Venice day #2

With two different tutors the second day (our groups stayed the same but tutors leading the group changed), we started off at the Peggy Guggenheim Foundation, an incredible palazzo-turned-museum situated right on the Grand Canal. Peggy purchased the place as a spot to house her extensive collection of modern art and to retire. She lived there but also opened it to the public while she was a resident. After her death, it became exclusively a museum and is under the auspices of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation (her uncle - he started the Guggenheim museum in NYC). It was a very fitting time to visit the museum for me as I had just finished a paper on Peggy! After all the reading and writing on the subject, I honestly felt like the two of us were friends (...I'm sure we would have been had our lives overlapped) and it was so exciting for me to be able to see all the works I had just written about! Here we are in the museum (..very focused, obviously) 

There are two buildings and and outdoor sculpture garden (where Peggy is actually buried) - so much to see but thought I would just include one of my favorites - I really liked this:

Next, we stopped at a church right at the entrance to the Grand Canal before heading off to lunch. The church itself was beautiful, but what was even more exciting is the fact that this view - looking east from the steps of the church - was painted by Venetian painter Canaletto in 1744. The view remains unchanged over 350 years later. Here is the painting, Entrance to the Grand Canal Looking East...

and here are some pictures I took from almost the same spot

pretty cool.

After this, we headed to the Ca'Rezzonico, another grand palazzo with 18th century interiors...ceilings by Tiepolo, period furniture, Murano glass chandeliers...the works.

Last stop of the day was to an exhibition happening on Wagner and Fortuny at Fortuny's original atelier The exhibition explored the collaboration between composer and designer. Inspired by Wagner's total work of art concept of an opera, Fortuny became lighting engineer, architect, set designer, and even director for Wagner. He was also a famous fashion designer - most exciting to me were the Fortuny dresses on display...the classic silk pleated dress was there, as was this incredible concoction of peacock feathers. Yes, please I'll try that on for size.

We ended the day at an Irish pub for St. Patrick's day - who would have thought there would be one in Venice! Please note the green beer in the bottom left corner we all had to try...so appetizing looking at it now.