Santa Maria in Trivio

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Santa Maria in Trivio by Giacomo del Duca, 1575
Piazza dei Crociferi
Rome, April 2013

“In Mariano Vasi's 19th-century guidebook, the church is referred to as Santa Maria a Trevi. According to tradition, the church was founded by the Byzantine general Belisarius in the 6th century. Allegedly, he found the church to expiate for deposing Pope Saint Silverius in 537. Previously the church had been known as Santa Maria in Fornica. This was recorded in an 11th-century inscription on the wall of the church. In 1571 the church was given to the Order of the Crociferi. Between 1573 and 1575 the architect Giacomo del Duca rebuilt the church, designing e.g. the innovative pediment above the entrance door.” (Santa Maria in Trivio, Wikipedia)

Rush Hour

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“Rush Hour” by George Segal, 1987
Finsbury Avenue Square, Broadgate
London, September 2016

“Rush Hour resonates with most of us – it’s the end of the day and we want to get home. Like us, these six bronze figures look fairly impassive as they brave the London weather in their damp looking raincoats. Yet there is something unique here - Segal created this sculpture from live models, encasing them in wire mesh and plaster bandages, before cutting each cast open to free the model, rejoining the mould and casting bronze figures from the plaster versions. And so was born one of Broadgate’s most popular pieces of art.” (Rush Hour, Broadgate)

The Mother of Armenia

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“The Mother of Armenia” by Vighen Avetis, 2013
Piazza San Felice
Florence, January 2017

Denial of Peter

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Detail of the “Denial of Peter” by Josep Maria Subirachs, 1986
Passion Façade, Sagrada Família
Carrer de Sardenya
Barcelona, March 2017

(Already posted on Instagram)

Duomo di Milano

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Duomo di Milano (Milan Cathedral) at night
Piazza del Duomo
Milan, November 2016

“In November 2012 officials announced a campaign to raise funds for the cathedral's preservation by asking patrons to adopt the building's gargoyles. The effects of pollution on the 14th-century building entail regular maintenance, and recent austerity cuts to Italy's culture budget has left less money for upkeep of cultural institutions, including the cathedral. To help make up funds, Duomo management launched a campaign offering its 135 gargoyles up for ‘adoption.’ Donors who contribute €100,000 (about $110,505) or more will have their name engraved under one of the grotesque figures perched on the cathedral's rooftop. The figures serve as drainage pipes.” (Milan Cathedral, Wikipedia)

St George Wharf

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St George Wharf riverside development
St George Wharf, Lambeth
London, September 2016

Museo Annigoni

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Museo Pietro Annigoni (Pietro Annigoni Museum)
Villa Bardini
Costa San Giorgio
Florence, January 2017

“Twenty years after his death, in November 2008, a permanent museum dedicated to Pietro Annigoni was inaugurated in Florence's Villa Bardini. It is the most extensive collection of Annigoni's masterworks yet assembled. The paintings and bronzes there originally belonged to Annigoni and his family and were purchased by the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze.” (Pietro Annigoni, The Florentine)

Casa Batlló

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Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí, 1909
Passeig de Gràcia
Barcelona, March 2017

“Casa Batlló is a renowned building located in the centre of Barcelona and is one of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces. A remodel of a previously built house, it was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudí and has been refurbished several times after that. Gaudí's assistants Domènec Sugrañes i Gras, Josep Canaleta and Joan Rubió also contributed to the renovation project. The local name for the building is Casa dels ossos (House of Bones), as it has a visceral, skeletal organic quality. Like everything Gaudí designed, it is only identifiable as Modernisme or Art Nouveau in the broadest sense. The ground floor, in particular, has unusual tracery, irregular oval windows and flowing sculpted stone work. There are few straight lines, and much of the façade is decorated with a colorful mosaic made of broken ceramic tiles (trencadís). The roof is arched and was likened to the back of a dragon or dinosaur. A common theory about the building is that the rounded feature to the left of centre, terminating at the top in a turret and cross, represents the lance of Saint George (patron saint of Catalonia, Gaudí's home), which has been plunged into the back of the dragon.” (Casa Batlló, Wikipedia)

(Already posted on Instagram)

Rose Window

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The rose window of the Cathedral seen from the inside
Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (Cathedral of Saint Lawrence)
Piazza San Lorenzo
Genoa, April 2016

Fish Weathervane

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Old Billingsgate Market weathervane
Old Billingsgate Walk, City of London
London, September 2016

“Old Billingsgate Market is the name given to what is now a hospitality and events venue in the City of London, based in the Victorian building that was originally Billingsgate Fish Market, the world's largest fish market in the 19th century. The first Billingsgate Market building was constructed on Lower Thames Street in 1850 by the builder John Jay, and the fish market was moved off the streets into its new riverside building. This was demolished in around 1873 and replaced by an arcaded market hall designed by City architect Horace Jones and built by John Mowlem & Co. in 1875, the building that still stands on the site today. In 1982, the fish market itself was relocated to a new site on the Isle of Dogs in east London. The 1875 building was then refurbished by architect Richard Rogers, originally to provide office accommodation.” (Old Billingsgate Market, Wikipedia)

Grapes

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“Grapes” by Ai Weiwei, 2015
“Ai Weiwei. Libero” exhibition
Palazzo Strozzi
Piazza degli Strozzi
Florence, January 2017

“A recurrent theme is how the new tramples down the old. To make Grapes (2015), Ai created a dynamic sculptural shape with a dozen or more seventeenth-century Qing dynasty wood stools famous for their uniquely practical construction. But by being restructured into art, the stools are robbed of their age-old function. ” (Up, up Ai Weiwei, The Florentine)

King Louis XIV

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Equestrian monument in honor of King Louis XIV by François Joseph Bosio, 1828
Place des Victoires
Quartier du Mail, 2nd arrondissement.
Paris, July 2014

“In 1793, the Place was renamed Place des Victoires-Nationaux (National Victories Square), and a wooden pyramid was erected on the site of the destroyed statue. In 1810, under the rule of Napoléon I, a nude statue of the General Louis Desaix replaced the pyramid. However, following the abdication of Napoléon, the statue was taken down and its metal was used to create a new statue of Henry IV on the nearby Pont Neuf. In 1828, the restored Bourbon king, Charles X, commissioned the current equestrian statue, which was sculpted by François Joseph Bosio. Louis XIV, dressed as a Roman emperor, sits on a proud horse rearing on its hind legs. An iron fence encircles the twelve-meter-high statue.” (Place des Victoires, Wikipedia)

Palazzo Zagnoni

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Lion shaped door handle
Circolo della Caccia (Hunting Club)
Palazzo Zagnoni (Palazzo Spada)
Via Castiglione
Bologna, June 2015

Number 1 London Bridge

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Number 1 London Bridge by John S Bonnington Partnership, 1986
London Bridge Street, Southwark
London, September 2016

“John S. Bonnington Partnership designed the No. 1 London Bridge building on the south side of the London Bridge in London. It has a 13 story tower with another 10 story section clad in pink granite and stainless steel. The distinctive front of the building is cut out of the corner with a skylight cut out at the top. The office complex was completed in 1986.” (Number 1 London Bridge, Architecture Revived)

Funerary Monument

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Funerary monument to Silvia Marini de Rogati by Mario Moschi, 1948
Cimitero delle Porte Sante (The Sacred Doors Cemetery)
Via delle Porte Sante
Florence, December 2016

Naumburg Bandshell

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Naumburg Bandshell by Tachau and Vaught, 1923
North end of Mall, Central Park
New York, September 2007

“In 1923, the acoustically outdated Bandstand was replaced by the Naumburg Bandshell. It encouraged new audiences for classical music in the informal and beautiful setting of Central Park. Today, it is the Park's only Neo-Classical building, thoughtfully centered and nestled between the two projecting pergola viewing points. It admirably reflects the architect William G. Tachau's own Ecole des Beaux-Arts classicist and historicist training. Such greats as Irving Berlin, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington have entertained at the Bandshell, as well as Victor Herbert, whose statue is just a few steps away from that of Beethoven. Those statues, as well as the other 49 statues throughout the Park, are given a cleaning every summer by the Central Park Conservancy. The Conservancy also built and maintains the beautiful and unique wooden benches surrounding the nearby trees, based on an original bench design introduced to Central Park in the mid-19th century to protect the young elms as park-goers gathered under their shade to enjoy classical music performances.” (Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park Conservancy)

“The design of the Bandshell has historic precedents in the Pantheon of Rome, or more closely, the Imperial Russian pleasure park’s pavilion at Gatchina Palace, by Vincenzo Brenna, his ‘Eagle Pavilion’ of the 1790’s, and the later work of the architect F.G.P. Poccianti, his ‘Cisternone’ at Livorno of 1829-42.” (Detailed History, Naumburg Bandshell)

Bell Tower

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Bell Tower of the Madonna dell'Orto
Campo Madonna dell'Orto, Cannaregio
Venice, October 2012

“The bell tower, in brickwork, was finished in 1503. It has a square plan, with pilasters strips on the sides leading to the cell with circular mullioned windows. Four semicircular tympani divided the cell from the upper cylindrical tambour with an onion dome in Eastern style. On the sides are four statues of Evangelists of Pietro Lombardo's school; on the summit is a statue of the Redeemer, in white marble. The old bells, the largest being from 1424, were replaced in 1883.” (Madonna dell'Orto, Wikipedia)

Queen of Hoxton

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Queen of Hoxton bar & club
Curtain Road, Shoreditch
London, September 2016

Porta Romana

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Porta Romana (Roman Gate)
Piazzale di Porta Romana
Florence, January 2017

“The Porta Romana, once known as the Porta San Pier Gattolino was the southernmost gate in the 13th-century walls of the Oltrarno section of Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy. It stands at the confluence of a number of roads: accessed from north by Via Romana, Via de' Serragli, and Viale Francesco Petrarca. In addition, a central road along the Boboli Gardens begins near the gate, and allowed the inhabitants of the Pitti Palace to exit and enter Florence with minimal travel on city streets. Beyond the gates are the Via del Poggio Imperiale and Via Senese. The latter led to Siena and points south such as Rome, hence the name. When the majority of the defensive walls of Florence were razed in the 19th century, only a few, and sometimes partial gate structures were left standing including Porta San Gallo, Porta San Niccolo, and this gate with a snippet of merlonated wall.” (Porta Romana, Florence, Wikipedia)

The Bridge at Narni

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“The Bridge at Narni” by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, 1826
Musée du Louvre
Rue de Rivoli
Quartier Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, 1st arrondissement
Paris, July 2002

“The Bridge at Narni (French: Le pont de Narni) is an 1826 painting of the Ponte d'Augusto at Narni by French artist Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot. The painting is on display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris. It was painted in September 1826 and was the basis for the larger and more finished View at Narni, which was exhibited at the Salon of 1827 and is in the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. The view was not a novel one: in 1821 Corot's teacher, Achille-Etna Michallon had drawn the same scene, as had Corot's friend Ernst Fries in 1826. Art historian Peter Galassi describes ‘Corot's study as a reconciliation of traditional and plein air painting objectives: So deeply did Corot admire Claude and Poussin, so fully did he understand their work, that from the outset he viewed nature in their terms....In less than a year (since his arrival in Rome) he had realized his goal of closing the gap between the empirical freshness of outdoor painting and the organizing principles of classical landscape composition.’” (The Bridge at Narni, Wikipedia)

Oltremontano

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Oltremontano Clock ( with the average European time) by Giuseppe Valadier, 1785
Basilica di San Pietro (St. Peter's Basilica)
Piazza San Pietro Saint Peter's Square
Città del Vaticano (Vatican City)
Rome, April 2013

Chinese Dragon

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Chinese dragon on a wall
Wardour Street, Soho
London, September 2016

Francesco I de' Medici

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Bust of Francesco I de' Medici by Giovanni Bandini
Palazzo Uguccioni
Piazza della Signoria
Florence, January 2017

Tour Eiffel Carousel

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The carousel of the Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower)
Quai Branly
Quartier du Gros-Caillou, 7th arrondissement
Paris, July 2014

Leonardo da Vinci

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Monument to Leonardo da Vinci by Pietro Magni, 1872
Piazza della Scala
Milan, November 2016

“Pietro Magni (October 21, 1817 - January 20, 1877) was an Italian sculptor. Born in Milan, he studied at that city's Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera before moving to the workshop of Abbondio Sangiorgio. Later in his career he became influenced by Tuscan sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini, whose work he first encountered in 1837. He traveled to study in Rome, joining Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1849. He is best known for his Girl Reading, first carved in 1856; today the original may be seen in Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Milan, while copies exist in numerous other museum collections, e.g. in Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, Lisbon. Among Magni's other works are a public monument to Leonardo da Vinci and several marble sculpture groups; he also executed statues for the Milan Cathedral in the 1860s.” (Pietro Magni, Wikipedia)

The Terrible Fear of Peace

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“The Terrible Fear of Peace” by Smile, 2016
Archer Street, Soho
London, September 2016

My Favorite Pastry

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My favorite pastry in Florence
Caffè La Loggia degli Albizi
Borgo degli Albizi
Florence, January 2017

Wonder Wheel

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Wonder Wheel, Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
Coney Island, Brooklyn
New York, September 2007

“The Wonder Wheel was invented by Charles Herman and built between 1918 and 1920 by the Eccentric Ferris Wheel Company. The steel used in the construction of the pleasure wheel is of 100 percent Bethlehem Steel, and was forged on location. The Wheel opened on Memorial Day, 1920. There were 18 original co-owners of the ride. Herman called it the ‘Dip-the-Dip’ promising to combine in his new invention the thrill of a scenic railway, the fun of a Ferris wheel, and the excitement of the Chute-the-Chutes. An article written about the ride in Science and Invention said the Wheel was a ‘real thrill like you have probably never had before-at least not at this great height.’ Deno D. Vourderis bought the Wonder Wheel on June 7, 1983 from Fred Garms, the son of Charles Herman. The Vourderis family restored the Wheel to perfect condition and made the Wonder Wheel the central attraction of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park. In 1989 the Wheel was designated as an official New York City landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Since it opened over 35 million rides have been given on the Wheel.” (Wonder Wheel, Wikipedia)

Putto with Fish

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Sculpture by Giovanni Tomaso Orsolio, 1699
Fountain of Piazza delle Erbe
Genoa, April 2016

Broadgate Apple

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“Broadgate Apple” by Tom Hare, 2014
Site-specific woven willow sculpture
Finsbury Avenue Square, Broadgate
London, September 2016

“The piece was created for our Savour Broadgate Season, which explored great food and drink across campus in spring. Now sited in Finsbury Avenue Square, Broadgate Apple welcomes visitors and passers-by to this iconic space, bringing a taste of nature and fresh produce to our City location. Tom Hare is a contemporary sculptor whose principal medium is willow. Important large-scale commissions include those undertaken for the Millennium Seed Project at the National Trust’s Wakehurst Place Estate in East Sussex and London’s Royal Botanic Kew Gardens. ” (Focus on Tom Hare, Broadgate)

The Martyrs of Fiesole

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Monument to the Carabinieri by Marcello Guasti, 1964
Parco della Rimembranza (Remembrance Park), Fiesole
Florence, April 2015

“In the hills above Florence, on the edge of the cliff that rims the village of Fiesole, there’s a monument to three military police officers – carabinieri – who sacrificed themselves to the Nazis so that 10 innocent hostages would not be killed. On August 12, 1944, the three officers stood against the wall of the Hotel Aurora, by the village’s main square, and were shot to death.” (The martyrs of Fiesole, Rebecca Bricker)