre

Besides the Vinci masterpieces (which, to be honest, left me a little too overwhelmed to concentrate on other artists), there is a HUGE collection of artwork that would take days to view and truly appreciate. I did not have that luxury, but I am thankful that I got the chance that I did get. 🙂

At the Louvre – 1

There was so much at the Louvre that I cannot possibly do justice to all that I had the privilege of seeing. I share here a few moments of the grandeur and the beauty that caught my eye and mesmerized me. Tht 

da Vinci at the Louvre

The Louvre has in its possession 4 of Leonardo da Vinci’s known paintings, roughly a quarter of all his extant works. What greater pleasure could there have been for me but to gaze at so many of his works under one roof?  Madonna of the rocks would be well-known to readers of Brown’s “The da … Continue reading →

Mes Trois Amour

I fell in love with three women in Paris. I know, some of you might think, “Just three????” 😀 But I couldn’t help it. I knew two of them from before I met them; the third had only recently become an acquaintance. I could have spent days just gazing at them, like some love-sick poet … Continue reading →

Fondation Beyeler – 3

Apart from the excellent Monets on exhibit, the Fondation Beyeler also has a permanent collection of Picasso on display. I’ve never been a fan of his work, so I’m sorry but someone else will have to post those. 😛 Some evocative pieces of sculpture did catch my fancy. Here is a representative sample of those. … Continue reading →