Day 6. Milan: Galleria de Arte Moderna, Giardino della Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte, , Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli, Brera, Parco Sempione

We wandered over to the  Galleria d’Arte Moderna today.  It has quite an odd mixture of art in it, some of which I liked very much and others that I was less enthused about.

The temporary exhibition of the gallery was "Una Tempesta dal Paradiso" which focussed on modern art from north Africa and the middle east.  My favourite of these was "Study for a Monument" by Abbas Akhavan, bronze casts of plants from Mesopotamia on white sheets.

 

 

The other rooms included a mixture of media.  There were sculptures, much of them in marble, like this piece, "Venere" by Pompeo Marchese

and this one, "Dolore" By Emilio Quadrelli.

I also found this piece by Auguste Rodin, "Jean d'Aire".

 

There were quite a few paintings.  Some, in my opinion are rather indifferent, but others are quite fine.  This one is "Ritratto giovanile di Antonio Canova" by Guiseppe Bossi

and this, is Federico Faruffini's "La lettrice"

Unfortunately, a lot of the works were not labeled, which was a bit annoying, though later, I did find a leaflet with names.

The real stand out for me were the several works by Giovanni Boldini.  He has such skill in creating character and movement with a few strokes.  I loved this self portrait.

and "la Signora in rosa (Olivia Concha de Fontecilla) is so full of life!

The rooms themselves are rather attractive with some stylish clocks:

very grand chandeliers:

parquetry floors

 

and ceiling decorations.

This gallery is worth a visit, but so are the gardens behind it, the Giardini della Villa Belgioso Bonaparte, which are dedicated to children and was full of them having adventures, watching the terrapins and ducks, and climbing trees.

We also visited the Giardini Pubblici Indro Montanelli, which was full  of teenagers in large groups picnicking, chatting, playing ball games and wading in the fountain. 

I was also very taken by these statues

We wandered through back roads through Brera, window shopping and people watching, then through the Parco Semione on our way home.  Another lovely day.