Postcard from Alsace – The Corner Draper – Le drapier du coin

This fine scuplture of a draper decorates the corner of an early 17th century half-timbered house in Colmar in Alsace called Maison zum Kragen.. Cette belle sculpture d’un drapier décore l’angle d’une maison à colombages du début du 17ème siècle à Colmar en Alsace qui s’appelle la Maison zum Kragen.

Postcard from Germany – One Foot Over

Apparently this type of representation of a cherub with one leg out the picture is quite common indoors (this one is part of a ceiling in the New Residence in Bamberg) but much rarer outside. The photo below shows the fresco on the right side of the Old Town Hall in yesterday’s photo. Il semble que …

Postcard from Hungary – Art Nouveau in Szeged

This stunning building is in the city of Szeged in Hungary, 2 hours from Budapest. After the great flood of 1879 destroyed most of the buildings, many of the European countries financed its reconstruction with the resulting amazing collection of art nouveau buildings. Reok Palace is my favourite. Ce merveilleux bâtiment se trouve dans la ville de Szeged …

Postcard from Zagreb – Croatia's first female journalist

Maria Juric Zagorka (1873-1957), journalist and author, was the first professional female journalist in Croatia and a stalwart feminist. Maria Juric Zagorka (1873-1957), journaliste et écrivain, fut la première femme journaliste professionnelle en Croatie et défendit lesvaleurs du féminisme. 

The Transparent Cross – La croix transparente

In the real, this cross in front of the privately-owned church of Saint Lubin in Suèvres is not transparent, but the filigree work is so fine that in the photo, it blends in with the surrounding foliage! Dans la réalité, cette croix devant l’église privée de Saint Lubin à Suèvres n’est pas transparente, mais le …

Fruit Bowls and Cornucopia – Coupes de fruits et cornes d'abondance

This is another detail from Hôtel Grouïn in Tours. Fruit bowls and cornucopia (horn of plenty) are symbols of prosperity, evoking the Golden Age when the earth provided human beings with nourishment in abundance. Pomegranates symbolise peace, apples eternity and grapes wine. Voici un autre détail de l’Hôtel Grouïn à Tours. Les coupes de fruit et …

Acanthus – Rinceaux d'acanthe

Yesterday I posted a photo of the Renaissance façade of Hôtel de Grouïn in Tours. Here is a close-up of the acanthus ornaments that decorate the façade. The acanthus with its large, luxuriant leaves, is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration. In about 1500, it replaced the ornamental cabbage leaves that were highly appreciated …

Café Univers, Tours

This lovely art deco glass dome is in the Café Univers in Tours, which dates back to 1896. The rest of the café restaurant has unfortunately been decorated in a more modern style, however. Cette belle verrière art déco se trouve dans le Café Univers à Tours, qui date de 1896. Malheureusement, le restaurant a …