L'arte 🎨

[Linda7Italian]

Hai un pittore o scultore italiano preferito, e puoi dirci perché?

[Explorer]

When it comes to sculpture, I choose the baroque artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. He was able to turn a cold block of stone into something that carries so much expression, emotion, and a real sense of movement. There are many other amazing sculptors, but Bernini will always be my favorite.

Apollo and Daphne

[Vlot Vlaams]

If you visit Klagenfurt in Austria, you may see these nice marble "ladies" left and right outside the entrance door of Hotel Palais Porcia. Clearly, by the name alone, they have an Italian taste. A hotel, for a change, not a museum

Porcia (or Portia) is a name steeped in ancient Roman history, Shakespearean drama, and enduring cultural resonance.

Roman Historical Figure
The most famous Porcia was Porcia Catonis (c. 70–43 BC), daughter of the Roman statesman Cato the Younger and wife of Marcus Junius Brutus, one of Julius Caesar's assassins. She is remembered in history and literature as a woman of notable courage, intelligence, and Stoic resolve. According to Plutarch and other sources, she proved her strength to Brutus by deliberately wounding her own thigh to show she could endure physical pain and keep political secrets.

I didn't investigate further or check with the owner/manager whether it's from "some artist" and/or even real marble.
It's white body parts, with red/white veined marble clothing. As you can see of course.

Inside the building there is more overwhelming (Italian? Baroque?) decoration to be seen.
We didn't stay there, but the rooms seem well decorated too.
Have a look here: https://www.booking.com/hotel/at/palaisporcia.nl.html

[Linda7Italian]

The "pink ladies" are beautiful, thanks so much Vlot Vlaams for introducing us. Bernini is also my favourite sculptor, Explorer, and during a visit to Villa Borghese in Rome I stood transfixed in front of Daphne and Apollo. In Venice I always go to the Accademia to look at the famous paintings and for some reason Tiepolo caught my imagination. The Immaculate Conception and St James the Greater are stunning.

For something quite different, I find all Jack Vettriano's paintings to be magical.