Picasso From the Studio

I was so lucky that they had a Picasso exhibition on at the National Gallery. Well indeed, it was the very reason that we went! Picasso: From the Studio.

As we are having our own Picasso-exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi opening in January, this of course was a welcome deep-dive for me.

Picasso lived surrounded by his art, his home and his studios were always linked very intimately to his art. This exhibition placed Picasso in the context of his many studios, highlighted different phases of his life, and explored the key locations that would end up defining his work.

The exhibition featured both paintings and sculptures, ceramics and works on paper as well as photographic and audio-visual works.

This is a major monographic exhibition, with works from the late 19th century to the 1970s, showcasing the amazing range of Picasso who was an artist who never stopped experimenting and always tried to find new forms and new ideas.

This exhibition certainly showed how endlessly committed to his art Picasso was, always pushing himself. 
I am so looking forward to seeing what will be brought to our exhibition, can't wait.

Duomo de Milan

On our second day in Milan, we had booked for a guided tour of the Duomo. It is such a massive building with such a long history, I really wanted to get the most out of our visit.

But first we loaded up with some lunch, on the rooftop restaurant of the department store Rinascente just opposite the Duomo. I chose some osso bucco-inspired ravioli, with saffron and veal, om nom nom!

Then it was time to take on the Duomo. Entering inside gave an absolute wow-feeling. It is massive! The first thing that hits you is the height, the pillars are so tall. The Milan Duomo is the largest church in Italy, and it took nearly 600 years to complete.

Do you see the red dot up high in the center of this photo? That is where they keep one of the nails used in the Crucifixion of Jesus.

The marble floors were a geometric tapestry of white, pink and black, everything is made from Candoglia marble that was tranported here via a special system of canals made just to construct this cathedral.
Below you see the meridian line embedded in the floor, designed to track the position of the sun when it shines through the special aperture in the roof.

Conserving the cathedral is a never-ending job. Here you can clearly see the difference in colour between restored and non-cleaned pillars:

The organ:

This sculpture of St Bartholomew Flayed was unsettling and beautiful at the same time. An anatomical sculpture draped in his own skin, showcasing the Renaissance obsessions with anatomy and realism.

After the visit inside the Duomo, it was time to climb up onto the terraces. We got to take an elevator for one bit of the elevation, but then it was stairs. I don't know why I do this to myself every time... I think I can handle it... this time it will be different... but - I do not like heights!

It was amazing to see Milan stretch out in every direction, the views really make you understand why this cathedral is not just a building, it's a compass for the whole city.

There we were, wandering between the 3400 sculptures, each one unique. We could glance across to the Rinascente where we had had lunch earlier.

A bit of the modern Milan skyline in the distant, what a juxtaposition!

Crowning the tallest spire is the statue Madonnina, the golden Virgin Mary. It is hard to tell, but this sculpture is 4m tall. Gothic architecture at its finest! 

Getting to experience the scale of the construction of this building was fascinating as the Duomo is not a static monument. Restoration is ongoing, artisans are busy continuing the work begun centuries ago. This Duomo is a reminder that culture is not something we inherit, it is something we participate in.

What can you see Nathan?

 

We took another wonder through the galleria and through the shopping district, to pick up some souvenirs. I had spotted a nice ceramic Milan Christmas tree bauble, and some other things.

We finished our stay in Milan with dinner in another Osteria not far from the hotel. It looked a bit unassuming from the street, but completely surprised us by having this gorgeous garden hidden away in the back of the restaurant. Really nice meal too. Grazie Milan!

 

Pinacoteca di Brera

It's amazing how much you have time for when you are exploring! We ended our day with a late afternoon visit to the Pinacoteca di Brera.

This is the main public art gallery in Milan, its collections span many centuries. At this time they had a temporary exhibition going on called Giorgio Armani: Milano, per amore. It was really cool, as the over 120 garments from the Armani archives were displayed in the galleries among the permanent collection of the museum; creating a fascinating dialogue between fashion and centuries of art.

The Brera collection is housed in the historic Palazzo Brera, a former monastery that in 1809 became the gallery. Initially it was an educational collection for the academy, and over time it was transformed into a public art gallery.

I studied this in Uni, Lamentation over the dead Christ from 1483, by Andrea Mantegna. It was mind-blowing to see it in real life.

The idea to present fashion as a form of decorative art was certainly letting the tailoring and design to evolve in conversation with the surrounding paintings and sculptures.

Multi-sensory experiences, you could touch some examples of the materials used in the paintings:

One of my absolute favourite pairings! Giovanni Bellini's Madonna and Child, from 1510 in the background of this beautiful blue Armani gown. 

The settings made these garments feel like wearable art!

Unlike many museums that once began as private collections of princes or nobles, this museum was created intentionally as a public gallery and through the centuries the public has had access to this rich painting heritage. A democratisation of art and culture that sure has shaped the cultural identity and appreciation of art in Italy.

Another very famous masterpiece, The Kiss by Francesco Hayez, 1859.

The Marriage of the Virgin, 1504, by Raphael.

Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker, by Antonio Canova, 1808.

We finished in the library, which holds a collection of over 1,5 million items. This library continues to function not only as a reserve of books, but as a cultural resource open to scholars and the general public.