inSPIREd Sunday

Don't forget to look up—especially when
you're visiting a church in Italy.
This is Santa Maria in Portico in Campitelli,
in Rome (which I also featured here).

[To see more churches from
around the world, go here.]

The Weekend in Black and White

If I ever built my own house, I'm pretty
sure that most of the materials
would come from architectural salvage.
I found this winsome angel in
a place near Bordeaux, back in my
pre-digital days (2002).

[To see more b/w shots, visit Dragonstar's meme.]

ABC Wednesday—F is for "frieze"

And also for the church of the Frari, in Venice,  
where this angel can be found.  Not sure
about the symbolism here, but I do wonder 
what's supposed to be in that urn.  I'd say ashes,
except that I believe that when this was created,
the Catholic Church didn't exactly condone cremation.

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—W is for "wing"

This is one of a pair of weeping
angels on the Stuart monument, in
St. Peter's in Rome.  It commemorates
the last three members of the
royal house of Stuart: James III, Cardinal 
Henry Stuart, and Bonnie Prince Charlie; this 
is not a tomb (though all three are buried
in the crypt below the basilica).
Stendhal said that visitors to Rome should
see this first to gauge whether or not they have
a heart capable of appreciating sculpture.
(Just watch out you don't end up with
a case of Stendhal syndrome.)

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

ABC Wednesday—A is for "angel"

I love this angel that graces the façade of the
mid-19th-century building at 57 rue de Turbigo.
She stands three+ stories tall, and the ribbons and beads
and tassels she wears are very fitting for this
neighborhood where there are many stores that
specialize in passementerie (trimming).

[To see more ABC posts, go here.]

happy little angels

Here are some more sweet Parisian faces; these two
angels are part of the hardware on a massive door.
 If they look pleased to be there, maybe it's because they
are installed in the upper chapel of the Ste. Chapelle, and
 have been enjoying those gorgeous stained glass
windows for almost 800 years.

[To see more Monday macros, go here.
For more Mandarin Orange Monday
 posts, visit LoriK's meme.]