Author: artwalksboston

The Ancient Roman (and Natural) Glory of Pont du Gard

As I mentioned, I just spent a week in France. I stayed in Paris for a couple of nights and then spent the rest of the time in Avignon. On of our side-trips from Avignon was to the incredible Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard. If, like me, you enjoy a Roman ruin or two, it’s a can’t-miss attraction. It’s also a can’t-miss attraction if you like the great outdoors as the aqueduct sits in an incredible natural site with miles of walking and hiking trails and several large sections of riverside beach. Every drive in the area is pretty, and if you’re not driving it’s easy to get to (if you time it properly) for just a couple euros from Avignon or Nimes by bus.

The bus from Avignon (the A15) leaves from the bus depot, right next to Gare Avignon Centre. The Rick Steves Provence book mentions an Ibis Hotel. Which is valid, except there are two on that street. The one you want is next to the Train Station. Make sure you keep your ticket, if you reuse it you get a discount on your next ride.

It’s well worth the time and nominal (7-8 Euro) admission fee.

Here are some photos.

Pont du gard from up on hight

Pont du gard from below a view from pont du gard

arches and arches pont du gard

another incredbile view, this is one of the best sites I've been to

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Looking with Some Jealousy Towards London- This Current Show At the National Gallery Looks Great

I read about this exhibition, Painters' Paintings: From Freud to Van Dyck, in last week’s Economist, and it looks fascinating.

Explore the connections between painters and the paintings they possessed in an exhibition spanning over five hundred years of art history

‘Painters’ Paintings’ takes its inspiration from works in the National Gallery Collection once owned by painters, revealing the private acquisitions of Freud, Matisse, Degas, Leighton, Watts, Lawrence, Reynolds, and Van Dyck.

The exhibition investigates why these painters acquired other painters’ works – for artistic inspiration, to support fellow artists, as status symbols, as investments, even out of obsession.

It also considers the fascinating relations painters had with the paintings they possessed, and what happened when their acquisitions entered public collections.

‘Painters’ Paintings’ features more than eighty works spanning over five hundred years of art history, from Freud’s 2002 ‘Self Portrait: Reflection’ to Bellini’s Agony in the Garden of about 1465.

About half of the works are exceptional loans from public and private collections, including Cézanne’s ‘Three Bathers’ once owned by Matisse, Sisley’s ‘The Flood. Banks of the Seine, Bougival’ once owned by Degas, and Gainsborough’s ‘Girl with Pigs’ once owned by Reynolds

Each painting offers a unique insight into the private worlds of these celebrated masters.

It runs until September 4 and I’m definitely contemplating making it over there to see the show. The lower Pound will be nice as well. When I was there last time it was something like $1.65.

Anyway, if you’re there or are going to be there, it looks like something to check out.

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Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site

I visited the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site today. It’s well worth the trip if you’re at all interested in Olmsted himself (he was the designer of Central Park, Prospect Park, Boston’s Emerald Necklace and countless other beautiful landscapes across America) or landscape architecture in general. The (free!) tour was very interesting and covers the interior and exterior of the site.

If you’re really interested, you can also check out their archives on flickr. 90,000 images from the archive!

At the Olmsted Hour At the Olmsted Hour

At the Olmsted Hour

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Around Boston: Congratulations to SRV

On the heels of my own visit, I’m pleased to see the new, Venetian style restaurant SRV win Best Italian category in Boston Magazine’s Best of Boston listing. We really enjoyed our recent visit. I can’t say it made me forget I was in Boston (my recent trip to Venezia is still to fresh in my mind) but our meals were phenomenal, the menu is true to Venice (see the squid ink risotto with cuttlefish and tuna belly in saor pictured below) and the all Italian wine list was top notch. Not pictured is the baby octopus from the Cicchetti menu, which was potentially the best thing I had all night.

We’ll be going again, for sure.

Tuna in saor

A photo posted by Rob Larsen (@rob.larsen) on

Squid ink up in here

A photo posted by Rob Larsen (@rob.larsen) on

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