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seriously-mike · 10 months

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Welcome to the third installment of "Artists Through The AIs": this time, we're going way back to the classics with a certain young witch dressed up as a certain sorceress.

Due to odd behavior of the data model (the freshly updated Dreamshaper V7), I had to fiddle with the prompt. Namely, if emphasis was put on the "painting" part, the images were sprouting easels and/or heavy gilded frames every-goddamn-where, even with CLIP skip set at 2 instead of the usual 1. So "painting" was left at 1.0 weight, while "by X" was emphasised to 1.2. Other than that, the prompt is "embedding:kieshi3v with long (red hair):1.2, wearing long red medieval dress with corset, medieval castle exterior background, dramatic lighting, detailed, high definition", and the seed is 254762234227837. Negative prompt includes "((easel)), ((frame)), ((interior)), red eyes" in addition to my usual heavily magical list. So here we go.

Leonardo da Vinci - I'm having second thoughts about the background common for several of the renders, but there's enough distinction between them to highlight Leonardo's style. The main focus is skin shading and curly hair, as seen in Leonardo's depictions of Virgin Mary.

Caravaggio - deceptively similar to the previous one, but with a noticeable distinction: the deeper shadows and higher contrast, creating a very Caravaggian chiaroscuro.

Titian - asking for "Titian" and "Tiziano" generated very similar takes in a lamp-lit corridor with way too modern look and pretty much no similarity to the paintings you can view online.

It also appears that AI omits the paint and canvas textures from Renaissance paintings, something it didn't do with the impressionists previously. This is most probably due to less emphasis on the "painting" part, as I'm going to show you in another post. Moving most of the description two-three tokens down apparently also creates a new baseline with a window or portal (either fitted with a door or not) instead of an overcast outside shot.

Albrecht Durer - whether you spell him with an umlaut or not, the outcome is a generic take with a portal in the background. The umlaut just removes the door and gives Sabrina a handbag.

Lucas Cranach the Younger - what we have here is a miscommunication. If you ask for the art of Lucas Cranach, sure as shit you'll get your character in a black beret popularized by the elder one's paintings of German VIPs. However, the diametrically different interior characteristic of Renaissance painting and less pronounced effect of the embedded likeness of Kiernan Shipka makes me think that, once again, we're dealing with a "So you have heard of me" behavior.

Hans Holbein the Younger - once again, something's way off here. We have a similar Renaissance interior background with some traces of brushwork, less pronounced embedding and some odd lace bonnet, but nothing that would link the work to either of the two Holbeins. I think that we're dealing with the side effect of the prompt being knocked two further tokens down, but I'm not sure. It goes too far, particularly if you consider that differences between other images are much less pronounced.

Rembrandt - as in the case of Caravaggio, the distinct part of this one is the chiaroscuro. There's also more pronounced detailing of the collar and shoulders of the dress, possibly inspired by the outfits in "The Anatomy Lesson of dr Tulp", "Syndics of the Drapers' Guild" and "The Night Watch".

Vermeer - there's no doubt. This is Vermeer. Two different seeds and I got two very similar mashups of "The Girl Reading A Letter", "The Girl With Pearl Earring" and "The Milkmaid". This goes so far against the prompt that we're dealing with a similar case to Simon Stalenhag from the first test.

Peter Paul Rubens - this one itches my brain something fierce. While scrolling through the renders, this one and four neighboring ones share the exact same position of white shift and a dark underbust corset, meaning they're merely slight variations on a baseline, but I swear that I've seen a similar painting of a long-haired man in a black doublet with frilly white collar and sleeves. Was that a Rubens? I have no idea (it wasn't Hals' "The Laughing Cavalier", though).

Diego Velazquez - this one is trying to do something. Once again, we have a portal in the background, but the character's position is slightly off the baseline and the palette is slightly muted.

Murillo - way too generic. The background is curiously off, as it's not a portal but a vaulted ceiling supported by pillars, but the pose is shared by four other renders, including the Rubens one, meaning it's sticking to the baseline fairly closely.

Francisco Goya - this is an odd one. It has nothing to do with Goya's works, but still, the pose is off the baseline, the background features brushwork and an abrupt switch from a near wall to a wider expanse with bizarre levitating architecture. I have no idea what's going on with it.

Eugene Delacroix - it's generic. Sure, the background features an open street with some people as opposed to the typical portal and lamp or chandelier, but the pose and outfit are kinda samey. What, no attempt to go anywhere near "Liberty Leading The People"?!

Jacques-Louis David - another generic one. I mean, what the fuck. If you look at David's corpus of works on Wikipedia, this could have been done entirely differently, yet we have an underbust corset, a portal and a light source in the background.

Thomas Gainsborough - finally something. Discernible brushwork, unusual contrast and lighting, and - as a bonus - the Strawberry Hill Gothic castle in the background make this one distinctive and consistent without plowing straight into obnoxious homage slash blatant plagiarism territory.

#stable diffusion #ai generated images #ai image generation #ai art generation #ai image

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taruntravell · 5 months

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A Journey Through Art: Exploring the Rijksmuseum's Masterpieces on a Guided Tour

Welcome to the virtual tour of the Rijksmuseum tours, home to an impressive collection of masterpieces that span centuries of Dutch art and history. As we embark on this journey through art, I'll guide you through some of the museum's most iconic works, providing insights into their historical context, artistic techniques, and cultural significance.

1. "The Night Watch" by Rembrandt van Rijn (1642): Our journey begins with one of the most famous paintings in the world, "The Night Watch." Created by Rembrandt during the Dutch Golden Age, this monumental canvas captures the lively energy of a militia group. Notice how Rembrandt used light and shadow to draw attention to key figures, creating a sense of movement and drama.

2. "The Milkmaid" by Johannes Vermeer (c. 1660): Moving on, we encounter the exquisite simplicity of Vermeer's "The Milkmaid." Known for his mastery of light and meticulous attention to detail, Vermeer captures a domestic moment with a milkmaid pouring milk. The play of light on everyday objects reveals Vermeer's ability to elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary.

3. "The Jewish Bride" by Rembrandt van Rijn (c. 1667): Next, we explore the emotional depth of Rembrandt's "The Jewish Bride." This intimate portrait depicts a couple in an embrace, and Rembrandt's use of color and texture conveys a profound sense of love and tenderness. The painting is a testament to Rembrandt's skill in capturing the human spirit.

4. "The Threatened Swan" by Jan Asselijn (1650): As we continue our tour, we come across Jan Asselijn's dramatic painting, "The Threatened Swan." This work is symbolic and allegorical, reflecting the political tensions of the time. The swan, a symbol of purity and love, is under threat, mirroring the political climate in 17th-century Netherlands.

5. "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp" by Rembrandt van Rijn (1632): Our journey takes a turn into the world of science and medicine with Rembrandt's "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp." This masterpiece captures a public dissection, showcasing Rembrandt's skill in portraying not only the scientific aspects but also the individual personalities of the subjects.

6. "The Merry Drinker" by Gerard van Honthorst (1628): Concluding our tour, we encounter the lively and cheerful scene depicted in "The Merry Drinker" by Gerard van Honthorst. This painting exemplifies the Dutch penchant for capturing everyday life, and the play of light on the figures adds to the joyous atmosphere.

Our journey through the Rijksmuseum' tickets masterpieces offers a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Dutch art and culture. Each painting tells a unique story, and together they form a collective narrative of the Dutch Golden Age. I hope you've enjoyed this guided tour, and feel free to explore the museum further to discover even more treasures on your own.

#Rijksmuseum' tickets #Rijksmuseum tours

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bootlegfrank · 8 months

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HEHEHE YEAH I sent that anon in so early/late depending on how you look at it I was really tired but I had to make my words reached you before I passed out:] such a treat to have you respond that fast<333333 That’s a good point about cooking I never thought about it like that before ;ooooo but you’re right you do get to decide the specifics. I don’t think I’ve ever had gnocchi before 👀YOU GUYS DONT HAVE OLIVE GARDEN…BREAKS MY HEART💔okay you take me to IKEA I take you to Olive Garden hehe PSHHHH THE WENDY’S THING you’re not missing out with that one it’s not that great. Glad to hear you won’t hold back<3 I like getting to learn more and more about with each response. I’m so disconnected from the biology of my body you would be disappointed:’( but that just means you can teach me! I’d be your best student<3 hanging on your every word, though I’d get so distracted hehe YES!!!! I’d love to cuddle you to keep warm!!!! I’m excited to imagine that too there’s sm cute things you can imagine in the colder months I can’t wait to hear about what you imagine^.^ ahahaha definitely also other methods too;)

I usually don’t talk about my days but why don’t I for this response. Would you like that? The other day I got to go to my favorite local museum, which of course got me thinking about you. Do you like museums? Tell me about your favorite(s) if you do. I’m a huge art history nerd. Dutch art is so great. It’s insanely cool that your country has many awesome art museums. I did some googling and there’s a fucking Van Gogh museum AHHHHH<3333333 AND…okay ramble time there’s this book I like and FUN FACT whenever I would hear about the Netherlands, I would think of this book but now you’re my new association<3333 so yeah in the book they go to Amsterdam and also the painting that’s like the central theme of the book is by a Dutch artist and I looked it up because I was wondering if you guys had it there (I assumed so but you never know) and you DOOOOOOOO I’m losing my mind!!!!!!! That is the coolest fucking thing I’m screaming and at the same museum, they also have girl with the pearl earring. I’m nerding the fuck out. You guys have so much Vermeer I’m jealous (ofc you do bc he’s Dutch but jealous nonetheless) There’s also The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp there which…GOD. WOW. That painting has big you vibes btw haha ANDDDDD there’s a lot of Bosch in your country that’s fucking insane please tell me you’ve seen at least some of these in person. Omg one more funny story about museums there before I stfu, I had to do this project once where I researched a museum and the one I was originally going to choose was KattenKabinet for mine but I think I ended up not choosing it because the website was really hard to navigate. It’s so crazy that there’s all these little nods to you somehow in my life before I even knew you LIKEEE the way I was going to choose some some little museum there that’s not like a major one akakwkwjwjdjd

I also was at this outdoor festival the same day and there was this one vendor…oh my god. Literally all I could think about was you being there with me. You would’ve loved it so fucking much baby oh my god. She sold art that was mainly prints and wood burned things and it was all anatomy stuff!!!!! The thing that drew me in was a print of a lobotomy (I’ve had a fixation on those for awhile) and was like omg I have to see more. I can’t attach pictures sadly so I’ll describe to the best of my ability. There was a wood burning of ribs<3333 perfect for you I would’ve gotten you that hehe a lot of anatomical hearts. Skulls. A hand but only the bone parts. Teeth. Various organs I didn’t recognize that you’d recognize in a heartbeat<3 and they aren’t just anatomy for some of them!! Sometimes she includes other natural elements. One that I saw that really made me think of you was this spine growing up from glass surrounded by flowers. Growing up like it almost was like a flower itself. You would’ve found it so beautiful. I saw this large wood burned piece that was just…absolutely fucking captivating. It showed the ribs and intestines and stomach and liver surrounded by colorful flowers and at the edge of the intestines was this honeycomb and a bee on a leaf. I ended up buying a print of it:) and a sticker (you’ll love this) of an anatomical heart that says “eat your heart out” surrounded by Venus fly traps. Oh yeah and I saw this cutting board with an anatomical heart burned in and the words “all food is good food” or something like that which…cannibal coded….imagine you owning that….AKQKQKQJWHSHDHD the way if you were there I would’ve giggled in your ear the second I saw it and nudged you to show you

You would’ve went fucking insane if you could’ve seen me when I was all delirious. I think it was the most holy fuck no thoughts I’ve been in awhile. I made so so so many whimpery desperate noises I couldn’t think straight. All I could think about was being ruined by you<3333 the way that despite not being able to think well my brain just<333 defaulted to you because it knows to it’s core that I need you that fucking bad. My desire for you is wired into my brain. There’s no way you wouldn’t be able to have me if you were here hehehe imagining being like that in front of you but you being restrained so all you can do is watch;) how you would finally react when I freed you hehe fuck yeah I’d lick and suck on your fingers before biting them;) give you the nicest reminders of me like you deserve. God I would love to just<333 be at your mercy. In your hands all exposed. I’d trust you enough. I’m not into crying but for you<3333333 I’ll make an exception. It’s cute imagining you licking my tears. God imagining you persuading me to do stuff I’m not even into but you know I’d do it for you<33333333 the power you have over me<3333 the things I’d do if I knew it made you happy or brought you pleasure mhm anything to hear you murmur in my ear that I’m good for you godwlqkwkw fuck hahahahsh

Hi cutie, I'm terribly sorry that it has taken me this long to answer, I've barely been able to sleep :( I'm sorry that this response is so lackluster... I hope you don't hate it too much <3

Aww you're so cute for making sure to send me the ask before you fell asleep <3 Oh man, gnocchi is so delicious and filling! You should definitely try it sometime :D Hehe yess I'll take you to IKEA you take me to Olive Garden <3 I like getting to know more about you with each response too, I like learning about you <3 I could never be disappointed with you, but I'll gladly teach you I couldn't ask for a better student <3 Hehe I can't wait to hear what you imagine too <3 Do you have a favourite way of cuddling?

I'm so happy you're telling me about your day! I'm so interested in you and I love hearing what you're up to! I loooove museums! I think it would be so fun to stroll through museums with you <3 I'm actually going to the Van Gogh museum this October! I'm also going to another museum that week where they have a Keith Haring exhibit! Awww that's so cute that I'm your new association <3 Yess there's a lot of really amazing Dutch artists and I love art history so mucchhhh. Fun fact! In one of my High School classrooms they had a little print of The Anatomy Lesson hanging at eye level, I used to love staring at that instead of listening to the teacher hehe. I don't remember if I've ever seen one of Bosch's paintings but we studied them in art history :] I really loved studying Rothko's paintings too. Also everything in the Dadaism movement. Hehehe I actually hadn't ever heard of the KattenKabinet before you mentioned it haha it really is insane that there's so many nods to me in your life <3

That vendor at that festival sounds so sick! I'm rapidly running out of energy but that art sounds really really cool and I would've loved to go there with you <3 I've been thinking lately of bleaching some anatomy designs on t-shirts, what do you think I should make? That spine growing from glass with flowers sounds so so cool, right up my alley just like you said <3 That sticker is so awesome, where are you going to put it? I'd buy that cutting board in a heartbeat hehe it's exactly the kind of thing I'd want to have!

You'd sound so pretty darling, I'd drink up every noise you make <3 God it's doing something to me when you say that your brain defaults to me hnnnghdgh It'd kill me to be restrained but I'd love to watch you, I'd just have to stay calm, try so hard, but once you set me free I'd be all over you <3 You're so cute that you'd make an exception for me on the crying, I'd treat you so well after baby, don't you worry <3 I'd do so many things for you if you asked too, we're both at each other's mercy <3

I'm sorry this answer isn't as elaborate as I'd like, I'm still feeling a little sick :( I hope you're doing alright cutie <3

#asks

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majesticafe · 6 years

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Steven Levin

Steven J. Levin was born in Minneapolis Minnesota in 1964. His interest in art began early, when as a young boy Levin would spend hours drawing alongside his father, a commercial artist. Recognizing his talent and interest, Levin’s father gave Steven many impromptu drawing lessons and tips, as well as instructional books to aid in his artistic development. After high school, with his mind fixed upon becoming an artist, Levin enrolled at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Keenly interested in the great American illustrators as a teenager, he was hoping to find a program that could develop his ability to draw and paint from life convincingly. He realized, however, that the courses offered were insufficient and not designed for a career as a realist artist. The following year he enrolled at the newly opened Atelier LeSueur in Excelsior, Minnesota.

The Atelier LeSueur was among several ateliers that were the artistic and scholastic offspring of what was known as the Boston School. The Boston School represented a group of highly influential artists and painters working in and around Boston in the late 19th and early 20th century, and included Edmund Tarbell, Frank Benson, and William Paxton. These artists were trained in the ateliers of 19th c. Paris, where their artistic vision and working methods were influenced by the advent of French Impressionism. Over the course of the next century, they and their students would open ateliers of their own, and thus the training and vision was carried on.

At the Atelier LeSueur, Levin was quickly immersed in a world that was rich in tradition, solid instruction, and which held to the idea that beauty and craft still were the underpinnings of great art. The training consisted entirely of studio work under the direction of professional painters and students drew and painted directly from life all day, five days a week.

As was traditional, training began with cast drawing in charcoal to study the nuance of light and to develop the discipline of seeing nature in terms of line and tone. Students then advanced to more difficult subjects in color, such as still life, portrait, and the human figure. Drawing from a live model, lectures in anatomy, and the principles of composition were also part of the program. Landscape painting, an important part of the Boston School tradition, was undertaken in the summer months.

Levin thrived in this new atmosphere and studied there for five years, following which he joined the teaching staff and remained on as an instructor for another seven years while building his own portfolio. He completed his studies with an extended stay in England to copy works in London’s National Gallery, another time-honored tradition for the classically trained painter.

Though trained in the Boston School tradition, Levin has undertaken a somewhat different direction and brought a unique point of view to his work. He cites the works of Jan Vermeer and Edward Hopper as among two of his strongest influences. His rich use of tone and compositional skill sets him apart from his contemporaries.

Levin has exhibited widely and been featured in prestigious group and solo shows in San Francisco, New York, London, Beijing, and Barcelona. He has been featured on the cover of American Artist Magazine and also has been the recipient of numerous awards and prizes in national competitions including the American Society of Portrait Artists, the Allied Artists of America, the Portrait Institute, American Artist Magazine, the Artist’s Magazine, the Oil Painters of America and the American Artists Professional League. Most recently, he is the First Prize recipient for the ARC 2016 Salon in the still life category. He is represented by Cavalier Gallery of New York and Tree’s Place Gallery on Cape Cod.

Levin lives and works in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

#Steven Levin #Paintings #Artist

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20straveling · 7 years

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10.1.17 ~ American in an English Speaking Country

*settle in for a rather long post, due to my lack of posting in two weeks

After being here for three weeks and three days, I can officially say that I’m familiar with the routine of the family just in time to add the new baby! But this familiarity will be very helpful once Rachel is with the new baby and I am predominantly in charge of making sure Emilio is kept to a normal schedule and is still given full attention and care. Emilio’s day starts around 6:30am, which makes breakfast sometime before 8:00am, and then we have choices of what to do before lunch around noon, which include playgroups, (kid-friendly) museums, parks, or running an errand. Lunch is followed by a nap that everyone takes the time for, unless there are other housebound things to accomplish. After nap is another variety of the previous listed activities, followed by dinner, bath, and bedtime. Within every day is a variation of this schedule and lots of time to play with toys, go for walks, and ride the fun buses and trains/trams around The Hague. This combination of spontaneity and well planned fun (because Rachel kicks butt with Google Calendar) makes getting out of bed so very early a little bit easier, with the help of tea at almost every meal.

Some of the adventures we’ve been involved in are the Kinderboekenmuseum, the Haagse Markt, Schiveningen beach and pier, and some rather fun and friendly playgroups. It’s always a fun challenge to find something both interesting for us, the adults, and also for a (almost) two and a half year old. The Kinderboekenmuseum is specifically designed to be an entertaining and interactive museum that celebrates and brings to life the children’s stories that Dutch children have grown up with, and I greatly enjoy the concept. The Haagse Markt was an amazing place to see a collection of flowers, food, and clothes in mass quantities that didn’t involve box stores or having to leave the beautiful Dutch weather (we’ve had fall for a couple weeks now, its lovely). The Schiveningen beach and The Pier have proven to be an upscale and much cleaner version of Ocean City, Maryland. I couldn’t count the number of cafés or restaurants on two hands, and The Pier itself had pop-up style food stands, a kids playground area (think McDonalds, but with trampoline floors and obstacle courses), and a 90% waterfront restaurant at the end—right next to the Ferris Wheel over the water. Needless to say, when you live in a city that’s based on public transportation, there’s no real shortage of places you can explore in any given morning or afternoon.

One of the activities that we were able to take part in within Dutch culture was the celebration and procession for Prinsjesday (Prince’s Day). This is the third Tuesday of September each year and marks the beginning of Parliament’s year. The current monarch processes to the Binnenhof (world’s oldest house of Parliament still in use) and addresses the Senate and Representatives in the Hall of Knights. The procession involves various military groups on horseback, two different military bands, and the glass carriage that carries said monarch to and from the Binnenhof. The rehearsal for this event is at Schiveningen Beach, and we were lucky enough to watch from the sand as the horses processed and they practiced, and then also from The Pier where we watched them use orange and green smoke while practicing marching the horses in large groups. The day of the actual event, we were lucky enough to be standing at the front of the fence, but we made the silly mistake of being on the wrong side of the building (they still processed to and from this side of the building) because the Glass Carriage cannot fit through the archway on our side, rather it goes through the other archway across the lake. However, we still had a wonderful time watching all the horses and listening to some of the band play.

The Binnenhof is available to be toured, and on my way back from a museum one morning, I did happen to walk through the courtyard that the procession started in. I have officially put it on my list, and I look forward to getting an internal view to the gothic architecture that has been so well maintained. Some of the museums I have been fortunate enough to visit have been the Mauritshuis and Escher in the Palace. The Mauritshuis is home to the Dutch Golden Age of painting and houses some of Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Fabritius’ most famous works. If you don’t quite recognize those names, try looking up “Girl with the Pearl Earing,” and “The Anatomy Lesson.” It was incredible to see these paintings in person and I truly value my Art History degree when viewing works of art that we had only previously seen on a projector or on printer paper.

One of the things that I greatly enjoyed while at the Mauritshuis was the touring school children that were Dutch, but their tour and lessons within the museum were in English. The multilingual-ness of other countries will never cease to impress me or make me jealous (believe me, I have tried and tried again to learn another language). Museums are always a fun amalgamation of cultural visitors due to the general “international hub” reputation of The Hague, but also due to the general tourist pull that a museum houses. While touring the Escher, which was devoted to the artist, but also housing the exhibition of a preserved Dutch Palace that used to be home to Queen Emma, I was able to interact with a woman from New York, gentlemen from Scotland, overhear people speaking French, and also the local Dutch visitors. Being an American that can only speak English, it is always nice to go to a museum and look and share a visual and special experience, rather than one based in language. However, all of the plaques for both the museums I visited were in Dutch and English—how cool!

While in the Netherlands, I have seen consistent efforts of recycling and fresh food and flowers and biking everywhere and the general effort of a country to maintain cleanliness, even in areas that are considered to be “less acceptable.” I hope to at least bring home the fresh food and recycling mindset back home—but we’ll have to hope for the best and who knows what other adventures I’ll learn from as I continue the next two month and four days of Netherlandian adventure. (and one of my friends may be coming to visit me and I am thrilled about this idea!)

<3 M

10.1.17

#20straveling #Netherlands #The Hague #Den Haag

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booksplease · 6 years

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Delft is such a pretty little town. It is quaint with crisscrossing canals and arched bridges, cobbled pathways, brickwork, delftware, old architecture, quirky leaning Oude Kerk and the shiny towering Nieuwe Kerk, imposing City Hall, and impressive museums.

We planned a day out to enjoy the Museum Prinsenhof. One day was not enough, clearly we will have to go back to see the entire collection. It is extraordinary the amount of detail and history this tiny museum houses.

William of Orange, the “father of the fatherland,” founder of the House of Orange-Nassau and ancestor of reigning monarchy of Holland, had quite a dramatic life, from politician to rebel, fighting against the centralization of power, high taxes and persecution of Protestants, finally bringing independence to the United Provinces in 1581. He also had four wives, the third one being a former French nun. He was brutally murdered, shot, according to historians like Lisa Jardine, he was the first head of state to be assassinated with a handgun. The museum houses not only details of his astonishing life but also the Dutch monarchy family tree, their portraits, and a curious collage of photographs of some specific people from the general public invited to the present King Willem-Alexander’s coronation party.

The museum building is located in an enclosed charming square with a small maze shrub garden on the side, the building itself is beautiful, with picturesque corners, whimsical windows, along with the solidity of old stone walls as well as brickwork.

I was intrigued by their paintings about anatomy lessons, which they house, as part of their innovation collection. While these are not pleasant paintings to look at they offer tremendous detail and mark the curiosity of the human mind to figure out questions of human biology. I also liked looking at the faces of the people in these lessons, the disemboweled bodies in the forefront in contrast to their stoic expressions. Often the anatomy lesson participants are dressed in their finery perhaps to denote their status, there are no scrubs, no gloves, the naked body horrifies in the midst of the clothed. On a less macabre note, the delftware collection is lovely to look at.

My word of advice to you would be to plan a full day just at the museum because we also wanted to walk around the town and have a nice dinner we missed out on much of the museum. They have these new-age video installations, such a contrast to the old objects around, in which the various characters from history come to life and speak, not just the rulers but the cook in the kitchen, the help boy, the sellers in the marketplace. It makes for a relatively well-rounded narration of history, which is quite entertaining.

Delft has much more to offer, in our previous visit we had gone to the Vermeer museum, which is a complete delight. The canals are stunning, especially in winter, when sunset creeps in and you watch the city lights turn on one by one, changing the tones of the streets. Be forewarned that the canals do not have side rails of any kind, so if you have small children or are in a state of inebriation you need to be super alert.

We had our dinner at the Santiago Torres restaurant in the Markt area, which is the central square sandwiched between Nieuwe Kerk and the City Hall. The food was very nice, but the desserts were just beyond expectations, absolutely splendid.

Here are some of the pictures of the museum and of the town, I hope you enjoy them, and if you have been to Delft do share what you like to do there. We will be planning another trip soon so suggestions are very welcome, also if you would like us to try out something and share our review and thoughts please do let us know.

Day Out in Delft Delft is such a pretty little town. It is quaint with crisscrossing canals and arched bridges, cobbled pathways, brickwork, delftware, old architecture, quirky leaning Oude Kerk and the shiny towering Nieuwe Kerk, imposing City Hall, and impressive museums.

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salehiafamasterdam-blog · 7 years

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Day 8

On my previous entry, I mentioned the prominence of De Stijl art throughout Leiden. If there were any other city that would display a similar affinity for the art movement, I would have guessed it to be one of the hometowns of the “fathers of the movement; Doesburg, Mondrian, or Gerrit Reitveld. It seems as though my theory was inaccurate as the Netherlands’ most De Stijl-filled city seems to be Den Haag. The central station of Den Haag is littered inside and out with De Stijl. The characteristic primary colors and bold intersecting black lines can be found on a piano open to the public, on a glass elevator, the exterior of neighboring buildings, and on the windows of almost every single building within the city.

We were primarily visited Den Haag due to its position on the international level as well as nationally. The city is one of the four major centers for the United Nations and houses the base of operations for a staggering amount of international organizations, including the International Court of Justice and the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal. On the National level, Den Haag is where the Dutch Supreme Court, the States General of the Netherlands, as well as the Ministry of General Affairs and the office of the Prime Minister are located. All of the aforementioned localities are located within the imposing network of Gothic buildings known as Binnenhof. In fact, Binnenhof was originally built as a hunting lodge for Count Floris IV and was subsequently expanded many times over the centuries. We visited the the Ridderzaal, or Hall of Knights, and were able to see the throne in which the Dutch Monarch addresses the Dutch Senate and House, and where the Minister of Finance proposes the national budget for upcoming year.

I found the lecture during lunch by the very friendly Belgian man from the Dutch Language Union to be fascinating. His talk primarily concerned the importance of maintaining, identifying, and establishing what is and what is not “Standard Dutch.” I found it fascinating how the slightest shift in pronunciation in certain regions in Belgium can constitute whether or not they’re speaking Dutch, Flemish, or a dialect of either of the two. Upon thinking about this further, I really wish I had the opportunity to ask the guest lecturer how his organization determines the linguistic similarity/difference between Standard Dutch and a given language or dialect. I also wondered how, and at what point, they determine when a dialect of Dutch graduates to an entirely new language of its own.

The Mauritshuis Museum housed a handful of paintings I had been looking forward to seeing since I first signed up for this program. Most notably, its collection included the mesmerizing Johannes Vermeer painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring” and Rembrandts “The Anatomy Lesson” and self-portraits. In person, these paintings paralyzed me for an indeterminate amount of time. However, I was surprised by how taken I was by the various still life paintings within the exhibit, particularly Peiter Claesz’s “Still Life with Lighted Candle” and Pieter van Anraadt’s “Still Life with Earthenware Jug and Clay Pipes.” Both of these arguably obscure 17th Century depict light and texture of various materials in such a masterful way, that the observer feels as though they can smell the tobacco or feel the warmth of the candle. My time at the Mauritshuis Museum further reinforced my belief that the 17th Century had an unimaginable wealth of talented artists.

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themeltedheadaches · 7 years

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all the questions!

picasso: would you rather sleep on the moon with a stardust dress or on a tiny flower with a sunflower dress?

the moon!! 10/10 would have a sleepover with aliens

van gogh: where is your go-to positive place when you’re feeling down/sad and what do you usually do?

physically i usually go to my room if i’m feeling overwhelmed or the living room if i’m lonely LOL i’m a homebody so i like to stick it at home. but if i need to get out i like to walk to the park that’s by my house! mentally i like to just check out for a bit and get distracted.

warhol: what is something that you possess that you’ll never give away/sell despite how much the cost?

hmmm probably anything that used to be my great-grandmother’s.

da vinci: describe your dream wedding.

small! pastel! outdoors definitely, and comfortable! probably casual as well.

monet: where will you take your significant other in a date?

CONCERTS, i love taking people to concerts. museums b/c art is Important. honestly anywhere, i think walking around a park would be a good date lol

kahlo: what is a pro-tip/lesson that you learned from your past?

it’s easier to make a positive change in your life than you think it is, or you’re never helpless, or use your mascara before it expires goddamn

michelangelo: do you show your teeth when you smile? do you squint your eyes?

only sometimes, and yes lol not on purpose

matisse: how do you express your love to your friends/family/significant other?

by telling them! or i like to get them little gifts or compliment them, or i open up to them more and make sure they know they can do the same.

kandinsky: would you rather be a silky angel or a lacy princess… or a princess angel?

lacy princess definitely

degas: in a garden full of all sorts of flowers, which one will you pick?

the small ones! i love flowers like statice, lilacs, and forget-me-nots.

klee: in a library full of books, which five will you never get sick of rereading?

ANY lotr book (fun fact: once when i was bored over the summer i annotated my copies to point out all the environmental/anti-war stuff in it and it was a Blast), the anatomy of being by shinji moon, i’ll give you the sun by jandy nelson, the lady in gold by anne-marie o’conner, and probably enna burning by shannon hale (that book has so much nostalgia factor and it was so important to me!)

klimt: how many languages do you speak? what is/are it/they?

1 b/c i’m the worst but i’m teaching myself to read yiddish on duolingo!

seurat: if you can wear only one color with different shades for the rest of your life, which one is it, and why?

red!!! it’s so versatile and eye-catching and fun, and also looks killer on me lmao

vermeer: which of your qualities make you a dream girl?

fierce, protective, confident, vibrant, vivacious, bubbly, easy to please, funny, passionate, intuitive, ideological, eloquent, and strong…….basically i’m just incredible

harring: what is your all-time favorite band, movie, and painting?

band: FUCK rn it’s the regrettes, but all-time would have to be…………………………………………………………FUCKmovie: EASILY the two towers, i’m so fucking easy gdpainting: anything by john mclaughlin or gustav klimt tbh

munch: what is your medium in art? is that medium your first love?

poetry lol! it’s definitely not my first love, i’ve loved watercolors, oil paintings, novels, short stories, and music too, but poetry is something i’ve always been fascinated with and will always come back to. it’s the one medium i feel like i can express myself to the full, and can grow while always being challenged to be better.

renoir: is you heart occupied right now? describe him/her/them.

romantically not at all LOL, otherwise my heart is just full of thoughts for my family. we’re going through a rough time but we’re going to be okay!! my step-family and i are so close, i’m really so blessed to have them even when we’re grieving. i’ll always be thankful for their constant compassion and goodness, and readiness to welcome me with so much love.

gauguin: what is one thing that reminds you of childhood?

when empty dirty asphalt gets really hot and starts to simmer and that tar smell rises up, that’s all the recesses at my elementary school right there omfg

manet: describe your ultimate summer get-away!

b e a c h p l e a s e hm actually i’d love to travel somewhere really peaceful where i can throw my phone into a lake maybe lol

botticelli: what is that one moment in your life that makes you feel proud?

I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT THIS the moment when i signed up to read at a poetry slam!!! i’d never done it before, always wanted to, and i freaking DID IT and it was amazing and i got such a wonderful reception in such a tiny room full of such amazing talented people, i was honored to share my work with them and get their love back in return. that was the moment when i started actually making who i want to be and what i want to do in the future a reality and i’m so EXCITED to keep at it!!

cézanne: what is your favorite christmas cookie?

hands down the only christmas cookie that matters is gingerbread, in part b/c it’s a family-friend tradition in my household and also b/c it’s the best excuse to fit a ridiculous amount of frosting and candy on the smallest piece of cookie

#ask

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