Inaugurated in the 17th century, the sanctuary of Notre-Dame-de-Laghet at La Trinité near Menton has an exceptional collection of over 4,000 ex-votos distributed between the cloister, the church and, for the most precious among them, the museum. Unfortunately, the sanctuary was pillaged during the Revolution and since the the...
The gallery of Villa Clerici is little known, although it has been open since 1955, primarily because it is some way from the city centre of Milan. Few in fact know that it has recently reopened after being long closed for maintenance work. This museum is one of the...
One painting that has long fascinated me and to which I return to view often is The Chess Players by Paris Bordone (1550-1555, Oil on canvas, 1.1 x 1.8m). There are several aspects about this work which fascinate me and I will try to explain this fascination in...
The Sansevero Chapel, built in 1590, was enlarged and embellished by Raimondo di Sangro in 1744 with an extensive collection of statues all dedicated to Mary, the mother of jesus. Beyond the religious orthodoxy of the statuary, there are a series of symbols of hermetic heterodoxy that characterized the...
I have previously posted a piece about the painting by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel of the story of the drunkenness of Noah, but there is another image of this story on the Ducal Palace in Venice which deserves a mention. Filippo Calendario, a local stonecutter, building contractor and...
Next time you take a visit to Madrid I suggest that you visit an unusual museum – the Museo De Famacia Militar at Calle Embajadores, 75. This little known museum contains a wonderful collection of military materials all related to medicine. The museum was founded in 1928 with the aim...
Perhaps it is because it is located on the outskirts of the city of Milan that most Milanese have never heard of – and almost certainly have never visited – the old Charterhouse which Bishop Giovanni Visconti had built in 1349. This lack of knowledge is a shame, as...
I love homemade tomato sauce and passata and there are always several bottles in my pantry. This is one of my favourite recipes and it can be used as both a sauce and a passata. Try it with homemade sausage rolls, on a burger or stirred through some homemade...
It is said that when Mary Magdalene and the other saints landed in Provence at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, they were accompanied By St Trophime. He bought with him the severed head of his cousin, St Étienne
I have recently been reading The Venetian Painters of the Renaissance by Bernhard Berenson published in 1894 and I thought I would share his thoughts on Tiepolo with a comparison to Longhi, Canale, Guardi and Veronese. I hope you find these words interesting and that they encourage you to revisit...
Welcome to my love affair with the food, wine, history and culture of the Mediterranean, past and present. Here you will find not only recipes, drinks and fabulous products, but the history of the food and culture of the Mediterranean.
My purpose is to get you to explore and experience new tastes and along the way to immerse yourself in the wonderful history of this diverse and wonderful region – from Venice to Istanbul, Rome to Dubrovnik, Athens to Crete and all places in between and in the surrounds. Be prepared to be surprised, delighted and enthralled as you take this trip with me.
