Marble muscles ripple—the stone carver’s feat charismatic in its unselfconsciousness. Crystals dangle, their effervescence gleaming for centuries as blown baubles from the past. Mother-of-pearl inlay…
View More Ateliers of EuropeCategory: Art
Art is an important subject where interiors are concerned, such as placement of and style. As a literary traveler, art exhibitions make for vivid visual experiences and I take every advantage I can to visit exhibitions and shows when I’m gallivanting around the world.
Maintaining a blog is not only a textual endeavor, there has to be visual beauty for it to make an impact on the reader, drawing them to stay and to enjoy the experience. I don’t just use art to illustrate my posts randomly, the images always have meaning to what I am writing about. For instance, when I was presenting my book of poetry Anywhere But Here, I used an image of the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel to provide a visual manifestation of my poem “God’s Articulate Finger,” which I highlighted in the post.
When I traveled to Milan to cover the iSaloni trade fair, I saw an exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings and notebooks, a review of which I paired with his writings to create a post; and when I experienced the exhibition devoted to Madame Cézanne at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I wrote about how I thought it might feel to live with her visage staring from a wall day-in and day-out. I hope my musings on are of interest.
An Invitation to Vaux-le-Vicomte
In 1641, the 26-year old parliamentarian Nicolas Fouquet, who was then the Master of Requests at the Parlement of Paris, acquired the viscounty of Vaux…
View More An Invitation to Vaux-le-VicomteWinslow Homer In Situ
This essay examining the pragmatic attitudes of Winslow Homer is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in the book…
View More Winslow Homer In SituDebating Da Vinci in Milan
This essay exploring the genius of Leonardo da Vinci in Milan is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in…
View More Debating Da Vinci in MilanA Decadently Yellow London
This essay channeling the Decadents and Aesthetes in London when it was decadently yellow is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34…
View More A Decadently Yellow LondonOttoline Morrell Gets Lit
This essay exploring the literary world of Ottoline Morrell is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in the book…
View More Ottoline Morrell Gets LitThe Fashionable Grecian Supper
This essay about a fashionable Grecian supper held by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun is included in my book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in…
View More The Fashionable Grecian SupperA Backward Glance on rue de Varenne
The narrow sidewalks push their black iron batons up out of the ground to protect the buildings hemming them; the rain turns the cobblestones to…
View More A Backward Glance on rue de VarenneVigée Le Brun’s Passion for Painting
A Passion for Painting Billowing ruched fabric, pointy toes of dainty shoes visible from beneath flounced skirts hemmed in gold fringes and ornate trims. A bejeweled…
View More Vigée Le Brun’s Passion for PaintingPeggy Guggenheim Visits Oculus Gallery
In 2009, I trekked to Venice with my dear friend JoAnn Locktov, the founder of Bella Figura Publications whose newest book Dream of Venice Architecture…
View More Peggy Guggenheim Visits Oculus Gallery