I also love visiting places that inspired the artists I love. Understanding how they came to create their masterpieces, brings the works to life in a multi-dimensional way. Seeing Van Gogh's bedroom at Arles, or Monet's cottage in Givernay gave insight into the artist and their process.
We are having similar experiences here in Spain. Seeing the El Greco masterpiece, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz – El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz in Toledo, provided an awareness of what the artist was feeling and doing at the time of creation.
Spain has a history of producing iconoclastic artists. Velasquez, El Greco, (technically Greek but claimed by the Spaniards) Goya, Gris, and moving into the more modern masters, Picasso, Miró, and Dalí. We had been warned away from a trip to the Picasso Museum here in Barcelona. Many of his greatest works are elsewhere and we were privileged to see Guernica at the Reina Sofia in Madrid. Miró also has a gallery here in Barça, but there is only so much time. But given the chance to travel to Figueres to see the great works of Salvador Dalí? We jumped at the opportunity.
We booked a full-day tour to visit Gírona and then to Figueres. I have spent a good portion of this trip lamenting the golden age of Spanish Jewry. The philosophers, artisans, and thinkers who came from this place make me sad about what could have been had they been permitted to stay. As we began our walking tour of Gírona, I knew the Jewish Quarter would be a shadow of what had previously existed. We decided to return after our initial pass in the old city, to spend time in the Jewish Museum. We were gifted with some old writings of The Ramban, Rav Mosse Ben Nahman Gerondí. Nahmanides was the highest legal and religious authority on The Iberian Peninsula. Like Maimonides before him, he studied medicine but by the age of sixteen, he was already writing commentaries on the Torah. Those of us in my weekly Talmud study will remember that the Ramban was the first to insert Kabbalistic overtones into his writings. I imagined him walking the cobblestone streets of his hometown before he escaped to Jerusalem because of persecution. Maybe it is the troublesome world in which we find ourselves today, but I am exhausted by stories of Jewish persecution and expulsion. I honestly do not have any good answers for any of it, but I know I am tired of trying to explain it. At the proverbial gift shop at the exit of the museum, I bought a small mezuzah. It isn't much, but it was my way of telling the Jews who are still here in Spain and are trying to keep our history alive, that they matter.
We made our way to Figueres to visit the crazy dream-filled world of Dalí. He was a character. The museum in his hometown was fully designed by him and every detail had his stamp of approval; from the eggs that adorn the roof of the building, to the faux-Oscar statues. His most famous work, The Persistence of Memory, isn't here. You might know it as the "Melting Clocks" painting. That particular canvas is on display at MOMA in New York. It is worth seeing. Here in Figueres, we glimpsed the more personal Dalí. His love for his beloved wife Gala, his homage to Picasso, and his desperate need to be the centre of attention. The museum is crammed full of everything he loved and adored. It was worth the two-hour drive to try and play Dr. Freud to Dalí's dreamscapes.
Some random thoughts.
- It is raining here on our last day. The weather has been spectacular save for rain of the first day in Madrid and the last day in Barcelona. We couldn't have planned it any better.
- We wandered down to the beach yesterday. The America's Cup of sailing will be here in about one-hundred days. Does that float your boat? (See what I did there? Hey Phil! That's how you do a pun!)
- We met a nice couple on our tour. They are Kentuckians who made sure we knew right up front that they aren't supporters of the Orange Menace. But, here's the funny part of the story. If you know of our escapade through Mt. Vernon Kentucky about thirty-years ago, you will be amused to know that this couple lives only thirty miles from there and they told us that the Pizza Hut is still standing. (If you want to hear this story, contact me offline.)
- It was Temps de Flors in Gírona. The entire town was decked out in flowers.
- We also wandered through La Boqueria yesterday. This market has been in the heart of Barcelona since 1836. Think St. Lawrence Market at treble the size. Fabulous.
- The tapas has been incredible and I have learned a few things. Fried artichokes? Yum. Fried goat cheese drizzled with honey. OMG! Chickpea croquettes is just a fancy name for falafel. Any olives, anytime, anywhere. I'm happy. Sangria is just as good without alcohol. Adding orange flavours is a new personal favourite.
Most of today's photos are by The Husband. The mezuzah and ketubah are mine.
Home tomorrow. Rest for a day and then I will chat with anyone who wants to visit this fantastic country. Adíos España. Hasta luego.
 |
| Flowers in Gírona |
 |
| That's the Dalí museum. Can you spot me? |
 |
| There were dozens of these Oscar like sculptures |
 |
| Dalí's self-portrait |
 |
| My uncle had a serigraph of this. |
 |
| Dalí's Mae West |
 |
| The market |
 |
| This ketubah is from 1377 Gírona |
Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete