Moving on from Paris to less well known pockets of Art history... With such deep roots here in the history of art and architecture, I can only skim the surface in a blog post. So I'm providing a few links throughout the post, as a way for you to dig a little deeper if you so choose. I thought getting lost in the Art and Architecture of Europe could be a wonderful way to spend some quarantine time! Enjoy...
The architecture in Loire Valley is absolutely and completely stunning! We visited several incredible chateaus - ALL gorgeous amazing feats of architecture. We soaked it all in after taking the high speed train south out of Paris.
And I made sure to point out the Leonardo da Vinci influences throughout...
Find out more about Leonardo's 'French' influences here.
Onto Amboise France for some more Leonardo da Vinci 'stalking'. We toured the final home of Leonardo da Vinci at Chateau du Clos Luce - late in the afternoon with a full moon overhead.
Leonardo's bedroom - This is where he past away in 1519...
The "ghosts" at Chateau du Clos Luce.... (my kids).
"As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death"
Leonardo da Vinci
If you want to know more about Chateau du Close Luce, click here.
Then we headed onto southern France for a visit with friends In Montpellier. They pointed out some highlights to visit in the area along with more incredible historic architecture of course!
The world's oldest medical school still in operation today...
A walled city in southern France - Aigues-Mortes...
To learn more about Aigues-Mortes, the walled city, click here.
And a quiet walk along the Mediterranean sea...
Then off to Rome, where everything is GRAND!
And the marble sculpture is unbelievable! Below is a favorite of mine, Apollo & Daphne by Bernini...
Learn more about this stone sculpture in the Borghese in Rome here.
To be continued in Italy...