Sep 4
Have you ever unexpectedly stumbled on something amazing while traveling? The Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows is just that! It is a free collection of art tucked into the Navy Pier in Chicago and is really a treat.
So are the blue glass evil eyes just tourist kitsch?
You’re probably seen this symbol before: the light blue and white circles set in a dark blue glass base. This stylized eye is meant to ward off the “evil eye”. Transcending culture and religion, there is a belief throughout the Mediterranean and the Middle East that because of jealousy someone could wish bad luck on a person. This ill-will is passed through a focused glance or “evil eye” hence the need for charms to ward off the bad will.
Summer is winding down and I wish I could have one more beach getaway. I would go back to Bodrum Turkey in a heartbeat. After seeing all the beautiful gulets moored lazily in the harbor, all I can think about is week long sail along the southwestern coast. Maybe next year….
This photo was taken looking east from the Bodrum Castle; there were even more ships in the harbor proper.
Amphora display showing how containers were set upright into the ship’s hull and lashed together
Over the last 4000 years, small ships have darted throughout the Eastern Mediterranean with oil, olives, wine, raw metals and other trading goods. Since most of these early vessels were not particularly sophisticated, the waters around Turkey are littered with shipwrecks. After a tip from local sponge divers in the 1960s, the first underwater archaeology excavations were begun along the Bodrum coast. A lot of these findings can be seen today in the Museum of Underwater Archaeology housed in the 14th century Bodrum Castle.
Partial grazing light image of Picasso’s “The Old Guitarist” as it hangs at The Art Institute of Chicago
It is not uncommon for artists to rework or even reuse canvases. Careful examination with scientific techniques can offer glimpses of pasts images buried beneath the surface. But sometimes you don’t need sophisticated instruments; sometimes the underlying image is very obvious looking at the final piece. This was my experience with Pablo Picasso’s “The Old Guitarist” and the ghostly woman’s face in the top center of the painting. Looking at it from the side and letting the light graze the image, you can see the depth of her face very clearly.
Daydream Tourist 