GLENN GOULD and BEETHOVEN

For no particular reason other than Beauty can - for some minutes - shadow the ugliness of  what's going on in the world.
And that Glenn Gould was so much loved by Sole
We miss Her.

BILL EVANS - CHET BAKER

These are guys (sometimes naughty) who created beauty.
Compared to the one who just died and was celebrated for punching, knocking and hurting adversaries, I'd say these two are rather more worthy of praise.

AMAZING NATURE

Are these hills from some far away landscape of China's inlands?

More simply, they're the moss covering of a tree

LEONARD COHEN - DID I EVER LOVE YOU

I think there are few songs so fierce about love.
I loved all tracks but this one is special to me.

A GREAT AUTHOR, UMBERTO ECO

and not only a great author  for his novel 'Il Nome della Rosa' but a great novelist (in all his other works) newsman  and a fine person.
I bought and read all of his novels and publications and never found him boring or repetitive.
His newspaper notes were so clear-minded and up to the point for all of today's facts.
His death is certainly a loss for anyone who cares about truth and analysis.
So sorry, so truly sorry!

THE JAZZ MAN

Peter Cincotti: Sole loved so much this artist.
I also do.
I think he's under rated.
Great tempo!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLUas2ypb8M

TALKING ABOUT HONG KONG...

... I remember when Sole and I were talking about when, as girls who didn't yet know each other, we were flying from and to the old airport, Kai Tak, just in the middle of skyscrapers, close to the hills.
She loved flying and always found the Hong Kong approach and departure such an exhilarating experience. She always said that the new airport was OK under a rational point of view but not as thrilling as the old one. I'm not sure I totally agreed :-)
For anyone who would like to see how it was in the past to arrive at and leave from Hong Kong, here are links
Night Landing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X6HNOKSQUs
Concorde Landing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JKkJqNOFEY
Night takeoff from cockpit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c20wIRaOU8

THE PARADISE THAT WAS HONG KONG

Sole loved Hong Kong.
She told me so many times about her feelings, her happy memories of what was a lovely place. I agreed, having myself lived there for some time.
How not to remember Sundays at Stanley's market? (I mean the original one where you could still find antiques); Causeway Bay swimming; drinks in the evening at the then-called Regent ?
As long as the United Kingdom administered it, Hong Kong was (almost) perfect.
Of course, there were illegal sellers, particularly at night, selling counterfeit good to tourists.
But it was all part of an act.
Sellers knew they had to knot their selling floor-blankets in a hurry.
Police knew that the disbanded sellers would be back after some minutes.
Tourists knew they were buying counterfeit goods but didn't care.
However, roaming around Hong Kong at that time was a joyous, carefree and - above all - safe experience.
Now...the heavy hand of China:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35529587
Progress doesn't always mean improvement, does it?

GENESIS OF A DANDELION OR..

...the beauty of simple flowers

Opening Up In the Morning Sun

In Full Bloom

Perfect Geometry

A Field of Lighness and Delicacy

Autumn Shadows

The Last Dandelion

40 YEARS AGO...

...the first flight of Concorde.
The most beautiful airplane ever designed.

CANOVA: THE VENUS OF LEEDS

I visited more than once this wonderful show, as I live nearby.
I'm so sorry there's no official picture of the showcase of the central sculpture.
Snapshots are not allowed.
What I can say is that the showcase is one in a thousand.
So beautiful.
Why wasn't it made as THE OFFICIAL picture of the show?
Mirrors (in the right century's style) on all four walls as well as floor and ceiling, reflecting The Venus in the infinite...
White flowers plants giving life to the scene
I've seldom seen so much beauty

THOSE WHO KNEW SOLE...

...also knew that she loved baroque music (among others) and especially Cecilia Bartoli.
I just listened again to one of her memorable recordings.
She's amazing. It's impossible to classify her. She one, unique soprano.
Here a link to one of her historical recordings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzGvIGEkkqo

A GREAT BEAUTY

Sole loved Antonio Canova's works. I'd say she even was a Canova's aficionada if such a term could exist. I recently learnt that a special exhibition of a masterpiece called 'The Venus of Leeds - La Venere di Leeds' can be viewed - exceptionally - at Antonio Canova's museum.
I travelled there, in the mild hills north of  Treviso and discovered a world of beauty: amidst the museum with a record of the main works of the great Master, there she was. The Leeds Venus, in a scenery worth of the greatest World's Museums. In a square room, each wall has a mirror in 'Empire' style reflecting this beautiful Venus thousand-folds. Moreover, she's placed on a pedestal that, in its turn, is based on mirrors.
Oh, the beauty of it all....
And I was the sole visitor on that Tuesday morning.
Wherever else, Paris, London...there would be an endless queue of visitors.

REDHEADS IN ART

Jean-Léon Gérôme 

BELLISSIMA

Such as she would've been, had she lived in that century
I can view Sole as the perfect model for any of past centuries artists as, for instance
Leonor Fini

THE REDHEAD's FAMILY PLACE

On her father's side, she was Venetian and loved this town.
A couple of days ago, just before the last day of 2014, there was a snowfall that made of  Venice (too often invaded by ignorant mass-tourist hordes) a graceful, magic place.
That's how she loved it.

THE REDHEAD FOREVER

She loved Leonard Cohen. So, how better to celebrate her memory than with this wonderful video for which I thank the uploader.
The second song makes me think of a Canadian author, Louise Penny, that I love.
Her Acknowledgements as written in her Novel 'How the Light Gets In' are really touching.
For anyone fancying quality Mystery Stories, I'd recommend starting from her first novel, featuring Inspector Gamache ( I'm sad to say her last one disappointed me but all the previous stories were absolutely wonderful).
Canada seems to be home to many fine persons.
Sole loved One of them especially.

REDHEADS IN ART

Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson- Psyché Endormie 1799
More works by this painter HERE

REDHEADS IN ART ... AND POETRY

Lucrezia de' Medici ( not to be confounded with Lucrezia Borgia)
Painting by Il Bronzino
Notes can be found HERE
Poem My Last Duchess by Robert Browning, Its first line is:

That's my last Duchess painted on the wall,

REDHEADS IN ART

Agnolo Bronzino-Portrait of Lucrezia Panciatichi ca.1545