Saturday 16 June 2012

Waddeston Visit

En route home from Brighton we stopped off for a birthday lunch for DH at Waddesdon Manor in Aylesbury.
 Classed as one of the jewels in the crown of the National Trust it really is a place for a full day's visit as there is so much to see. Built in the 1870s to house the  many treasures of the Rothschild family and to entertain their many aristocratic friends.

What looks like a chandelier above the main entrance door is an interesting artwork.  
Close up view reveals thousands of interlocked, tiny, acrylic figures.
The sculpture trail in the gardens was so interesting......
this piece I have seen somewhere before....
Here it is in situ....
Love is all you need!
I thought this was a sculpture  but it was only a contemporary garden seat
Snapped this lady mimicking the pose of Anthony Gormley's iron man. Arms outstretched but still similar to the 100 of his figures situated on the beach near my home.
Moon Dog by Tony Smith... Interesting, but I didn't get this one at all..........
This was a favourite as I found the reflected images in the polished, concave, scooped out, circles of granite just fascinating. It shimmered and constantly changed with the movement of people, the light, the skies etc.
This filigree rusted truck was a great crowd puller and in front was a colourful formal flower bed planted with a Union Flag and messages, especially for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. 
These "dollops" of bronze amazingly almost took on characters as they each seemed to have expressions of their own!
The giant teapot "Pavillon de The" by Joana Vasconcelos was well situated on the front lawn and there was a honeysuckle plant growing inside which would eventually intertwine the filigree pot.
Nobody had a good word about this huge packet of cigarettes which bisected a giant wooden chair, entitled "Bad Timing and Lamb Chop". Title and subject really need to be explained!
This is one I prepared earlier but I'll be home from Germany Sunday, i.e., tomorrow.
Sat  31st Agust 2013!!! Hello Mountain Ash , I hope I've caught you in time to thank you for popping by my blog so often and I'd love you to leave me a comment. your visitsa are a mystery but appreciated just the same!
Jo

10 comments:

Helen said...

What a stunning building! I love the sculptures too.

Unknown said...

Oooh I have spent many hours there years ago when we lived in Bedfordshire - it's a real beauty isn't it

Twiglet said...

Fab arty post Jo - well worth a visit. x Jo

Redanne said...

I love Waddesdon Manor too, it is second only to Chatsworth, in my humble opinion. Great photos, love those little blobs and the teapot best.

Carola Bartz said...

Wow, this is quite impressive!!! So different from my visit to Waddesdon House back in 1992. Everything was in construction mode back then, not a simple piece of art, and you couldn't get into it. This is so interesting, I wish I had seen it your way.

Angie said...

Thanks for sharing your visit ...love the different sculptures ...the chandeleir is amazing too. Hope you had a safe journey home. xx

Paul B said...

What a beautiful place and WOW, I sooooo want to go see those sculptures. Enjoy the rest of your holiday in Germany. Pxx

Neet said...

Fabulous photos Jo - shucks - thought you were still away. I am behind with things now!
Hugs, Neet xx

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

Wonderful pics Jo ;-) Love the teapot and the 'dollops of bronze' they look like birds to me.
Anne xx

millefeuilles said...

Jo, that was a fabulous post. I have a distinct penchant for that teapot. It reminds me of the work of a French artist, Annie Bascoul, who is inspired by lacework and gardens to make, for example, eighteenth century ironwork dress sculptures.

We will be heading to Nantes this summer to see those giant marionnettes in action. How about you?