Monday, July 18, 2016

London More

This week may or may not have some sudden changes - which have already happened, up to this moment, but I will see about getting some artsy things done as time allows. In the meantime -
Here is more of London.


This is London Bridge - just a plain traffic bridge - but with views to the The Shard tower in back, and...
.....to this below, a part of The City of London (the world's financial centre)......

.....to this down the river: the Tower Bridge.

London's notable Tower Bridge on the Thames.

This is a small garden on the way to.....


Saint Paul's Cathedral. This very large, domed church is a symbol in London. A church has stood on this spot for 1400 years, begun at the time of Augustine of Kent, sent by Pope Gregory to bring the English into the fold of the Roman church. The English were Christian long before, but not part of the Pope's flock, which caused some amount of infighting until the Roman branch prevailed. The Catholic church here before the time of King HenryVIII's split with Rome was even larger and more ornate than the present church, but was stripped by the Reformers and then burnt in the Great Fire. It was rebuilt, entirely new in blocks, by Sir Christopher Wren in English Baroque style, a somewhat restrained grandeur, very elegant. No photos were allowed inside the sanctuary, and  Evensong was going on, for which we stayed to hear the organ and singing and Scripture readings. It was a special service for Friends of The Cathedral, with quantities of royal and aristocratic persons present. The service was fully Trinitarian and Christ centered, albeit a little socially skewed. And Pontius Pilate was omitted from the creed, for some reason.
A detail of St. Paul's exterior
Along the side
This was, I think, St Mary's, tucked at the point of two merging streets in The City of London (which is actually a portion of the city of London).
 Following are a couple of works from the National Gallery, which is full of wondrous masterpieces.

by Titian
A Dutch still life, part of a special exhibit presently
A superb setting for masterpieces

All much appreciated by school classes, tourists, and the populace . The horse portrait is of Whistlejacket, by Goerge Stubbs, nearly life size.
Just looking at the brocade wall paper and marble wainscoting and wood floors was pleasing.
A portrait by Holbein of Erasmus, quite superb.
 
There was a Vermeer, some Rembrandts, Rubens, Monet, Raphael, and many more. Too many to absorb in one visit, as this young miss seems to say:

"Ah , my brain - so many paintings."    To which the cherubs reply, " Well, look what we have to deal with."






5 comments:

  1. Yes, are the cherubs symbolic of what is in her mind? They are carrying her cross? So weird.

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  2. Not sure of the meaning or title. I was hurrying out the door.

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  3. That horse portrait is nearly life size? He Looks like a small horse, in that case...

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  4. The photo perspective with the children beside the painting is not accurate. The painting was huge.

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