Stockholm art. In the galleries?

Kafferepet Cafe, Stockholm.

Building in Stureplan, Stockholm.

Djurgarden in winter.

House on Djurgarden.

Stockholm at the beginning of Spring.

We visited the National Gallery in Stockholm last week to see an exhibition of Van Dyck and Rubens paintings- looking at the visual connections between the two. It was absolutely brilliant. Probably one of the best shows I've ever seen. Mind boggling. A couple of absolute masterpieces were on show that I'd seen in books my whole life and seeing them was definitely not a disappointment- Van Dyck's self portrait for example.

Have a look at Van Dyck's paintings here http://century21photo.com/C21P/Artists/Dyck/dyck.htm

Rubens paintings can be seen here http://www.rubens-gallery.com/top-20-paintings.aspx
Unfortunately cameras weren't welcomed so I've put in some photos I took on our Paris trip.

Rembrandt's 'Bathsheba' Louvre, Paris. A masterpiece though by the time I saw this I'd seen hundreds of paintings so it barely registered. A smaller Rembrandt landscape next to it affected me more, I suppose because I find the landscape so nurturing to the soul. The gigantic history paintings in the Louvre overwhelm you with their size and narratives.

Tiepolo, Louvre, Paris. A tiny little painting that packs a punch.

The superb technique used by both Van Dyck and Rubens is remarkable. Nobody can paint like this anymore. It's not the subject matter, which is of it's time, but the technique that's significant and this is perfection. Incredible mastery of paint to express every kind of form and space you could imagine. Van Dyck went to England and became court painter so the Queen has many great works by him. I probably like Van Dyck a little more because of his more lyrical, melancholy sensibility but Rubens has to be the most optimistic visual artist in history which you can't help but love.

View of the National Gallery from Gamla Stan, Stockholm.

There were other painters in the exhibition too that were almost as phenomenal such as Breughel, Jordaens, which I'd never seen in real life and which were a revelation too. Flowers, fruit, dogs, birds, landscapes. It was magic. And we're going again.

Djurgarden, Stockholm.

In contrast we went to Liljevalchs Konsthall last Sunday to see the Spring Salon which is a yearly exhibition of Sweden's hip artists. It was interesting but ultimately depressing because it just makes you realise how far the art of painting has disappeared up it's own arse. There's a fairly nihilistic view of the world evident in much of the paintings and photography. I did enjoy the colour though. Many of the painters used colour as the major aspect of their work. It's ironic because the landscape's almost black and white at the moment. It's the opposite in Australia whereby the hippest painters use a rather minimalist palette in contrast to the intense colour of the landscape in Oz. Overall I think Australian painting's in a healthier state than Swedish judging by this exhibition though. Australian painters are more confident and more optimistic about their world view- well that's the impression I get.

The Konsthall was built between 1913-1916 in a Neo-Classical style, though it's more obvious on the outside.

Spring Salon Exhibition, Liljevalchs Konsthall, Djurgarden.

It was good to see that both exhibitions were extremely popular with folks of all ages in spite of the cold.

Liljevalch Konsthall (arthall) is situated on one of my favourite islands Djurgarden which I reported on in previous blogs. I love this island. It's so beautiful and full of these magical buildings and landscape. It's part of the worlds first public national park. The oldest building is from the 1600's. I'll be coming back here again and again and it's fascinating seeing it as the seasons change.

Biological Museet, Djurgarden. It seems there's a museum every 20 feet in Stockholm.

Djurgarden, Thielska Gallery.

Building, Gamla Stan, Stockholm.

Riksdagshuset (Parliament building) and one of the entrances to Gamla Stan, Stockholm.

Djurgarden as the snow starts to melt.

 Statue of Berzelius, a Swedish chemist, City, Stockholm

Kunliga Dramatiska Teatern (Royal Dramatic Theatre) City, Stockholm.

Public scupture, Ostermalm, Stockholm.

Stockholm Guide:
If you're interested in discovering any other art galleries to go to, here's a website with a quite a good selection.
http://www.stockholm.world-guides.com/stockholm_art_galleries.html

Walking on thin ice

Beautiful Stockholm punctuated by pinnacles.

Conifer and birch trees coming to life.

Last week as we were coming home from an evening walk in the snow we had a magical encounter with 4 deer that were surreptiously eating from a bird feeder. What a privilege to see this. Unbelieveable.
 I suppose we have our Australian animals that we see quite regularly on country trips or around the city fringes- like kangaroos that people overseas think are amazing and which we take for granted a bit.

But to see deer just like that in the city. We watched them for awhile and left. Supposedly up to 50% of deer in Sweden have died this winter because of the scarce food supplies due to the snow. I didn't for once have my camera with me. Alas!

I've been on a search to buy various foodstuffs and other items that I use in Australia and which are really difficult to find here. One is coffee substitute drinks. Nobody obviously drinks these drinks here because you cannot get them anywhere. Even decaffeinated coffee you can hardly get in cafes or soymilk or chai lattes though there are some places you can get this. Australia has a lot more food choices than over here. We have a lot more asian food. Food from all over the world really.

The view while walking at dusk.

 Taken during a overcast day. It's almost black and white as a result.

I'd love to have some instant noodles but no you can't get them in many places. Luckily I like rissoles, salmon and potatoes! And I love making minestrone soup and you cannot buy mixed beans anywhere. You have to buy all the individual beans dried. Hard work so I haven't made minestrone soup yet.
And bbq tongs- you know you need them when you're turning over your sausages (another thing they're not that into up here) or your bacon in the pan. Not into barbequeing obviously.

On the way to Gustavsberg on the bus looking out.

 

Stockholm beginning to defrost.

Did a bit of birdwatching around Djurgarden last Sunday. There wasn't that many birds around because it's still quite cold (minus 1) but we saw a few ducks (mallards) and a pair of goosanders which aren't in Australia and I didn't recognise and had to consult the books about. I found it exciting people!

The snow is melting so you can see the water now and it was a beautiful day but walking around's quite difficult (though the snow is one of the attractions in Sweden for me). The snow's turned into ice and it's like an ice skating rink along the paths so you have to walk in a rather zombie like fashion to get anywhere. People of course walk over the lakes and rivers but this week a few fell through the ice!

We also popped over to Sodermalm (it's like Fitzroy a bit) again during the week. It's the groovy area of Stockholm and is where you can get a chai latte if you're into it. It's one of my favourite spots. Many art galleries are there and music shops etc. The Swedish author Stieg Larsson who wrote 'Girl with the dragon tattoo' and other books are all set in this area. Though he writes as if Stockholm's like the 'mean streets'. I don't think so, it's as middle class as anything- he should've come to Melbourne if he wanted the mean streets. People get shot in cafes and watching their children at soccer matches! 

Male and female mallard ducks thinking they're going to get some food.

 Ducks enjoying the water and sunshine.

 Sunbaking!

House on Djurgarden

 Streets of Sodermalm.

 Ceramics on display at the Porcelain Museum, Gustavsberg.  We caught the bus to Gustavsberg to see the Porcelain Museum. It used to be a centre of porcelain manufacture, now no longer but some ceramics are still being made and we visited the shop later and bought some glasses. The landscape's the real highlight for me though.

 Gustavsberg, Stockholm

Porcelain Vase

The buses may be good but the rail travel in Sweden is fantastic. There's always a busker to entertain you and many of the stations contain interesting works of art as well. Always on time and clean and not that crowded. I feel like sending them a thankyou card. A train comes every 10 minutes. It's a fantastic service and you really don't need a car here if you live near the train. I can't see why they can't do this in Melbourne. People here of course complained (as they do everywhere) because when the snow was really bad it disrupted the services. However it's nothing compared to Melbourne. Dear old Melbourne.

 Art installation at Kungstradgarden train station.

 View from Sodermalm over the water towards the city. Ice skating anyone?

Somedays the sun suddenly comes out while you're walking and completely transforms the landscape. This is what happened when we were walking along the water's edge at Sodermalm. Suddenly the atmospere glitters and sparkles with light and you feel completely uplifted and at one with the world.

The light made the walking path look like a stageset in a movie.

The edge of the island of Sodermalm is a rocky slope topped with charming old houses with fantastic views over Stockholm.

 Hill near our house. I climbed this hill (which admittedly isn't that steep I know) but walking in snow is actually quite exhausting, like walking in sand, so we were quite puffed when we reached the top.

 The area where we saw the deer. Kista, Stockholm

 Quick gouache sketch.  There is pale pink and purple that is reflected from the snow into the atmosphere and it envelops everything.

You see horses quite frequently doing their exercises along the tracks. Kista

Paris-Ooh la la

Eiffel Tower, Paris France

Old Town Street, Stockholm

16th – 28^th February 2010

Ostasiatiska Museet

The Museum of Far Eastern antiquities (Ostasiatiska Museet) was the hot spot for us last Tuesday night. Walking through the city to get to the island of Skeppsholmen is absolutely no chore, even in the freezing cold. It's just so stunningly beautiful all the time even at night and you just don't mind the cold at all. The museum itself was a surprise inside because there weren't a lot of exhibits in it compared to Australian galleries, especially the Sydney one which has a wonderful collection, but what it did have was perfection. Hiie went into a swoon at a turquiose vase from the 1700's. I didn't feel quite the same way but I was still impressed. We had chinese tea there served with the usual Swedish hospitality.

Looking across the water from Skeppsholmen at night, Stockholm

Prince Waldemarsudde gallery
Located in Djurgarden (the former Kings hunting ground) is the one of the most beautiful houses. Visiting that Sunday it was minus 13. You start getting a bit blaze with the cold here so I thought I'd be fine with less clothes on but it wasn't a good idea. The bus stopped early because it was too dangerous to continue so we had to walk the rest of the way to the gallery. My nose and fingertips went numb and snot was streaming down my nose because I couldn't feel it- not a good look. But it really was worth it. This is one of the best places to visit in Europe. A magnificent former home of Prince Eugen which is now a gallery. Cameras were banned so I could only sneak in one photo which is a bit dark unfortunately. It was magic.

Crossing the bridge into Djurgarden

Gate at Djurgarden

Me looking  frozen on Djurgarden

One of the Royals on horse, Djurgarden

Cool little birds

Prince Eugen's house (gallery)

The landscape on Djurgarden

 Looking outside from Prince Eugen's sitting room.

Gamla Stan (Old Town)

Travelled to Gamla Stan again on 22^nd Feb, the beautiful old town, home to so many great Stockholm attractions - the Royal Palace, museums and lots of medieval streets. It's so gorgeous especially when it's sunny which it wasn't but cleared up for us a bit later in the afternoon, creating a beautiful crystalline atmosphere of reflected light. It was freezing walking around (minus 10) so my fingertips eventually started to ache and we went into the Royal Armoury museum to warm up. It was a happy accident as this is a brilliant museum which I hadn't planned on visiting. It's located in the vaults of the palace cellars and contains armour, guns, swords, helmuts, royal costumes, stuffed horses, the usual paraphenalia of royal life. Plus some beautifully ornate carraiges. It's really dark and atmospheric and kind of chilling. Unfortunately some of the photos are out of focus but you get the idea.

 

Street in Old Town

 

Soldier guarding the Royal Palace

Looking towards the island of Blaisieholmen

Statue on facade of Royal Armoury

 

Looking towards Stockholm National Gallery

 

Armour, Royal Armoury, Old Town

 

Armour, Royal Armoury, Old Town

 

Royal Jewellery

 

Out of focus photo of a Royal Carraige

Paris
The Swedes are so polite and courteous plus they nearly all speak English and they are happy to do so. A complete contrast with the French- well those in Paris anyway. Though we did experience some hospitality from Parisians they were nearly all from somewhere else. Oh well, comme ci, comme ca!

 

Eiffel Tower at night

Me and Eiffel Tower

Paris is an incredible, monumental city full of light and dark and of course one of the best places to visit in Europe. Overall though I found Paris more dark than light. There is a very pronounced police presence everywhere. Cars were continually speeding around the arrondisements with horns blaring day and night. You wonder what's going on. And certainly at all the public sites you were thoroughly checked by security guards. Even at the Notre Dame cathedral.

We spent a lot of time on the metro getting about and it is truly awful with the smell of urine all over the place, rickety, dirty old trains and toilets and unhappy people. There are lots of beggars and people sleeping in the streets and in the metro as well. I felt sorry for the Parisians having to put up with it. On the last day we decided to catch the airport bus from the Paris Opera. We were waiting for the bus to come and I walked off to have a look around while Hiie looked after the bags. When I got back to my surprise she'd been accosted by this attractive young woman with gold filled teeth. This girl had managed to slip a gold ring on Hiie's finger and wouldn't leave until she got some money. Unfortunately the ring wouldn't come off Hiie's finger so there was a bit of mild panic for a minute. She must have realised she wasn't going to get anything out of me more than the 2 euros I gave her and eventually left. But you have to be forceful that's for sure.

Carnival near Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower close up

The Eiffel Tower

Fortunately it stopped raining in the evening of our first day so we decided to visit the Eiffel Tower at night. I really didn't expect much but it's actually quite beautiful. The ironwork creates harmonious patterns of light and looks finely wrought and quite elegant at night. I found it really inspiring and uplifting to be there. It's filled with tourists and the atmosphere is really positive with an old fashioned carnival nearby. We had dinner at a nearby restaurant and the waiter was charming and actually spoke a little English which made us feel a bit more relaxed.

 

Restaurant near the Eiffel Tower district we had dinner at.

 

View down the Seine

Sculpture in middle of roundabout

Paris is actually overwhelming in its size. There are endless historical monuments and museums and churches. Even if you visited something everyday of your life you'd still never get through it all.

The Louvre

The Louvre nearly killed us. It's gigantic. There are thousands and thousands of artworks in one of the greatest museums in Europe. There are also thousands of tourists even though we got there reasonably early (9.30) but it was ok. In fact I quite enjoyed it (I think as a defence against the French people) though it does effect your ability to appreciate the art. We did have a plan and followed it for the first two hours visiting all the artworks that you must see, ie the Aphrodite, Dying Slave, Leonardos etc. Highlights. Seeing Botticelli frescoes. The Italian primitives. Rembrandt landscapes. I never thought that much about Leonardo da Vinci but the paintings are actually incredibly magical in real life. They're like looking into the depths of a pond and seeing someone materialise magically on the surface of the water. They deserve their status. You're half a mile away from the Mona Lisa and behind bullet proof glass (the painting not me) but it still emanates beauty and harmony and it is worth going to Paris for.

 

 Close up of Leonardo painting 

 Close up of Virgin on the Rocks

 Inside one of the Louvre galleries

Michelangelo's Dying Slave

 

Fra Angelico

 

Egyptian statue

 

Botticelli Virgin and Child

 

Murillo Holy Family

Me outside The Louvre

St Chappelle church

It was going to be raining most of the day so we decided to visit churches. The first stop Saint Chappelle a 13^th century medieval church on the island of Ile de la Cite- the heart of Paris. But first we had to get through the security checkpoint which was about as strict as the Melbourne airport. They are serious scary dudes. Once through we entered the church and you climb this very narrow staircase to get to the main church (If you were very fat or had claustrophobia you couldn't climb it). The church is dazzlingly rich in stained glass, quite narrow and high in typical Gothic style with a beatiful rose window in the western wall. Rose windows are actually shaped like the petals of a rose and contain various biblical stories and themes as well as historical subjects. I love them.

Rose Window, St Chappelle church

Stained glass windows St Chappelle

 

St Chappelle

 

St Chappelle

St Chappelle

St Chappelle

St Chappelle looking skywards

Notre Dame

Notre Dame cathedral is incredible. You would go to Paris for the Notre Dame Cathedral. It is an incredible record of human artistry and geniune spiritual feeling and passion. It has the same kind of natural effect on you as an underground cave. Dark and mysterious and kind of claustrophobic. You're drawn into the depths but you've also got your eye on the exit. It was time travelling back to the 13^th century.

Amongst the throngs of tourists outside there were people begging as we entered and then a blind man on his knees with outstretched arms as we exited. It's full on but incredibly beautiful and pulls on your heartstrings. I shed a tear when I first saw its facade. And at the rose windows inside which I read about 20 years ago and always wanted to see and finally did.

Notre Dame facade

 

Notre Dame facade

Notre Dame facade

Inside mysterious Notre Dame

 

Stained glass Virgin Mary and Child, Notre Dame

Rose window, Notre Dame

 

 One of the amazing windows in Notre Dame Cathedral

 

Wood sculpture panels, Notre Dame

Main altar, Notre Dame Cathedral

The O'rangerie Museum

No it's not a place that sells oranges the L'Orangerie is actually a beautiful 17^th century building full of light (because it's been modernised) perfect for paintings, part of the Tuilerie Gardens and which houses some impressionist paintings and the famous large Monet waterlily paintings. Hiie cried at the Monet's. I didn't but I did love them. It's like being submerged in green and violet and pink. Of course to get in their is worse than getting into a fortress and the guards in their are serious about not having your flash on your camera.

Cezanne

Part of the Louvre's Gardens

Tuilerie Gardens

I was a bit disappointed with the Tuileries. It is winter but there's a few spindly trees layed out in the sparse and orderly French way. Paris does not look beautiful in winter unlike Stockholm which is dazzlingly beautiful. It looks dirty and old and is. There was only a hand ful of us wandering in it and you felt kind of abandoned and lonely in this enormous unnurturing garden.

 

 Maurice de Vlaminck

The Musee D'Orsay

After the Louvre I suddenly thought I've got to see the Impressionists. I thought they'd be in the Louvre for some reason but they're not they're in the Musee D'Orsay, some of whose collection is in Canberra at the moment. It's a gallery that was originally a train station so it has a huge semi circular transparent roof. It's got a good vibe and is much easier to manage as a gallery goer. It's one of the best art galleries in Europe. Some of the staff actually speak English. Shock, horror! The revelation was the Van Goghs which I've never seen in real life. I always loved Van Gogh as everyone does but I also thought some of his portraits were garish and lacking in harmony. But they are just magical. I shed a tear and would have sobbed but thought it might be a bit much. I was just overwhelmed by their life and sensitivity and passion.They are deeply spiritual and full of love. I'm definitely going to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam now.

Inside Musse D'Orsay

 

 Gauguin

 

 Me inside Musee D'Orsay

 

Van Gogh

 

 Van Gogh

 

Bonnard

Pantheon

We visited the Latin Quarter one night, they recommended it in the travel guides but mainly I wanted to see the Pantheon ( it's in the the Da Vinci code), an 18^th century church (now a civic building full of tombs of famous people ie. Voltaire) in Neo-Classical style. It kind of looms over everything, this giant dome echoing the moon in the distance. There was a group of 20-30 guys drinking out the front having a great old time shouting things in French. We kept on the other side of the road. It's a scary building so maybe they were attracted to it. Neo-classical style is severe and unadorned and is meant to intimidate you and does. It reminded me of the buildings in the backgrounds of the old epic theatre films about the fall of the Roman empire that used to be on television in the 70's.

 

 Pantheon

Arc de Triomphe

We went to the Arc de Triomphe on the day we were leaving. Maybe it was symbolic- we survived Paris? Napoleon built it and it commemorates French battle successes. It's imposing and kind of exhilarating being there as it's like you're the centre of the universe because it's designed in the centre of 12 main avenues which all radiate out from it. It says a lot about the French. I'm glad I saw it but was happy to march of into the distance.

Arc de Triomphe

 Artemis on the run, perhaps off to the Charles de Gaulle airport. The Charles de Gaulle airport takes the prize as the ugliest most inhospitable building in the world.
 

Home sweet home.