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Olyvia is wearing:
Cindy Black TaTToo 50% [CAROL G]
{Nena} Fishnet Tights v1 Black (Tattoo)
A! Natasha Eyeshadow Red GENUS
S.E LELUTKA EVO ADORABLE HAIR PACK
.::Nanika::. Summer wind tattoo Black Lower
Not Found - Heather Skin Sorbet Normal
** DIRAM ** PAIGE Glasses
[VEX] [Platinum] Cuban Lock Necklace
Floppy Fedora - (colored for this photo)
KUNGLERS - Grazia R - Maitreya
KUNGLERS - Hannah ring - L - Maitreya
LeLUTKA.Head.Lilly.2.5
Maitreya Mesh Body - Lara V5.2
NANIKA - Evdokia Bodysuit Black Star
Petite Mort- Fox fur stole w/HUD L
Rosary. Solidity __ Maitreya Medium
[BREATHE]-Mihoko Heels-M.Lara
[MANDALA]AMIDA
[VEX] Phoenix Septum
Props:
::Static:: Starlet Smoke {Liz} Fancy Pose
:::ChicChica::: Bottle of Champagne
RiG!
RiG! - Barrel Stand (Dregs)
The two-barrel wooden medieval stand is crafted from mature oak, showcasing the rich, dark grains that speak to its age and solidity. Positioned in a grand medieval hall, the stand serves as both a functional piece and a decorative focal point.It features two large barrels atop it, the oak matured to perfection, serving as containers for ale, mead or wine. Hanging above are polished tankards, inviting guests to partake in a hearty drink. The brass taps gleam in the warm light of the hall, adding an air of elegance and functionality to the rustic piece.The lower shelf of the stand is practical yet charming, adorned with a burlap grain sack, hinting at the agricultural abundance of the time. Smaller vessels lie beside it, suggesting a readiness for serving and enjoying various beverages. This stand not only embodies the craftsmanship of the medieval era but also enhances the convivial atmosphere of the hall, making it a perfect gathering spot for feasting and festivities
LM's and More here : SinclaiR Style
THE NEW STANDARD BICYCLE RACK FOR NYC
The Hoop Rack designed by Ian Mahaffy and Maarten de Greeve is the new standard bicycle rack for the streets of New York City. There are over 5000 racks installed throughout the city, as part of a larger initiative that is helping transform New York into a cycle-friendly city — designed for the New York City Department of Transportation (
The circular shape of the Hoop Rack provides accessible locking points all around its profile for all sizes of bicycle frames and wheels. An intersecting horizontal bar is at an optimal height for locking the bicycle frame. Moreover, the slimline design profile allows it to be easily installed on the crowded NYC sidewalks while consuming a minimum space and preventing congestion. As a whole and in its details, there are sharp or protruding edges or parts that could cause harm to pedestrians or bicycles.
Our aim for the design was twofold, to create a simple yet symbolic design for NYC and improved functionality over the existing installed racks. The circular and wheel like form is the symbol and expresses a strong relationship with the bicycle, helping with functional communication.
Though the form, materials and manufacturing process we considered how well it should fit into different urban environments from the more modern and new build areas of Manhattan to the classic and historic neighbourhoods like the brownstones around Brooklyn.
Creating a design that could stand the test of time, survive harsh weather and treatment on the streets of NYC was critical. The pure form of the circle has inert strength as well as a simplicity to being timeless.
We considered a permanent look in the NYC urban environment, and material choice and production methods helped achieve this. We also wanted a good fit with other street features such as utility hole covers and quality park benches. For strength (tried and tested), character, permanence and solidity cast iron was selected.
The simple pared down form allows for multiple racks to be placed close together without becoming an ‘eyesore,’ crude looking, attention seeking or overbearing. The clean and simple design makes this possible.
“Mahaffy and DeGreeve have created a bike rack that works beautifully in a variety of contexts: in historic districts and newly built environments. The form of the rack-a wheel-is ‘product semantics’ in motion!
Mahaffy and De Greeve’s design reflects a modern simplicity that will greatly enhance the City’s streetscape. The rack is round with a horizontal crossbar, evoking an abstracted bicycle tire. Constructed of cast-metal, the design is elegant yet sturdy enough to withstand New York cyclists’ harsh treatment.”
Endless Pain Tattoos - Mina Ephemera Events
Endless Pain Tattoos We are the Night Hallow Manor Prize Room
Body - Legacy
LeLutka - EvoX AVALON
Accessories - VOBE - Stella Necklace Fatpack
Outfit - Amataria - Full Set "Nyssa" - Fatpack Cosmopolitan Event
Nails Rosary Solidity
A monochrome rendition of one of my images captured during a recent visit to Bowfiddle Rock near Portknockie.
When I visited the location I was hoping for some sunshine and colour in the sky but the results were a little mixed. Blending frames helped to get the exposure right over the whole frame but I just couldn’t get the sunshine and the colour on the rocks consistent. So my alternative plan was to go to monochrome and take colour out of the equation. I was hoping to would get strong winds and clouds being blown across the back of frame to create long streams and ethereal layers to oppose the solidity of the rock formation. That was almost achieved here but not quite a strongly as I would have liked. I still love this location and plan to be back for more when I get the chance.
Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh: An Allegory of the Dinteville Family, 1537
Master of the Dinteville Allegory (Netherlandish or French, active mid-16th century)
Oil on wood; 69 1/2 x 75 7/8 in. (176.5 x 192.7 cm)
Wentworth Fund, 1950 (50.70)
The protagonists in this elaborate allegory are the brothers Jean, François, Guillaume, and Gaucher de Dinteville, important members of the court of Francis I, king of France. Portrayed at a moment of crisis in their relations with the king, they participate in a narrative derived from Exodus 7:9. Moses and Aaron plead with Pharaoh to free the Israelites; to prove they are armed with the power of the Lord, Aaron changes his rod into a serpent. Depicted in the guise of Aaron is François II de Dinteville, bishop of Auxerre; his brother Jean is shown as Moses, and the younger brothers, Gaucher and Guillaume, stand behind them. The names and ages of the three latter brothers are inscribed on the hems of their robes. Pharaoh is a disguised portrait of Francis I. This painting hung in the Dinteville château of Polisy along with Holbein's Ambassadors (National Gallery, London). This fascinating allegory has stylistic affinities to the works of sixteenth-century Antwerp artists—in the emphatic gestures of the robed classical figures, in particular. The simplification and solidity of form, meanwhile, are more typical of French painting. Though the identity of the artist is unknown, the work represents a high level of technical accomplishment and suggests the hand of a Mannerist painter working in the circle of a Northern European court.
**
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection contains more than two million works of art from around the world. It opened its doors on February 20, 1872, housed in a building located at 681 Fifth Avenue in New York City. Under their guidance of John Taylor Johnston and George Palmer Putnam, the Met's holdings, initially consisting of a Roman stone sarcophagus and 174 mostly European paintings, quickly outgrew the available space. In 1873, occasioned by the Met's purchase of the Cesnola Collection of Cypriot antiquities, the museum decamped from Fifth Avenue and took up residence at the Douglas Mansion on West 14th Street. However, these new accommodations were temporary; after negotiations with the city of New York, the Met acquired land on the east side of Central Park, where it built its permanent home, a red-brick Gothic Revival stone "mausoleum" designed by American architects Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mold. As of 2006, the Met measures almost a quarter mile long and occupies more than two million square feet, more than 20 times the size of the original 1880 building.
In 2007, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was ranked #17 on the AIA 150 America's Favorite Architecture list.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was designated a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in 1967. The interior was designated in 1977.
National Historic Register #86003556 (1986)
These columns belong to the Santuario della Madonna di San Luca (Sanctuary of the Madonna of Saint Luke), in the Colli bolognesi (Bolognese Hills).
This doorway is a stunning example of Italian Renaissance architecture in the historic city of Siena. The entrance features a grand arched frame made of intricately carved white stone that contrasts beautifully with the warm tones of the surrounding brickwork. The alternating blocks of stone around the arch, known as rustication, create a sense of depth and solidity, highlighting the craftsmanship of the period. Above the arch, a delicate metal grate adds a layer of security and aesthetic charm, maintaining balance with the robust design below.
The double wooden doors are another striking feature of this facade. Their natural texture, combined with visible signs of aging and wear, tells a story of countless years of use and historical significance. The warm, reddish-brown hue of the wood complements the terracotta tones of the brick, creating a harmonious color palette. Small metal details, such as the handle and keyhole, add functional yet decorative touches that align with the overall timeless design.
The surrounding brickwork serves as a textured backdrop, lending warmth and authenticity to the facade. The rectangular stones framing the arch suggest a blend of strength and elegance, emphasizing the doorway's prominence. This blend of materials and architectural elements speaks to Siena's rich cultural heritage, making this doorway not only an entrance but also a piece of history preserved within the city's walls.
RX_00855_20240422_Siena
One last crazy image, before I return to shooting trees and rocks. This was taken in Amsterdam in 2022 at ARCAM, the city's centre for architecture.
Of course, I had to once more let Chat GPT interpret the scene and create an 'artist's statement'. I find these hysterically funny...
"This piece explores themes of structure, memory, and the ethereal nature of identity within the modern world. The rigid three-dimensional grid of blue steel and glass represents order, logic, and the constructed frameworks—both physical and ideological—that define contemporary existence. Yet, within and through this structure, a ghostly figure emerges: an older man, seen from below, his presence both fleeting and embedded within the architecture.
The monochromatic blue tones unify the sky and the structure, blurring the lines between permanence and impermanence, between what is built and what is remembered. The figure, translucent and spectral, suggests a lingering presence—perhaps of wisdom, history, or a consciousness that has become entwined with the very structures we create. Is he an architect of this world, or is he trapped within it? Does he watch over the space, or is he fading into it?
By merging solidity with ephemerality, this piece asks viewers to consider the intersection of human presence and the systems we build. How much of ourselves becomes part of the structures that surround us? And when we are gone, do these structures continue to hold our memory, or do they erase us entirely?"
Yeah, right, sure. Why not....
Puente del Kursaal, Donostia, Guipúzcoa, España.
Puente de tramos rectos de hormigón armado, recubierto por piedra de Motrico y mármol rosa, con elementos decorativos de estilo modernista. Construido sobre grandes pilares, de donde arrancan las seis características farolas que contienen a esta obra su marcada personalidad.
A comienzos del siglo XX. El ayuntamiento apoya la construcción de un tercer puente sobre el Urumea "en el que se armonicen la solidez y la resistencia con la monumentalidad y belleza del conjunto".
El ingeniero Ribera presentó al Ayuntamiento una importante modificación: el puente de la Zurriola, proyecto inicialmente con arcos, será construido con tramos rectos.
El 14 de Agosto de 1921 numerosísimo público acudió a la inauguración.
El barandado metálico y los obeliscos que hacen de farolas son obra de Victor Arana. Las cuatro esfinges de bronce pertenecen a la reforma de 1993. Tienen 120 metros de largo como el puente de Santa catalina con el que mantiene cierta armonía de líneas y es algo mayor que el Puente de María Cristina, de 100 metros.
Años de realización: 1918-1921
Autor: J.E.RIBERA
Bridge of straight sections of reinforced concrete, covered by motric stone and pink marble, with decorative elements of modernist style. Built on large pillars, from which the six characteristic lanterns that contain this work its marked personality.
At the beginning of the 20th century. The city council supports the construction of a third bridge over the Urumea "in which solidity and resistance are harmonized with the monumentality and beauty of the whole".
Engineer Ribera presented the City Council with an important modification: the Zurriola bridge, initially with arches, will be built with straight sections.
On August 14, 1921, a large audience attended the inauguration.
The metal balustrade and the obelisks that act as lampposts are the work of Victor Arana. The four bronze sphinxes belong to the 1993 reform. They are 120 meters long, like the Santa Catalina bridge, with which it maintains a certain harmony of lines and is somewhat larger than the María Cristina Bridge, which is 100 meters long.
Years of realization: 1918-1921
Author: J.E.RIBERA
Pose [DPSP] - Summer Vibes (F)
Endless Pain Tattoos - Mina Ephemera Events
Endless Pain Tattoos We are the Night Hallow Manor Prize Room
Body - Legacy
LeLutka - EvoX AVALON
Accessories - VOBE - Ceci Set Fatpack, RAWR! Bamboo HUMAN Earrings EvoX
Outfit - Amataria & Evolue - Set "Vex" - Fatpack Kinky Event
Nails Rosary Solidity
Puerta de los Leones, Catedral, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, España.
La catedral de Santa María, llamada también catedral primada de España, es un templo católico de arquitectura gótica en Toledo, considerado por algunos como el opus magnum de este estilo en España. Su construcción comenzó en 1226 bajo el reinado de Fernando III el Santo y las últimas aportaciones góticas se dieron en siglo XV cuando en 1493 se cerraron las bóvedas de los pies de la nave central, en tiempos de los Reyes Católicos. Está construida con piedra blanca de Olihuelas (en el término de Olías del Rey).
Se la conoce popularmente como Dives Toletana (con el sentido de la rica toledana). Es sede de la archidiócesis de Toledo.
Puerta de los Leones.
De los siglos XV y XVI. Es la más moderna de las grandes puertas. Se llama así por los leones que coronan las columnas de la reja que cierra el pequeño compás. Tiene además otros dos nombres:
Puerta Nueva, al ser la última que se construyó.
Puerta de la Alegría, en alusión a la celebración de la Asunción de la Virgen que está representada en el testero del fondo, tras las arquivoltas.
Se construyó entre los años 1460-1466, bajo el mandato del arzobispo Alonso Carrillo de Acuña; con trazas de Hannequin de Bruselas y Egas Cueman en colaboración con los escultores flamencos Pedro y Juan Guas y Juan Alemán, autor del Apostolado. Estos artistas estaban al frente de un gran taller que contaba con prestigiosos canteros y entalladores.
La estatuaria de la puerta es uno de los mejores conjuntos hispano flamencos del siglo XV, sobre todo la Virgen del parteluz y las estatuas de las jambas. Los querubines y ángeles músicos que acompañan la subida de María a los cielos son obras de arte ejecutadas con gran delicadeza. La fachada fue alterada por Durango y Salvatierra en el siglo XVIII, igual que en las otras puertas, para consolidar el edificio. Los once medallones situados por encima de la última arquivolta representan a profetas y patriarcas; el del centro representa a la Virgen María. Remata la puerta una gran estatua de San Agustín orante.
Los batientes de bronce de las puertas son una obra maestra de Francisco de Villalpando, que hizo una gran labor en los 35 tableros o planchas. Están ocultas a la vista, protegidas con paneles de madera. Por encima puede verse el gran rosetón de vidrieras policromadas.
Interior de la puerta de los Leones
El interior de la puerta corresponde al gran frontis del crucero en su lado meridional sobre el que descansa el balconcillo con balaustrada renacentista que soporta la tribuna donde está el órgano del Emperador, el más antiguo de la catedral, de mediados del siglo XVI, con la caja ejecutada en piedra. Es tradicional que suene este órgano en la festividad del Corpus Christi al regreso de la procesión. También se utiliza en otras ocasiones solemnes o en conciertos.
Más arriba se ve el gran rosetón, enmarcado en un cuadrado cuyas enjutas están labradas con rosáceas. En la parte baja del gran frontis está la puerta dividida por parteluz. Sobre la puerta se ve el tímpano esculpido con temas de la genealogía de la Virgen (árbol de Jesé), cuyos autores fueron los mismos que trabajaron en el exterior de esta puerta. Por encima del tímpano puede verse la obra plateresca en cuyo centro hay un gran medallón de la Coronación de la Virgen, obra de Gregorio Pardo (hijo mayor de Felipe Vigarny). A ambos lados se ven las estatuas de David y Salomón, atribuidas a Esteban Jamete.
A derecha e izquierda de este frontis, abajo, se hallan dos sepulcros. El de la derecha estuvo vacío hasta 1993, cuando fueron trasladadas desde Roma las cenizas del arzobispo fray Bartolomé de Carranza,d por expreso deseo del cardenal Marcelo González Martín; el de la izquierda guarda los restos del canónigo Alfonso de Rojas, representado en una estatua orante.
La reja exterior de la puerta de los Leones
Se ejecutó esta obra un siglo después de las grandes rejas de la capilla mayor y del coro, en un estilo completamente distinto del de aquellas, que daba paso a la solidez y utilidad más que al gusto por la ornamentación demostrado en el siglo anterior. Su autor fue Juan Álvarez de Molina, natural de Úbeda (Jaén), que realizó la reja en la ciudad de Toledo en 1647. Los documentos conservados al respecto dicen que el rejero recibió 8.504 reales y 12 maravedíes, más los 27.000 que le habían sido dados con anterioridad. El documento da cuenta del coste del hierro empleado por el rejero que ascendía a prácticamente la cantidad recibida por el trabajo.
The Cathedral of Santa María, also called the primate cathedral of Spain, is a Catholic temple of Gothic architecture in Toledo, considered by some to be the magnum opus of this style in Spain. Its construction began in 1226 under the reign of Ferdinand III the Saint and the last Gothic contributions were made in the 15th century when in 1493 the vaults of the feet of the central nave were closed, in the time of the Catholic Monarchs. It is built with white stone from Olihuelas (in the area of Olías del Rey).
It is popularly known as Dives Toletana (with the meaning of the rich Toledan). It is the seat of the archdiocese of Toledo.
From the 15th and 16th centuries. It is the most modern of the large gates. It is called this because of the lions that crown the columns of the gate that closes the small passage. It also has two other names:
Puerta Nueva, as it was the last one to be built.
Puerta de la Alegría, in allusion to the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin that is represented on the back wall, behind the archivolts.
It was built between 1460-1466, under the mandate of Archbishop Alonso Carrillo de Acuña; with designs by Hannequin of Brussels and Egas Cueman in collaboration with the Flemish sculptors Pedro and Juan Guas and Juan Alemán, author of the Apostolado. These artists were in charge of a large workshop that had prestigious stonemasons and carvers.
The statuary of the door is one of the best Hispano-Flemish collections of the 15th century, especially the Virgin of the mullion and the statues of the jambs. The cherubs and angel musicians that accompany the ascension of Mary to heaven are works of art executed with great delicacy. The façade was altered by Durango and Salvatierra in the 18th century, as in the other doors, to consolidate the building. The eleven medallions located above the last archivolt represent prophets and patriarchs; the one in the centre represents the Virgin Mary. The door is crowned by a large statue of St. Augustine praying.
The bronze door jambs are a masterpiece by Francisco de Villalpando, who did a great job on the 35 panels or boards. They are hidden from view, protected by wooden panels. Above you can see the large rose window of polychrome stained glass.
Interior of the Lions' Gate
The interior of the gate corresponds to the great front of the transept on its southern side, on which rests the small balcony with a Renaissance balustrade that supports the tribune where the Emperor's organ is located, the oldest in the cathedral, from the mid-16th century, with the case made of stone. It is traditional for this organ to be played on the feast of Corpus Christi upon the return of the procession. It is also used on other solemn occasions or in concerts.
Above you can see the large rose window, framed in a square whose spandrels are carved with rosettes. In the lower part of the great front is the door divided by a mullion. Above the door you can see the sculpted tympanum with themes from the genealogy of the Virgin (tree of Jesse), whose authors were the same as those who worked on the outside of this door. Above the tympanum you can see the Plateresque work in the centre of which there is a large medallion of the Coronation of the Virgin, the work of Gregorio Pardo (eldest son of Felipe Vigarny). On either side you can see the statues of David and Solomon, attributed to Esteban Jamete.
To the right and left of this front, below, there are two tombs. The one on the right was empty until 1993, when the ashes of the archbishop, Fray Bartolomé de Carranza, were transferred from Rome, at the express wish of Cardinal Marcelo González Martín; the one on the left holds the remains of the canon Alfonso de Rojas, represented in a praying statue.
The exterior grille of the Puerta de los Leones
This work was carried out a century after the large grilles of the main chapel and the choir, in a completely different style from those, which gave way to solidity and utility rather than the taste for ornamentation demonstrated in the previous century. Its author was Juan Álvarez de Molina, a native of Úbeda (Jaén), who made the gate in the city of Toledo in 1647. The documents preserved in this regard say that the ironworker received 8,504 reales and 12 maravedís, plus the 27,000 that had been given to him previously. The document gives an account of the cost of the iron used by the ironworker, which amounted to practically the amount received for the work.
Entrance of a traditional office building (Kontorhaus Stubbenhuk) in Hamburg, built 1923-25.
The glass painting over the door shows grain elevators in the Hamburg harbour, in reference to the builder and first owner of the building, the Grain Elevator Corporation (Getreide-Heber-Gesellschaft).
Tattoo [ATI] Zatanna
Body - Legacy
LeLutka - EvoX AVALON
Accessories - RVN - eyes Unik Event, RVN - bloody knife Jail Event
Outfit - Pure Poison - Helena Dress Collabor88 EVENT
Nails Rosary Solidity
Flickr Friday: Time Machine
"And as soon as I had recognized the taste of the piece of madeleine soaked in her decoction of lime-blossom which my aunt used to give me (...) immediately the old grey house upon the street, where her room was, rose up like a stage set to attach itself to the little pavilion opening on to the garden which had been built out behind it for my parents ; and with the house the town, from morning to night and in all weathers, the Square where I used to be sent before lunch, the streets along which I used to run errands, the country roads we took when it was fine. And (…) in that moment all the flowers in our garden and in M. Swann's park, and the water-lilies on the Vivonne and the good folk of the village and their little dwellings and the parish church and the whole of Combray and its surroundings, taking shape and solidity, sprang into being, town and gardens alike, from my cup of tea."
Marcel Proust
In Search of Lost Time
Skin - Odd Beauty - Milan (Shown In Mochalatte Browless) *NEW* @Miix Event
Hair - PTNM X F.Q. - Reese *NEW* @Mainstore
Top - Rossi - D$ck Pleaser Bra *NEW* @WCF
Bottom - Imbue - Lola Panties @Mainstore
Earrings - Vexiin - Diamond Stud V2 @Mainstore
Choker - BTTB - Sex @Mainstore
Nails - Rosary - Solidity *NEW* @Level Event
Tattoo - Hoodlem - Warrior *NEW* @Mainstore
Pose - Foxcity - Vibing @Mainstore
Backdrop - Foxcity - Sinner @Mainstore
beneath the vast blue expanse of the madrid sky, one of the cuatro torres stands tall and imposing. the kpmg building pierces the sky, its reflective glass façade capturing the fleeting shapes of clouds. today, these clouds form ethereal shapes, reminiscent of ghostly figures swirling and dancing around the skyscraper, invoking memories of the spectral apparitions from ghostbusters. the interplay between the sleek, modern structure and the wispy, transient clouds creates a scene where the earthly meets the otherworldly, blending the solidity of human achievement with the ephemeral beauty of nature.
Manufacturer: Praga-Export Společnost s ručením omezeným / Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk (ČKD ), Prague-Liben - Czechoslovakia
Type: Piccolo Series 8-20 4-door Luxus Sedan
Production time: 1928 - 1931
Production outlet: about 5,500
Engine: 995cc straight 4 "classic" Piccolo liter side valve engine
Power: 18 bhp / 3.100 rpm
Drivetrain: rear wheels
Speed: 75 km/h
Curb weight: 1000 kg
Wheelbase: 103 inch
Chassis: pressed steel ladder frame separate steel body
Steering: worm and roller
Gearbox: three-speed manual + reverse / floor shift
Clutch: single dry plate disc
Carburettor: Zenith 26 TH downdraft
Electric system: 6 Volts
Ignition system: distributor and coil
Brakes front: mechanical drums
Brakes rear: mechanical drums
Suspension front: rigid axle, longitudinal leaf springs
Suspension rear: rigid axle, longitudinal leaf springs
Rear axle: beam axle
Wheels: 18 inch steel discs
Tires: 4.75 x 18
Options: spare tires, front and rear bumpers
Special:
- The Praga Piccolo ("Piccolo" = Italian for “small”), designed by Francis Kece, belonged to the most popular Czech cars in the 20's and 30's. Probably the most common type in the Czech pre-war market (nicknamed the Czech Ford Model T) and a symbol of reliability, solidity and indestructibility.
- The engine has a so called "type Ricardo" combustion chamber with a removable aluminum cylinder head.
- The complete Piccolo Series ran from 1924 until 1941, spread over 36 different developmental stages Series, including this 4-door Luxus Sedan, Phaeton, Sport, Pick-Up, Roadster, Roadster Sport, Coach, Luxus Cabriolet, Limousine, Coupé and Convertible.
- This Series 8 is the finest and most successful ever Praga and last series with the Šalounova Genia victory statue on top of the radiator.
(this is the one that doesn't pretend to act)
I've been taking "serious art" pics for nearly 60 years and I have only very recently discovered how my own pics can have meaning for myself and if they mean something to me, then, hopefully, they might mean something for others. For me, a pic needs to say something. It needs to assert a point of view or tell a story. Speaking only for myself, 'mere' beauty is not enough. It becomes a kind of eye candy that is easily obtained through good equipment and photo processing applications. Beauty, alone, is a kind of low bar. A pic really needs to say something and thereby connect in an emotional way with someone looking at the image. This image seeks to communicate solidity and the power of nature.
Beauty is often found on the edges of transitions like seasons, or the lines of temperature and solidity versus liquidity. The first Ice forms are usually the hallmarks of contrasts.
Elizabeth Quay Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridge
Perth - Austrália
Elizabeth Quay Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridge is an integral part of Perth’s master plan to connect the city back to its waterfront and revitalise the city’s central business district. The bridge serves as the crucial link between The Island, the western promenade and Williams Landing, and it accommodates a popular access route for pedestrians and cyclists.
Officially opened on January 29, 2016, Elizabeth Quay Bridge has already achieved iconic status as a Perth landmark.
Arches and Curves
The bridge was conceived to maintain the well-used “around the bridges” circuit popular with cyclists and pedestrians, while accommodating the passage of ferries. There was also a desire to exploit the prominent location with a visually striking architectural feature.
Reaching the required clearance for the navigation channel created a substantial change in level from Williams Quay to the western end of the bridge. That led the design team at Arup Associates to curve the bridge deck to create extended ramps at the entry points. The powerful S-curve form is complemented with arches to “reinforce the experience of movement” across a bridge deck that’s described by Arup Associates as “constantly changing in height and always curving in plan.”
Customized Mesh Solution for Balustrades
The architecture called for a transparent balustrade, but it also needed to have enough solidity to withstand wind impacts. The balustrade design follows the bridge deck curves in plan and also leans in and out vertically, twisting like a ribbon along the length of the bridge. Responding to the technical challenge, Tensile Design & Construct developed a customised version of webnet mesh with a 50mm aperture and 2mm wire that was clear of obstruction, enhancing its capacity to conform to the support structure like a piece of fabric.
The result met the design intent without compromising safety – the mesh is engineered to tolerate the highest crowd loads in the National Construction Code.
Modular Advantage
The mesh was sized into eight panels, matching them to the curves on site and integrating with the balustrade. Tensile was responsible for the engineering of the balustrade and acted as consultant first before providing the final solution as a contractor. This enable an almost seamless integration of the rails and mesh enabling the sections to be joined to create two continuous pieces. With the modular strategy optimising the efficiency of the installation, the work was completed ahead of schedule.
The architects sought to achieve “simple and pure structural forms” for the Elizabeth Quay Pedestrian and Cyclist Bridge; webnet mesh was one of the products that helped them reach that goal. Tensile’s ability to respond quickly with a customised, modular version of webnet mesh to meet the specifications for the design contributed to the timely completion of the bridge for our client, contractor DASSH.
Église majeure de la ville basse au Moyen-Âge, la collégiale Saint-André fait partie comme les églises Saint-Aignan et Saint-Pierre, des édifices religieux remarquables à Chartres. La construction de ce lieu a probablement débuté vers l'an 960 sur le site d’un ancien amphithéâtre gallo-romain. Même si on cite déjà deux abbés entre 1050 et 1100, l’église est promue collégiale par l'évêque Saint Yves en 1108.
La façade occidentale du 12e siècle est en pur style roman. Dépourvu de tympan, le portail s'apparente par sa structure à ceux de Saintonge (dans le sud-ouest de la France). Il comprend une porte en plein cintre encadrée par deux fausses arcades. Les colonnettes sont coiffées de chapiteaux d’où surgissent des têtes humaines très expressives et au dessus une frise de feuilles d'acanthe. Entre le portail et les baies vitrées, de style gothique, une corniche est soutenue par des mascarons grimaçants de toute évidence de la même facture que ceux qui ornent le clocher vieux de la cathédrale. Au-dessus des baies vitrées s'élève le pignon qui comportait autrefois une rose de style gothique flamboyant.
L'église Saint-André fut désaffectée et fermée en 1791. Pendant la révolution, la collégiale avait été transformée en magasin à fourrages. Le 22 février 1805, la chapelle absidiale s'écroula. Il est probable que cette chute compromit la solidité du grand chœur qui fut démoli en 1827. Le 11 mars 1861, un incendie la ravage de nouveau. À la suite de ce sinistre, probablement pour des raisons de sécurité, le pignon de la façade et la belle rose du 15e siècle furent démolis.
Pendant la seconde guerre mondiale, les occupants s'emparèrent de l'édifice pour stocker des vivres et du matériel. Ils détruisirent le tout en y mettant le feu le 16 août 1944. Depuis, la collégiale Saint-André appartient à la ville de Chartres. Régulièrement, des expositions y sont organisées dans le cadre du Chemin des Arts. Ici, l’art contemporain s’intègre parfaitement dans l’architecture sobre de cet édifice médiéval à l’histoire très riche.
A major church in the lower town in the Middle Ages, the Saint-André collegiate church, like the Saint-Aignan and Saint-Pierre churches, is one of the remarkable religious buildings in Chartres. The construction of this place probably began around the year 960 on the site of an ancient Gallo-Roman amphitheater. Even if two abbots are already cited between 1050 and 1100, the church was promoted to collegiate status by Bishop Saint Yves in 1108.
The 12th century western facade is in pure Romanesque style. Without a tympanum, the portal is similar in structure to those of Saintonge (in the south-west of France). It includes a semi-circular door framed by two false arches. The columns are topped with capitals from which very expressive human heads emerge and above them a frieze of acanthus leaves. Between the portal and the bay windows, in Gothic style, a cornice is supported by grimacing mascarons obviously of the same style as those which adorn the old bell tower of the cathedral. Above the bay windows rises the gable which once featured a flamboyant Gothic style rose.
The Saint-André church was decommissioned and closed in 1791. During the revolution, the collegiate church was transformed into a fodder store. On February 22, 1805, the apse chapel collapsed. It is probable that this fall compromised the solidity of the large choir which was demolished in 1827. On March 11, 1861, a fire ravaged it again. Following this disaster, probably for safety reasons, the gable of the facade and the beautiful 15th century rose were demolished.
During the Second World War, the occupants took over the building to store food and equipment. They destroyed everything by setting it on fire on August 16, 1944. Since then, the Saint-André collegiate church has belonged to the city of Chartres. Exhibitions are regularly organized there as part of the Chemin des Arts. Here, contemporary art fits perfectly into the sober architecture of this medieval building with a very rich history.
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I so wanted to tell you
From my loneliness, from my solidity
From the time I waited for my turn,
From the cloud that passed and it didn't rain...
my hands are in the air
As an airport for you to land
I'm also a port, if you want to anchor...
I am air, I am land and I am sea...
I have the hand and you have the glove,
I am the mountain and you are the rain
That runs off and disappears at the end of the curve
And kiss the river to embrace the sea
That's why the mountain is jealous
When the wind takes the rain to dance
Everything often ends in a storm
Lightning screams about the afternoon,
Afternoons sleep in the moonlight,
Night falls waiting for me,
I'm waiting for you in the morning...
The Castelvecchio Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Castelvecchio) or Scaliger Bridge (Italian: Ponte Scaligero) is a fortified bridge in Verona over the Adige River. The segmental arch bridge featured the world's largest span at the time of its construction (48.70 m).
It was built (most likely in 1354-1356) by Cangrande II della Scala, to grant him a safe way of escape from the annexed eponymous castle in the event of a rebellion of the population against his tyrannic rule. The solidity of the construction allowed it to resist untouched until, in the late 18th century, the French troops destroyed the tower on the left bank (although it probably dated from the occupation of Verona by the Visconti or the Republic of Venice).
The bridge was however totally destroyed, along with the Ponte Pietra, by the retreating German troops on April 24, 1945. A faithful reconstruction begun in 1949 and was finished in 1951, with the exception of the left tower.
The bridge is in red bricks in the upper part, as all landmarks in Verona from the Scaliger era, and in white marble in the lower one. It includes three spans of decreasing length starting from pentagonal towers. The largest span, measuring 48.70 m, meant that the bridge featured at the time of its construction the world's largest bridge arch (the others measure 29.15 and 24.11 meters). The two pylons are 12.10 x 19.40 and 6.30 x 17.30 meters respectively.
The bridge has a total length of 120 m.
Many thanks to everyone who will pass by visiting my shots. Comments are appreciated. You are welcome. Sergio
Panasonic Lumix FZ28
© Sergio Presbitero 2011, All Rights Reserved
This work may not be copied, reproduced, republished, edited, downloaded, displayed, modified, transmitted, licensed, transferred, sold, distributed or uploaded in any way without my prior written permission.
Beauty is often found on the edges of transitions like seasons, or the lines of temperature and solidity versus liquidity. The first Ice forms are usually the hallmarks of contrasts.
New Years Day 2023, we walked to the viewpoint at Craigmony... to discover a lack of view!
Still it is nice walking up through all that history that seeps into the rocks of the old promantory fort that overlooks the village, an ancient place with scant modern investigation and just some old stories and myths attached to the place. There does seem to be evidence of vitrified walls and rock cut ditches though which lends some solidity to the idea of it being a defensive location at the end of Glen Urquhart and Glen Coiltie as they meet the Great Glen and Loch Ness.
I met Carlo a few months ago as I was looking for some honey and I discovered this passionate beekeeper lived only half a mile from my home.
As we got to know each other over time, I found out that this amazing 84 years old was a true genius in building anything out of wood and metal in his well-equipped workshops.
I asked him to help me tame the biggest and heaviest lens I own, so that I could finally mount it onto a 4x5 camera and give it some use.
A few years ago I actually devised a way to mount this beastly lens, but I was never entirely satisfied with the results, as they lacked the solidity such a heavy piece of glass demands.
Carlo was able to quickly solder together a metal cone, permanently attached to a clone of a Plaubel lens board (which he cut and carved by hand !) where the heavy 12 Inch Aero Ektar f2.5lens would snugly fit.
The lens was to be further supported by a metal bracket that Carlo created, inspired by a plastic telescope lens bracket I had showed him earlier, but much, much sturdier than the original one.
Now came the shutter: we opted to drill a hole in a pine wooden board the size of the large packard shutter we were going to use (1/10th of a second maximum speed !!!).
To attach the “shutter board” to the lens Carlo hand-carved a slot of exactly the same diameter of the lens front element rim on the back. Once the rim slid into this groove, a couple of elastic bands were sufficient to stabilize and firmly attach the entire contraption to the camera body.
The heavy 12Inch Aero Ektar Lens can be a wonderful tool, giving you a very Shallow Depth Of Field and a Creamy Bokeh at a great Focal Length for portraiture (at 12 Inch FL this lens does cover 8x10 although I prefer using it on 4x5 and even 6x9, something I am able to do on the old Plaubel Supra camera by just changing the back).
It’s just that the lens is freakin’ big and heavy to mount anywhere but on a military aircraft!
Carlo was able to find a really good and elegant solution (in a retro-post-industrial style) that I truly love !!
My heartfelt THANK YOU to this wonderful, genial, inventor friend of mine!
“If you are locked into the idea of a separate self, you have great fear. But if you look deeply and are capable of seeing “you” everywhere, you lose that fear. As a monk, I practice looking deeply every day. I don’t just give continuation everywhere in this moment. Every day I make the effort to transmit to my students the best that I have received from my teachers and from my practice. I don’t believe that I will cease to be someday. I told my friends that the twenty-first century is a hill, a beautiful hill that we will climb together as a sangha; I will be with my sangha all the way. For me that is not a problem, because I see everyone in me, and me in everyone. That is the practice of looking deeply, the practice of concentration on emptiness [of a separate self], the practice of interbeing.”—Thich Nhat Hanh, “Fear”, p. 62-63
Excerpt from www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=1320:
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
In the château style, Château Frontenac is an imposing hotel with five brick and stone wings and a central tower erected in seven stages between 1892 and 1993. It is prominently located on a cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence River, within the Québec historic district. The designation refers to the building on its footprint in 1981 (the date of designation).
HERITAGE VALUE
The Château Frontenac was designated a national historic site because it is an excellent example of a Chateau-style hotel.
The Château Frontenac was the first of a series of Chateau-style hotels built by Canadian railway companies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to encourage tourists to travel on their railways. Popular with the travelling public for their elaborate décor and comfortable elegance, these hotels quickly became national symbols of quality accommodation.
The Château Frontenac was the prototype for the Chateau-style railway hotels that followed, and remained the purest expression of the Chateau style among the group. Its fortress-like design, derived from the medieval chateaux of France's Loire Valley and enhanced by its dramatic cliff-top location, expressed the prevailing romantic view of Quebec as a French medieval city. The hotel's picturesque eclecticism and rich polychromatic surfaces reflected popular taste in Victorian architecture. Construction began in 1892-93 for the Canadian Pacific Railway to designs by architect Bruce Price. The hotel was enlarged in 1908-09 to designs by W.S. Painter, in 1920-24 to designs by Edward and W.S. Maxwell, and in the 1990s by the Arcop Group.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
The key elements that relate to the heritage value of the Château Frontenac include: - its prominent location and imposing presence on a cliff, overlooking the St. Lawrence River; - its massive scale and fortress-like appearance; - its plan around an inner court; - its assymetrical profile and irregular massing; - its Chateau style, evident in: its steeply pitched roofs; massive circular and polygonal towers and turrets; ornate gables and dormers; tall chimneys; the row of machicolations above the fourth-storey windows; its high-quality materials; and its dramatic setting; - its fortress-like solidity, expressed in: its broad, flat wall surfaces; and heavy tower forms; - its strong horizontal emphasis, expressed in: its ashlar base; and string coursing - its steel frame construction; - its grey, ashlar stone base and string courses; and the orange, Glenboig brick wall cladding; - volumes of original interior public spaces; - the fine original finishes of the main public spaces, including mahogany panelling, marble staircases, carved stone and wrought-iron decorative elements, glass roundels with historical subjects by Edward Maxwell, coffered ceilings.
Whitman referred to this as "the best picture of all" when it came to portraits of himself.
Later in his life, he described it as having "almost the old professor look". He mused, "How well I was then! Full of initiative, vigor, joy, not much belly, but grit, fibre, hold, solidity. Indeed, all through those years, I was at my best, physically at my best, mentally, every way."
Original black and white photo by Alexander Gardner (1812-1882), courtesy of the Library of Congress
This is a dance from the upcoming debut.
The show will debut Nov 9th at 12:30pm SLT.
Also on Nov 16th at 1:30pm SLT and Nov 23rd at 2pm SLT.
Same show at different times.
There are 7 sets and the show is a little less than an hour
Excerpt from monetpaintings.org:
The Cliffs at Étretat:
The work is one of many undertaken by Claude Monet of this stretch of the Normandy coastline and depicts the well-known white chalkstone cliffs, one of three natural arches and the tall rock pillar known as L’aiguille or the needle.
The rock formations carved by the power of the sea through the ages meant the area was famed for its spectacular natural beauty and as such was very popular with tourists, writers and artists.
As with many of his subjects, Monet painted a series of works depicting the same scene, sometimes from the same viewing point, sometimes from a different angle or perspective. His aim was to capture the essence of the subject in differing atmospheric conditions, times of day and throughout the changing seasons.
He would often work on several canvases at once, changing between paintings according to the conditions at the time, usually painting quickly to capture the scene before the conditions altered. Some works capture the passage of time so well that it is possible to determine the time of day by the quality and position of the sunlight.
The version of The Cliffs at Etretat painted here appears to show the landscape as the sun is beginning to set, the golden light falling on the upper half of the rock tower and just picking out the outer edge of the top of the cliff.
The evening sunlight is also picked out in the sea and his use of quickly applied brushstrokes and swabs of paint creates dynamic movement in the waves. Monet’s use of colour highlights the glittering sparkle of the sun on the water and gives a sense of depth to the undulating sea.
The composition of this piece incorporates the strong vertical lines of the rock formations which emphasises the dramatic strength and solidity of the landscape. These rock formations were huge and overpowering and their presence dominated the coastline. The Cliffs at Etretat is an excellent example of Monet’s exceptional skill in capturing the essence of the landscape in all its natural glory.
Excerpt from www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=2240:
Description of Historic Place
Built c. 1808, the McGregor-Cowan House is a 2-1/2 storey Georgian-style timber dwelling prominently sited in the historic former town of Sandwich, now part of west Windsor. It is recognized for its heritage value by City of Windsor Bylaw 5814, 1977.
Heritage Value
The heritage value of the McGregor-Cowan House lies in its age, architectural features, location and association with historic events.
Research indicates the McGregor-Cowan House (c. 1808) is the second oldest building in Windsor, after the Duff-Baby House built in 1798. The property was part of a land grant from the Crown at the turn of the century, and merchant James McGregor was the first owner of the house. A rare surviving example of a fine Georgian-style home from the early 1800s, its simplicity, symmetry and solidity are representative of Georgian design. It also displays a very infrequent Ontario example of a unique French-Canadian chimney arrangement, where each chimney worked independently to heat a separate half of the house.
Situated at the easterly entrance to the historic former town of Sandwich, the house recalls the community's early years as an important centre of trade and government. The oldest continuous European settlement west of Montreal, Sandwich was chosen to serve as the seat of government of the Western District of Upper Canada in 1796 and was an important battleground during the War of 1812 between Great Britain and the United States.
There is also heritage value in the building’s association with John Cowan, who purchased the house in the 1830s. From the house, Cowan published “The Canadian Emigrant", the Western District’s first regular newspaper. As well, the house was used as an officers’ quarters for local militia and British soldiers during the Rebellions of 1837.
Character-Defining Elements
Key elements that define the building's heritage value as an early example of a fine Georgian house include:
- balanced symmetrical facade, solidity, simplicity of form,and minimal detailing;
- sturdy central door with relatively plain transom and sidelights;
- timber framing with covered clapboard on a stone foundation; and,
- shuttered, 6-over-6 sash windows, some with original hand-blown panes.
Key architectural value is also embodied in the unique French-Canadian chimney arrangement on the lateral gable roof:
- two brick chimneys, one on either side of the ridge at opposite ends of the roof, worked independently to warm separate halves of the house.
Key elements that express the building’s locational value include:
- prominent siting on a large corner lot at the easterly entrance to the historic former town of Sandwich; and
- the building’s proximity to other significant heritage properties including the Duff-Baby House, 1798 and Mackenzie Hall, 1855.
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The grain silo Korthals Altes has long dominated the image of the port of Amsterdam. The massive building was visible from afar on the tip of the Westerdoksdijk on the IJ, "as the guard to the North Sea of trading Amsterdam" as the Architectural Magazine in 1898 following the commissioning of the silo wrote. And it continued: "the appearance speaks of solidity and prosperity, the interior of practischen sense and good business sense; a whole, Mr. Korthals Altes worthy. "
Nowadays the silo, after a controversial renovation rezoned to apartment building.
In 1952, on the south side of the existing, a new 45 meter long and 37 meter high concrete silo built. In 1981 Amsterdam built in Vlothaven an ultra-modern grain storage complex that became a central distribution point for other European ports. In 1987, the grain silo Korthals Altes had become redundant and threatening plans for demolition. But two years later the building was cracked and there were living quarters, halls, galleries, a bakery, restaurant and studios. Three years later, an application for listed building of the Society for the Preservation of the Granary was honored because of "the achitectuurhistorische value, the industrial archaeological value, and the striking historical functional situation on the IJ".
The grain silo was changed by A. Stigt in an apartment building. The redevelopment has had a major impact on the architecture. It is true that the original volume and silhouette remains untouched, but the new housing requirements many vertical arrays of open windows in the blind brick enclosure which largely lost the distinctive massive castle-like, closed character of the original grain silo.
Excerpt from citywindsor.ca/residents/Culture/Windsor-Sculpture-Park/S...:
Centennial Park
Morton Katz
Chicken and the Egg, 1999
Painted steel, stainless steel, marble, 550 x 380 x 60 centimetres
Morton Katz's whimsical Chicken and Egg continues the artist's fascination with minimalist sculpture in suspension and also completes an interesting trio or "flock" of bird-inspired pieces in the eastern corner of the Windsor Sculpture Park. Compared with Harris' massive Tohawah and the momentarily arrested takeoff of Gladstone's geometric Morning Flight, Chicken and Egg focuses more on a child-centred perspective. This sculpture presents kids with a strange sort of feathered friend, built out of the odd but instantly recognizable medium of a gigantic bicycle chain. Katz himself collected every one of the five hundred sprocket links that make up the chain, and he lovingly welded the whole bird into shape. This exemplifies his balance between a good sense of humour and a carefully considered use of proportion and tension.
The fragile chicken is juxtaposed with the solidity of its egg, which is carved out of solid marble. The two make an interesting pair, so entirely different from each other that it is difficult to understand how they could also be so directly related to each other in a sculpture or in life. Yet we do know that they are connected somehow, these two comic partners, tied together by the weird mystery of nature and one of the oldest riddles in the book.
This squared off block of a house could almost be ugly yet it has an understated elegance, a sense of solidity and of comfort to it! Sligo is one of the least appreciated counties in Ireland and to ask many young people they would mention the surfing while older people might mention Yeats but it has so much more to offer. The views around the county are spectacular, the mountains may not be very high but are full of history and the welcome is warm. It is easy to see why the residents of Hazelwood chose to live there!
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Circa 1865 - 1914
NLI Ref: L_CAB_02962
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Standing before these magnificent rock formations at As Catedrais, I was mesmerized by the relentless dialogue between sea and stone that has been unfolding here for millennia. Using an extended exposure, I wanted to capture the ethereal quality of water as it continues its patient work of sculpting these sedimentary cliffs into the cathedral-like arches that give this Galician coast its name.
The smooth, milky water contrasts dramatically with the rugged, stratified rock face, emphasizing the dual nature of this coastal landscape - both permanent and constantly changing. Those horizontal layers in the cliff tell the geological story of ancient seabeds, now standing as monuments to deep time while being gradually reclaimed by the very forces that once deposited them.
What strikes me most about As Catedrais is this sense of witnessing an ongoing conversation between opposing forces - the Atlantic's ceaseless motion against the apparent solidity of stone. Yet over geological time, it's the water that wins, carving these spectacular formations that draw visitors from around the world.
My intention was to capture both the monumental scale of these natural sculptures and the quiet persistence of the sea's creative destruction, showing how beauty emerges from the patient work of erosion along Spain's dramatic northern coast.
It was a perfect late october day. Bright blue sky, pleasant temperature. Perfect to live a night alone in the refuge But life is filled with surprises. Was it my imagination, or was it really a cat's moan?
Abandoned, a black sweet feline was running towards me. At first I decided to proceed, trying to bring it up with me, but suddenly I realized how wild can become a cat in a closed unknown place; and I was sure to avoid myself a B-class horror movie adventure. Feathers and claws don't go along so well.
In the car, the cat stayed on my lap for the whole driving hour, curled and completely serene. I knew Maria's house, owner of more than 15 cats, was the perfect place for Uja, meaning the piedmont's toponym for peak, a name I gave it the same moment of its materialization. And so it was. I quit my wild spirit, happy for the purring thing, and I spent the night in the apartment, waiting for the next day to repeat it.
The refuge reveals its solidity. Nevertheless it looks like a children toy compared to what I see: an impeding triangle of rock right behind, an immense pale green and dark gray basin, and a limitless blue ceiling, where newly born cotton clouds move too fast to seem nice.
Darkness falls. Silence get even more thick. The few stars disappear. Ears whistle an omen.
Night passes too slow, and my sleep is far from being serene. Outside of the little window on the left of the plank-board where I choose to rest there's only one colour: black. Sounds are just memories of ago, air is totally still. Frequent wake-up acts induced by a quiet yet uncontrollable sense of detention.
As a tail of night, morning comes too slow. The glow I now can see speaks of something I hope not to see, and that I see: the white lady has fallen, hiding every possibility of turning back.
Five in the morning. After a cup of snow-tea all I want is a rocky perch to look straight at my destiny. I stand there, almost hopeless, smoking and scanning landscape with binoculars to search traces of the world I once knew.
And finally, when some warmth begins to melt some flake, after three infinite hours of attention, I spot the first red sign, the first possibility to find the path.
I've always thought mountains are my elected, elevated church, the petrified measure of a sense of awe that makes me constantly think, like a child in awe, to some God's love.
In my series “Golden Rocks”, I invite you to explore the subtle, intimate beauty of nature, where the raw material of the rocks rises majestically in contrast to the softness of the sky, light and sea.
Through my images, I've sought to capture the delicate harmony between the solidity of the golden rocks and the lightness of the nuances that surround them. Each shot reveals a dialogue between rough textures and peaceful reflections, a silent dance between earth and sky.
“Golden Rocks” offers a soothing contemplation, inviting us to appreciate the richness of detail and the serenity of these landscapes shaped by time.
Puerta de los Leones, Catedral, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, España.
La catedral de Santa María, llamada también catedral primada de España, es un templo católico de arquitectura gótica en Toledo, considerado por algunos como el opus magnum de este estilo en España. Su construcción comenzó en 1226 bajo el reinado de Fernando III el Santo y las últimas aportaciones góticas se dieron en siglo XV cuando en 1493 se cerraron las bóvedas de los pies de la nave central, en tiempos de los Reyes Católicos. Está construida con piedra blanca de Olihuelas (en el término de Olías del Rey).
Se la conoce popularmente como Dives Toletana (con el sentido de la rica toledana). Es sede de la archidiócesis de Toledo.
Puerta de los Leones.
De los siglos XV y XVI. Es la más moderna de las grandes puertas. Se llama así por los leones que coronan las columnas de la reja que cierra el pequeño compás. Tiene además otros dos nombres:
Puerta Nueva, al ser la última que se construyó.
Puerta de la Alegría, en alusión a la celebración de la Asunción de la Virgen que está representada en el testero del fondo, tras las arquivoltas.
Se construyó entre los años 1460-1466, bajo el mandato del arzobispo Alonso Carrillo de Acuña; con trazas de Hannequin de Bruselas y Egas Cueman en colaboración con los escultores flamencos Pedro y Juan Guas y Juan Alemán, autor del Apostolado. Estos artistas estaban al frente de un gran taller que contaba con prestigiosos canteros y entalladores.
La estatuaria de la puerta es uno de los mejores conjuntos hispano flamencos del siglo XV, sobre todo la Virgen del parteluz y las estatuas de las jambas. Los querubines y ángeles músicos que acompañan la subida de María a los cielos son obras de arte ejecutadas con gran delicadeza. La fachada fue alterada por Durango y Salvatierra en el siglo XVIII, igual que en las otras puertas, para consolidar el edificio. Los once medallones situados por encima de la última arquivolta representan a profetas y patriarcas; el del centro representa a la Virgen María. Remata la puerta una gran estatua de San Agustín orante.
Los batientes de bronce de las puertas son una obra maestra de Francisco de Villalpando, que hizo una gran labor en los 35 tableros o planchas. Están ocultas a la vista, protegidas con paneles de madera. Por encima puede verse el gran rosetón de vidrieras policromadas.
Interior de la puerta de los Leones
El interior de la puerta corresponde al gran frontis del crucero en su lado meridional sobre el que descansa el balconcillo con balaustrada renacentista que soporta la tribuna donde está el órgano del Emperador, el más antiguo de la catedral, de mediados del siglo XVI, con la caja ejecutada en piedra. Es tradicional que suene este órgano en la festividad del Corpus Christi al regreso de la procesión. También se utiliza en otras ocasiones solemnes o en conciertos.
Más arriba se ve el gran rosetón, enmarcado en un cuadrado cuyas enjutas están labradas con rosáceas. En la parte baja del gran frontis está la puerta dividida por parteluz. Sobre la puerta se ve el tímpano esculpido con temas de la genealogía de la Virgen (árbol de Jesé), cuyos autores fueron los mismos que trabajaron en el exterior de esta puerta. Por encima del tímpano puede verse la obra plateresca en cuyo centro hay un gran medallón de la Coronación de la Virgen, obra de Gregorio Pardo (hijo mayor de Felipe Vigarny). A ambos lados se ven las estatuas de David y Salomón, atribuidas a Esteban Jamete.
A derecha e izquierda de este frontis, abajo, se hallan dos sepulcros. El de la derecha estuvo vacío hasta 1993, cuando fueron trasladadas desde Roma las cenizas del arzobispo fray Bartolomé de Carranza,d por expreso deseo del cardenal Marcelo González Martín; el de la izquierda guarda los restos del canónigo Alfonso de Rojas, representado en una estatua orante.
La reja exterior de la puerta de los Leones
Se ejecutó esta obra un siglo después de las grandes rejas de la capilla mayor y del coro, en un estilo completamente distinto del de aquellas, que daba paso a la solidez y utilidad más que al gusto por la ornamentación demostrado en el siglo anterior. Su autor fue Juan Álvarez de Molina, natural de Úbeda (Jaén), que realizó la reja en la ciudad de Toledo en 1647. Los documentos conservados al respecto dicen que el rejero recibió 8.504 reales y 12 maravedíes, más los 27.000 que le habían sido dados con anterioridad. El documento da cuenta del coste del hierro empleado por el rejero que ascendía a prácticamente la cantidad recibida por el trabajo.
The Cathedral of Santa María, also called the primate cathedral of Spain, is a Catholic temple of Gothic architecture in Toledo, considered by some to be the magnum opus of this style in Spain. Its construction began in 1226 under the reign of Ferdinand III the Saint and the last Gothic contributions were made in the 15th century when in 1493 the vaults of the feet of the central nave were closed, in the time of the Catholic Monarchs. It is built with white stone from Olihuelas (in the area of Olías del Rey).
It is popularly known as Dives Toletana (with the meaning of the rich Toledan). It is the seat of the archdiocese of Toledo.
From the 15th and 16th centuries. It is the most modern of the large gates. It is called this because of the lions that crown the columns of the gate that closes the small passage. It also has two other names:
Puerta Nueva, as it was the last one to be built.
Puerta de la Alegría, in allusion to the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin that is represented on the back wall, behind the archivolts.
It was built between 1460-1466, under the mandate of Archbishop Alonso Carrillo de Acuña; with designs by Hannequin of Brussels and Egas Cueman in collaboration with the Flemish sculptors Pedro and Juan Guas and Juan Alemán, author of the Apostolado. These artists were in charge of a large workshop that had prestigious stonemasons and carvers.
The statuary of the door is one of the best Hispano-Flemish collections of the 15th century, especially the Virgin of the mullion and the statues of the jambs. The cherubs and angel musicians that accompany the ascension of Mary to heaven are works of art executed with great delicacy. The façade was altered by Durango and Salvatierra in the 18th century, as in the other doors, to consolidate the building. The eleven medallions located above the last archivolt represent prophets and patriarchs; the one in the centre represents the Virgin Mary. The door is crowned by a large statue of St. Augustine praying.
The bronze door jambs are a masterpiece by Francisco de Villalpando, who did a great job on the 35 panels or boards. They are hidden from view, protected by wooden panels. Above you can see the large rose window of polychrome stained glass.
Interior of the Lions' Gate
The interior of the gate corresponds to the great front of the transept on its southern side, on which rests the small balcony with a Renaissance balustrade that supports the tribune where the Emperor's organ is located, the oldest in the cathedral, from the mid-16th century, with the case made of stone. It is traditional for this organ to be played on the feast of Corpus Christi upon the return of the procession. It is also used on other solemn occasions or in concerts.
Above you can see the large rose window, framed in a square whose spandrels are carved with rosettes. In the lower part of the great front is the door divided by a mullion. Above the door you can see the sculpted tympanum with themes from the genealogy of the Virgin (tree of Jesse), whose authors were the same as those who worked on the outside of this door. Above the tympanum you can see the Plateresque work in the centre of which there is a large medallion of the Coronation of the Virgin, the work of Gregorio Pardo (eldest son of Felipe Vigarny). On either side you can see the statues of David and Solomon, attributed to Esteban Jamete.
To the right and left of this front, below, there are two tombs. The one on the right was empty until 1993, when the ashes of the archbishop, Fray Bartolomé de Carranza, were transferred from Rome, at the express wish of Cardinal Marcelo González Martín; the one on the left holds the remains of the canon Alfonso de Rojas, represented in a praying statue.
The exterior grille of the Puerta de los Leones
This work was carried out a century after the large grilles of the main chapel and the choir, in a completely different style from those, which gave way to solidity and utility rather than the taste for ornamentation demonstrated in the previous century. Its author was Juan Álvarez de Molina, a native of Úbeda (Jaén), who made the gate in the city of Toledo in 1647. The documents preserved in this regard say that the ironworker received 8,504 reales and 12 maravedís, plus the 27,000 that had been given to him previously. The document gives an account of the cost of the iron used by the ironworker, which amounted to practically the amount received for the work.