Well, it has finally arrived, the last full day of our trip. Peter and I decide to have an "alone" day, which we do from time to time when we travel, basically going our own way until dinner. (It keeps us sane, and, more importantly, still traveling together....)
It is (another) rainy day, so I decide to take a taxi to the museum area, and, hopefully, walk back. I start with the New Art Gallery (as previously noted, words like "new" are relative in Europe. This is a collection of 3000 works, started by Ludwig I in 1853. (It was demolished by Allied bombs in 1944 - the art works having presciently been removed prior - and rebuilt after the war.)
While waiting in what the Irish would call mist, I saw these sculptures....
.....and then inside for the paintings (By the way, as it is Sunday, entry fee is only 1 Euro instead of the usual 12. Another sidebar: we have found very few things with senior discounts in Germany.)
Of course, in addition to the classics we are familiar with, there were a lot of German painters who I was not as familiar with. Peter is not a big fan of audio guides. I am, and took advantage of his absence to get one. Some are better than others - this one was particularly informative...
...for example, the above painting ensured that the painter became the court painter for Ludwig I....
The history of the next one by Overbeck was interesting too - apparently he and another artist friend were to paint their ideas about future wives, and this was Overbeck's contribution....
The audio-guide for this next one provided one of those "ahha" moments. It talked about the fact that, in the days prior to photographs and trains, this picture of Switzerland would have been an incredible revelation for viewers. It is not that the thought is so profound - its that I never thought about it before...
The above picture of Goethe resonated particularly with me. Goethe was one of my father's favourites. He had a complete collection of Goethe's works (as well as those of Schiller and Heine), which were almost taken away at the border when a border guard said "Jews don't need Goethe". However, my father must have been persuasive - I have the books to this day.
....and, above, Ludwig himself in his coronation robes...
I really liked the above, as it shows Ludwig I, having temporarily given up the reigns of power, enjoying himself with some artist friends in Italy. (He is the one in back with his arm outstretched fetching the waiter over for a bottle of wine....)
These Daumiers also were a reminder of my father, who was a big fan....
and, at that point, you will be happy to know, I ran out of battery power...
Nonetheless, I soldiered on, stopping for soup at the cafe. and back at the museum store for an umbrella (by this time, even the Irish couldn't call it a mist - it was a monsoon. I couldn't make it to the next museum, a block away, without an umbrella).
I did make it to the "Pinakothek der Modern", the modern art museum, which, although it had an impressionist exhibit as well, was better in its German collection (more Blue Rider Group, more New Objectivity. Of the last group, including Otto Dix, Adler, Kokoschka, Beckman, Oskar Schlemmer - many were Jewish and their art work considered degenerate by the Nazis. Many escaped to th West, some had unknown death dates - we all know what that means, don't we? A special exhibit of Kirchner's work indicated that he had been hounded by the Nazis and committed suicide. The past is never very far away here.
I ended the day in the design section of the museum, a somewhat cheerier note, and went home (still pouring, so a taxi it was) to rest for our big dinner.
Our hotel had a restaurant with one Michelin star, and as this was our last dinner, Max's it was. Simon Lareses is the chef (for those of you who care about these things). So, having charged by camera while resting, I present.... Dinner....
Wine, for those of you who are interested, was Chablis 1st Cru, Vailons 2012)
Conclusion? Fine food is wasted on me. I loved the setting, and the attention to detail, but the only part of the meal that I liked was the wine and the cheese which they were unable to ruin with strange taste combinations and odd sauces. They even managed to ruin a chocolate dessert, although I wouldn't have thought you would be able to do that. Peter loved it, though. My thoughts: not worth the money, for me. A good rib eye steak with creamed spinach would have been more to my liking! I may know which fork to use, I might be able to make conversation with the best of them, but I guess I am just a peasant at heart!!
Well, enough for now. Next post, and last for this vacation, I will share some general thoughts, and tell you about the trip home.
It is (another) rainy day, so I decide to take a taxi to the museum area, and, hopefully, walk back. I start with the New Art Gallery (as previously noted, words like "new" are relative in Europe. This is a collection of 3000 works, started by Ludwig I in 1853. (It was demolished by Allied bombs in 1944 - the art works having presciently been removed prior - and rebuilt after the war.)
While waiting in what the Irish would call mist, I saw these sculptures....
.....and then inside for the paintings (By the way, as it is Sunday, entry fee is only 1 Euro instead of the usual 12. Another sidebar: we have found very few things with senior discounts in Germany.)
Of course, in addition to the classics we are familiar with, there were a lot of German painters who I was not as familiar with. Peter is not a big fan of audio guides. I am, and took advantage of his absence to get one. Some are better than others - this one was particularly informative...
...for example, the above painting ensured that the painter became the court painter for Ludwig I....
The history of the next one by Overbeck was interesting too - apparently he and another artist friend were to paint their ideas about future wives, and this was Overbeck's contribution....
(I think it is quite lovely...)
The audio-guide for this next one provided one of those "ahha" moments. It talked about the fact that, in the days prior to photographs and trains, this picture of Switzerland would have been an incredible revelation for viewers. It is not that the thought is so profound - its that I never thought about it before...
....and, above, Ludwig himself in his coronation robes...
I really liked the above, as it shows Ludwig I, having temporarily given up the reigns of power, enjoying himself with some artist friends in Italy. (He is the one in back with his arm outstretched fetching the waiter over for a bottle of wine....)
These Daumiers also were a reminder of my father, who was a big fan....
and, at that point, you will be happy to know, I ran out of battery power...
Nonetheless, I soldiered on, stopping for soup at the cafe. and back at the museum store for an umbrella (by this time, even the Irish couldn't call it a mist - it was a monsoon. I couldn't make it to the next museum, a block away, without an umbrella).
I did make it to the "Pinakothek der Modern", the modern art museum, which, although it had an impressionist exhibit as well, was better in its German collection (more Blue Rider Group, more New Objectivity. Of the last group, including Otto Dix, Adler, Kokoschka, Beckman, Oskar Schlemmer - many were Jewish and their art work considered degenerate by the Nazis. Many escaped to th West, some had unknown death dates - we all know what that means, don't we? A special exhibit of Kirchner's work indicated that he had been hounded by the Nazis and committed suicide. The past is never very far away here.
I ended the day in the design section of the museum, a somewhat cheerier note, and went home (still pouring, so a taxi it was) to rest for our big dinner.
Our hotel had a restaurant with one Michelin star, and as this was our last dinner, Max's it was. Simon Lareses is the chef (for those of you who care about these things). So, having charged by camera while resting, I present.... Dinner....
Wine, for those of you who are interested, was Chablis 1st Cru, Vailons 2012)
Conclusion? Fine food is wasted on me. I loved the setting, and the attention to detail, but the only part of the meal that I liked was the wine and the cheese which they were unable to ruin with strange taste combinations and odd sauces. They even managed to ruin a chocolate dessert, although I wouldn't have thought you would be able to do that. Peter loved it, though. My thoughts: not worth the money, for me. A good rib eye steak with creamed spinach would have been more to my liking! I may know which fork to use, I might be able to make conversation with the best of them, but I guess I am just a peasant at heart!!
Well, enough for now. Next post, and last for this vacation, I will share some general thoughts, and tell you about the trip home.
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