I usually run with a theme. Last week I mentioned that we hoped to go on an outing. And we did. Finally on the Friday just gone we went to the National Museum of Australia to see an exhibition on Ancient Greeks titled Athletes, Warriers and Heroes. All the items in the exhibition were brought to us from the British Museum (which is a story in itself).
The museum has free entry, but special exhibits like this one do attract an entry charge. A charge we have never regretted paying.
Before we go in I am going to show you a little of the museum itself, from the outside, and in the foyer. It is an unusual looking building, but I like it. Just the same I mourn its position. It replaces the hospital in which I was born and in which my father died.
This FJ Holden Special has lived in the foyer for as long as I can remember. It had only one owner, a local woman, who drove it across dirt roads, fording creeks from her farm to town. She obviously cherished it, and drove it for more than twenty-five years after she bought it in 1955.
This is a recreation of the Muttaburrasaurus. It was a vegetarian (good) and its fossilised bones were found by a grazier in 1963.
Almost all the plants around the museum are natives - which is entirely appropriate.
I love the way that the light streams in.
Now to the exhibition. It was beautifully presented. Numbers attending were limited and everyone was masked. A
Just the same, athletes, warriors and heroes excludes vast swathes of the population. Needless to say women barely got a look in...
There were lots of beautiful ceramics. Most showed obvious signs of damage and skilful restoration.
And there were many skilfully executed sculptures (almost always of men).
The Discus Thrower.
While most of the men were naked and unashamed, the same could not be said of the only naked woman.
I found it ironic that Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love was presented as being coy.
Some other things I really enjoyed included:
Women playing a game, similar to our knucklebones or jacks.
This musical instrument could be blown from either end or using the mouthpiece. Goodness how versatile.
Needless to say I took many more photos, but this post is photo heavy enough.
I had planned to wander through some of the rest of the musuem too, but was simply too tired. Another time. There is apparently a Covid related exhibit of a life sized horse made from paper bags created by someone in hotel isolation. I would really like to see that.
I hope your week is packed with beauty and fun.