Top 5 Statues in Europe
[I think I need a trip to Italy]
Dec 6th, 2000, 08:03 AM
#10
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I'd like to add a dark horse: the statue of Queen Boudicca in her chariot that stands near Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament in London. It loses some of its dramatic effect since souvenir salesmen tend to put up their stands directly at the base, but it's a truly powerful and vibrant piece of work.
Dec 6th, 2000, 08:23 AM
#11
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1. Sammartino's Cristo velato, Sansevero chapel, Naples. <BR>2. Michelangelo's Pietà, St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican <BR>3. Rodin's Burghers of Calais <BR>4. Giacommetti's Striding Men <BR>5. The Prince of the World, Basel Cathedral <BR> <BR>(only 5??!, what a pity) <BR> <BR>Phil.
Dec 6th, 2000, 09:03 AM
#12
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Bernini's most famous masterpiece is displayed in Museo Borghese (my preferred one in Rome), Sarah. Two other outstanding Bernini works are also displayed there: Pluto & Persefone and his David. And there's a 4th one: though one could hardly justify its inclusion in a top list, the vivid immage of Canova's Pauline Bonaparte/Borghese will follow me to my grave. When my parents took me to the museum at age 10, the mattress looked so real that I had to touch it to make sure it was made of marble ... and a guy soon jumped all over me: "si prega di non tocare" 
<BR> <BR>On the top of my list (way above any other) rests Michelangelo's Moses, though. I've been introduced also at age 10 and since then I never failed to pay him a visit when in town. If Michelangelo were allowed to complete his work for Julius II tomb in San Pietro in Vincoli as planned, I would bet it would be visited by just about everybody going to Rome (just try to mentalize the Julius II unfinished tomb, Leah and Rachel flanking Moses, the two outstanding slaves in the Louvre, the unfinished four slaves group in Florence's Accademia plus about 30 other sculptures of the same caliber to get the picture of what might have been!). As it is, relatively few people even know that there's such a jewell in this church. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>PS. It's about time
<BR> <BR>On the top of my list (way above any other) rests Michelangelo's Moses, though. I've been introduced also at age 10 and since then I never failed to pay him a visit when in town. If Michelangelo were allowed to complete his work for Julius II tomb in San Pietro in Vincoli as planned, I would bet it would be visited by just about everybody going to Rome (just try to mentalize the Julius II unfinished tomb, Leah and Rachel flanking Moses, the two outstanding slaves in the Louvre, the unfinished four slaves group in Florence's Accademia plus about 30 other sculptures of the same caliber to get the picture of what might have been!). As it is, relatively few people even know that there's such a jewell in this church. <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>PS. It's about time
Dec 6th, 2000, 09:29 AM
#14
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Michelangelo's Moses is located at San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome. <BR>And, it would on my top five list along with La Pieta, David, Winged Victory (probably because of where it's situated in the Louvre) and any of Bernini's major pieces in St. Peter's.
Dec 6th, 2000, 10:03 AM
#15
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In no particular order: <BR> <BR>1) David <BR>2) Prisoners, especially the ones in Florence <BR>3) Pieta <BR>4) Winged Victory <BR>5) Venus de Milo <BR> <BR>Haven't been the the Rodin Museum in Paris yet, but I plan to go on my trip to Paris in 3 weeks. I heard at one time that The Thinker was on tour, is this still true?
Dec 6th, 2000, 11:54 AM
#17
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I suppose it depends on just which aspect of sculpturing you dwell on. <BR>If functionality is on the list of criteria, then I thought the statue in Salzburg at Schloss Hellbrunn that wet people when they were not looking was quite effective. <BR> <BR>If capturing the full expression of the subject is a criteria, then Rodin's bust of Clemanceau (white marble) is very effective. It makes Clemanceau look like a Mongolian warrior, complete with mustache and top knot. Clemanceau hated it; in fact I have heard he pitched a bourgeoise fit. After Versailles, I doubt if the Germans disagreed.
Dec 7th, 2000, 03:04 AM
#19
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As a Bernini fan, I must add to this list his breathtakingly erotic sculpture of Santa Teresa at the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome. And Paulo, I loved hearing about your reaction to the statue of Paolina Borghese. I first saw it back in the 70's with my (Italian) ex-husband. We were all alone in her room, in the pre-renovation Villa Borghese, with just a silk cord around the statue. He couldn't resist, either, but it wasn't the couch she lies on that he touched! I think the same guard as yours must have been on duty that day, because we got the same startled and firm admonition. My art history prof said that good sculpture begs to be touched--that's the point of it. Of course I know we can't do that, or the poor statues would have worn away long ago, but you should WANT to touch them, or the sculptor hasn't quite succeeded.
