Marburg

Dear Friends
our M.Polo excursion of last Sunday continued with the visit of the historical and nice town of Marburg: http://www.marburg.de/ . The town is dominated by the castle of the Margravians and hosts the gothic Catholic Elisabethkirche and the Evangelic Marienkirche, the rests of the excavated synagogue and many hurdle houses. The excavated rests of the synagogue under a glass case, are relative far from the central Marktplatz of the town and I have to thank Jean-Luc for his insistence to visit them. In the Elisabethkirche of interest are the chapel with the tombs of the Margravians, the chapel with the tomb of Marschall von Hindenburg, German military leader of the WWI and president of the Weimar Republic, and the imponent modern (2006) Klais organ, the third organ of the church. The detais of this organ are in the book: Die Klais-Orgel - ISBN 3-88654-108-8. In the Marienkirche of interest is the big hystorical organ. The following images given you an impression of Marburg. Any comment from your side is welcomed.
Salutations
Giancarlo

Archäologisches Museum - Frankfurth am Main

Dear Friends
last Sunday, thanks to the organisation of Jean-Luc, took place place our announced M.Polo excursion to Frankfurth am Main to visit the temporary exhibition: Griechen, Etrusker and Römer
http://www.archaeologisches-museum.frankfurt.de/sonder/sonder.html
showing artifacts produced by said ancient peoples coming from the collections of the Museum. Of interest is that the Museum is located inside a gothic church, no longer in religious use, which adds charm to the artifacts exposed. Of particular interest were two extended slabs having reliefs representing the god Mitra mistery:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraic_mysteries.
One of the two slab is turnable and has coloured reliefs on both the two faces. As Jean-Luc explained me, probably a first relief (Mithra killing the bull) was to be presented to the normal adepts of the cult and the other relief, more difficult to be interpreted, was to be presented to more initiated members of the cult. Still of interest, but not part of the exhibition, the collections of Luristan and Urartean artifacts. I have to say that it was the first time that I seen Urartean vases, cups and helms: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urartu . Unfortunately, because taking images of the artifacts of the exhibition and the museum was not allowed, only some image of the journey to Frankfurth and the external aspect of the Museum can be shown here. However, for those having access to the EPO intranet, the full story of the excursion in on: P:\Munich\Archeo.
Salutations
Giancarlo

World Press Photo 12

Dear Friends
today morning in coming to work, unexpectedly I remarked in the hall of the Main Station (Hauptbahnhof) of Munich the temporary exhibition World Press Photo 12. The exhibition presents different images made by reporters whereever in the world. I think that one of the most important message communicate by the images of the exhibition is that although we are faced everyday with problems, there are problems much bigger than ours.
Salutations
Giancarlo

Café & Cosmos

Dear Friends
yesterday evening Jean-Luc and me attended the announced
lecture:
Technology of the future for new X-ray telescopes
by Dr. Anita Winter. After having reminded the general principle
on which the work of the X-ray telescopes is based, i.e. X-rays
tangentially contacting coaxially parabolic-hyperbolic surfaces
are focalised in a focal point, Dr. Winter illustrates the technical
difficulties for obtaining said coaxially parabolic-hyperbolic surfa-
ces forming what is named X-ray mirror. Many questions arose
concerning different aspects of the manufacturing of the X-ray
mirrors withnessing the interest of the public for the subject. In
closing the lecture, Dr. Winter illustrates the use of X-ray mirrors
in astronomical observations from space vehicles. The following
images give you an idea of the atmosphere of the lecture and in
case of remarks from your side, please let me know. For those
having access to the EPO intranet, full story of the lecture at:
P:\Munich\Café&Cosmos.
Salutations
Giancarlo

Giannandrea Avesani - painter

Dear Friends
In Verona, I had the occasion to visit the painting exhibition of Giannandrea Avesani. The exhibition is hosted in the CTG Hall in an old church no longer in use. The Avesani's paintings present religious subjects and beautiful landscapes having a touch of Impressionism (see the Impression Soleil levant of Monet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impression,_soleil_levant ).
The images give you an idea about the work of Avesani. Any comment from your side is welcomed.
Salutations
Giancarlo

Popular Religiosity in Verona (IT)

Dear Friends
in addition to the Venetian Lions, during my last walking in Verona, I had the possibility to collect many images of paintings withnessing the diffused popular religiosity in the town during the years 1600 - 1700. The paintings decorate the fassades of old rich palaces, are rather simple representations with normally marked colours and mainly represent the portrait of the Virgin. Interesting, some of them were provided with a support for a lamp, so as to be visible during the night. The images give you an impression of said paintings. Any comment from your side is welcomed.
Salutations
Giancarlo