Jan van Eyck

Absolutely gorgeous -- Madonna and Child at the Fountain (1439). See large version on Humanities Web in my links list.

Jan van Eyck small triptych (ca. 1437)

This is amazingly jewel-like in its detail. If you want to see a large version, please go to Humanities Web in my links list.

More cheeriness needed

The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissaro (1898). Found at Humanities Web, in my links.

Something more cheerful

pick-me-up
Originally uploaded by speedM.

Tiramisu!

A film I won't be seeing

I didn't know a movie had been made of this book. It looks intriguing, but far too disturbing, so I won't see it. From dvdtalk.com: In the late 1890s, a series of strange deaths occurred in the small town of Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Murders were committed for no apparent reason, often by friends and loved ones. Countless infants fell victim to diphtheria, an acute bacterial infection. People were supposedly haunted by ghosts, possessed by spirits, and thrown into a profound state of depression, paranoia, and insanity. One theory is that it was so excruciatingly isolated, cold, and boring in rural Wisconsin that it drove people insane.

Caspar David Friedrich

A mystical German romantic painter...this is The Oak Tree in the Snow (1829) in the Nationalgalerie, Berlin. http://www.humanitiesweb.org/human.php?s=w

Cecilia Bartoli

This isn't the most flattering picture of Cecilia Bartoli, but it shows her Roman exuberance and joie de vivre. She is a marvelous mezzo-soprano, a great bel canto singer. Her Rossini makes you want to jump up and shout "Brava!" She also seems like a genuinely nice person. I was fortunate to see her perform in the early 1990s. She is only about 5' tall but what energy. Her English was fairly nonexistent, but she could "feel the love". The audience adored her!

Fritz Wunderlich (1930-1966)

Fritz Wunderlich was a great tenor. He died in an accidental fall at age 36. Wunderlich's voice is pure, warm, and just beautiful. I have a recording of him singing Tamino's part in The Magic Flute; also Schubert Lieder.

Netherlandish art

Münster: angel.
Originally uploaded by Marcel van Gunst.

What a gorgeous angel, I'm assuming from an altarpiece. I love altarpieces.

Not something I particularly like

Going to a therapist. A necessary annoyance. I won't go so far as to call it evil.

Jacek Yerka

His website is in Polish or something, so I don't know the title of the painting. Check out his work at http://www.yerka.pl/stronaI/stronaI.html

Boucher

I love baroque and rococco paintings. So frothy, erotic, sensual, with a touch of sweet melancholy. This painting is "The Setting of the Sun" (1752) by Francois Boucher.

Isenheim Altarpiece (detail)

The Isenheim Altarpiece was executed ca. 1515 by Matthias Grünewald for the hospital chapel of Saint Anthony's Monastery in Isenheim in Alsace. The Antonine monks of the monastery were noted for their treatment of sufferers of skin disease, such as ergotism. It's now at the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, a nearby town. The altarpiece has a series of folded panels allowing different parts of it to be displayed on various holy days. This panel is one of the joyful ones. There is a very grisly Crucifixion and a scene of St. Anthony being tempted (more like tortured) by bizarre monsters. The diseased sufferers at the monastery would be consoled and inspired by Grünewald's extremely realistic depiction of physical suffering and redemption. The colors in this altarpiece are phenomenal, and the painting is fantastically surreal. http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/d/duccio/buoninse/index.html

French shawl (detail)

This is a shawl from 1855 France. Incredible, isn't it. At L.A. County Museum of Art. http://lacma.org

German Romanticism

A charming genre painting in German romantic style. This is "Painting and Music (Portrait of the Artist’s Son)" by Martin Drölling (1800), at the L.A. County Museum of Art. http://lacma.org

"From the moment I picked up your book until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it" -Groucho Marx

Magical places

Castle Neuschwanstein
Originally uploaded by chrisch.

Magical places

Clouds
Originally uploaded by SigHs.

Mont St. Michel

Wierd news story

(The Columbus Dispatch, August 24, 2006) Prank gone awry stuns Worthington -- Resident of ‘haunted’ house critically wounds teen. A modern-day Boo Radley/Norman Bates protecting his home and mother from what he thought was a home invasion, shot and seriously wounded a wholesome teenage girl. Girls were daring each other to approach the house, but they were shot while in their car. Norman Bates, I mean Allen S. Davis, didn't call police because his house was already the subject of neighbors' complaints. Read article: http://www.dispatch.com/emailme/emailme.php?
story=dispatch/2006/08/24/20060824-A1-02.html

Cute!!

(Daily Mail, August 24, 2006) What a pair - these funny little creatures are albino Pygmy Marmoset monkeys, born at the Froso Zoo in Ostersund, Sweden this week. The Pygmy Marmoset, the world's smallest monkey which all grown up reaches just 35cm and weighs barely 100 grams, is quite rare, but this albino pair is particularly unusual.

Garden of Earthly Delights (detail)

This painting is one of the most compelling, wierd, and beautifully colored in the history of art. It would be amazing to see it in person, at the Prado Museum.

Hieronymus Bosch

I need multiple postings on this artist. His work is so mysterious and detailed. One can study it endlessly. Look at the expression in this pilgrim's eyes.

Yes, I am bored today.

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it."

Big Band Vocalist

Helen Forrest sang with the big-name swing orchestras in the 1930s and '40s. Her voice is warm and gorgeous. I love listening to her sing these sentimental tunes. She sounds so easy and natural.

Kingdom of Benin

I don't know anything about the Kingdom of Benin, but I've been haunted by these bronzes whose existence I'd forgotten, until I saw one randomly on the internet. This bronze is at the Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig. http://www.ses-sachsen.de/le_abb0e.php

Flickr

Campus Stellae
Originally uploaded by magic fly paula.

I'm a flickr addict. The site has so many amazing photographers. I'm getting healthy doses of culture, education and inspiration from this site. The photographer who took this picture (magic fly paula) is a true surrealist. Click on the link to see all her photos.

Herbs

Herbs on a hot day
Originally uploaded by vidalia_11.

Herbs are awesome. I love putting fresh basil, oregano, thyme, parsley and rosemary on food. It's so gratifying when the herbs grow and thrive.

Strahov Library

Strahov Library
Originally uploaded by perreira.

What a place!

Surrealist painter Mark Ryden

I just "stumbled upon" this artist's website today. He's famous but I've never heard of him before. His paintings are fantastically wierd and meticulous. Check out his website and see them. http://www.markryden.com

Norman Foster Library FU Berlin

Norman Foster Library FU Berlin
Originally uploaded by svenwerk.

This library looks amazing! I would love to go there. Too bad I don't read German!

Glen Gabbard

Dr. Gabbard is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst at Baylor College of Medicine. His webpage lists his clinical interests as:

"Personality disorders, professional boundary violations, impaired physicians, psychoanalysis, combining psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy, the mind-brain interface, and the portrayal of psychiatrists in film."

He's a joint editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Psychoanalysis, a prestigious journal dealing with the unconscious, transference, and such. I've read some of Dr. Gabbard's books and journal articles. His writing is warm, intelligent, and readable. Once, I advised someone online to email him, as she was in a boundary-violating relationship with her therapist. She did, and he emailed her back. That really impressed me. His site is www.bcm.edu/psychiatry.

Huntington Art Collection

In San Marino, CA, a few blocks from Caltech University, are the Huntington Library, art collection, and gardens. It's a beautiful place, well worth multiple visits. My favorite part, aside from the great art, is the herb garden.

Rogier van der Weyden

I saw this painting at the Huntington Library in Pasadena. It is a small painting, originally part of a diptych. Rogier van der Weyden painted exquisitely detailed religious works. I feel very fortunate to have seen this painting up close. The jeweled border of the Madonna's cloak is photographically realistic, her face is delineated delicately. A masterpiece.

Jazz Age

This is the singer, Annette Hanshaw. I never knew of her until yesterday, when I heard a standard she performed, "Am I Blue" (1929). She's a beautiful flapper! I must hear more of her recordings. This photo is from the website, http://www.annettehanshaw.com/.

Moleskine

Originally uploaded by vidalia_11.

I treated myself to this expensive but worth-it journal a few months ago. It's addicting. I soon got another, smaller one.

Cute Little Cardinal

Cute Little Cardinal
Originally uploaded by Momba.

"The world is a tragedy to those who feel, and comedy to those who think." -- Shakespeare

"I have a cunning plan"

This is my favorite series of Blackadder- he's the sarcastic butler to the Prince Regent, a total fool. Baldrick is great in this one.

P.G. Wodehouse

His books are so silly and amusing. They're particularly great as audiobooks narrated by JONATHAN CECIL or FREDERICK DAVIDSON.

The Vladimir Mother of God (detail)

detail of the Vladimir Mother of God
Originally uploaded by jimforest.

So powerful...

Pantocrator

Pantocrator
Originally uploaded by jimforest.

The Love You Save

I've been listening to old Jackson 5 songs that I loved as a kid (this dates me). They are still rockin' songs. There's some sadness, now that we know these kids were mistreated by their father, and because Michael Jackson is insane. Still, the songs hold up.

Audiobook narrators

This is the late, great British narrator, David Case, AKA Frederick Davidson, Edward Raleigh, James Nelson, and Ian McKay. I've heard him narrate John Mortimer (Rumpole), P.G. Wodehouse, Alexander Dumas. His voice is so beautiful and charming. He's my favorite, but there are others. More to come....

Non-Issue

I'm Jewish and I don't especially give a rat's what Mel Gibson said while drunk. I love the entertainment value of the story, though! By the way, this mugshot is pretty handsome for a DUI...dayum.

Audiobooks

A latecomer to audiobooks, I'm now addicted to them. I used to think: "Why would anyone want someone to read aloud to them? How childish and boring." I didn't know that many audiobooks are narrated by skilled actors, who create the illusion that different people are speaking the dialogue. I have one major limitation, though. I only want to hear British voices.