Duncan in Poland - Part 3 (Castle and Gallery!)

 These photos arrived today from Duncan along with the note: 

"Off to the gallery/castle today.  Almost got to see Saint George and the Dragon, but they gave it back before I could see it."

I wan intrigued to hear Duncan's comments on the things they (Duncan and his friend Veronika) saw there.   I was particularly interested in "the King's golden socks" (scroll down to the end for a look-see). 

Lucky me, i got a late night WhatsApp call, to report out.   

They reported that you had to buy individual tickets for the various galleries/floors that you wanted to see.   They got tickets for the first and second floor, and the treasury!  they also got there very early in the morning, before the crowds arrived.

Duncan loved the audioguides: they were set up so that they gave you an overview of each room as you entered it, including the historical context.  Then a description of where to stand and what to see, and then very clear directions to the next space.

When asked what was most memorable, he muttered something about horses butts.  More fulsomely, he said they had 6 sculptures of horses, wearing serious regalia.  They were also positioned, however in front of a wall of mirrors, and so he kept getting distracted by the reverse view in the mirror, which made visible less the regalia than the skill of the artist in shaping the horse shanks. :-)

Duncan said there was a gallery of paintings where people were replicating the styles of various historical painters.  

He loved this one of the burning of Troy

This one, he said, had a fairly recognizable style!   Yep... i made the kids go see a cinematic documentary on Hieronymous Bosch (and this is a riff on his triptych "The Last Judgement").   So fun!

There was also a section of landscape and seascapes.  While the paintings were beautiful, the titles were boring (ie. "Landscape" or "Landscape with a Tree").  :-)

There were also lots of artefacts.  They sent along a photo of these lovely and verdant porcelain teapots and cups. 

I love how in this photo of the teacup display you can find Duncan and Veronika's reflection in the back).

Same here with this porcelain fox!

Duncan pointed also to this one room that is sort of the council room for parlement, where they would decide on new law.  They would argue in this place.... the citizens are above.  

Veronika says there is a legend that at one time, one of the heads spoke to calm down the argument of the people.

There was also this dresser drawer with two types of wood, turtle shell, polished bronze and steel.

They both said the treasury was  particularly amazing.

Duncan didn't remember to take a picture, but was also interested in an image of a panther.   People at the time, he said, thought panthers slept for 3 days, and were a bit like Christ in that respect.  And so a tapestry with a dragon fighting a panther was allegory for struggle between good and evil.

Veronika says she was last there in elementary school.  They both said that, as the day went along, and more young kids arrived, it got noisier.  Duncan notes the irony that he was once that little kid running around in museums making noise, and now he is the person wanting to tell the kids to slow down and be quieter.  LOL.   What comes around goes around!