Pictures for Pam, Day 174: HFF: Lady on Barrier (Nice, France Presentation +10 insets!)

(+10 insets!) (This is another installment of my trip to Provence, France. If you would like to see my other pictures, please visit my album, "Provence, France 2018"--most of the pictures are presentations with many insets on each entry!)

It's another lovely day full of flowers and glowing greenery! Today I've been working on my Upper Klamath Lake pictures but since today is Thursday, I'll be posting my Happy Fence Friday picture late this afternoon and thought it was about time for another visit to France!

It's been more than a year now, since Steve and I went to France. Much has changed for us, and we've learned and grown a lot since we returned! I don't know how many of my pictures I'll get through now that we've begun our RV trips but at least I'll be able to share our visit to Nice! Here is my next set!

The Promenade de Anglais hugs the meandering coastline around Nice and bends inward towards the main part of town, along with the barrier that lines the walkway. While Steve and I were strolling along, we noticed a handsome couple who were enjoying the late afternoon and obviously quite smitten with one another. The fellow wanted to take pictures of her and so she hopped up onto the barrier and posed. I happened to be close enough to get a picture too. The portrait turned out nicely enough that I thought it would be a perfect main image for HFF! For the rest of my presentation, I'm choosing images that include some of the artistic things we saw on this lovely day.

About these pictures:
PiP #1: Steve and I stepped into a building and though I cannot remember where it was, the outside wasn't remarkable but as you can see, the ceiling inside was spectacular! :) (I did do a bit of filtering to make it dazzle)

PiP #2: Walking to the grocery store on the first morning that Steve and I got to Nice, we walked past the Nice Chamber of Commerce. The top of the building was really pretty to look at as you can see!

PiP #3: I was really surprised to see a copy of Michelangelo's David in a little park that Steve and I walked through during the day. Such a lovely sculpture in bronze, I have seen at least two other copies in my travels. I have also seen the original marble piece in Florence, Italy, when I was just 21 years old, and it completely changed my understanding of what art was. I remember walking in there with the tour group I was with and, though I was interested, I wasn't expecting anything special. No big deal. I walked into the room, looked up and BOOM! I just about fell over from the power of this piece! David is HUGE! Looming over you, it literally glows with energy and I was simply unprepared. I stood there and just gaped. The gorgeous details, silky smoothness of the stone, the angles and grace of this lovely sculpture…it utterly blew me away. Until that moment, I didn't really "get" sculpture. I appreciated it, but I didn't realize that an artist can truly become part of the artwork in a way I can't explain. It was an amazing revelation to me and changed my life, just standing there and staring.

But it got better. There, at the Accademia Gallery, is another room, where Michelangelo's unfinished pieces are housed. After I was finally released from my hypnotic state with David, I turned and wandered, punch-drunk, into the adjoining room. I found myself staring at many pieces of partially finished sculptures. What was this? I stared. Slowly my jaw dropped and again I gaped in complete wonder. There, in front of me, I could see the pieces inside the marble, and could imagine the shapes within which joined with what Michelangelo had exposed. It was incredible. The chunks of rock were just boulders. How could there be anything inside? Looking at just the stones, I saw nothing, but Michelangelo could see the sculptures inside. He could see where to tap, to chisel, to break, in order to release the sculpture locked inside. When he exposed part of the sculpture and I had something to direct my attention, I could then see below, inside the marble, the sculpture which he was able to release. Standing there, I felt a new awareness bloom within, brought to my senses by Michelangelo himself. I wondered how a person can see something that is hidden inside a rock, without even a bit of guidance whatsoever. It is the kind of artistic prowess that I find truly incredible in every sense of the word.

To this day, my life is changed for the better because of my visit to the Accademia Gallery in Florence. I see sculpture and artwork at a much higher level with an understanding that allows me to appreciate everything so much more. How lucky that I was brought to this place at the tender age of 21. I am convinced that the quality of my art has been influenced by what I saw that day and I have always paid attention to art (man or nature-made) that moves me because it continues to broaden my scope and understanding. :)

PiP #4: This is a sign I saw above a shop that I thought was fun…I don't know why but I love the word "fromage" (cheese), and I can only imagine that a bite of cheese with a sip of whisky might be a very delightful combination!

PiP #5: A lovely monument and sculpture of a man named Giuseppe Garibaldi, a military figure who lived in Nice during the 18th century. It stands in a square by the same name.

PiP #6: This beautiful artwork was found outside a popular bar by the same name. Captured after nightfall, the tastefully directed illumination made this an irresitible picture for me! :)

PiP #7: What an odd and interesting artistic creation of light fixtures! When I first saw this I thought, "An egg-beater sculpture, neato!" It was only when I looked closer that I discovered that the "egg-beaters" were actually light bulb cages. I had hoped to learn more about the artist, "E. Mosser: architect/designer" but alas, I was not able to glean anymore information to add here. (If you are luckier than me, please let me know so I may update this information!)

PiP #8: This colorful group of lounge/beach chairs made a really nice arrangement and by desaturating the background, the chairs popped right out of the image!

PiP #9: Steve and I loved this wonderful bag and purse shop, overflowing with beautiful leather workmanship in all sizes and shapes. There were several displays found outside the shop and this is the other picture I'm posting which turned out nicely!

PiP #10: Having visited Europe on several occasions, I know that balconies are often turned into gardens, stuffed to the brim with plants that hang on for dear life. Here is such a display, one that brought a beaming smile to my face!

PiP #11: Finally, I saw this neat sign as we walked along and thought it would be fun to turn it into a filtered image!

Pam, I hope your day went well. I'm so glad you enjoyed my sunrise picture with the ducks flying through the sky. I really couldn't believe my luck. The sort of thing you dream of but it never happens. And yet, as I looked out at the sunrise, I heard the quacking of ducks…and incredibly, they were flying in the path of the sunrise! I took the chance of clicking away with the hopes that maybe one would turn out. Success. I'm floored. What a bucket list picture…I'm so glad I could share it! :) Where are we going next? To a lake about 30 miles away! We'll be going in just a few days, hooray! *BIG HUGS* :)

Explored on 5/3/19, highest placement, #3.