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By the time we got to Jodphur during my fall trip to India, I wasn’t feeling too well, and the only thing I wanted to do was go to bed. That meant I missed most of what the Blue City had to offer. Little did I know that I would get a second chance to experience its wonders at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.
Peacock in the Desert is an exhibit representing centuries of royal treasures never seen before outside palace walls. What they represent is the history of the Rathores who are still Jodphur’s royal family. This incredible exhibit reminded me of so many things I learned and loved during my travels in Rajasthan.
The lavish life of the maharajas made such an impression. Whether they were transported by elaborately adorned elephants,
born in splendid palanquins
or driven in a Rolls Royce theirs appeared to be a pampered lifestyle.
Royal wealth and power were often depicted in art. A maharaja was regarded in so many ways: a warrior and diplomat, a connoisseur of the arts and material pleasures.
The material pleasures were many be they weapons or beautifully cast pieces of gold and silver.
On the trip, I was very curious about the role of women so it was interesting to study the exhibit in this context. In the royal environment, women appeared to have a good life. They often maintained personal shrines, such as this one dedicated to Krishna, where daily worship rituals were conducted.
Royal women had baradaris, a pavilion that could be taken apart and transported from place to place for festivals, game playing or formal state occasions. It struck me as fun to have a traveling entertainment center!
Then as now, women seem to be drawn to sparkle and adorned themselves with bangles and colorful and bejeweled clothing.
What they received for their dowries wasn’t bad either!
Throughout the exhibit were wonderful paintings that brought back memories of the intricate and detailed pieces that were observed throughout Rajasthan.
So small are some of the images that one has to look closely in order not to miss them as in this hunting scene.
I loved this piece not only for its detail and color but for the peacock in the clouds which seemed an early reference to flight.
For the boys in the family, I bought turbans so I was quite drawn to this colorful wall of turbans which taught something new. A turban represents pride and valor. Though made from similar materials, each unique style identifies community.
There was so much to see in Peacock in the Desert, perhaps more than I would have had opportunity to view in Jodphur so spending several hours roaming the space at the museum was a wonderful experience. When I saw the model of the palace where the royal family lives today, I was somewhat blown away wondering how if would be possible to care for so many rooms.
i so appreciate your visit and the comments you leave behind
This being a short visit, we didn’t want to spend hours waiting in line for some of the major attractions, so we opted to visit Galleria Borghese where we’d never been. The gallery is located in the villa begun by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V. The cardinal used it as a country villa at the edge of Rome.
Borghese was an early patron of Bernini, and the sculptures in his collection are amazing.
Up close the expressions tell a story of their own as seen here between Daphne and Apollo.
there is grace and beauty.
While it was difficult to pick a favorite from such magnificent creations, David preparing to slay Goliath may have been it. Again, a story is depicted so powerfully.
In addition to sculpture, there is a great collection of paintings with works by such names as Carvaggio, Raphael and Titian.
As much as I liked the paintings, what fascinated me were the ceilings in every room. 
It wasn’t just that the work was beautiful, it was that it was so three dimensional as to make some of the work seem more sculpted than painted.
Finished marveling at the work inside Galleria Borghese, we began walking back to our hotel with a slight detour to the Spanish Steps. There you can always count on merging with masses of humanity which reminds you of all the people who visit Rome to experience the wonder it has to offer. If one has to make a quick stop, this is a wonderful place to do it.
I have just finished reading Dan Brown’s most recent book, Origin, which had many references to Gaudi’s Casa Mila and Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. These gave me reason to review photos I had taken of both.
At Casa Mila, the influence of nature is obvious beginning with the facade which reminded of something growing from the earth.
Inside graceful nautilus shapes are among those reminiscent of the sea.
On the rooftop are amazing organic structures with flowers and layers resembling the earth’s strata.
Sagrada Familia continues to illustrate Gaudi’s fascination with nature and his interpretations go beyond traditional which for me is his genius.
Their branches spread across the ceiling giving one the illusion of being in a forest.
One could go on and on about the natural elements at Sagrada Familia, but as I looked at my photos I was stuck by contrasting religious images.
Ones depicting the birth story are delicate and detailed.
Not only are they crudely done, there is such incredible sadness in them.
Without question, Gaudi was an architect of tremendous talent who was not afraid to think outside the boundaries. While other of his work is complete, Sagrada Familia has been a work in progress for 140 years.
In a stunning exhibition of Oscar de la Renta’s designs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, clothing is art influenced by nature, art history, diverse cultures and the women for whom de la Renta designed.
It was easy to see the influences in his work. What he saw in Spain colored the way he saw clothes throughout his career.
He was drawn to the bright colors of Spanish art and the decorative elements of bullfighting attire.
When I spotted this coat, there was no question that the inspiration was Russian. At one time I had a coat reminiscent of this design. It was red with black embroidery and fur trimmed collar, cuffs and hem. Oh, how I loved that coat and held on to it for years after it no longer fit!
Who knew that de la Renta was an avid gardener and that this interest would find way into many of his designs?
Those words made it easy to appreciate his use of natural elements to create breathtaking designs.
As beautiful and romantic as de la Renta’s designs are, I could not imagine myself in most of them, that is until I got to these, reflecting an Eastern influence. I am a gal who loves flowing, unstructured clothing that leaves me feeling free. Any one of these would suit me, but I’m especially drawn to the white and the whimsey of the black.
I loved the attention to detail, the sensitivity to fabric, the use of embellishment in de la Renta’s work, but the real take away from this exhibit is how varied art is. One just has to find his/her own way of expressing it.
Are you familiar with ikat textiles made from threads that are dyed section by section? No doubt you have seen the fabric used in decorative items and clothing, but have you ever thought about how the designs are created?
When done by hand, the threads are stretched on a frame and the pattern is marked off. Each section of the design is then bound off and dyed separately until all areas of the thread are covered.
Ikat textiles are popular these days, but they are not new.
Historically, they have been symbols of status and wealth much like tapestries were in earlier times.
They were offered to rulers, loyal friends and people of importance as part of a centuries old tradition of gift giving.
Some of the gifts were used to establish and cement political alliances.
Today, in some countries, ikat garments are part of the culture.
As a weaver, I am fascinated by the artistry of the fabric,
often woven with silk threads as fine as a strand of hair. Knowing that I will never be able to duplicate such beautiful creations only enhances my appreciation.
After introducing you to Florescence, I cannot resist showing you more of the incredible floral arrangements interpreting the show’s challenges. Before going on I should tell you that Florescence is one of the largest competitive national flower shows sanctioned by the Garden Club of America in the U.S. 
It is impossible not to be awed by these creations
and seeing them displayed with the art that inspired them makes them even more dramatic.
I was blown away by creations inspired by couture dresses from the Museum of Fine Art’s collection.
As I look again at this photo, I notice that the arrangement mimics the flow of the dress…..absolutely stunning!
Here a styrofoam head wears an elaborate headdress made primarily of natural plant material. What sea goddess wouldn’t love to be so adorned?
Many times I see wooden boxes used on tables as centerpieces. Unique here is the mix of succulents, roses, lilies and tropicals that demonstrate how anything can work together provided the choices are selected with a critical eye.
Particularly interesting were arrangements incorporating abstract qualities inspired by pieces in the Museum’s contemporary art collection.
The varied materials used with flowers and plant materials was wonderful,
and I will be keeping my eyes open for elements that add interest.
Though I marveled over over the elaborate creations, I could not see such in my future. I was attracted to the ikebana technique because it seems a little more doable,
and I like the simplicity both of the containers and the flower design.
If I were to step a little out of my comfort zone, however, it would be to do something like this, so full of color and whimsey.