Hellbent on Autun

Will be going to France soon to check out churches and museums in the northern part of France and the Loire Valley. Autun is out of the way but worth the excursion to see Ingres' St. Symphorian painting in the cathedral. You Beantowners know the amazing painted studies in the Fogg for this giant history painting Ingres worked on for 10 years. (Well, maybe you don't, but you should.) The cathedral has the Giselbertus Last Judgement tympanum in there as well, so we are going.

As captivating and strange as the Giselbertus is through its design and proportions, the Ingres has one of the strangest figures in art history. Look to the left side of the painting for the mother holding the baby and check out the pipes on her. That's the amazing thing about Ingres, he was so academic and rational in his approach but ridiculously romantic in psyche. Perhaps in Ingres mind, the security of a mother's arms could only be achieved through the proportions of a dwarf. What a glorious nut. Can't wait to see it.

We will be renting a car to drive around France. I went with the economy car, which looks a little smaller than a mini cooper. European cars are a little different than what we have over here. Even with a European car, I'm sure we will be recognized as Americans by our looks, speech, and manner. I was thinking that since it is inevitable that we will be pegged as Americans and most likely be associated with Bush and all that is bad with the states, it might be nice to have a vehicle that shows the brighter sided of the states....the side i'm proud of.



I passed by this vehicle on my way to Starbucks this morning. Had to stop. Jeff Brown is the owner. "You make this?" "Every inch of it," he answered. Stylin'