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What a way to spend a pleasurable sunny Saturday afternoon wandering around a beautiful sculpture park and fine art Tarpey Gallery nestled behind one of the oldest buildings, dating back to Tudor times, in the historic village of Castle Donington. Well that's what myself and my friend Pam Miller, painter, printmaker & mixed media artist, did after motoring out from Beeston, Nottinghamshire, taking just 25 minutes. Our invitation was to attend a special occasion at the Tarpey Gallery held that day to celebrate the recent 70th birthday of Jim Tarpey who is featured in his solo show of paintings and relief works titled Horizon Lines running until 20th June. The director of the gallery, since 2009, is Jim's son, Luke Tarpey, himself a practising artist and designer. This converted barn behind the main residence houses an ambitious program of exhibitions by established and emerging regional and international artists. It has fast grown into a gallery of high repute selling some of the most exciting contemporary fine art in the East Midlands region. All photos by Marysia Zipser except others credited to Pam Miller. Please click on photos to enlarge. Above: Main drive inwards from the High Street with main entrance to right. Below: Jim Tarpey in front of his solo exhibition Horizon Lines inspired by his visit to Barbados. Photos: Pam Miller
Exhibition Statement by Jim Tarpey “This exhibition brings together a body of work made over the last year. The idea of the exhibition is to look at both the small architectural three-dimensional work alongside the much larger paintings that are dealing with texture, colour and speed across the canvas. The paintings are primarily concerned with studying the horizon line: the way the end of the sea touches the sky; the way the sky presses down on to the sea; how that line is painted. I am looking to build this idea into my work observing their weight and colour as the soft uncertain space between them intertwine... Continues here... Horizon Lines by Jim Tarpey Below: Jim Tarpey's colourful shallow relief works. Photos: Pam Miller Click on photos to enlarge. Please see the extent of this gallery exhibition detailing all the artists’ works and prices. Browse Artwork Below - multi media artworks by Peter Clayton. He takes his inspiration from his travels, his passion for the garden and family history.
 Heather Duncan and Deb Allitt
Below photos showing the garden and park expanse. Click on photos to enlarge.
I walked up to the end of the park because the tall trees were beckoning me, I loved the shafts of light. One of those moments when I could have just laid flat on the ground looking upwards listening to the birds and gentle rustle of the leaves... Click on photos to enlarge.
Pam Miller writes: "I particularly enjoyed viewing the work of Jim Tarpey during my last visit to the Tarpey Gallery - very striking colourful paintings and shallow relief artworks, inspired by his recent visit to Barbados. His work occupied the space extremely well and complemented the rest of the contemporary art on display, including the upstairs gallery, where Luke, his son and Manager of the gallery, had his inventive photography on display alongside other exciting work of exhibiting artists. It was, indeed, a pleasure to accept Luke's invitation to such a wonderful exhibition, in a superb gallery and enjoy the beautiful garden, on the occasion of Jim Tarpey's 70th birthday during the month of June." Pam Miller Fine Art - Pam Miller, Fine Artist - Nottingham UK After 20th June, the next exhibition is Tarpey Gallery 'Light and Dark' 26th June until 8th August, with opening 26th June 2-5pm, featuring work by Julie Leach, Emma Fitzpatrick, Kat Evans, Clare Phelan, Shirley Stevenson, Jackie Berridge, Lisa Denyer and Bethany Stafford. This will be as diverse an exhibition as we have put on since the galleries launch in 2009, in terms of both aesthetics and subject matter. Light and Dark covers such a wide spectrum of ideas and inspiration for artists, from classic elements of form like contrast, light, shade and colour to the broader theme of our humanity and the show will touch on these ideas and much more in between. We can’t wait to welcome you to the opening on the 26th June. If you can’t make the opening hours or wish to view a specific artwork please call Luke on 0777 240 4293 or email info@tarpeygallery.com to arrange a time. 77 High St, Castle Donington, Derby DE74 2PQ Opening Times : Thursday – Sunday, 10am – 5pm Covid-19 Open as usual, face coverings must be worn in the gallery, please keep a respectful distance from other visitors. Maximum of 6 people in the gallery at one time. Tarpey Gallery: Contemporary Fine Art Gallery Artwork by Luke Tarpey *** To me a visit to the Tarpey Gallery offers the whole destination experience - contemporary fine art by regional and international artists, excellently curated exhibition spaces to walk through, around and upstairs, stunning garden and park and always a pleasurable welcome. And if you have some extra time afterwards to discover the historic delights of the village and surrounding area, then here are a few links below to entice you. Castle Donington
Donington Hall - Wikipedia 20 Best Things To Do In Castle Donington Near Me | Attractions in Leicestershire Latest News in Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England, UK Marysia Zipser Founder & Director ART - CULTURE - TOURISM - Home Beeston, Nottingham, UK Promoting People & Places Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn
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 Jeanie Barton. Photo credit: Tracey Whitefoot Those who work in events are currently like greyhounds in traps waiting for the off; venues, musicians, caterers, florists, magicians, comedians, MCs, photographers, dress makers, cake makers, decor, sound, lighting, set makers, dancers, cleaners, waiting staff, managers, designers, security, riggers, crew, show teams etc. are all chomping at the bit after being in an enforced stasis for over a year. Most of the self-employed who regularly invest their profit back into their business have also been without any monetary recompense, falling through the gaping cracks in the government compensation scheme while their industry was made illegal. Now there are signs events will soon be allowed again, firstly outdoors and hopefully indoors by the end of June, people are tentatively starting to rebook. There is still a threatening storm cloud of possible extended restrictions because of new variants like the latest from India, but we recognise that while risk can and should be mitigated as much as possible it is unlikely ever to be eliminated and we need to start living our lives again, albeit cautiously. We have spoken to some event professionals about how things are looking for them:  Photo credit: Tracey Whitefoot Jeanie Barton, singer, pianist and bandleader is starting to see functions appear in her diary. “It’s been an exhausting period of uncertainty wherein all of us have questioned our career, identity and purpose. While the last year has been a deeply unnerving experience it was also strangely settling (having so much family and home time, when I’m normally travelling hundreds of miles a week and rarely had a weekend off). I don’t think this year will become anything like a normal summer, autumn or Christmas season but there are signs that there is an appetite for at least small-scale events. They say ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ and I really hope that is true when it comes to live music – there is no beating it atmospherically.”  Photographer Inna Schutts commented, “It was certainly a year of shocking adjustment, re-evaluation and rediscovery. As a travel and event photographer with a blog, the sudden realisation of what to do if you cannot travel or attend any events was quite sad. The events and tourism industry had the hardest time during the past year with every spectrum of it being against the government measures. Going through old photo archives was like a nice dive into the past, yet to write about experiences with no fresh memories of, was uninspiring and frankly hard. And yet it gave me time to think about things I always wanted to do, like finally to learn Photoshop or to try acrylic pouring... The 'stay at home' order made all these things possible and gave me a purpose. I started experimenting with different styles of photography and fine art editing as well.  In the events industry we also experienced a great deal of artists, performers and musicians finding new ways to be live in front of the audience even if only digitally. With life slowly going back to some form of normality and the events industry reopening, it will be great to get back into travel/events photography, and now I can also incorporate my new skills of fine art editing.” Idalberto Alcala-Rodriguez at ACT Cultures Crossing 8, April 2019, Bennetts, Long Eaton Photo credit: Inna Schutts Are you looking forward to booking or attending an event this year? We would like to hear from you. Marysia Zipser Jeanie Barton https://jeaniebarton.com/ Inna Schutts https://4curiousadventurers.wordpress.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ischuttsphotography/ ART - CULTURE - TOURISM - Home Beeston, Nottingham, UK Promoting People & Places Find us on Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn Photos below by Inna Schutts - (Top) Local festival reenactments (Middle) St Edward's Church, Stow-on-the-Wold, Cotswolds, pretty house & lavenders, Stanton Moor, Peak District National Park. (Lower) Cultures Crossing 7, March 2019 at Minor Oak, Sneinton, Nottingham & Cultures Crossing 8, April 2019 at Bennetts, Long Eaton.  Rosa 'Duke of Edinburgh' and Rosa 'Queen Elizabeth' To honour St George’s Day around the world, Art Culture Tourism salutes HRH Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh and Her Majesty the Queen at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. They were side by side together in marriage for 73 years. Their roses are side by side in harmony. HRH Prince Philip was her rock, as she herself has always defined him. The Queen knew that behind her, a few steps away, there was someone she could always count on. Below photos taken by Marysia Zipser on 17th April 2021 of the funeral ceremony of HRH Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh as live televised by BBC Television. ***** Roberto Alborghetti writes about St George’s Day 2021 - the perfect day to celebrate books, authors and roses.  Patrizia Poggi writes an international synopsis of St George’s Day... 1 - Celebration of World Book and Copyright Day - UNESCO - 23 April, #WorldBookDay. World Book Day 2021 takes place today with the theme to 'share a story'. The day aims to change lives through a love of books and shared reading. The power of books should be leveraged to combat isolation, reinforce ties between people, expand our horizons, while stimulating our minds and creativity.  2 - Shakespeare Day Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and died on 23rd April 1616 at the age of 52. On April 23 three important writers died in 1616: the Spanish Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), the English William Shakespeare (1564-1616) and the Peruvian Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (1539-1616). From left to right: William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, Garcilaso de la Vega *** Please Click on the photo images to enlarge, and hover over to read any captions.  Photo credit: Maria Kornoukhova, young artist from Tbilisi 3 - The title of UNESCO World Book Capital is awarded annually to a city in connection with its book plans. This year the chosen city is Tbilisi in Georgia. It was pointed out by the Director General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay. The main objective of the city is to spread reading and increase accessibility to books for all social classes and age groups. Tbilisi, capital of World Book 2021 named by UNESCO around the slogan “Ok, so, your next book is…?”. The program focuses on the use of modern technologies as powerful tools for promoting reading among youth. Throughout the year of 2021, several events and activities, such as libraries and book festivals will be held, as well as the rebuilding of the first Georgian publishing house. 4 - St George's Day patron saint of England. San Giorgio is also the patron saint of other nations such as Bulgaria, Portugal, Ethiopia, Greece and Russia. He is the patron saint of Barcelona and Catalonia and tradition has it that every man gives his woman a rose and booksellers use to give a rose for every book sold. One of the most special tours is the Casa Batlló, where Gaudí’s architecture depicts the legend of Sant Jordi and the dragon, which is related to the festival.  Peter Paul Rubens, (1577-1640), Saint George and the Dragon 1606-1608, oil on canvas Copyright ©Museo Nacional del Prado According to Jacopo de la Voragine´s Golden Legend, Saint George slew the dragon that was terrorizing the people of Silene, saving a princess in peril. In this painting, the Christian hero rides a lively white stallion and brandishes his sword against the monster, which attempts to free itself of the lance stuck in its jaws. Behind them, next to a lamb, the princess looks on. This work was made in Ruben´s youth, during his trip to Italy and is a perfect example of the monumentality of his paintings from that period, with strong, forceful figures. Although this painting may have been commissioned for the Church of San Ambrogio in Genoa, it remained in the artist´s possession until his death in 1640, when it was acquired for Felipe IV at his auction.  Barcelona “gets prettily dressed” on the day of Sant Jordi, you can find stands selling books and flowers in every corner of the city. The most popular places are the Rambla de Catalunya and Las Ramblas streets, which are very crowded during the whole day. They also organise cultural activities, several authors do book signing, and they also do book reading in many places. In the Catalan version of the story of Saint George it’s said that a red rose was born from the dragon's blood, symbol of this day. Photo credit: surfingtheplanet.com  Antoni Gaudí, Casa Batlló Photo credit: Antonio Velez 5 - International Year of the Roses Through the celebration of the International Year of the Roses, an International Open Call, we can open ourselves to others despite distance, and we can travel thanks to the imagination by the power of the rose, the queen of all flowers. By creating a sense of community through the shared roses and the shared knowledge, those involved around the world can connect and mutually help curb loneliness. ACT and OKAY! Italy’s schools magazine promote the Year of the Roses 2021 for ALL to participate by submitting images and words to convey their meanings - “Our Roses and what they mean to Us”. Closing date: 30 September 2021. Launched by Jeanie Barton’s roses song/anthem and video by Roberto Alborghetti. All information here on our web page link, with official press release to access on right hand column. https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/yearoftheroses2021.html NottsTV presents https://robertoalborghetti.com/2021/04/18/the-year-of-the-roses-2021-on-notts-tv-and-breeze-magazine/ "An art project which started in Notts could attract thousands of photos from around the world. Art-Culture-Tourism is encouraging you to send in snaps of your roses alongside the personal stories they remind you of". See last 6 mins of show - Marysia Zipser & Jeanie Barton talk about the #yearoftheroses2021 'Our Roses and what they mean to Us" plus projects #alightinbeeston & Beeston Street Art!  6 - New ACT Rose logo and font as part of their re-brand roll out June 2021. We look forward to receiving any written comments from you below this article/blog and/or via our contact details.
Marysia Zipser, Patrizia Poggi and Roberto Alborghetti ART - CULTURE - TOURISM - Home Beeston, Nottingham, UK Promoting People & Places marysia@artculturetourism.co.uk Find me on Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn Patrizia Poggi https://italiaefriends.wordpress.com/ Roberto Alborghetti https://robertoalborghetti.com/ https://okayscuola.org/ IntroductionYou may remember my elder brother John from my ACT August 2020 daily blogs recorded as 'Journey of Discovery in East Sussex', written after I stayed with him and his wife Christine at Bexhill. A very memorable visit while also catching up on our family archiving. https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/apps/search?q=Journey+of+Discovery+in+East+Sussex During my time there, John expressed his determination to visit our first cousin Rysiu and his family in Poland in September and he was liaising with UK passport authorities to get his new passport to make this happen. He received written confirmation before I left and was really looking forward to it. Since his tour, I have been waiting for the right opportunity to publish John’s illuminating blog after I had received all his relevant photographs and captions to accompany it. He’s been learning fast including technical up-skilling on What's App and organising Zoom meetings with his church community! So now you can read the full travelogue of his September expedition to Poland via London - Warsaw - Katowice - Tychy - Zakopane. Enjoy! Marysia Zipser Founder of Art Culture Tourism Nottingham, UK *** Please Click on the photo images to enlarge, and hover over to read any captions.  The above scenes we didn't manage to see while in Zakopane London - Warsaw - Katowice - Tychy - Zakopane - by John ZipserWed 23 Sept I drove to Purple Parking at Heathrow, then by shuttle bus to Terminal 2. Simplified and automated passport and customs check - not too busy and on the plane in time. English comments by the crew on board are virtually unintelligible but journey pleasant with snacks and reading the LOT magazine. Soon at destination (9.30pm) Polish Time and found ourselves waiting for the bus to go in the Old Town direction - a young man sitting in front of us took pity on our plight and got us off at the right stop where he said we could catch the tram. However he got off with us and then on the tram telling us to leave the stop after he got off. But it was a stop too soon and it was 11.30 before we were safely in our hotel (Old Town Ibis) and settled in our most welcoming room (with an enlarged photo of the moon's surface as the ceiling "wallpaper". We ate remnants of our lunch box from home plus hotel coffee. *** Please Click on the photo images to enlarge, and hover over to read any captions.
The problems re the iPhone started to increase and with not being able also to access my emails at the hotel's computer, the only definite thing about our next stage (train to Tychy on Saturday, booked and paid for by Olek) was an emailed ticket on the iPhone. That left us no option other than to release ourselves from all concerns and enjoy each moment as it came along. That night we dined at the hotel's tv-room/bar/restaurant; and engaged the receptionist to suggest an itinerary for Friday. Fri 25 Sept. This day was occupied with a visit to the not-too-far-away Westfield Shopping Mall for adaptors (eventually, iphone cables too) and then off on a tram journey (going the opposite way to the intended, but nevertheless giving us a welcome tour of central Warsaw). It terminated on the outskirts where there was a landscaped park and lake provided by EU funding where we ate our picnic lunch with many young mothers with prams and children strolling by and sunbathers on the provided decking. Walking the first part of the way back we encountered a cheap market, run predominantly, it seems, by Vietnamese clothing traders, where Christine was able to buy a necessary coordinating top for a skirt she had brought along. The picture we were getting of Warsaw was that of a capital of a nation with a resurrected economy (compared with when I last was there) and as multicultural as any Western European capital. (Though Middle-Eastern (Muslim) nations not so conspicuous as in Britain.) Thoughts of sampling one of the eateries on the road back as we walked the remainder (having taken the tram part of the way) were resisted, considering the attractive atmosphere of our hotel more appealing. Christine chose zupa pomodorowa while I had a kotlet wieprzowina. Sat 26 Sept The train from Central Rail Station did not go till 3.30pm, so Saturday morning we paid another visit to the Westfield mall, though it was raining. It was milling with families amidst the giant screens with adverts to the rhythm of the incessant pop songs. We had our packed lunches outside when the rain stopped for a while. The station was quite well organised despite the fears of complex platform systems that my Lonely Planet guide had informed me of, and, once seated on the train (going to Ostrava, Czech Republic) we felt settled. But our composure became ruffled when told we were on the wrong carriage. An awkwardly negotiated.transfer of baggage and ourselves ensued, being helped by a friendly man who saw our difficulties - especially as the train was moving by then. We discovered he knew English well and wrote for travel magazines - Alex he said his name was. It was well he knew English, as we discovered when the tickets (printed out by the hotel from my iPhone) were examined by the conductress, and we were told that they had been invalidated. This could have meant immediate ejection from the train (hopefully when stationary at the next station) and a large fine! Alex got Olek's phone number off my iPhone (which I could not ring because I'd no network connection) and on speaking to him, discovered he'd cancelled the tickets and bought two others more cheaply with an age-related discount. They were shown the conductress when she appeared the second time who, I'm sure, would have relished the opportunity to have had a couple more notches on her ticket scanner, had Providence not intervened. As we sped along (it was an "Express" by name, though not exactly hurtling along!), Christine noted the names of the towns we passed through so we could track the route. Darkness soon overtook us but the sunset had been lovely. Conversations continued, with the other man putting the odd comment in too - he was fluent in English also. At Tychy, what a joy to be met by Olek and bundled off in his car to the hotel with his assurance that all was in place for our arranged enjoyment of the next few days - even promising to take us there and back to church in Katowice in the morning. Thinking about it, the pleasantness of surroundings, the hotel and Olek's mother, Hanka, and her husband's hospitality was so comforting, as, getting older, our capabilities to run around and do things on our own initiative were diminishing. We spent the remaining hour or so that Saturday evening enjoying a pizza at quite a high-class pizzeria near the hotel. We were to meet everyone at Rysiu's home tomorrow after church. *** Please Click on the photo images to enlarge, and hover over to read any captions. Sun 27 Sept After the 10am-12noon meeting at the Bethany (Betania) Pentecostal Church (with a coffee afterwards in their lounge), we were surprised by Peter walking in to pick us up and whisk us over to Korczak Street. Effervescent as usual, Ela welcomed us and we were round the table in no time - Rysiu being upstairs whom we'd meet later on. Cakes and drinks and plenty of bi-lingual chat amongst the whole family (only Peter, Hanka's second son, not free to see us till later) with photos taken and old ones from times gone by perused - all combined to bring everyone into a very happy elated state, with the pandemic far from our thoughts. Soon, after meeting Rysiu up in his living area, communicating reasonably well with him and glad to see him visibly happy with us all being there, we were off again for a meal out (Just a select few this time: Peter, Hanka, Ela, Sonia and we two). It was situated in an old miners' housing complex from the early 20th century renovated but retaining the atmosphere of a bygone era (Giszowiec). Christine ate abstemiously (soup again) as Ela's cakes were quite filling, but I enjoyed a really classy pierogi and side dish with wine. It was getting cooler and raining by the time we left, and having been told Monday was the day we were going to Zakopane, we were dropped off at the hotel, well content. Mon 28 Sept We were certain now that the Zakopane trip would be subject to uncertain weather and on our very scenic route we sensed it getting somewhat cooler. Travelling over into Slovakia and back into Poland en route, Hanka's Volkswagen was a very comfortable means of transport. On arriving,we were taken to an Italian restaurant first before experiencing her beautifully renovated chalet. With intriguing pine and bare wood decor on four floors, the cosiest place was the basement kitchen snug. Later in the evening, on the next floor lounge, we watched a TV documentary on Churchill before turning in. Tues 29 Sept Although I'd had a walk in the rain to stretch my legs after yesterday's journey, we were to set off on a walk around the ski-jump area today, which, thankfully was warmer and brighter. The visit to the extensive market was an experience not to be missed, although we had some memories of it from 2013. It was impossible to stop Hanka demanding to pay for everything we wanted to purchase for souvenirs and presents - not that there were lots, but, although we did buy some small items, (we had taken everyone a small token present from Hastings when we came) she did end up buying me a thick woollen sweater and Christine traditional socks and mementos to keep in the house. When we were journeying back later in the afternoon, (on the main, busy autostrada route) we knew we were coming to the end of the holiday, but there wasn't any sadness - every moment had been so fulfilling - and Hanka and Marek together with their sons (if possible) said they were planning to come to Britain next year to tour, especially keen to see some of the historic Sussex iconic landmarks with us joining them in some of the tour. Something to plan and look forward to! In the evening Peter (Hanka's medical student son, now starting his penultimate year of training) came to the hotel to see us and chat as well as give us the gen for Wednesday's trip to Pyrzowice airport in which he and his brother were to escort us in the Volkswagen. Wed 30 Sept All packed and set to experience LOT's accomplished airline and flight experience, we sped off after a "morning coffee" - Polish Style - at Ela & Rysiu's. What a unique holiday! But just right in every way to fill us with memories for musing over during the continuing months back in Britain while Covid continued to pervade everyday life. Amazingly, only were we back 2 days when the quarantine rule was imposed so how blessed can one get? The flights (to Warsaw, then to London) were soon over and we joined the parked car with little bother at customs (all electronically sorted when Olek filled in our forms on-line for us the night before). Back on familiar ground and home ahead, suitably refreshed and replenished with an unforgettable experience! John Zipser We hope you've enjoyed the Poland experience. Please feel free to leave your reactions and any written comments in the box below to John or myself, or via below contact links. Many thanks.
John Zipser and Marysia Zipser marysia@artculturetourism.co.uk https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/artculturetourism/ https://www.facebook.com/marysia.zipser.7/ https://twitter.com/MarysiaZipser Art Culture Tourism https://www.linkedin.com/in/marysia-zipser IntroductionIt is with great pleasure to re-introduce you to Patrizia Poggi, writer, consultant and promoter of art, culture and tourism, based Ravenna, and who, in 2020, has written some fascinating ACT articles/blogs about the Emilia-Romagna region being culturally connected to Britain. What prompted the idea for this particular article to be written was my immediate reaction in the recent media to the Sotherby’s sale of Botticelli’s beautiful painting “Young man holding a roundel” to a private buyer. Particularly about its connections, including the powerful influence of Dante Alighieri on Sandro Botticelli and his art. Patrizia’s resounding popularity of her ACT article of 16th January, on Dante 700th and the mystery of his bones, includes crucial insights. https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/blog/dante-alighieri-1265-1321-a-700-year-long-mystery As a consequence, I asked Patrizia if she would consider writing a follow up feature researching the previous owners of the “Young man holding a roundel” and its journey to the present day, and also how many other paintings of Botticelli's are still retained in private ownership. All thus connecting back to the master Florentine Renaissance painter himself, his own artistic journey and his influence on contemporary interpretations. She responded positively and passionately. I love the connections...the cultural connections. So here she tells her captivating story…enjoy the experience! Marysia Zipser Founder of Art Culture Tourism Nottingham, UK *** Please Click on the photo images to enlarge, and hover over to read any captions. Botticelli: Gracefulness and Contemporaneousness by Patrizia Poggi Sandro Botticelli (ca. 1445–1510) Idealised Portrait of a Lady (Portrait of Simonetta Vespucci as Nymph), ca. 1480 Mixed technique on poplar, 81.3 x 54.0 min. 0.3 cm Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main CC BY-SA 4.0 Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main. The "beautiful Simonetta", the "sans par": these are the two nicknames with which one of the most famous noblewomen of the Florentine Renaissance, Simonetta Vespucci, born Cattaneo (Genoa or Portovenere, 1453 - Florence, 1476) has become legendary. A woman considered to be of unparalleled beauty, the object of the desire of many men of mid-fifteenth century Florence, exponent of one of the most ancient noble families of Genoa (the Cattaneo), married at the age of sixteen to the banker Marco Vespucci (relative of the better known Amerigo, the navigator who gave America its name), who died very young (at just twenty-three years old, probably of plague) and associated with the name of many artists of the time, for whom she would have posed. Many wanted to recognize her face, for example, in Venus or in the personification of Spring by Sandro Botticelli and they even wanted to attribute to the two an emotional bond, also on the basis of a legend (without any foundation) according to which Botticelli would asked to be buried next to Simonetta in the church of Ognissanti in Florence. The two were actually buried inside the Florentine church, but because the family tombs of both were in the same church (the Vespuccis owned a chapel, while Botticelli was buried in the cemetery of Ognissanti).  In recent days, the international press has highlighted the auction result achieved by a portrait of Botticelli (1445-1510) entitled "Young man holding a roundel". The painting, one of only three privately owned portraits of the Florentine Renaissance master, reached a record $ 92.2 million. "In the popular imagination, no other painter evokes the golden age of the Florentine Renaissance with more force than Sandro Botticelli". Thus Christopher Apostle, director of Sotheby's Old Masters Painting Department, tells of the beauty and importance of this painting by Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi (1445-1510), called Sandro Botticelli.  The son of a tanner, originally destined (according to Vasari) to be a goldsmith, a path that he will abandon once he becomes an apprentice of Fra Filippo Lippi (various hypotheses make the nickname derive from the robust constitution of his brother Antonio, called "Botticello", or from an alteration of the name of the profession of his brother Giovanni who is a goldsmith, in Florence called "battigello"). Since the 1930’s the ownership of this painting is an entirely British story, when it was first recorded in the collection of Lord Newborough in Caernarvon, Wales. The portrait is believed to have been first purchased by his ancestor, Sir Thomas Wynn, 1st Lord Newborough (1736 - 1807), while living in Tuscany. Passed to his descendants, it was later bought in 1935 by the British merchant Frank Sabin, before passing in 1941 to Sir Thomas Ralph Merton. Merton's heirs, in 1982, sold it at auction for 810,000 pounds, at the time 1.3 million dollars, to the current owner, Sheldon Solow, a billionaire and art collector who died in Manhattan last year at 92 years old.  In 2016, the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London, dedicated an exhibition to Botticelli entitled "Botticelli Reimagined", the most important retrospective in Great Britain since 1930, with the aim of exploring the great influence that Botticelli had on the artists of the past and which continues to have on contemporary art: from the Pre-Raphaelites to Magritte up to Andy Warhol.  Sandro Botticelli (Florence 1445-1510), The Birth of Venus, 1485c., tempera on canvas, 172.5x278.5; Florence, Uffizi Gallery Credit photo: Florence, Uffizi Gallery The beautiful goddess floating on a shell is now an image powerfully rooted in popular culture, known even to those who don't know or have never seen the original painting exhibited at the Uffizi Gallery, in Florence https://www.uffizi.it/en The famous painting 'La nascita di Venere', for example, is probably the painting that has influenced the largest number of imitations, copies and re-interpretations in all times and in every geographical area of the world. From Venus, revisited and colored by Andy Warhol, to the dresses in printed fabric with images of Venus from the 1993 Dolce & Gabbana collection, to the cover of Lady Gaga's ArtPop disc created by Jeff Koons, to the fine-art photograph by David LaChapelle. ***Please Click on the photo images to enlarge, and hover over to read any captions. And again in the painting "Venus after Botticelli" the Chinese artist Yin Xin overturns the ideal of Western beauty giving his Venus Asian features, while the Brazilian photographer, Vik Muniz, connects the famous image to today's environmental awareness with Venus emerging from a sea of garbage. It is in the portraits, however, that Botticelli reveals all his innovative power, depicting his subjects with unprecedented immediacy and intuition, decades before Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) painted Mona Lisa (1503), as can be seen in the "Portrait of Dante", preserved in a private collection in Geneva. Botticelli's warm tribute to Dante Alighieri as a sign of admiration.  Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510), Portrait of Dante Alighieri, oil on canvas, 1495. Private collection. Surrounded by a soft and clear line at the same time, Dante's profile emerges from the light background and seems to express a sort of calm authority. The laurel wreath, symbol of glory, frames the scarlet red cap. The complexion is olive, the cheekbones and features are furrowed by a play of shadows that makes them even more marked. Who could have been the client of this portrait? We may never know. It's likely that the painting was destined for the private library of some intellectual. However, I like to think that this painting represents one of the first examples of fan-art in history. Yes, because Sandro Botticelli had a boundless veneration for Dante and was one of the most creative and passionate artistic interpreters of him. In 1481, before leaving for Rome to fresco the Sistine Chapel, Botticelli created the drawings of the first nineteen cantos of "The Divine Comedy" for the engravings of Baccio Baldini. Subsequently, he set to work on a grandiose project that, presumably, lasted throughout the 90s of the fifteenth century. The 92 parchments with the illustrations of the poem, commissioned by Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici and preserved between Rome and Berlin, testify to his true devotion to Dante's work. ***Please Click on the photo images to enlarge, and hover over to read any captions.  La Bella Simonetta (ca. 1480-85) And what about this portrait of a beautiful girl, exhibited in Tokyo, at the headquarters of the trading Company Marubeni Corporation? The other privately owned painting. It's the portrait "The beautiful Simonetta", Simonetta Vespucci, one of Botticelli's masterpieces. Among the poets of the Renaissance, Angelo Poliziano (1454-1494) defined her as immortal beauty. It is said that a sketch by Leonardo da Vinci has remained which portrays her. The portrait is based on an earlier banner painting for a tournament that launched Lorenzo de Medici's younger brother into society. Simonetta was his courtly love and the colour of her knight is tied around her sleeve. Botticelli's masterpiece "The Birth of Venus" was painted around the same time and this portrait shows the graceful use of outline, delicate features and superb skin tone. Sadly, Simonetta died a year after the jousting and the young de' Medici was murdered in a Florentine intrigue. But Sandro Botticelli also painted the nature of Ravenna, its pine forest inspired by the novella by Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375) in the Decameron, the one set in Ravenna and precisely in the nearby pine forest of Classe. He painted a series of four paintings that illustrate the scenes from the story of Nastagio degli Onesti, the eighth novel of the fifth day of Boccaccio's Decameron. Three of these paintings are exhibited at the Prado Museum in Madrid. https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/scenes-from-the-story-of-nastagio-degli-onesti/6620fb36-c65d-497b-8283-92cef5bc08de?searchid=05f7b68c-2738-ea53-8d62-6c9cd1a8c965 Here briefly is the story. Nastagio degli Onesti is a young noble from Ravenna. He falls in love with a much nobler girl than his, the daughter of Paolo Traversari and so he squanders her money in parties and banquets to conquer her. She enjoys making him suffer and taunts him, humiliates him so much that he announces that he will hate her, that he will forget her and even that he will kill himself. Nastagio's friends and relatives, worried, advise him to go to the nearby pine forest of Classe, to distract himself. Below : Sandro Botticelli, Scenes from the story of Nastagio degli Onesti, Museo del Prado, Madrid. https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-works One day, precisely a Friday in early May, while walking in the pine forest, he sees a girl running naked, chased by two dogs that bite her and by a knight who swears to kill her. Nastagio intervenes to save the woman, but is stopped by the knight named Guido degli Anastagi and explains to him that once he had loved that girl, but since she did not reciprocate for his, he committed suicide. The girl showed no repentance and so she suffered the punishment of being killed and then reassembled and finally killed again by the rejected knight for all Fridays and for as many years as the months of rejection had been. Nastagio observes the scene in which the girl is killed, her body recompose and then be killed again and he gets an idea. He decides to prepare a banquet right in the pine forest of Classe the following Friday by inviting relatives and his beloved along with her parents. After a few hours what he had foreseen happens, that is the appearance of the two ghosts and the exact same scene that Nastagio had seen the previous Friday. Nastagio explains to the obviously frightened diners the story that Guido degli Anastagi had confided to him, and the girl loved by Nastagio understands how much harm she had done to him, also for fear in front of that scene, falls in love with Nastagio and so the two were married a few days later. Below images: Ravenna Nature group with pine forest and river scenes From this story it is said that the girls of Ravenna learned to be kind towards those who admire them. Patrizia Poggi ****
We hope you've enjoyed our Botticelli experience. Please feel free to leave your reactions and any written comments in the box below and/or via our contact links. Many thanks. Patrizia Poggi and Marysia Zipser p.poggi@villaroncuzzi.it https://www.villaroncuzzi.it https://italiaefriends.wordpress.com/ https://www.facebook.com/patrizia.poggi.54 marysia@artculturetourism.co.uk https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/artculturetourism/ https://www.facebook.com/marysia.zipser.7/ https://twitter.com/MarysiaZipser Art Culture Tourism https://www.linkedin.com/in/marysia-zipser  Image from Pexels. Creativity is a form of self-care, with many positive benefits for our well-being, helping us to live a healthier and a longer life. Human beings have needed to have the drive to create, innovate and explore for basic survival and being able to adapt to new things, develop ourselves and thrive.  Image from Pexels. For optimum wellbeing, we all need to find a method of self care that we enjoy, bringing us increased energy and happiness. If we are able to have a creative interest that challenges us and brings us more fulfilment in life, then we feel more motivated to include it in our every day routine. Whether your creative outlet is drawing, singing, sewing, music, dancing, writing, baking or gardening, it is a positive way to channel your thoughts and energy. It provides a sense of achievement and pride, which are the building blocks for your self-esteem and confidence, this can then boost our resilience levels.  Image from Pexels. Being in the moment whilst being creative leads to better problem solving, reduced stress levels, stops rumination, increases self acceptance and is the gateway to flow. We know we are in a state of flow when we are fully focused and absorbed in a creative task, we become distracted from ourselves, others, what is happening around us and loose awareness of time. Our attention is only on what we are creating, and making sure we achieve something positive, beautiful and meaningful. We don’t have space for worrying thoughts and so happens to be a great way to escape the not so good things that may be happening in our everyday lives. Having your own creative interest helps develop a positive self identity. Those who have suffered from anxiety, depression and trauma have found creative expression healing. Activities such as writing, painting or drawing can enable people to express or manage their emotions in a positive and productive way. This can include helping people to express their goals, or experiences that may be too difficult to put into words, having a beneficial impact on their mental health. Writing about an emotional topic lowers cortisol levels and helps to reduce negative thoughts and emotions. It can also give a different perspective on an issue. Drawing, painting or sculpting are especially helpful ways to use imagery for people to process and express traumatic events in situations where it is difficult to communicate them verbally. Drawing and doodling helps us to achieve that moment of flow, which boosts our mood and slows our heart rate down. Music calms neural activity, which helps to decrease anxiety and restore emotional balance. Whereas movement-based creative expression can help you to de-stress.  Image from Pexels.  Image from Pexels. When we have successfully created something, our brain releases dopamine, this natural antidepressant can improve our mood and also helps to motivate us. Our brain changes throughout life, even as adults our brain has the ability to change and adapt. When we have new experiences and learn intentionally, we generate new brain cells and lay down new neural connections and even increase the volume of specific areas. People who play musical instruments have improved connectivity pathways between the right and left of their brain. Music is also an effective form of therapy for dementia, helping to reduce agitation. It helps with concentration and being focused. Other types of creative activities including crafting, painting or has also helped to reduce the risk of cognitive decline in middle aged and the elderly. Creative activities have a calming effect on the brain and body. The founder of “Art of Mindfulness,” Wendy Ann, has defined the 7 core attitudes of Creative Mindfulness as Patience, Kindness, Curiosity, Persistence, Allowing, Trust and Playfulness. www.artofmindfulness.org.uk/blog/the-7-core-attitudes-of-creativemindfulness She has worked with Art and culture organisations all over the UK. As an arts and creative writing teacher in schools, colleges, adult education centres and art galleries, she has supported hundreds of adults, children and families with enjoying and developing their own creativity. Her philosophy as she states is this “Simply put, I believe that we all have an extraordinary – possibly even limitless – natural potential as human beings for compassion, creativity, joy, wisdom and peace. I believe that creativity and mindfulness are two ways, through which we can begin to realise this potential for inner freedom and wellbeing. I’m enthusiastically committed to this in my own life, and to supporting you to find it in yours.” She has a a FREE Stop Look Breathe Create Mindful Art Course called “3 Step” available for anyone to sign up here at www.artofmindfulness.org.uk/stop-look-breathe-create-3- challenge-free-mindful-art-course  Image from Pexels. One particular interesting point that Wendy Ann has said, is that for her being mindful has taught her more about being creative, and being creative has taught her more about being mindful. Even though her own creative pursuits go in cycles, whether it happens to be writing, photography, drawing or mixed media, her mindfulness is always the one state of being that remains constant throughout. She has also said that her inner-voices do not stop her from moving forward, they lead her towards having more insight into how her mind works and having more self- compassion.  Image from Pexels. We all have a creative outlet waiting to be discovered, don’t be afraid to try out new activities whilst being curious of the outcome. When we feel curious we are present, alert and engaged. Maybe there is a new activity you would like to try or start doing again? Try to think about how they will add value to your life and make you feel happy. Sometimes we just need to change the Creative activities we pursue to develop our growth mindset. Enjoying the process matters more than the end result. We won’t always get things perfect every time, mistakes are how we learn to challenge ourselves and problem solve. Through this learning we are able to fulfil our true potential. What is it you like about the things you’re naturally drawn towards? Can you identify a particular strength where you could flourish? If you are feeling out of touch with your creative side, then thinking about the things that inspire you or the activities or passions that you most enjoyed as a child, can help to give you direction. When deciding upon a new creative venture, also try to consider what it is that you need right now, how it will benefit you and what you want in your life. Keeping a journal to note down or draw things that inspire your creativity will help you remember your ideas. It’s also a good idea to find your own little, quiet space in your home where you can get to work on your projects.  Photo of Abstract A Level Art by Sophia Lindson Perhaps you have already decided on how you want to channel your creativity, but struggle to find the time and to keep it going. The WEA (adult learning within reach) www.wea.org.uk/find-course have a selection of creative courses that can be done online via Zoom. Courses usually run for four to twelve weeks, with each session lasting no more than two hours. Having direction from a tutor not only helps to improve your skills but share your interest with other like minded people whilst providing the opportunity to make new connections. Scheduling a time slot for your creative tasks into your calendar is also helpful, if you make them a priority in your schedule you are more likely to do them. Don’t try to do too many projects at once though because this will just cause feelings of stress and failure. It’s more helpful to schedule in different tasks to focus on for each month. You don’t have to take too long doing them either, even if you only spend five minutes doodling, doing this each day can have positive effects on your wellbeing.  Image from Pexels. It is those little creative daily tasks that help us feel motivated to keep up with the mundane everyday chores. Getting absorbed in just one hobby or passion regularly helps our brain stay healthy and helps to find our unique sense of purposes.
Thank you for reading this. Please feel free to write any comments or feedback to me below or via our Art Culture Tourism links.
Dawn Lindson https://www.facebook.com/InnerGrace artculturetourism@gmail.com hello@artculturetourism.co.uk https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/artculturetourism/ Introduction This year marks the 700th anniversary of the death of the medieval poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri, known as the Father of the Italian language. Throughout Italy there is a dense calendar of commemorative online events. In his life Dante travelled and lived in different places. Florence, which exiled him; Verona which first hosted him and then let him go; and Ravenna, who welcomed him until the end of his days. With in-between stops in Rome, Arezzo, Pisa, Bologna, Forli...  Dante in reading, detail. Marble bas-relief by Pietro Lombardo (1435-1515). Ravenna, tomb of Dante  The first date to mark on the agenda is March 25: from 2019 this day has officially become the “DanteDay”. According to scholars, in fact, on March 25th 1300 Dante began his descent into the underworld “In the middle of the journey of our life”. And on March 25 various events are scheduled to remember him: conferences, web directives, concerts. DanteDay joins ShakespeareDay, celebrated every year throughout the United Kingdom and around the world on April 23, the presumed date of birth (1564) of the poet of Hamlet and of Romeo and Juliet; and after that, a Bloomsday, which since 1950 is celebrated every year in Dublin and elsewhere on June 16, the birth day (in 1904) of the Irish writer James Joyce, commemorating his masterpiece, Ulysses, through the figure of the protagonist, Leopold Bloom. Florence’s Uffizi Gallery has initiated the Dante anniversary by making available, for the first time on line on its website, 88 rarely displayed drawings of Dante’s masterpiece, “Divine Comedy”. The virtual show of high-resolution images of works by the 16th-Century Renaissance artist Federico Zuccari (1539-1609) (famous for having frescoed the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore), is accessible “for free, any hour of the day, for everyone,’’ said Uffizi director Eike Schmidt. Schmidt said the drawings are a “great resource” for Dante scholars and students, as well as “anyone who likes to be inspired by Dante’s pursuit of knowledge and virtue.” https://www.uffizi.it/en/online-exhibitions-series/to-rebehold-the-stars “The Divine Comedy” is an epic poem in three parts recounting a pilgrim’s travels through hell, purgatory and heaven. ACT welcomes fellow blogger Patrizia Poggi. She is a writer and Ambassador of Knowledge and Flavors of Italy & Friends, the Diplomatic Representative Network of Knowledge and Flavors of Italy, based in Florence, which helps to raise awareness of the wonders of Italy. https://italiaefriends.wordpress.com/ Patrizia recounts her story which is fascinating, mysterious and immersive. Marysia Zipser Please Click on the photo images to enlarge, and hover over to read any captions. **** A 700 year-long mystery : In September 1321 Dante Alighieri died. |
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