Just back from a trip to
Houston and
San Antonio. In Houston we stayed in the
Museum District (many thanks to everyone at
Hotel Zaza), and I had the chance to visit the
Museum of Fine Arts.
It's a beautiful building, with some interesting bits and pieces.
I found this cross swan in the background of Pintoricchio's
Madonna and Child...
Girolamo de Santacroce painted these rabbits in the background to his
Resurrection of Christ.
I loved this exquisite mountain scene in Cranach the Elder's
Suicide of Lucretia.
One gallery was devoted to
Spanish Colonial Art, which was new to me. This Peruvian work allowed me to chalk up a score in my art gallery game of 'spot the Dominican'.
I adored this Peruvian creation....
especially the camels, elephants...
...and very flappy fish (being watched by some wading birds).
I can't get away from golf...this is Avercamp from the 17thC.
This bull in de La Hyre's
Rape of Europa looks so benign, that one can quite believe why Europa was deceived.
Here are some things I'd steal. A 6thC - 7th Byzantine marble panel.
...a book cover from 12thC Limoges...
...a brass pear from 19thC Iran...
...an Iranian cut-paper composition from the 16thC - 17thC...
...and this glorious blue bowl (again from Iran, late 13thC - mid-14thC.