Observing Interiors: Gallery of Maps at the Vatican

Located in the Belvedere Courtyard in the Vatican, the 390 foot (120M) long Gallery of Maps contains a collection of 40 maps and panels based on the works by friar and geographer Ignazio Danti. 

Photo by Jean-Pol GRANDMONT via Wikimedia commons

Photo by StefanoRomeTours via Flickr

• Gallery of Maps Wikipedia
• Vatican Museums

Musée d'Orsay Clock: Paris, France

The huge clock in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. A former train station now a world famous Art Museum which opened in December of 1986.

Musée d'Orsay on the Seine. photo via Wikimedia commons

'Then and Now' interior shots with clock.

 

 Two of the many masterpieces shown at the museum.

Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette - 1876, Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Starry Night Over the Rhone - 1888 Vincent van Gogh

• Musée d'Orsay - Main Website
• Musée d'Orsay - Google Art Project
• Musée d'Orsay - Wikipedia

Observing Interiors: Library Hearst Castle, San Simeon Ca.

William Randolph Hearst began construction in 1919 and continued through 1947. Very popular during Hollywood's golden era the castle held many gatherings. Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers, Clark Gable and many more including Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill visited.

The castle was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and became a United States National Historic Site in 1976. The main estate is now a very popular tourist location. However the Hearst family still maintain a private residence in an old Victorian home on the property. source wikipedia

• Official Site

Racetrack Playa

The strange “sailing stones” of Playa Racetrack,(Death Valley). It is theorized the stones travel when friction is decreased by rain, ice, mud and wind move the rocks. See video for a good explanation.

• National Park Service
• Sliding Rocks at Geology.com
• Racetrack Playa at wikipedia

Observing Interiors: Winchester Mystery House

The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose,CA is the home of Sarah Winchester widow of gun manufacturer William Wirt Winchester. Sarah maintained construction continuously for 38 years to stave off the "bad spirits" of those who fell victim to the guns her husband produced. 

For example the house has doors and stairs leading nowhere.

photo by QT Luong/terragalleria.com all rights reserved

photo by QT Luong/terragalleria.com all rights reserved   Winchester Mystery House main Winchester Mystery House (Wikipedia) HowStuffWorks  

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince Albert Brooch

Looks like she may the wearing the same brooch in both photos, the Prince Albert Brooch?

Given to Queen Victoria on her wedding day by Prince Albert the brooch is a favorite of Queen Elizabeth II.

More on the brooch
The Prince Albert Brooch
Queen’s Brooches (royalexhibitions.co.uk)
Brooch or Broach?

The Professor

                                                                                                              source: en.wikipedia.org via Jerry on Pinterest

Russel Johnson known as Roy Hinkley "The Professor" from the popular 1960's comedy Gilligan's Island. Led an interesting and heroic life before hand.

• Flew 44 bomber missions during WW2 in the Pacific.  
• Shot down over the Philippines in March of 1945. Bailed out and broke both ankles upon landing.
• Earned a Purple Heart.
• Besides Gilligan's Island appeared in over 150 films and TV shows. Including the sci-fi classics This Island Earth and It Came from Outer Space.

Rex Reason, Faith Domergue, Russel Johnson (This Island Earth- 1955)

At a speaking engagement at MIT he was once quipped, "...the Professor has all sorts of degrees, including one from this very institution [MIT]! And that's why I can make a radio out of a coconut, and not fix a hole in a boat!"

source material via Wikipedia and IMDB

Observing Interiors: Biltmore Estate winter garden

Biltmore Estate - Asheville, NC

Neil Gaiman's Calendar of Tales

Been following Neil Gaiman's project, Calendar of Tales. He has spun twelve tales and is challenging film makers and artists to create. No limits but imagination.



Calendar of Tales
Neil Gaiman main

Observing Interiors: A wall of books

Starting today I'm starting a new Friday feature called 'Observing Interiors'. From home libraries, indoor pools, majestic living spaces and more. 

First up a wall of books. Why have a single bookshelf when you can have a entire wall bookshelf? Very nice.

"You cannot open a book without learning something". - Confucius

Source: fuckyeahinteriordesigns.tumblr.com via Jerry on Pinterest