Impressions the Louvre the Louvre, an Architectural

Impressions

The Louvre

The Louvre, an architectural masterpiece, has dominated central Paris since the late 12th century. The original structure was gradually dwarfed as the city grew. The dark fortress of the early days was transformed into the modernized dwelling of Francois I and, later, the sumptuous palace of the Sun King, Louis XIV. My online tour of the Louvre allowed me to take a virtual, self-guided, room-by-room tour of the museum. The web site allows navigation through exhibition rooms and galleries and allows one to contemplate the facades of the museum. The first thing one sees before entering the museum is the garden, a delight during any season of the year. It is the perfect place for a relaxing stroll and it offers a range of activities for visitors.

There are more than ten sections in the museum for different kinds of art from all around the world including Near Eastern Antiquities, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan, Roman Antiquities, and Islamic art. Only a magnificent Renaissance palace such as the Louvre could serve as a shrine to the most revered jewels of these art and history collections.

Enter the Louvre going through the well-known glass pyramid designed by I.M. Pei and then lose yourself in a world of beauty, elegance and mystery. There are over 35,000 works of art showcased here and they form a one-of-a-kind collection. The museum is so enormous it can feel like an endless labyrinth to the first-time visitor. I believe that if could actually visit the museum in person, my impression would be much different. From my virtual view, I enjoyed the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, Italian Renaissance masters (Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Veronese, and Raphael), Flemish masters (Vermeer and Rubens), French 19th century masters (Ingres, David, Gericault, and Delacroix) and more. Probably the most famous masterpiece is the portrait of Lisa Gherardini, also known as the Mona Lisa. It is on display behind a glass case.

The Music of James Brown

The technology of the last two decades has made the world seem like a small village in some ways. It has become easy to listen to all kinds of music from around the word. Some music, however, has been known and enjoyed worldwide even before the advent of the Internet, and that is soul music. Soul music grew out of rhythm and blues and gospel during the late 1950s and early 1960s among African-Americans in the United States. Soul music usually features individual singers backed by a traditional band consisting of rhythm section and horns.

Before I came to America I loved to listen to James Brown. His music really touched my soul. I was listening to some of James Brown's music before I start writing, The five songs I listened to were "Get up Offa That Thing," "Sex Machine," "Living in America," "Funky Drummer," and "Please Please." It is difficult to find anybody who matches the passion, the energy, and the theatrics of James Brown, especially among today's current artists. James Brown was not just a singer; he was also the leader of his band. He organized his entire band into a rhythm instrument. There was not only the traditional rhythm section of the drummer and the bass players; listen closely to the horn riffs on "Funky Drummer" or "Get Up, Get Into It." That's rhythmic -- not harmonic or melodic. Listen to the classic 'chicken-scratching' of the guitar on "The Payback." Again, that's rhythm.

James Brown was called "The Godfather of Soul." He used his amazing voice to great effect. There had never been an artist like James Brown and I do not believe there will ever be anyone quite like him again. His work was truly original. When you hear the opening riff of a James Brown song, it is immediately identifiable. Not many musicians are as instantly recognizable. James Brown was a unique talent.

Online Tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

As a lover of art, I was excited about taking an online tour of the New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a world class collection that has been more than one hundred years in the making. It continues to grow every year. For an art lover who cannot visit New York, a virtual tour is a wonderful way to experience everything this fabulous museum has to offer.

There are major works from all the great European masters in addition to objects and artifacts from the world's different cultures, civilizations and periods in history. There is so much to compete for one's attention! I was particularly impressed by the Museum's collection of medieval art and sculptures. There are huge hanging tapestries, suits of armor, and illuminated manuscripts. The Egyptian display at the Metropolitan Museum is equally eye-catching. There is a reconstructed stone temple that that one enters to visit a room full of art and artifacts.

As for paintings, the Museum's "Rembrandt Room" delighted me the most. Lining all four walls were numerous major works, all portraits by Rembrandt. Every single one was stunning. Being in a room full of portraits had the most curious effect. When one takes a seat in the middle of the room, all of figures in the portraits seem to be watching. They invite introspection and contemplation. This is not an area to rush through; time seems to stand still and one should enjoy that feeling of being suspended in the moment. The Metropolitan Museum has a back room of framed paintings by many masters that are not currently on display in the museum itself. They call it "visible storage" and visitors have a chance to see more of the collection than what is up on the walls. Here is perhaps the greatest compliment that could be given to the quality of any museum's collection: this "storage" area has so many masterpieces in it, any one of them could be the highlight of a lesser museum's display.

The Music of Bob Marley

In ancient times, some of the greatest prophets were also musicians. In modern times, there was a musician who was also considered a prophet. Thirty years after his death, his music remains powerful because of both its musicality and its message.

Bob Marley was the most famous musician to come out of the Caribbean. Not many people had ever heard of Jamaica's reggae before Bob Marley but he brought this music to the world. His voice is instantly recognizable, melodic and slightly raspy. His music is driven the island rhythms that give reggae music its characteristic sound. Close your eyes and you are instantly transported to the islands; with each pulsing beat you feel as though you are in sync with the ocean's waves and the breezes that blow gently through the palms.