July 28, 2007 was such an exciting day! My father took Ilene and I to The Art Institute of Chicago to see The Gates of Paradise: Lorenzo Ghiberti's Renaissance Masterpiece and then my mother joined us later that evening to go to Ravinia to hear A Night in Vienna: The CSO and tenor Nikolai Schukoff. It was a wonderful day, to say the least!
The Gates of Paradise:
WOW!!! The Gates of Paradise!! We walked into the museum at just the right time! We ended up running into the very first tour of the exhibit, guided by the director and overseer of the entire project. He gave an amazing guide and showed us the three door that panels (Adam and Eve, Jacob and Esau, and David and Goliath) were on display. Out of the three I think the Adam and Eve panel was my favorite. It was amazing to see the different depths created by Lorenzo Ghiberti, the beauty of each piece and the amazing size of each panel. It was a very fun experience and I was so grateful for the chance to see them up close.
Apparently, as stated on the website (as well as from our guide) "For the past 25 years, Ghiberti’s gates have undergone extensive conservation, which is now nearing completion. To celebrate the conclusion of this arduous project, three relief panels from the Gates of Paradise and sections of the doors' frieze have traveled to North America. This exhibition affords viewers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe Ghiberti’s work up close before the individual elements are reintegrated with the rest of the doorframe and put on permanent display in a hermetically sealed room in the museum of the Florence Cathedral (Museo dell’Opera del Duomo), never to travel again." And according to our guide---"the panels will be placed on the doors and the back will never be revealed again." So, if you are in the Chicago area in the next couple of months I would HIGHLY suggest going and seeing these pieces of art! I have to say I stood in awe as my eyes glazed over and drank in the beauty if the figures, the details, the story, etc. found on the panels. I can't even imagine having the talent, nor the skills to be able to create such beauty!
It was even more enjoyable to attend with Ilene and dad. Dad helped us understand the chemical elements and aspects that were involved in creating the panels and Ilene with her knowledge of art history added to the whole afternoon!
I am so grateful to my parents for providing such an opportunity, my dad for taking us and my mother for taking care of Ilene's children so that we could both go an enjoy the experience!
Ravinia: A Night in Vienna: The CSO and tenor Nikolai Schukoff.
After Ilene was able to arm the babysitter with everything she possibly could need and more (Ilene is such a great mom!), we left to go to Ravinia. We first stopped at Panera Bread for dinner and enjoyed soups and sandwiches. After which, we bused over to Ravinia and staked out a great spot fairly close to the pavilion and listened to an amazing concert. I thoroughly enjoyed the concert but have to say that it was background music to the book I was reading. Ilene had purchased a book called "Austenland," by Shannon Hale and I was hooked. I read it to the music and couldn't have asked for a better evening!---well maybe if there was a man there to give me a back rub as I read....but that is a whole different posting! We then returned home. What a perfect day! Some days are just like that!
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