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Back from Spring Break!
As you probably noticed, I’ve been slacking on my weekly daydreaming. That’s because I picked up last minute, mileage tickets (read: free!) and had only 4 days to plan a whirlwind Spring Break! I...
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Bruges in the Snow
Late March was unseasonably cold in the low countries – chilly temperatures, biting winds and cloudy days. The only redeeming thing about cold weather is lovely snow. We got a dusting overnight in...
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Van Gogh and the Olive Tree
It wasn’t until I visited Greece a few years ago that I really got a good look at live olive trees. Despite being an agricultural powerhouse, the trunk of the olive tree is twisted and deeply etched....
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Dutch Interiors Spaces
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about genre paintings of the Dutch masters, it’s the importance of the domestic interior. In some of these paintings you see individuals, families, and colleagues...
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A Heavenly Van Eyck
You know the cliché about the incredible man or woman who turns heads as they enter the room? Somehow they have a power, beauty or shear presence that cannot be ignored. That’s essentially my...
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ArtSmart Roundtable – Hieronymus Bosch: Morality and Monsters
The monthly ArtSmart Roundtable brings together some of the best art history-focused travel blogs with a post around a common theme. This month we are discussing artists you should look for on your...
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Brunch in Boston with a Side of History
The restaurant I’m recommending for “Best Brunch in Boston” actually has only average to above average food. The dim sum at Empire Garden is good and certainly satisfying, but I really want you to go...
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The Ghent Altarpiece in Person
Some people travel to new countries to expand the percentage of the world they’ve seen. Some less adventurous but equally ambitious travelers try to visit all 50 US States, all the Major League...
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Michelangelo in Bruges
In recent years, my travels have focused on the Mediterranean with trips to Greece, Turkey and Italy. I love ancient Roman art and the Italian Renaissance, but I thought it was time to diversify a...
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ArtSmart Roundtable – Millasis’s Pre-Raphaelite Ophelia Up Close
The monthly ArtSmart Roundtable brings together some of the best art-focused travel blogs who all post on a common theme. This month we are discussing great paintings! Below are links to the rest of...
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Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Bloom
When the first Spring blossoms have arrived and the trees start to turn green with immature shoots, then it’s time for me to visit the Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Founded in the 1830′s, many elite...
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Bernini’s Rejected French Sculpture
Bernini created the interior marble facade, canopy and high altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City (Photo: rachel_titiriga, flickr) Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598 – 1680) should be familiar to...
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The Healing Ascelpium of Pergamon, Turkey
The sacred way to the Ascelpium, just outside Pergamon, Turkey. Even without the advantage of modern MRI’s and antibiotics, the Ancient Greeks understood something about health. Just outside many of...
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Guess the Artist – French Addition
In honor of Bastille Day, I have a little French Art History trivia for you. I found the following painting in Rouen and want to see if you can correctly guess the artist who painted it. (No cheating...
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Ardfert Cathedral and Abbey, County Kerry
Every day in Ireland seemed to bring another beautiful ruin. Each one a massive stone structure clearly whittled down by time and the encroaching flora. King Henry VIII’s anti-Catholic purge of...
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The Washington Monument, Reconstruction and Timing
Washington DC had a very unusual earthquake about 2 years ago. It destroyed some of the statuary at the National Cathedral and cracked the Washington Monument, an iconic obelisk-shaped landmark in the...
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Guest the Artist – Old Church Edition
I liked playing “Guess the Artist” last month so I have another good one for you. old church painting This is an early work of a famous painter. To make it difficult, I’m not going to give you any...
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A Fun Evening at the Cincinnati Art Museum
When the first thing you see inside a museum is a Chihuly hanging over a classical male statue, you know that you’re in for something good! I wandered into the the Cincinnati Art Museum with no...
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Why you can’t take photos in museums
I take a lot of pictures when I travel – architecture, market stalls, natural vistas, local life. As much as I like to soak in the experience, I always like having an image to take home as a souvenir....
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Why Every Trip Should Include Museums
This Sculpture Garden inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is a beautiful and peaceful space – perfect for any traveler. I’ve been meaning to write for some time about why every trip...
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