Monday March 21 was another cloudy day with about 30 minutes of rain. High of only 16C and windy. While great walking weather, it is cooler than we thought it would be in Palma. If only there was sun... However, there is lots to see and we are enjoying the Mallorquin ways.
We made a brief stop at the Mercat Olivar to pick up some vegetables.
 |
| One of the many veg purveyors |
Our destination was the CaixaForum to see two exhibits.
 |
| The outside of the CaixaForum (previously the Gran Hotel) |
 |
| Side of building with poster for Faraó, Dei d'Egipte (Pharaoh, King of Egypt |
The first exhibit was a small one entitled: Hermen Anglada-Camarasa and Joaquim Mir in Mallorca. Both of these men were two of the greatest landscape painters in the Catalan tradition. Although they discovered Mallorca at slightly different times, it had a major impact on them. Mir (Barcelona, 1873- 1940) took classes in Barcelona, before joining the Colla del Safrà group of artists in 1893, who took their name from the prevailing colour of saffron in their paintings.
Anglada-Camarasa (Barcelona 1871-Port de Pollença 1959) studied in Catalonia and Paris. He left Spain for Paris in 1894 where he achieved great success and won international acclaim during the period up to the start of WWI. Although based in Paris, he made lengthy visits to Barcelona and the two artists probably encountered each other there.
Mir moved to Mallorca in early 1900 and left four years later with a radically different understanding of landscape painting. Anglada arrived on Mallorca in around 1909 and settled there permanently in 1914. He remained in Mallorca until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. He spent the Civil War years between Barcelona and Montserrat, before going into exile in Pougues-les-Eaux near Nevers, France. Anglada returned to Mallorca in 1948, where he continued painting until an accident in 1953.
 |
| Hermen Anglada-Camarasa and Joaquim Mir in Mallorca |
 |
| The two artists |
The Enchanted Cove is one of Mir's most significant works. He was commissioned to paint three large- scale paintings representing the Mallorcan coastline to decorate the new Gran Hotel's dining room in 1902. His panels (including
The Enchanted Cove) remained at the hotel until 1941, when the hotel closed and the paintings were separated. It is reunited with the former hotel in this exhibit.
 |
| Joaquim Mir, The Enchanted Cove, 1902 |
 |
| Banquet at the Gran Hotel, July 18, 1909 (above picture on the right wall) |
 |
| Hermen Anglada-Camarasa, Storm on the Beach, c. 1930 |
 |
| Hermen Anglada-Camarasa, Twilight in Pollença Bay, 1914-1936 |
 |
| Hermen Anglada-Camarasa, After the Storm, 1914-1936 |
 |
| Hermen Anglada-Camarasa, Valencia, c. 1910 |
 |
| Hermen Anglada-Camarasa, The Tango of the Crown, c. 1910 |
 |
| Lovely wrought iron railings and lighting |
The second exhibit was entitled: Faraó, Dei d'Egipte (Pharaoh, King of Egypt), done in collaboration with the British Museum.
There was an excellent summary of the exhibit on-line in English, which I am using to generally describe the sections of the exhibit. Unfortunately, the individual items only had Catalan and Spanish descriptions. I am using the Spanish descriptions, as they are easier for me to understand.
Pharaohs ruled Egypt from about 3000 BC until the Roman conquest in 30 BC. Behind an apparent unity, many changes transformed the country. Power was also sometimes shared with invaders coming from nearby kingdoms. If spite of these changes, the inherent flexibility of the Egyptian monarchy allowed it to exist for over three millennia. Pharaohs represented the gods on earth, maintaining order and protecting Egypt from her enemies. The exhibit explores the ideals, beliefs and symbolism of Egyptian kingship. The background material also talked about the importance of the Nile for creating a lush landscape suitable for year-round agriculture.
The main floor had sections entitled:
Born of the Gods; Symbols of Power; and Temples: Gods, Kings and Memory. Hundreds of gods were worshipped in ancient Egypt and the pharaoh was believed to be associated with them in different ways. Temples were essential to the relationship between the pharaoh and the gods.
 |
| Cap del faraó Mentuhotep II, c. 2055-2004 BC |
 |
| Cap del faraó Tutmoses III, c. 1479-1425 BC |
 |
| Estàtua inacabada d'un faraó ptolemaic, c. 305-30 BC |
 |
| Fragmento de relieve con la inscription "Hijo de Re", c. 1294-1279 BC |
 |
| Fragmento de relieve, Mentuhotep II, c.2055-2004 BC |
 |
| Placa, Fayenza azul, c. 1069-664 BC |
 |
| Estatuilla de la diosa Isis con su hijo Horus, c. 664-332 BC |
 |
| Cap del faraó Amenhotep III, c. 1390-1352 BC |
 |
Accesorio para estatua en forma de ureo, c. 664-332 BC and
Elemento decorativo para mueble en horma de ureo, c. 664-332 BC |
 |
| Relieve de un temple del faraón Ptolomeo I, c. 305-282 BC |
 |
| Figura de un babuino en cuclillas, c. 1390-1352 BC |
 |
| Tres estatuillas en actitud de júbilo, c. 664-332 BC |
 |
| My favourite... |
The second floor dealt with:
Royal Life: Palace and Family; Running Egypt: Officials and Government; War and Diplomacy; Foreigners on the Throne; An Eternal Life: The Death of Pharaoh; and Royal Burials. Royal families were very large in Egypt. The pharaoh would take a principal queen as well as several other wives. Ramses II is believed to have fathered over 40 sons and 40 daughters with several wives. Jewellery and other objects of daily life have been discovered inside royal tombs. Texts have revealed that the pharaoh ruled over a complex administrative system designed to maintain religious, economic and political control over the country. He was supported by one or two viziers. High officials recorded their lives and most important acts in tombs and temples. Little is known about ordinary people. The vast majority of Egyptians were farmers and their names remain unknown.
Temple facades were covered with scenes of the pharaoh as a warrior. In reality, there were periods of civil war and Egypt was invaded many times by foreign armies. Nubians, Persians, Libyans, Greeks and Romans all attacked and ruled the county at different times. These facts are usually absent from the official version of events.
At his death, the pharaoh was believed to journey to the underworld. To help the pharaoh on his journey to a new and eternal life, a grand tomb was constructed to hold his body. Building would start very early in his reign to make sure everything was ready at his death. Pyramids were built at first and later tombs were dug into the hillside of the Valley of the Kings in Thebes. Despite all these precautions, almost all the tombs were looted, mostly during antiquity. To preserve the body of a pharaoh, he was mummified during a process that took around 70 days.
 |
| Estatua del funcionario de la corte Senenmut con la princesa Neferure, c.1472-1458 BC |
 |
| Estatua de un principle, c. 1279-1203 BC |
 |
| Estatueta de una reina, c. 716-656 BC |
 |
| Placa de Amenemhat IV, c. 1808-1799 BC |
 |
| Estela del faraón Sanakht, c. 2686-2613 BC |
 |
| Losetas con la representación de prisioneros libios, c. 1184-1153 BC |
 |
| Estatua del commandante militar Inebny, c.1479-1425 BC |
 |
| Fragmentos del relieve de una escena de batalla, c. 2055-2004 BC |
 |
| Engaste de un anillo adornado con un escarabeo, c. 1650-1550 BC |
 |
| Anillo con el nombre de un rey ptolemaica, c. 305-30 BC |
 |
| Ushebti del faraón Seti I, c. 1294-1279 |
 |
| Ushebti del rey rubio Senkamanisken, c. 643-623 BC |
 |
| Fragmento de la tapa del sarcófago del faraón Rameses VI (réplica) |
It was an excellent exhibit. There were 130 objects selected to show royal life and power in ancient Egypt. The exhibit was very well presented and all the artefacts were in remarkable condition.
 |
| Café on the main floor-- part of the former Gran Hotel |
We decided to have a three part late lunch. We started with our main course and a drink at La Rosa Vermuteria.
 |
| Board with only a few of the items on the menu |
 |
| Near the entrance |
We shared an onion and potato tortilla, a plate of roasted green pepper and a glass each of vermut.
 |
| With the tortilla and green peppers |
 |
| Alano digging in |
Then we went across the street to the bakery we were at the other day to get a few treats. We bought something to share for our lunch desert and a treat for desert tonight.
 |
| Outside of the bakery |
 |
| The name of the bakery today-- definitely lives up to its reputation as one of the best in town |
 |
| Treats galore |
 |
| The outside window-- cheesecake and a large ensaïmada |
We went across the road for a cortado at Mistral coffee. Alano got us some coffee beans to take home.
 |
| Alano waiting to have his cortado |
We walked by the Teatre Principal and then headed up La Rambla, a beautiful wide street with a boulevard, that we hadn't walked on before.
Comments
Post a Comment