French born-American artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois (born 1911) has been a well-respected name in the art world for over seven decades. She is often counted among the greatest female artists of all times. One of Louise's most powerful creations is the massive sculpture "Maman," which since the last dozen years is amongst the world's largest and most impressive sculpture. Bourgeois created "Maman" as a part of her inaugural commission of The Unilever Series in 1999 for Tate Modern Museum's vast Turbine Hall. Acquiring this magnificent sculpture is considered as one of the Tate Museum's historical moments. "Maman" was first displayed outside the Tate Museum of London in 2000. It was received with the mixed reactions of amazement and amusement.
The sculpture "Maman" is a 9 meter (30 feet) tall female spider made of stainless steel. It is black in color and has a sac under its belly in which she carries 26 pure white marble eggs. Long thin legs support the small body of the spider. The sculpture radiates elegance in entirety. While building the sculpture, Bourgeois paid careful attention to details, such as the placement and the finishing of the legs of the spider, in order to achieve a well-balanced structure.
A work of 'Symbolism' centered on the complications of relationships, the giant arachnid though looks threatening; the eggs she holds in her belly however, give her a sense of vulnerability. The way she seems to cling to her eggs demonstrates her protective maternal instincts. The overbearing size of the spider is intimidating, yet intriguing. Bourgeois gave "Maman" a playful and mystical character. It exudes an emotional power over the sub-conscious. To some it may appear like a magical creature, who accidently stepped out of some fairy tale, while others find its presence haunting like an old abandoned memory of pain or fear.
Louise created "Maman" in the memory of her mother. Bourgeois' mother was a weaver and ran a business of tapestry restoration. Bourgeois felt the egg-carrying spider was an apt metaphorical symbol for her mother as it displayed a character of strength and nurture. She believed like her mother that the spiders are friendly creatures and are protective, as they eat disease-causing insects. Several bronze casts of the fantastical "Maman" grace various museums, such as Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain), Samsung Museum of art (Seoul, Korea), Mori art Center (Tokyo, Japan), Jardin des Tuileries (Paris, France), and the National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, Canada). The next bronze cast of the "Maman" will be placed in Des Moines, Iowa in August 2009.
Her Most Famous Sculpture (Maman) - Louise Bourgeois ART IN UFFIZI GALLERY (FLORENCE, TUSCANY, ITALY) Video Clips. Duration : 30.03 Mins.The beautiful lands of France have been an inspiration to many a traveler, poet, artist and writer. It is hardly surprising given that you find different types of climate and geography from the snow clad peaks of the Alps and Pyrenees to the sun swept and golden sands of Nice and St. Tropez. There is something to appeal to every sort of traveler coming to France.
This hexagonal shaped country lies in Western Europe and shares its borders with Germany, Spain, Italy and Switzerland among others. Climate-wise, there is a lot of variety but for the most part, most of France enjoys cool summers and mild to moderate winters. This of course will vary depending on the area, like the winters in the mountains of the Pyrenees will of course be far colder than most places whereas the warm weather in the French Riviera attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
Geographically speaking, France straddles a little over 670000 square kilometers of land. While there are mostly gently rolling hills and flat terrain in the North and West, the rest of the country is fairly mountainous. Now that we've have an idea of what France is from geographic and climatic perspective, let us take a look at some of the must-see and must-do things in this wonderful country:
Paris - Paree aah Paree, this City of Lights is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Paris has long been associated with lovers which also makes it one of the most sought after honeymoon destinations. The capital of France has some wonderful monuments and museums like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. This city is also a gastronomic delight having an abundance of eateries from the road side cafes to the Michelin rated fine dining restaurants where one can indulge in exotic foods like escargot (snails) and frogs' legs.
Wine Country - The South Western part of France features several regions (one of the more renowned ones being Bordeaux.) famous for producing different kinds of wine. The French love their wine so it will not come as a surprise that their wine regions produce everything from everyday table wine to super expensive sparkling wines. Speaking of sparkling wines, the region of Champagne is a must visit if only to taste genuine Champagne in the only place it is actually manufactured.
The French Riviera - This Mediterranean coastline area in the South East corner of France is actually called Cote d'Azur or the Blue Coast. Home to many of the most beautiful beaches and scenic views of the ocean, the French Riviera is a popular tourist center. It is bathed in sunshine for 300 out of 365 days in a year and has more than 100 kilometers of golden and white sandy beaches, multiple golf courses, ski resorts and literally thousands of restaurants. Nice has a couple of "nice" places to stay like Le Mas de Selves which is a bed and breakfast hotel. Quaint Hotel Canada in the centre of Nice is also a decent option for you when you are in France.
So whether you are a newlywed couple looking for a honeymoon destination or a lover of the arts or just a regular tourist, there is something for everyone in the lovely France.
France - Land of Natural Beauty Rattansi & Ridley #19 4of4 Tube. Duration : 6.65 Mins.No trip to Paris would be complete without a visit to the world famous Louvre Museum. Home to great artworks like Mona Lisa and Venus of Milo, and more than 30,000 other amazing pieces, this museum is the most visited in the world. Because of this, going to this place entails proper planning and preparation. Below, you will find practical tips to make the most out of your visit.
Don't arrive with the crowd. The museum's opening hours is from 9 am to 6 pm on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. On Wednesdays and Fridays, it is open until 10 pm. It is closed on Tuesdays. Crowds usually arrive mid-day to after lunch in the museum. To avoid the long queues, arrive early in the morning. Another way is to go to the museum before the closing hours during Wednesdays and Fridays. Consider other entrances. The entrance at the Glass Pyramid is always packed with people. It will take you about an hour to get into museum if you go through this route. Other entrances like Carrousel Du Louvre and Portes des Lions. Choose artworks to see for the day. The Louvre is massive. It is humanly impossible to see everything in one day. If you're like most tourists, you'll probably want a glimpse of the Mona Lisa first before seeing everything else. When you get inside the Louvre, go to the information to ask about the location of the Mona Lisa. You may also follow the Mona Lisa directions posted all over the museum. Get ready for a lot of walking. Since the museum is very large, you'll also need sufficient energy to last the whole day. Eat a heavy breakfast before going here. If you're going with your kids, have breaks in between so everyone can recuperate. Bringing a stroller for toddler is advisable.
Paris often referred to as "City of lights" is one place to break free. There are many places which will make you happy and your trip a journey of a lifetime. If somebody wants to choose one place in Europe to visit, then Paris would definitely be one of the best places to visit. From the Eiffel Tower to Arc de Triomphe, everything is marvelous. If a list has to be made (which is very tough) about 5 must see places in Paris which one must visit, then the list must include the following:
Eiffel tower
Standing 300m tall, this is one of the modern architectural masterpieces. Designed and built by Gustave Eiffel to commemorate the centenary of French revolution in 1889, it has two restaurants in the lower level while there is a bar, replica of Gustave Eiffel and a souvenir shop on the top platform. If you will go into figures then it weighs 7000 tons but there is more into it than these figures. Eiffel towers look awesome in the night with all the lights on.
The Louvre
Being the largest art museum in the world, Louvre is another must see in Paris. The Louvre's collection is overwhelming in size which includes many paintings, coins, antiques and sculptures. The famous painting of Mona Lisa by Picasso is also kept here. It has a long list of items which is from ages and also of different origin and civilization. The museum pass cards work here and the tickets are half priced after 3 PM and on Sunday's.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, is arguably the most stunning Gothic cathedral in the world. Its construction was started in 1163 and it took almost 200 years to complete. It has witnessed many events related to big wigs like Napoleon, Pope John Paul II and others. This place had witnessed some of the greatest moment in the history of the city. Come to this place and see how the beauty and the ambiance impress you.
Arc de Triomphe
It was commissioned by Napoleon after he won the battle against Austerlitz in 1806, but it was finally built in 1836. Major victories are written on the top of the arc and the small ones are written on the inside walls. You can go to the top through staircase or by taking an elevator the view of Paris from here is beautiful. This is one of the places in Paris which is always on the top of the list to visit.
Sacre Coeur
Last but not the least in my list is Sacre Coeur / Montmartre. This church is not painted as it appears to be but the whiteness is through the liquid secreted by the white stone. This place will have a grand effect on you because of its size and location. This is a beautiful place to go and remember the good days once you are back to your home.
Go and see how the beauty of these places mesmerizes you. Paris is and will always be a tourist hub and center of attraction for its monuments and museums.
Fantastic Five of ParisSweden is probably commonly used as the country from the midnight sun, the birthplace of ABBA, the Volvo and also the Saab, and one or more of the world's most peaceful nations (it has not engaged in war in 200 years). With this sort of a reputation, Sweden is difficult to beat as a traveller magnet.
The capital city, Stockholm, is with out a doubt one or more of the world's finest and most beautiful. Tourists flock towards town for its shops, nightclubs, waterways, museums and parks. It can be interesting to note that whilst Stockholm is definitely modern and first-world, among its attractions is an old town with medieval, cobblestone streets. This is Gamla Stan, a charming, labyrinthine complex of souvenir stores and ice-cream parlors that are every single visitor's delight.
A different must-see in Stockholm is Skansen, an outdoor museum charmingly situated upon a hilltop. Initial opened in 1891, it now has on display 150 conventional conventional houses that reflect Swedish living in previous generations. These houses have inhabitants appropriately attired in period costumes, making for a spectacular scene hardly discovered elsewhere internationally.
Stockholm, as is all of Sweden in the main, is ideal for outdoor activities. The most common spare time activities are skiing, canoeing, hiking and cycling. Berry picking, when the season permits, is much less acknowledged but also counts as another favorite activity. Though cycling or hiking, a single may pass across fields of stone graves or possibly even trod more than an historic king's burial mound. These are evidence of Sweden's more warlike past, when Vikings pillaged whole villages a incredibly far cry from the present peaceful and neutral stance adopted by the region.
The optimum time to travel to Sweden is among June to September, when the weather conditions are at its finest. It is significant to note that daylight varies greatly throughout Sweden. In Stockholm in December, the sun generally sets as soon as 3 pm.
Swedish is the national language, but almost all Swedes speak good English. Several Swedes are thoughts to be heavy coffee drinkers who in addition have a fondness for vodka. The world-famous Absolut Vodka originates in Sweden.
On the downside, the cost of everyday living in Sweden is rather high. Even so, cheaper choices are available if 1 looks for them.
Famous Sites in Sweden