75° Days, Spectacular Art and A Gaggle of Police Chiefs
Trumbauer designed the library based on inspiration from the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Affections dating back to the American Revolution, result in a lot of references to France throughout Philadelphia.
For me any excuse to visit Philadelphia is a good one. This trip it was the 124th annual International Association of Chief's of Police national convention.
More than just a convention, it is the preeminent opportunity for law enforcement executives worldwide to network, attend educational workshops, discuss various hot button topics and explore the dazzling array of technology and services designed for their use; literally everything from software, helicopters & drones to badges and uniforms.
More than just a convention, it is the preeminent opportunity for law enforcement executives worldwide to network, attend educational workshops, discuss various hot button topics and explore the dazzling array of technology and services designed for their use; literally everything from software, helicopters & drones to badges and uniforms.
The Skyline of Philadelphia
The convention rotates between various cities from one year to the next, I try to attend whenever it lands in Philadelphia or Chicago. I love those cities.
Despite the national turmoil and need for extreme security this year, the 2017 convention turned out to be one of the more interesting and productive IACP gatherings in recent memory.
Despite the national turmoil and need for extreme security this year, the 2017 convention turned out to be one of the more interesting and productive IACP gatherings in recent memory.
This most recent visit to Philadelphia reconfirmed that it is a great city in every aspect. It is rich in history, saturated with beautiful architecture, filled with amazing murals, loaded with regional cooking and inhabited by wonderful residents. Whether walking through the Reading Terminal Market (maybe in search of some Amish donuts?), or visiting its parks and museums, Philadelphia has something for anyone with a pulse.
This year I took an afternoon walk (tracing the steps of Rocky Balboa) right up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. It was my first visit and from the moment I entered I simply lost track of time admiring an embarrassment of riches. Eventually a very nice staff member had to inform me that the museum was about to close.
So here are a few impressions of a sunny fall Saturday spent enjoying "Philly".
The City of Brotherly Love
(Offering Expressions in Many Languages)
(Offering Expressions in Many Languages)
Saturday Chess Game
In front of the Philadelphia Parkway Central Library,
Architect: Horace Trumbauer 1927
Trumbauer designed the library based on inspiration from the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Affections dating back to the American Revolution, result in a lot of references to France throughout Philadelphia.
The Swann Fountain at Logan Circle
Alexander Stirling Calder 1924
A interesting little bit of information for art buffs. The Swann Fountain (also know as the Fountain of the Three Rivers) was designed by the son of the sculpture that designed the William Penn Statue residing on top of Philadelphia's iconic City Hall. And his own son (also named Alexander) went on to become internationally famous for his gently swirling mobiles.
Philadelphia's Rodin Museum
Architects Paul Cret and Jacques Greber, 1929
Native American
Washington Sculpture & Fountain
Rudolf Siemering 1897
The Philadelphia Art Museum
Architect's Howell Lewis Shay and Julian Abele 1926
I found it interesting that Julian Abele (who completed the details and perspectives) was the first African-American to graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Department of Architecture in 1902.
Fans Mug at The "Rocky" Sculpture
Once you reach the grand staircase to the entry of the museum you'll see a line of people off to the side of the stairs. When I ventured over to see what they were doing I found that this is where the movie sculpture of Rocky Balboa has been placed.
I made my way up the stairs and into the museum. The main entry presents another grand staircase featuring the huge golden weather vane "Diana". This sculpture once graced the tallest point in Manhattan atop the original Madison Square Garden.
Diana in The Entry Hall
With about 3 hours to spend, I had to pick my route carefully. I simply walked through many galleries in order to spend more time in others.
Here are a few of my favorite items from Philadelphia's collection.
First up Winslow Homer's A Temperance Meeting (sometimes referred to as Noon Time).
A Temperance Meeting
Winslow Homer 1874
Facial Detail
This is one of the few paintings I have seen by Winslow Homer that details a facial expression. In this case the important character is the strong sunburned milkmaid offering a drink to a slouching farmhand from her ladle (who is left without facial detail).
I loved Rousseau's The Merry Jesters. This lush playful piece is one of the artists later works. The bearded monkeys almost seem to be in a childlike embrace.
I loved Rousseau's The Merry Jesters. This lush playful piece is one of the artists later works. The bearded monkeys almost seem to be in a childlike embrace.
The Merry Jesters
Henri-Julien-Felix Rousseau 1906
Another interesting painting was an early Picasso painting he created in the summer he returned to Spain from Paris. I really appreciate his earlier works such as this (essentially the works he completed before he began painting the abstract works that eventually made him a global celebrity).
Woman With Loaves
Pablo Picasso 1906
Perhaps one of the most interesting paintings in the museum is Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending a Staircase #2. Hard to imagine today, but in 1913 this painting ignited international controversy when submitted in New York's Armory show.
Nude Descending a Staircase #2
Marcel Duchamp 1912
With a daughter that illustrates and authors graphic novels, I found myself smiling at this 1939 lithograph entitled The Art Class.
The Art Class
Caroline Durieux 1939
Caroline Durieux 1939
Perhaps one of Philadelphia's most revered and endlessly controversial artists is Thomas Eakins. A Philadelphia native Eakins traveled the world and studied anatomy and dissection at Jefferson Medical College. He was famous for his portraits, sculptures and huge large, brutally realistic medical paintings. In a nation healing from the horrors of a Civil War, his realistic medical paintings took on a life of their own.
He is also famous his stormy tenure as an art instructor and for a personal life that left his sexual preferences ambiguous.
The Agnew Clinic
Thomas Eakins 1889
A small statue of William Penn caught my eye only to realize it was Alexander Milne Calder's study for the huge sculpture on top of Philadelphia's City Hall.
William Penn
Alexander Milne Calder 1889
Rounding out my photos here is the marble bust of Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Antoine Houdon. Houdon was the leading portrait sculpture in France at the time. The bust is even more remarkable since Franklin never sat for it. It was created from Houdon seeing at the Masonic Lodge where they both were members.
I noticed Houdon's amazing sculpture of Voltaire during a visit to the Los Angeles County Musuem of Art.
Benjamin Franklin
Jean-Antoine Houdon 1779
The last item here was very interesting to me. It was a painting of Duke Cosimo I de' Medici (yes those Medici's) of Florence by Agnolo Bronzino. Why Bronzino painted one of the wealthiest men on earth at the time as an alegorical Orpheus playing a lyre to charm the three-headed Cerberus on the occasion of his wedding poses more questions than I can fathom!
Portrait of Cosimo I de' Medici
Agnolo Bronzino (approx. 1537-39)
This trip (like those before) just makes me want to return to Philadelphia again!
Roadboy's Travels © 2017
Roadboy's Travels © 2017
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