A diversion to Italy - Part 1.

A diversion from my normal blog on British subjects with a recent trip to Italy and the Amalfi Coast.

After the required visit to Pompeii (interesting, but too hot to really appreciate it) a walk up Vesuvius (dusty and busy) was worth the effort. I was disappointed by the lack of on site 'interpretation' and found the shacks selling tourist tat on the top of Vesuvius an eyesore.

The Amalfi Coast offers a fantastic location with hair-raising coast roads and interesting clusters of local buildings seemingly stuck to the mountain sides. I saw a similarity to the Isle of Portland in Dorset - houses piled high one on top of another, with cliffs rising from the sea (but without the expensive apartments and clear blue water).

Baroque churches with coloured tiled domes and over decorated interiors are a feature of the local towns. The style of decoration reminds me of fairground art - lots of bright colours, gold leaf, reflections and coloured lights. There's no concern about using unsuitable lamps in traditional fitments, such as low energy bulbs in sliver candlesticks on alters and exposed strip lights making them look more like market stalls than churches .

cont...

Watts Gallery, Compton, Surrey

I was privileged to have a preview of Watts Gallery recently before it opens to the public on 18 June. The only gallery in this country dedicated to a single artist, who was considered to be one of the great Victorian painters.

An excellent restoration of the building and a fantastic setting for his works. What a change from the gallery I remember, first visited in 1970 you had to ring the doorbell and after some delay the curator would let you in and show you around (not many people knew of the gallery in those days) it was dull and damp and the paintings were difficult to see, let alone appreciate!

Even if Watts work is sometimes overbearing (and over large) a visit to the gallery is a must, its just down the A3 from Guildford.

Reading (Berkshire)

A quick walk around Reading town centre today -  looking above the shop windows revealed a host of interesting building fronts, mainly dating from the late Victorian period. Many architectural details passed by and unseen by the shoppers in the street below. A longer visit with the camera is merited.

Reading also has some earlier buildings with the Abbey ruins and also two churches, mainly rebuilt by the Victorians, in St Mary's some good stained glass by Clayton & Bell.

The Simeon Monument in Market Place was designed by Sir John Soane in 1804, a detail can be viewed on photoLIBRA http://www.fotolibra.com/?u=26969

Brompton Cemetery (London)

After spending time at The Museums & Heritage Show yesterday I crossed over the road from Earls Court into another world, a world of the dead - Brompton Cemetery.

The cemetery was one of seven large cemeteries in London founded by private companies in the mid-nineteenth century. Designed by Benjamin Baud in 1839-40 it is one of the best; with entrance gates and long stone arcading leading to a domed chapel, all in classical style and listed Grade 11*.

The cemetery also contains a number of fine, listed memorials and thousands of grave stones packed very close together and in some places forming a sea of crosses. Perhaps not as 'atmospheric' as Highgate Cemetery (where the Sleigh have a family grave) Brompton certainly is still outstanding.

Southampton Art Gallery

The Art Gallery is part of the Civic Centre, it's a gallery that I had not been to before but proved to be well worth a visit.

A good collection of paintings from various periods but the most interesting (for me anyway) is a set of large gouache works by Burne-Jones as featured in a recent ITV Perspectives programme '|A Passion for the Pre-Raphaelites'.

The gallery, I understand, is a rebuild after WW2 bombing and in a simpler style to the Guildhall's hexastyle Ionic colonnade.  http://www.southampton.gov.uk/s-leisure/artsheritage/sotonartgallery/

Southampton Civic Centre

Visited Southampton and spent an interesting day exploring the townscape. Despite the efforts of German WW2 bombing there is still some heritage left to see.

Southampton Civic Centre is a grand group of buildings, currently undergoing building works on one side for a new museum. Constructed 1928 - 39 by Architect E Berry Webber.

The Guildhall frontage is imposing in classical style, faced with Portland stone see: http://www.fotolibra.com/?u=26969

Westminster Abbey

I've uploaded 4 more pics of the West Front which can be viewed on fotoLIBRA
http://www.fotolibra.com/?u=26969