French born-American artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois (born 1911) has been a well-respected name in the art world for over seven decades. She is often counted among the greatest female artists of all times. One of Louise's most powerful creations is the massive sculpture "Maman," which since the last dozen years is amongst the world's largest and most impressive sculpture. Bourgeois created "Maman" as a part of her inaugural commission of The Unilever Series in 1999 for Tate Modern Museum's vast Turbine Hall. Acquiring this magnificent sculpture is considered as one of the Tate Museum's historical moments. "Maman" was first displayed outside the Tate Museum of London in 2000. It was received with the mixed reactions of amazement and amusement.
The sculpture "Maman" is a 9 meter (30 feet) tall female spider made of stainless steel. It is black in color and has a sac under its belly in which she carries 26 pure white marble eggs. Long thin legs support the small body of the spider. The sculpture radiates elegance in entirety. While building the sculpture, Bourgeois paid careful attention to details, such as the placement and the finishing of the legs of the spider, in order to achieve a well-balanced structure.
A work of 'Symbolism' centered on the complications of relationships, the giant arachnid though looks threatening; the eggs she holds in her belly however, give her a sense of vulnerability. The way she seems to cling to her eggs demonstrates her protective maternal instincts. The overbearing size of the spider is intimidating, yet intriguing. Bourgeois gave "Maman" a playful and mystical character. It exudes an emotional power over the sub-conscious. To some it may appear like a magical creature, who accidently stepped out of some fairy tale, while others find its presence haunting like an old abandoned memory of pain or fear.
Louise created "Maman" in the memory of her mother. Bourgeois' mother was a weaver and ran a business of tapestry restoration. Bourgeois felt the egg-carrying spider was an apt metaphorical symbol for her mother as it displayed a character of strength and nurture. She believed like her mother that the spiders are friendly creatures and are protective, as they eat disease-causing insects. Several bronze casts of the fantastical "Maman" grace various museums, such as Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain), Samsung Museum of art (Seoul, Korea), Mori art Center (Tokyo, Japan), Jardin des Tuileries (Paris, France), and the National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, Canada). The next bronze cast of the "Maman" will be placed in Des Moines, Iowa in August 2009.
Her Most Famous Sculpture (Maman) - Louise Bourgeois ART IN UFFIZI GALLERY (FLORENCE, TUSCANY, ITALY) Video Clips. Duration : 30.03 Mins.The beautiful lands of France have been an inspiration to many a traveler, poet, artist and writer. It is hardly surprising given that you find different types of climate and geography from the snow clad peaks of the Alps and Pyrenees to the sun swept and golden sands of Nice and St. Tropez. There is something to appeal to every sort of traveler coming to France.
This hexagonal shaped country lies in Western Europe and shares its borders with Germany, Spain, Italy and Switzerland among others. Climate-wise, there is a lot of variety but for the most part, most of France enjoys cool summers and mild to moderate winters. This of course will vary depending on the area, like the winters in the mountains of the Pyrenees will of course be far colder than most places whereas the warm weather in the French Riviera attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
Geographically speaking, France straddles a little over 670000 square kilometers of land. While there are mostly gently rolling hills and flat terrain in the North and West, the rest of the country is fairly mountainous. Now that we've have an idea of what France is from geographic and climatic perspective, let us take a look at some of the must-see and must-do things in this wonderful country:
Paris - Paree aah Paree, this City of Lights is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Paris has long been associated with lovers which also makes it one of the most sought after honeymoon destinations. The capital of France has some wonderful monuments and museums like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. This city is also a gastronomic delight having an abundance of eateries from the road side cafes to the Michelin rated fine dining restaurants where one can indulge in exotic foods like escargot (snails) and frogs' legs.
Wine Country - The South Western part of France features several regions (one of the more renowned ones being Bordeaux.) famous for producing different kinds of wine. The French love their wine so it will not come as a surprise that their wine regions produce everything from everyday table wine to super expensive sparkling wines. Speaking of sparkling wines, the region of Champagne is a must visit if only to taste genuine Champagne in the only place it is actually manufactured.
The French Riviera - This Mediterranean coastline area in the South East corner of France is actually called Cote d'Azur or the Blue Coast. Home to many of the most beautiful beaches and scenic views of the ocean, the French Riviera is a popular tourist center. It is bathed in sunshine for 300 out of 365 days in a year and has more than 100 kilometers of golden and white sandy beaches, multiple golf courses, ski resorts and literally thousands of restaurants. Nice has a couple of "nice" places to stay like Le Mas de Selves which is a bed and breakfast hotel. Quaint Hotel Canada in the centre of Nice is also a decent option for you when you are in France.
So whether you are a newlywed couple looking for a honeymoon destination or a lover of the arts or just a regular tourist, there is something for everyone in the lovely France.
France - Land of Natural Beauty Rattansi & Ridley #19 4of4 Tube. Duration : 6.65 Mins.