Acorn inspiration?

A fifteenth century fabric in the Basilica museum....the inspiration for Acorn (1879)?  Did Morris ever visit Assissi on his travels through Italy?  Tony?

Assissi -- Tales from the Crypt

 Basilica of St. Francis

The town of Assissi in Umbria, the destination of millions of pilgrims every year, is the burial place of Italy's patron saint, St. Francis.  In a country that revers its saints, Francis is top dog, an irony that I'm sure would not be lost on this humble man who devoted his life to poverty, helping others, and celebrating Earth's environment.  Construction on the basilica above was begun two years after St. Francis's death in 1226 and was finished within years.  There are two churches, a lower Romanesque cathedral that was built first and then a Gothic upper church that sits on top of the first that was built fifty years later.

I was only able to visit the lower basilica as the top was closed for a private religious function for the day.  The lower church is dimly lit by candles with all the walls and ceilings painted by Giotti and his colleagues.  The body of St. Francis is in a crypt below the main altar through which a constant stream of people wends. 

 I've always loved these midnight blue ceilings with the gold stars painted on them (stars barely visible here).  A friend did this in his formal victorian dining room and it looks fantastic.

It must have been visits to places like this that inspired Morris to go home and paint his ceilings and walls.

Main altar with its rustic painted wooden cross.

 

Marche juggler

Sigh.....

.....so ugly.

Canals and Alleys of Venice

Scary Frari

A night time visit to Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, or "Frari", one of the most famous churches in Venice.  It was dark in the square, the doors were ajar, most of the light inside was from candles, it was deserted.  I immediately started channeling The DaVinci Code.    The painting above the main alter is the Assumption by Titian (also below).  Wow.

(detail)

Spooky tomb where Canova's heart is buried.   I'm sure Robert Langdon would not hesitate to enter.

Guarding the Front Entrance of...

the Boston Museum of Fine Arts....

Appeal To The Great Spirit, Cyrus Dallin, (cast 1909)

The Venice Guggenheim....  

Marino Marini, The Angel of the City, Marino Martini (cast 1950)

A morning walk in Venice

 Alberto Prosdocimi (Italian, 1852-1925)

 flooding from high tide...

 front hall of San Marco flooded...a two-fer, art history + natural disaster

don't tread on me.

Nobska Point Lighthouse, Woods Hole

 1828, rebuilt as 40 foot iron/brick tower in 1876

The lighthouse was automated in 1985 and the house is now the residence of the Commander of the US Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England based in Woods Hole. 

dusk ferry to Martha's Vineyard....a jeep invasion underway??