The wonderful city of Bern

The Swiss city of Bern is known for its bears, the heraldic symbol of the city since the 13^th century. It also boasts medieval fountains as well as a startling collection of works by local artist Paul Klee.

Trees Need Not Walk the Earth

The great novelist Hermann Hesse once wrote, “Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life.” A poem and an etching echo that sentiment.

In memoriam Roma artist Ceija Stojka

Ceija Stojka (1933-2013) was a Roma (Gypsy) Holocaust survivor, writer, poet and self-taught artist who raised awareness of the plight of Roma people under the Nazis and in Europe today. Her paintings are vibrant affirmations of life.

The Three Kings (I)

The Magi – or Three Kings – had different names. The Near East knew them as Bithisarea, Melichior and Gathaspa, names that reached the West in the 6th century. An 11th century church document in Belgium lists them as Melchus, Caspar and Fadizarda, after which they turned into Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar. 

Two masters of mountain photography: Ansel Adams and Vittorio Sella

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, London, is currently hosting an exhibition of photos by Ansel Adams. In a perceptive and characteristically trenchant review in the Evening Standard, art critic Brian Sewell lauds Adams but opts for the less well remembered Vittorio Sella, “whose work preceded and exceeded his achievements.”

Whistler’s Mother

This painting hangs in the Museé d’Orsay in Paris. After Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, it may be the world’s most famous portrait of a woman.