Northern New Mexico Confidential

Breakfast at Cafe Pasquales in downtown Santa Fe

I'm folding Santa Fe and Taos and all the little towns and villages in between into one entry: Northern New Mexico.

Church in Las Trampas, NM, on the road to Taos

We went to the Georgia O'Keefe Museum in Santa Fe, but unfortunately the museum prohibits photography, so I have no pictures from there. Trust me, though, when I say we saw some amazing art not only by O'Keefe, but also by Thomas Moran, Thomas Hart Benton, and Edward Hopper, among others.

Peppers and Blue Door in the style of Rothko

On the road to Taos, we passed through the village of Las Trampas, which had a neat church and a traveling nurse from Easton, Maryland, who recommended seeing the Acoma Pueblo. Tomorrow's post will feature pictures from Acoma.

Rugs and Jars in Taos, NM

In the meantime, enjoy these photos and the slideshow from Santa Fe, Las Trampas, and Taos! As with all the photos on my blog, click the images to enlarge and see more detail.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

Space as Art

Primarily

Just a couple more pictures from the Torpedo Factory, only this time, instead of featuring some of the art in the space, I used the space to make art. Or not. Mostly, I'm just makin' up crap as I go along, I guess!

Outside/Inside

I just realized I forgot to include a link to this quirky art center when I posted my Two Things Challenge. I have remedied that (see above.) And now, my work here is done for the day. I'm clockin' out!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Two Things Challenge: Shiny / Dull

This week's Two Things Challenge was Shiny / Dull. I've chosen a couple of pictures I recently took at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. This is Alexandria's industrial art space where you can not only see the work of various artists, sculptors, photographers, and jewelers, but you can also see them at work. I think the two pieces I've chosen are a good mix of shiny and dull.



What do you think? Want to see how others interpreted this challenge or would you like to join in? Visit 2 Things Challenge and be a part of the fun!

Repository III

Mosaic of Minerva outside the observation balcony above the library's Reading Room.

Returning to the Library of Congress, here are a few more photos from this beautiful building. I have nearly 100 other photos I could cull from and could easily post another 20 or 30 pictures of this magnificent building, but I'm going to end with this entry as there are other things I want to post in the next week. For example: information and pictures of the new Capitol Visitor's Center, photos from a two day trip I made this week to Williamsburg and Jamestown, some new strangers, and just stuff from around the neighborhood.

More art over a doorway. Also, notice the detail work in the lintel. Gorgeous!
(Click image to enlarge.)

Even the elevators are art.

Thanks to everyone who has commented on my LOC series. I'm glad you've enjoyed it. If you ever visit Washington, make sure it's on your list of absolute must-see places!

Detail in the marble carvings and a series of putti on one of the grand staircases.
(Click image to enlarge and see the detail.)

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

Repository II

Just a few more pictures of the art at the Library of Congress. Click each image to enlarge and enjoy the detail.




Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

Repository

The Great Hallway in the Thomas Jefferson Building :
The Library of Congress : Capitol Hill
(Click on image to enlarge)

If America had a Sistine Chapel, the Library of Congress would be it. The LOC is made up of three buildings: the Jefferson, the Adams, and the Madison. The grandest of the three is the Jefferson. Built in 1870, the Jefferson Building features sweeping marble staircases, Italian-influenced carvings and sculpture, Renaissance art, frescoes, and mosaics that are breathtaking.

Art over doorways : Library of Congress
(Click image to enlarge)

To learn more about this national treasure, visit the LOC's website. Wikipedia also has some good information here. Over the next few days, I'll be featuring additional pictures of the world's largest book and media repository.

Hallway : Library of Congress
(Click image to enlarge)

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

Exaltation

The Apotheosis of Washington : Dome : U.S. Capitol
(Click image to enlarge.)

Today's entry will be brief, but I wanted to post pictures of the Apotheosis of Washington in the dome of the U.S. Capitol, which we toured on Tuesday. In theology, an apotheosis is the exaltation or deification of an individual, while in art it is a genre. The combination of the two generally results in a fresco like the one in the dome of the Capitol. The Apotheosis of Washington was painted in 1865 by Italian immigrant Constantino Brumidi. The fresco is 180 feet above the floor of the rotunda and covers more than 4,600 square feet. It cost $40,000 at the time; today, it would cost $535,000 to reproduce. (Although, knowing how the government works, it would more likely cost five times that!)

Constantino Brumidi's exaltation of George Washington--the Father of our Country--
in classical and Renaissance artistry.
(Click image to enlarge and appreciate the detail.)

For a full description of the content of the Apotheosis of Washington, visit the Architect of the Capitol's web page here or check out Wikipedia's description here.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 02/09

Two Things Challenge: Joint / Venture

Democracy: A joint venture between government and the people

This week's Two Things Challenge was Joint / Venture. This may be a stretch, but I chose two unusual photos to interpret this challenge. In the case of the former, the interaction between government and its citizens. Democracy only works when a nation's citizens actively engage and participate in government and politics. The above picture is a panel of presidents in the National Museum of American History. The panel spans from George Washington all the way to Barack Obama. The gentleman in the photo happened to step in at the right time and allowed me to capture the ideas of governance and citizenry in democracy.

Shopping with your wife/girlfriend/sister: a joint venture in domestic tranquility

In this second photo, I happened to be walking past a shop window the other night and noticed this couple in the midst of choosing a sweater. I know the majority of men don't care for shopping and often have to suck it up. I thought this composition captured the joint venture of shopping that so many couples find themselves in.

There you have it. A stretch, but what the heck! That's the whole point of these challenges, right? And speaking of the 2 Things Challenge, this post represents one full year of weekly entries. My first post for this challenge was on December 5, 2007 and the challenge was Colo{u}rful / Words. To see 52 weeks of interpretations at D.C. Confidential, click here. If you'd like to join in the fun, come on over to 2 Things Challenge!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Thankful

Entrance to the exhibit hall for the American History Museum's
most prized artifact: The Star Spangled Banner.

On my way out to the states this morning to enjoy the bounteous blessings of comestible consumption, I stopped briefly at the newly renovated and reopened National Museum of American History. This is the Smithsonian's repository of some of our nation's greatest treasures of historical significance.

The highlight of the entire museum is the flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor when the British laid siege to the port during the War of 1812. It was this flag that Francis Scott Key saw in the morning light and which inspired him to write The Star Spangled Banner--America's national anthem. Lines to see the flag were 20 deep this morning and I only had limited time, but I did capture this abstract flag outside the exhibit hall. I snapped a few more pictures in some of the galleries and will post a few of those next week.

Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday, even more than July 4th. In addition to just being grateful for the many privileges I, and my fellow Americans, enjoy and the right to participate in the democratic process by voting, I'm also thankful for family and friends who enrich my life. To those of you who have visited D.C. Confidential over the last year, thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Have a safe and fun-filled holiday.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/08

Team of Rivals

Abraham Lincoln (left in the painting), a long shot for the presidency, beat out several
more seasoned opponents, including William Seward (bust on the right.) Lincoln went
on to appoint his rivals to his cabinet in a stroke historian Doris Kearns Goodwin has called
"political genius." President-elect Obama is following Mr. Lincoln's lead as he builds his Cabinet.

If you've been watching the transition activities of President-elect Barack Obama, you may have noted that he is preparing to name several campaign rivals to his Cabinet. What Mr. Obama is doing is reminiscent of what President Abraham Lincoln did after his victory in the Election of 1860. Mr. Lincoln was not favored to win and was running against more seasoned national figures like William Seward and Edward Stanton. When Mr. Lincoln won, he decided the best thing he could do would be to surround himself with intelligent, experienced men with political acumen. He found those men among his rivals for the presidency.

Mr. Obama is engaging in the same kind of strategy--appointing New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to Commerce and New York Senator Hillary Clinton to State, two from among the field of candidates he ran against--and signaling a few things. First, that he views these two as seasoned, intelligent contributors to his upcoming policies and agenda. Second, that he wishes to patch up any last remnants of animosity that may have arisen in the campaign between candidates. And third, that he is effectively eliminating any competition when he runs for a second term in 2012. (That last one he won't actually say, but it is a result of his choices, particularly where Mrs. Clinton is concerned. She can't run against him as Secretary of State in 2012 unless she resigns her post, assuming she accepts the position.)

If you want to learn more about Mr. Lincoln and his cabinet and gain some insight into what Mr. Obama is doing, pick up a copy of historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

*****

Tomorrow's post: Thankful

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/08

Funerary

Rabboni grave--a sculpture of Mary Magdelene,
emerging from the tomb of Jesus on the morning of the resurrection.

One of the things I love about older cemeteries is how they immortalize the deceased. Most graves are noted with a lovely headstone, while others choose to be buried in crypts. Grave markers range from the simple to the elaborate. What I enjoy most are the graves that feature sculpture as their mark of acknowledgment that six feet under is someone who was considered perhaps especially extraordinary by those left behind.

The range of material--in this case, granite on the left, bronze on the right--
and the span of decades is part of the intrigue of funerary sculpture.

Today's entry features just a few examples of funerary sculpture as found in Rock Creek Cemetery. Rock Creek Cemetery is the city's oldest burial lot and is still active today. Hence, the range of sculpture spans the decades and centuries since the cemetery opened in 1719.

This contemporary sculpture marks the final resting place
of Susan Cerveny Colbert, Mother, Wife, Artist, and Scientist.

The next time I go to Rock Creek Cemetery, my goal is to find and photograph the sculpture over the graves of Henry and Clover Adams. The artist was Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

*****

Tomorrow: Team of Rivals

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/08

Busts

George S. Pickett, U.S. Army:
Led the futile and bloody assault at Gettysburg
known as Pickett's Charge.

This week, I'm going to feature some photos I took at the National Portrait Gallery last week. Photographing art is often a challenge, but museums provide so many opportunities not only for capturing great art, but also for capturing people interacting with the art. During my recent visit to the NPG, I tried to focus strictly on busts. Here are a couple of examples of my efforts.

In the painting, Harriet Beecher Stowe joined by her contemporary in bust, Susan B. Anthony.
The former, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. The latter fought for woman's suffrage.

Several busts were in galleries featuring paints of the subjects' contemporaries. I'll feature an interesting and apropos pairing on Wednesday, along with a book recommendation.

Date Night

Continuing my 100 Strangers series, I was originally intent on photographing the frame around the painting of U.S. General Ulysses S. Grant, but then this couple stepped into the gallery and they became part of the composition. I think I like this better than if I'd simply just photographed the painting in its frame, don't you?

*****

As an aside, I want to call attention to an article in yesterday's Washington Post Travel section about Vienna, Austria. If you are from Vienna or if you've ever lived there (as I have), if you've visited the city on the Blue Danube or have plans to, this is an article worth reading. I'd love to hear what our daily photo bloggers from/in Vienna, the City of Dreams, think of it.

Here is In the Presence of the Past: Vienna's Complicated History is Never Too Far Out of Reach. The article also includes a section on how to get to Vienna, where to stay, what to see, where to eat, and so forth. Any other suggestions for things to see and do in this magical city?

*****

Tomorrow's D.C. Confidential: Funerary Sculpture

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/08

Jazz Night

The Lovejoy Group performs in the Kogod Courtyard : SAAM/National Portrait Gallery

Last night, I met my friend Sylvia in the Kogod Courtyard adjoining the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. We had originally planned to see--or rather thought we would be seeing--part of the DC Fotoweek exhibit going on all over the city in galleries and museums this week. Alas, what we saw was a slide show of photos from the exhibit and listened to the jazz renderings of a group called The Lovejoy Group as part of the museum's weekly Take Five! series.

An evening in the Kogod Courtyard

It wasn't bad, but it wasn't what either of us expected. (And I still have no idea if my two photos I submitted ever made it into the exhibit. I never received a confirmation email from the organizers. But I have managed to garner 12 separate Evite emails from them inviting me to tomorrow night's closing fete at the National Georgaphic for $85 a pop! In the immortal words of someone: "I don't think so.") We ended up decamping to IHOP out in the states for a plate of pork chops (Sylvia) and pumpkin pancakes (me.) That did live up to expectations!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/08

Hillwood

Hillwood--the Washington home of Post Cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post

Warning: This entry is a bit longer than most I post, but if you're coming to Washington, it's worth it!

Nestled on 25 acres in northwest Washington is the estate of the late Marjorie Merriweather Post--heiress of the Post Cereal fortune. Her home, Hillwood, is a gem among gems in this town. Mrs. Post purchased Hillwood after her third marriage to diplomat Joseph Davies acrimoniously dissolved and the terms of the divorce stipulated that her husband would take possession of their New York City home.

The French Parterre garden to the south of the house.
Mrs. Post enjoyed this view from her bedroom suite.
Her first meeting every day, when she was in residence at Hillwood,
was with the gardener to discuss what else?
The gardens!

As the only child of C.W. and Ella Merriweather Post, Marjorie was raised in the family business and acquired the acumen and skills of many of her male contemporaries. When her father died in 1914, Mrs. Post inherited the business and a fortune valued at the time at US$250 million. She was married to investment banker Edward Close (paternal grandfather of actress Glenn Close) in 1905 and they had two daughters. They divorced in 1919 and she married financier E.F. Hutton. Between his bucks and her business, they expanded Post Cereal and renamed it General Foods. Post and Hutton divorced in 1935. She had one daughter with him.

Same French Parterre garden, different angle.

Later that year, Mrs. Post married Joseph Davies, a Washington lawyer and diplomat. President Franklin Roosevelt posted him to Moscow as U.S. Ambassador and Mrs. Post went along. Prior to her travels throughout Russia at the height of Stalin's purges and destruction of czarist art and religious icons, Mrs. Post had been an avid collector of French porcelain and furniture. During her stay in Moscow, she began collecting Russian art, iconography, porcelain, and Faberge eggs, among other treasures. She and Mr. Davies divorced in 1955; he retained the apartment in New York and Mrs. Post went searching for a home.

Terrace of the French Parterre garden.
Note the bayed window. That is Mrs. Post's toilette.

Following her divorce from Mr. Davies, Mrs. Post bought Hillwood Estates and would spend the rest of her life transforming it not only into her home, but a museum. In 1958, she married Herbert May, a Pittsburgh businessman. Their marriage lasted six years and they divorced in 1964. Following that divorce, Mrs. Post reclaimed her maiden name and stuck with it until she died. She never remarried. The same year she married Mr. May, she hired Marvin Ross, an art historian, to be curator of the Hillwood collection and to advise her on purchases and acquisitions for her collection.

A different angle on the terrace of the French Parterre garden.
Note the windows with awnings. Those are the windows of Mrs. Post's bedroom.

Mrs. Post's collection is one of the most impressive in Washington. In addition to opulent rooms (including a movie theatre decked out in plush purple velvet draperies and lilac crushed velvet wall paper with silver accents), her collection of French and Russian art is astounding! The tapestries are gorgeous. The furniture is exquisite. The wood paneled libraries are elegant. And the dining room table is astonishing! An invitation to Mrs. Post's home was something to be coveted in Washington.

Final resting place of Mrs. Post--her rose garden.

Mrs. Post began inviting veterans and their families to her estate on the Sunday preceding Veteran's Day--a result of the ill- and unjust treatment she believed returning Vietnam veterans were receiving and a reconciling, welcoming gesture of appreciation for their service on her part. It is a tradition that continues to this day. Mrs. Post died in 1973, but in her will she bequeathed her estate to the public as a museum.

Just one of the many orchids and plant varietals on display both in the house
and in the greenhouse. Mrs. Post insisted on fresh flowers in every room of her home
and cultivated them on her property.

In addition to her home, visitors can also see her greenhouse, several gardens, and a dacha she had built on the property. The estate is open 11 months of the year and is closed in January. Advance reservations are necessary for Sunday visits as the estate is not open consecutive Sundays. Reservations are also highly recommended for the spring and summer months, otherwise, you can just drive up and begin your visit at the Visitor's Center.

The estate also hosts a summer movie series on the grounds. The home is located off of Beach Drive. The cross street is Linnean and Tilden. There is no cost to visit the estate and gardens, but a donation of $12/adult is suggested and well worth every penny! This is a definite must-see in Washington and in my Top Ten List of Sights to See.

To see pictures of roses from Mrs. Post's rose garden, visit Standing Room Only. To learn more about Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens--Where Fabulous Lives and to see pictures of the interior (photography is not allowed in the house), go here.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/08

Two Things Challenge: Saturday / Sunday

The French parterre* outside Marjorie Merriweather Post's
bedroom suite is a lovely place to visit on a Saturday

This week's Two Things Challenge was Saturday / Sunday. I don't know what possessed me to choose this as a challenge, because it wasn't the easiest. But I finally figured it out! Most Saturdays find me out and about trying to see something new or photograph something I haven't. On Saturday, I visited Marjorie Merriweather Post's Hillwood Museum & Gardens.

Mrs. Post, the heiress of the Post cereal fortune, had a home in Washington that doubled not just as a home, but a museum. It's a beautiful estate with an amazing collection of French and Russian art and porcelain, as well as lovely gardens. I'll be posting more about this later this week. The picture above is the French parterre outside Mrs. Post's bedroom on the second floor. This was the scene she awoke to every morning. Not bad, eh?

Timothy J. Russert, moderator of Sunday's
Meet the Press on NBC, is buried in Rock Creek Cemetery

One of the staples of Sunday mornings in Washington are the political news round-up shows. All three national networks--ABC, CBS, and NBC--have a moderated show where panelists are either political pundits or politicians. One of the highest rated shows has been NBC's Meet the Press. As some of you may recall, in June Meet the Press' moderator and NBC's Washington bureau chief, Tim Russert, died of a heart attack. Mr. Russert was widely regarded in Washington. A native of Buffalo, New York, he wasn't shy about his humble beginnings. Many of us thought he would be buried in Buffalo, but to our surprise he is buried here in Washington.

This is a picture of Mr. Russert's grave in Rock Creek Park Cemetery--Washington's oldest cemetery. No headstone yet. I feature this as part of today's challenge because, as Mr. Russert always proclaimed at the close of his show, "If it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press!" Here's to you, Tim. We miss you!

* My thanks to Jackie who brought it to my attention that the intricate fountain in the garden probably precluded it from being an English garden, which is how I originally labeled it. I've edited this post to reflect the correction.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 11/08

Public Garden

The Castle--an example of Norman architecture
and the seat of the Smithsonian Institution.

The Smithsonian Institution Building, otherwise known as The Castle, opened on the National Mall in 1855. Designed by architect James Renwick, the castle is built of red sandstone from Seneca Creek in Maryland and is representative of Norman architecture--a combination of late Romanesque and early Gothic styles. Originally, the building was the residence of the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Joseph Henry and his family. For more than 100 years, it was also the only exhibit building in what would later become a vast network of museums and collections.

The Smithsonian Castle and Enid A. Haupt Gardens

In January 1865, the upper story and the north and south towers of the castle were destroyed in a fire. The building was reconstruction and, in 1884, the east wing was fireproofed and additional office space was added. It would be more than 80 years before any additional work was done on the castle. From 1968-1969, the interior of the building was restored to its original Victorian atmosphere. In 1987, a redesign of the exterior quadrangle resulted in a lovely public garden named for donor Enid A. Haupt.

English Dwarf Boxwoods in four varieties in the Haupt Garden.

The Haupt Garden is situated on four acres of land between the south side of the Castle and Independence Avenue NW. The garden doubles as the roof for the National Museum of African Art, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and the S. Dillon Ripley Center. Some of the garden's highlights include the Haupt Parterre, the Moongate Garden, the Renwick Gates, and a Downing Urn.

I couldn't decide which picture of the Castle and Renwick Gate I liked best,
so I decided to post both and let Virginia decide!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Newseum

The Newseum: Dedicated to promoting free press and free speech

Located on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th Street NW, the Newseum is Washington's museum to news and journalism. Built at a cost of $450 million, it opened to the public in April 2008. Originally based in Arlington, Virginia, the Newseum closed its doors in 2002 to build at this location.

The Freedom Forum, a non-profit foundation whose mission is dedicated to "free press, free speech, and free spirit for all people" funds the Newseum's operations. However, unlike the majority of museums located on or near the National Mall, there is a fee to visit the Newseum. Tickets are $20 for adults. I've heard mixed reviews about whether it's worth the twenty bucks, which is why I haven't been yet.

The subject of yesterday's photo, oriented properly today!

A staircase at the Newseum was the subject of yesterday's photo. And Wayne was right: I did turn the picture on its side. Here it is again, but this time right side up!

Just a different view of the same staircase.

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

Prototype + 400 + Buddy

Model of a statue honoring General George C. Meade

Yesterday's entry featured the Smithsonian American Art Museum and mentioned that its collections include renderings, prototypes, and models by various American artists. One of those prototypes is this model of a statue honoring U.S. Civil War general George C. Meade of Pennsylvania. The statue was commissioned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a gift to the city of Washington. It was designed by Philadelphian sculptor Charles Grafly. The prototype for the statue can be seen at the SAAM and the actual statue itself can be found in the plaza of the U.S. District Courthouse on Constitution Avenue across from the National Gallery of Art's East Building.

Actual statue of General George C. Meade by sculptor Charles Grafly

If you're wondering what that 400 is in the title, today is my 400th post! That just boggles my mind. Once again, my thanks to everyone who visits this humble blog. My goal was and remains to bring you America's capital city in picture and word. I hope you're enjoying the journey as much as I am!

My younger brother, refusing to have his picture taken!

And finally, Buddy is my brother Phillip, who is celebrating a birthday today. He doesn't like having his picture taken, so this is all I've got! (Actually, that's not true. Keep scrolling down.) Phillip is one of the finest people I know; he has a wry wit and a keen sense of playfulness. He's a sensitive soul who believes in honesty and integrity in all that he does and lives it out in his life. He's a good man.

Somehow I managed to snap this picture. Handsome guy, right?

Happy birthday, Buddy!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential