Francis Towne’s watercolour of Rome @ British museum
Just back from Rome, so that was a perfect match ;-)… Francis Towne painted them in 1780-1781, but many do still look very familiar in the eternal town…
Frescoes in north Italy
After attending art history series with the Ecole du Louvre program, I was very keen on discovering the art pieces that were discussed during lectures. Thanks to the passion shared by lecturers, in particular Stefania Tullio Cataldo, it was a whole new way of rediscovering places we had visited years ago. I find frescoes very...
Ali Smith’s Ferrara
After reading « How to be both », I just had to plan a stop at Ferrara, on Ali Smith’s footpath, if only to visit the Palazzo Schifanoia and see Francesco del Cossa’s frescoes. Unsurprisingly, it was well worth the trip… Palazzo Schifanoia’s frescoes, allegories of months, gods and zodiac signs. The wall by Francesco del Cossa...
Il tre stance, Firenze
This kind of place is simply unique and hard to describe, but suffice to say that we won’t look further when staying in Florence. The property is a palazzo, with immensely high ceilings, meters from the Duomo. The interior has been considerately refurbished, leaving the traces of original stucco and furnished with antique or vintage furniture:...
Siena, Montepulciano and Firenze postcard
Siena, a few days before the Palio, with the funny lamps and the flags to the colours of each neighbourhood, and the rings on the walls waiting for their horses.. Montepulciano Firenze
Francesca’s flat in Venice
Found Francesca’s flat on Airbnb, and staying there was fabulous as not only is it ideally central, but also does it makes you feel like a local for a few days: shopping for groceries at the Rialto market, and being awaken by the gondolieri’s song was as atmospheric as sipping Prosecco on the shaded terrace...
Verona, Trento, Venice, Rome postcard
Verona Trento Venice On St Giorggio, The Glass tea house Mondrian by Hiroshi Sugimoto @ Le stance del vetro, more info here Part of the « Together » exhibition by Jaume Piensa for the 2015 Art Biennale, at San Giorgio Maggiore, luckily left on loan by Jaume Piensa to the monastic community for the...
Reviewing antiquity @ British museum
Trying to pick up the Renaissance trail at it’s sources…. in London (?!?!) From the Acroplis, Athens From the Mausoleum at Halikarnassos From Vaison-la-Romaine The philosophers, Roman copies of lost Greek sculptures Socrates Antisthene, Cynic school Chrysippos, Stoic school Epikouros, Epicurean school Asklepios, healing god
Hotel Caumont, Aix-en-Provence
After an extensive restauration, the grand XVIIIe century Hotel Caumont, in Aix’s beautiful « quartier Mazarin » reopened last year. It offers two temporary exhibitions, the current is: « Turner et la couleur » and runs until September 18. Hotel Caumont, an « hotel particulier entre cour et jardin » epitomises XVIIIe century refinements, it’s restauration is amazing, see here: http://www.caumont-centredart.com/fr/dossiers/restauration-lhotel-caumont?galerie=1 ...
Maison Paysanne de France’s exhibition
« Maison Paysanne de France », is a French NGO dedicated to preserve the less glamorous part of historical architecture: the vernacular buildings, mostly farmhouses. Thanks to their dedication and experience, many know-hows have been saved from oblivion. Lime stucco, raw earth buildings and many other techniques that are now being rediscovered by a new generation of...
Salon Cote Sud 2016: inspiration nature
With the Salon, finally comes the summer!!! This year, the ethno-chic trends keeps flowing; the omnipresence of green in interior design is becoming overwhelming to my taste, but thankfully, blues (and indigo in particular) are « the new black ». I welcome the continuing development of hand made porcelain and ceramics by many young designers largely represented...
Petites utopies européennes, Fort St Jean
In those troubled times for Europe, it’s nice to see this collaboration between schoolchildren of Croatia, Spain, France Greece and Italy to create those white socialising spaces, symbols of Mediterranean habitat