This is considered one of the best art museums in Germany. I think it’s one of the best in Europe! Why? Well, it’s really big (certainly no Louvre, but much larger than many other cities’ museums) and heavy on what I most enjoy: 17th-19th century European paintings, sculptures and modern art. It also gives a […]
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St. Petri
St. Petri is Hamburg’s oldest parish church. The original was built in the 11th century, and the bigger and better Gothic version was constructed in the 13th century. Although St. Petri has one tower today, it enjoyed a second tower from the 16th through 19th centuries that was torn down due to damage from Napoleonic […]
St. Nikolai
It’s easy to believe that this pile of ruins was once one of the most impressive neo-Gothic churches in Germany. You can get a sense of its scope and grandeur while standing in the ruined structure’s footprint and looking up, up, up at the amazingly high spire. The current St. Nikolai only stood for about […]
Cindy Sherman Retrospective
What a treat to view Cindy Sherman’s genius in this MoMA retrospective. The 170 images cohesively highlight her career-long vision of reflecting society’s narrow ideas of identity at the viewer. Sherman’s lens exposes society’s perceptions and depictions in startling, poignant ways. For 35 years, Sherman has played the role of model, stylist and director to […]
Edith Wharton’s New York
In honor of the 150th anniversary of Edith Wharton’s birth, the New York Society Library curated a small, pleasing exhibit,“Edith Wharton’s New York City: A Backward Glance.” I’m always interested in learning all I can about favorite authors. I guess I’m a bit obsessed with the stories behind the great stories. Or is it that […]
Vredespaleis, or Peace Palace
You might find this hard to believe, but at the end of the 19th century, a peace movement was sweeping the globe. Hundreds of peace organizations existed, some with millions of members. High-profile intellectuals and businesspeople led the endeavor. Tsar Nicholas II of Russia invited representatives from all major nations to join a peace conference. […]
Haags Historisch Museum
In a city full of striking museums, this one was the least compelling. The ground floor gives an overview of the city’s history through paintings and a projected time-lapse drawing, which was interesting, but the upstairs is markedly less intriguing, with a collection of portraits and historical household odds and ends. The museum is in […]
Panorama Mesdag, Den Haag
Stepping into this amazing exhibit is like getting into a time capsule and emerging on a 19th century beach. A 19th century Dutch beach, that is. The panorama is a large-scale naturalistic depiction of the sea, the dunes and the seaside resort town of Scheveningen in 1881, as envisioned by Hendrik Mesdag, a Dutch banker-turned-artist. […]
Mauritshuis, Den Haag
If I were a dead Dutch artist, I would want my masterpiece displayed in Mauritshuis. The small galleries with tall windows, high ceilings and thoughtfully painted walls is an ideal environment in which to spend some time. Mauritshuis is an intimate yet comprehensive museum located in a 17th century mansion on Hofvijver, the city’s main […]
St-Pauluskerk
This church is only open from either April–October or May-November (live in Europe and you’ll get used to these sorts of uncertain schedules) but supposedly has a baroque interior and over 200 sculptures and 50 paintings, including works by Jordaens, Rubens, Teniers and Van Dyck. I say supposedly since our March visit did not enable […]
