Some highlights from this fairly large art museum.
Urban Light, Chris Burden 2008Levitated Mass, Michael Heizer 1969-2012Campbell Soup Can, Andy Warhol 1964Cold Shoulder, Roy Lichtenstein 1963The Treachery of Images (This is Not a Pipe), Rene Magritte 1929Horse’s Skull with Pink Rose, Georgia O’Keeffe 1931Flower Day, Diego Rivera 1925Monuments: Revolutionary Slogans of Successive Dynasties, Qiu Zhijie 2007 (Translations below)
The museum displays a large collection of Pablo Picasso works. Here are a few.
Portrait of Sebastia Junyer Vidal, Pablo Picasso 1903Bar-Table with Musical Instruments and Fruit Bowl, Pablo Picasso 1913Still Life (with Mandolin), Pablo Picasso 1927Young Woman in Striped Dress, Pablo Picasso 1949Mulholland Drive: The Road to the Studio, David Hockney 1980The Nahans (Arhats) Bolsarabuldara (Vajraputra) with a Dragon and Kariga (Kalika) with a Tiger Korea, Joseon dynasty 19th centuryThe Bodhisattva Amoghapasha Lokeshvara, Nepal 15th century or earlier
This museum honors the work of aviation pioneer Donald W. Douglas, who was just 28 years old when he started the Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica in 1920. Within 20 years the company had state-of-the art production facilities in El Segundo, Long Beach, and then in Chicago, Tulsa and Oklahoma City. He was the czar for all US aircraft production under President Franklin Roosevelt during World War II.The first flight of a DC-3 airplane took place in Santa Monica in 1935. These aircraft were (are) so reliable may are still in service throughout the world even today. The DC-3 revolutionized air travel such that passengers could reach their destinations quickly, safely and at affordable prices. During the 1950s, more than 90% of all world air travel took place on Douglas-build aircraft.The Spirit of Santa MonicaDouglas and his dog WunderbarModel of the Wright Brothers’ original flyer from 1903. Douglas started his company within 20 years of the Wright Brothers’ first flight.Fokker Dr. 1 Triplane. Baron Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron) piloted a plane similar to this one during World War I in 1917. This is a replica – no original Fokker Dr. 1s are known to be in existence.Cockpit of a Boeing 727.DC-3Model of LAX Airport with various aircraft.Douglas airplane made an around the world flight in 1924.Martin-Baker Mk. 5 Ejection Seat, used in the Navy Vought F8U Crusader aircraftOriginal drafting desk of Donald Douglas, from the first factory/shop on Wilshire Boulevard on Santa Monica in the early 1920s.Douglas F5D Skylancer, the fastest jet aircraft built by Douglas.Harriet Quimby, first US licensed pilot, first to fly over the English Channel.Douglas Aircraft Company joins the jet age.Teledyne Ryan AQM-81 Firebolt, high-altitude supersonic target, which was an advanced version of the 1968 Raytheon AQM-37 Jayhawk target drone.Ship’s mess bell from the USS Arizona, which was sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
The Battle of Fort Necessity, a significant prelude to the French and Indian War, was the only battle in which George Washington ever surrendered. The battler occurred July 3, 1754, near the site of the Battle of Jumonville Glen, Washington’s Indian allies killed French officer Joseph Coulon de Villiers, Sieur de Jumonville. In anticipation of French retaliation, Washington fortified his camp at Great Meadows and named it Fort Necessity. On July 3, a larger French and Indian force, led by Jumonville’s half-brother, Louis Coulon de Villers, attacked. After a day-long fight, facing heavy rain, flooded trenches, and dwindling supplies, Washington accepted the French terms of surrender. Unknowingly, he signed a document written in French that confessed to assassinating Jumonville. On July 4, Washington and his troops departed and the French torched the fort.
The rebuilt Fort NecessityInside wall of the small fort.Inside the shelter. Trench around the fort, and a small cannon. About 800 French and Indian soldiers emerged from these thick woods as they began the attack on the fort.30 years after the battle here, Washington returned to this site. His experiences here defined his life. He wrote “I did not let the anniversary of the Fort Necessity battle pass without a grateful remembrance of our escape. The same Providence that protected us will, I hope, continue his mercies and make us happy instruments in restoring peace and liberty”.Washington and his troops had to travel through dense forests with many dangers. To help the visitors overcome the physical and spiritual hardships of their travel, Indians performed a cleansing ritual known as “At the Woods Edge Ceremony”.In the 1750s three great cultures collided here at Fort Necessity. The French pushed south and west from Canada, British settlers pressed from the east, and American Indians were caught up in the middle. Each group felt they were in the right to claim this land.Battle displays in the Visitor Center.Battle combatants.Diorama of the battle at Fort Necessity.The story of Washington’s only surrender.The National Road.Today, US Route 40 passes by this battlefield site. This was the first federally funded highway built by the US government, called “The National Road”, and is considered the road that made the US a nation. Nemacolin, a Delaware Indian scout, blazed the initial route as a pack trail in 1751-1752, from Wills Creek to Brownsville PA. It was a very busy road in the early 1800s. Originally the National Road ran from Cumberland MD to Wheeling WV, cutting a passable road through the mountains. Ultimately the National Road, combined with Baltimore Pike, ran from Baltimore MD to Vandalia IL.Construction of the original National Road started in 1811 and completed in 1818. It was 66 feet wide and 137 miles long. It made travel across the Appalachian Mountains faster than ever before. It paralleled the route cut but Braddock’s Road and Namacolin’s Path.Scenes along the National Road.Mount Washington on US Route 40 today, near Fort Necessity Battlefield.
Another capitol under renovation! We were here 5 years ago and saw the dome, but the building was closed to tours. This time, the building is under renovations but it is open for tours.Facing the mall from that capitol steps.The inside of the capitol is full of beautiful marble.In preparation for the extensive interior renovations, the House and Senate furniture has been moved out. They are meeting in a different building.Empty Senate chamberAbraham Lincoln statue inside the rotunda.The rotunda dome changes colors.Lincoln statueHenry Clay statueElegant furnishings inside the State Reception Room.Beautiful etching of the capitol.Kentucky Derby painting.Dolls of Kentucky’s First Ladies – this one is Phyllis George, who was Miss America in 1971, co-host of NFL Today pregame show, and First Lady of Kentucky 1979-1983.
Daniel Boone’s grave.Scenes from Boone’s life portrayed on the monument.Rev. Jesse R. Zeigler house, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This house is in Wright’s “Prairie style” with open floor plans. This is the only Wright-designed house in Kentucky erected in Wright’s lifetime.The Frankfort Barracks – established in 1871 to provide a military presence and protection of African Americans in the area. The post quartered members of the 4th, and later, the 16th US Infantry regiments. The post consisted of barracks, guard house, baking oven and two one-story hospitals.During our time in Frankfort, the 17-year cicadas were out in full force, with their very loud high pitched sounds.
