Things have been busy here, so I'm just going to offer up some pictures from my jam-packed trip to Madrid this past week for a bilingual conference on Rogier van der Weyden held in the Prado. It proved very fun for language practice; I'd really like to learn Spanish properly, though thankfully I can mostly understand things with my Italian and French. I managed to cram in time for the amazing collections at the Prado (the van der Weyden exhibit was incredible), the Thyssen-Bornemisza, the lesser-known but very worthwhile Galdiano Foundation, and a brief stop in the Reina Sofia for Guernica (overall, meh, though the creation process was fascinating). I am anything but an unambitious traveler. Because this was a work/study trip, I ventured out to Toledo in search of an obscure diptych - though I didn't find it, I stumbled on some beautiful scenery (below, and after the break).
Madrid was pretty much all work-related play for me, but I'd love to go back and have more time for food, drink, sunshine, and other explorations. I had to get to Zaragoza to see the object I'm writing my dissertation on - a diptych that is conveniently owned by the National Gallery turned out to be inconveniently loaned to an exhibition there. Still, the Aljaferia was a nice place to see it! And the exhibition provided some good context in the form of other objects as well. Despite some mildly mangled train reservations, I made it back to London and am back to the grind. My love to you all, especially in PA - you've been constantly in my thoughts.
Love,
Annie
Annie