Pablo Picasso and friends

I told you that I was in Vienna and once there, I must always, I mean 'always', visit the 'Albertina'.
One of the most invitingly beautiful art galleries, with large exhibition space, where even  the large paintings are given enough room so that, when you intensely look at one, the next one does not push itself into your view, by visually tickling you in the corner of your eye.

This time the Albertina featured two distinct types of artists:
The second floor featured Albrecht Dürer with his 'Hare', 'The Praying Hands' and others, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and many more of the 'classical periods'.

On the first floor were the modernists: Picasso, Renoir, Klee, Giacometti, Matisse, Kokoschka, Monet and many others. 
That's were I went.

I can almost hear some of my friends say: 
"What is Bert doing in a Gallery showing "Modern Art? Bert hates Modern Art!"

Well, you would be wrong. I do not hate modern art, but I do hate 'Charlatans', who slap some paint on a canvas,  place some high-falooten title beneath and hope that I, along with many more viewers will fall for this fraud.

The artists named above, however, cannot be placed into this category. Even Picasso, in any of his Periods, created works of abiding interest, and penetrating beauty.

Although I have spent many many hours wandering through art galleries, I do not, by any stretch of the imagination, think of myself as an expert. I am just somebody who really likes beautiful paintings.

Today I will post some of the modernists, which you could see in the original if you went to the Albertina in Vienna:

Pablo Picasso: ( 1881 - 1973 )

Pots and Lemon (1907)

There is probably not much to say about this painting,

except that the colour combination from a rust-red

to blue and yellow is pleasing.

Picasso : Stilllife with Guitar ( 1942 )

Living in occupied France, his paintings were

classified by the Germans as "degenerate Art".

Picasso, therefore, limited his output mostly to stilllives, 

but left some messages, which may be open to interpretation:

f.i. : In this Nazi controlled time, not even a mirror

reflected reality. The blood-red handle of the military sabre may indicate the brutality of the time. It also occurred to me
that this saber handle perfectly forms the letter
D for Deutschland !

Picasso: Mediterranean Landscape:

In 1948 Picasso lived in the South of France with Francoise Gilot.

At first glance, this view may convey an idyllic character - 

but the tight, angular lines creating enclosed, confining spaces mirror the unhappy relationship which existed between the two.

The view unto the Ocean and the sailboats are indicative of Pablo's desire for freedom and a new beginning.

Picasso:

Nude Woman with Bird and Fluteplayer ( 1967 )

The flute player may well indicate the artist himself, wooing his model. The dove, as a symbol of sexual lust emphasizes the erotic nature of this painting.

Oskar Kokoschka  (1886 - 1980 )

View of Vernet-les-Baines ( 1925 )

Kokoschka, on his way to Spain, was delayed for five days,

 waiting for his Visa.

So, what does a painter do to pass the time ?

He paints - a view from his hotel window.

Oskar Kokoschka:

"In the Garden" (1934 )

A young woman sits in a garden chair, 

pensively looking into the distance.

A friend holds a sea-shell to her left ear

and one wonders what it is she hears.

Oscar Kokoschka:

London, small Thames Landscape. ( 1926 )

Claude Monet: ( 1840 - 1926 )

"The Water Lilly Pond"  ( 1917 - 1919 )

The many modes of transport

  Besides 'walking' there is always the 'Fiaker' 

leading the parade, 

with everybody else at a respectful distance.

 a modern network of street cars and buses 

gets you everyplace you might want to go.

and finally, when all else fails

there is always

the

'Segway'

Vienna - bits & pieces

I was in  Vienna, but only for three days. It's not possible to do a city of this magnificence justice in such a short time. So, I just went here and there, hither and yonder, and photographed whatever turned me on.
One of the places I always go to is "the Hofburg".. formerly the residence of the ruling family of Austria, the Habsburgs.
The Habsburgs are surely not some of my favourite people, but one cannot think of  historical Austria without also thinking of the Habsburgs.
Their Winter Residence, in the middle of the City, is truly a magnificent building and I never fail to study, in some detail, the statues at the South Entrance, called "The Labors of Hercules".

The South Entrance of the Hofburg

HERCULES FIGHTING; and, of course, DEFEATING 

THE 9 HEADED  LERNEAN HYDRA:

HERCULES FOUGHT  HYPPOLITA; THE QUEEN OF THE 

AMAZONS TO BRING BACK HER BELT TO EURESTEUS

HERCULES

HERCULES DEFEATS THE INVINCIBLE NEMEAN LION

Vienna

At the moment I am in Vienna, spending a few days with friends.
Yesterday I walked from 9 AM to 4 PM, with some few rest pauses, and took many many pictures.
I look forward to sorting them once I am back home and posting some of the more interesting ones on this Blog.
I spent 2 hours in the 'Albertina' and viewed works by Albrecht Duerer, whose 'hare' and 'praying hands' were hung with several others. There were also drawings and painting by Michelangelo, and quite separated from these ancient masters, there were paintings by Picasso, Chagall, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne, and many more.
The works of these 'modernists' are stunningly beautiful, although, if you look for realism, you won"t find it. You will find, however, works of Art which spellbind you and almost hobble you to the spot.

Bertstravels looks forward to the next coupla postings.

THE S O U L

The discussions I get myself involved in are truly astonishing and challenging.
I mean, what do I know about a "Soul"? Not much! In fact, next to nothing.
So I reverted to my trusted source: Wikepedia on Google.
"What ?", you exclaim in astonishment, "how can you find your Soul in Wikepedia ?"
Well, I wasn't looking for my Soul in Wikepedia, just what people say about it:
1.) Does it exist ?
2.) Is it something cosmological, three dimensional, or is it a psychological, ethereal phenomenon ?
3.) Is it there, inhabiting our body from birth? or did it find entry at a later stage ? Where, in our body can it be found ?
4.) Does God ( if he exists) have a Soul ? 
5.) Does my dog ( called: doggy-dog-dog) have a soul ? Or is the human being so arrogant that he firmly believes that only HE has a soul ? I understand that way back when in history, Man believed that Woman does not possess such a thing. (can one call it
"a thing?")

Well, the above are probably only the tip of the iceberg as far as questions go.
You may believe me that I spent many an hour reading up on the subject until I came to my own tentative conclusions: 
Nobody knows ! Everybody guesses! And the guesses range from the sublime to the ridiculous.

1.) Does it exist ?  All religions believe that a Soul exists. But each has different versions. Even the multitudinous branches (Sects) of Christianity cannot agree, and have slightly differing ideas about this subject. 
Most Philosophers express their own opinions. Thomas Aquinas, the Catholic Philosopher, for instance taught that all beings have a Soul, but only the Soul of Humans is immortal.
The Stoics recognize 8 different parts of the Soul, ascribing different jobs to each part.
Epicureans determined (how?) that the Soul consists of the finest grained atoms in the Universe. Finer even than the Wind or Heat.
In 1901 Dr. Duncan MacDougall placed persons about to die on a "very sensitive" scale and noticed a weight loss at the time of death. Since this "experiment" could never be duplicated,  it is considered as "scientifically worthless"

The concept that Human is endowed with a Soul, in all its multiple variations, goes back into ancient history.
The Greeks referred to it as 'Psyche', the Romans called it 'Anima', the North American Indians called it something else.
But it all was and is the same: Man's desire for immortality. To satisfy this wish, something better had to be found than the three dimensional body for which it was difficult to make such a claim.
2.) Does it have matter, or is it an Ideal ? Dr. MacDougall certainly thought it had matter and therefore had to be three dimensional. Other, more serious Philosophers also believed that the Soul is cosmological and not just an ethereal idea.
3.) The discussions as to 'when' the soul enters the body was also never ending... and quite frankly, I believe that this is the most unimportant question.

The Believe or Disbelieve in the existence of a Soul is much like the Believe or Disbelieve in the existence of God..

I suppose then, that 
Bertstravel
will just have to remain an Agnostic

.

JAZZ IN THE BRAUHAUS

From Poetry Readings to Comedians to Music from Senegal, to the 

TERENCE BLANCHARD QUINTET, (USA)

the cultural calendar of Bleiburg has it all.

How can a small town, and Bleiburg is indeed a small town of about 6000 inhabitants,  attract such internationally renowned artists, and how can it afford their appearances ?
It is all due to a small group of enthusiasts who, during Carnival Time put on the most fantastic, the funniest show imaginable. The ball room of "Bresnik's Brauhaus" is jam-packed to beyond its legal capacity, with visitors coming from near and far. These lay performers, co-lead by Arthur Ottowitz,  freely give their considerable talents. The profits from these Carnival nights, about 15 in number, as well as some sponsorships go to paying for these professional artists. 
Last night it was the above mentioned "Terence Blanchard Quintet."

In 2010 Terence Blanchard, borne in New Orleans, was awarded a "Grammy"  for 
               "The Best Jazz Instrumental Solo Performance"

Listening to Terence Blanchard sometimes makes you think of Miles Davis, and in his rarer thoughtful ballad like segments, particularly in the low register, Ruby Braff may come to mind.

Here is the Band:

Fabian Almazan (Piano), 

Terence Blanchard ( Trumpet ), 

Joshua Crumbly (bass)

Brice Winston (Tenor Saxophone), 

Kendrick Scott (drums)

Fabian Almazan, comes from Havana Cuba. 

He backs the band with the most wonderful rhythmic riffs

and shows his driving strength during his solos.

Joshua Crumbly, a graduate of Julliard, plays a marvellous bass

in a straight forward, no-nonsense style. His Solos were simply brilliant.

Bryce Winston's hard driving tenor sax competes with Blanchard

 for attention with intricate improvisations

What can you say about Kendrick Scott ?

Here is a drummer Bands or Orchestras dream about:

Gentle brush work underpins the slower, balad style compositions

while hard driving sticks and intelligent use of cymbals

lets us relish his rhythmic patterns.

But his Solos: In these masterpieces of rhythmic imagination

he keeps his audience spell bound.

             That this evening had to come to an end,

was seriously regretted by

Bertstravels !

THE ALMOST PERFECT ILLUSION:

At first the illusion is almost perfect:

Seemingly endlessly rolling, forested hills,

high mountains in the back ground, and

four wild horses feeding in a natural meadow

deep in the valley. 

Then a closer look !

The horses are not wild.

They wear halters

and, if you look carefully,

in mid frame there is a single wire fence.

Illusion destroyed.

Damn Telephoto lense.