Showing posts with label mythology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mythology. Show all posts

16 December 2014

The Victoria Memorial

At the top of the Mall, in the middle of the road directly outside Buckingham Palace is a Grade I listed monument that most Londoners usually ignore or use as a roundabout, and most tourists just sit on to take selfies.
But stop and have a really good look at it next time you are there, for Thomas Brock's Victoria with her marble surround by Sir Aston Webb, is 25 metres tall and covered with wonderful sculptures and friezes relating to justice, truth, peace and victory, as well as nautical references in the form of mermaids and mermen.
The beautifully rendered gauzy outfits and nudity on almost every character (except Victoria herself) ties in really well with a post I wrote last year about all the perky breasts the Victorians liked to depict on their statuary. But, as you can see, the ladies on this magnificent edifice are more realistic. 

These pics have proved to be be very popular within my Flickr photostream. 
It may be because I have included nipples, tit, breast, woman, naked etc in the tags. Ha ha.

18 February 2014

Mosaic musings at the National Gallery

I expect most people think all the interesting arty stuff at the National Gallery is hanging on the walls in the galleries.
But slow down as you climb the stairs in the vestibule (what a great word!) and look below your feet – the landings are covered in the most amazing mosaics created by Boris Anrep in the 1920-30s depicting the labours and pleasures of life.

It's a bizarre range of illustrated topics that features many famous people of the time and Anrep's arty friends in place of muses/mythological characters. These include Winston Churchill, Margot Fonteyn and Greta Garbo.
I am at a loss how some of the images tie up with the words but, that aside, they are fabulous. 
Lucidity, Astronomy, Compromise, Delectation,
Humour, Folly, Dance, Sixth Sense,
Pursuit, Art, Football, Defiance.