Pension lawyer meets world: Peggy Guggenheim Collection

A short and very pretty (even in the rain) walk down from the Galleria is the Peggy Guggenheim Collection of modern art. This side of the Dorsoduro district is particularly picturesque.

The Colection is housed in the building to the right which faces the Gran Canal.

The courtyard has a fair collection of modern bronzes.

Inside there is a good quality and very representative collection of modern art, but its not huge, which actually makes it the more appealing. I wouldn't fancy visiting in summer though as there were quite a few folk there even on a wet winter lunchtime.

I do rather like Brancusi sculptures - very cool lines - with a neat surrealist painting (Tanguy?) in the background...

At the front, out a pair of doors in the middle of the gallery one comes upon a little terrace overlooking the canal which features Marino Marini's "Angel of the City" - a very naked and erect young man on a horse. Rather more comic book than erotic I feel.

But if one can tear one's gaze away from his member (actually very easy to do) you get great views across the canal

The Marini shares a balcony with a rather dull, if startlingly red, Caro sculpture. I really can't get his work - scrapyard material in my view.

But this really is a Venetian view...

Ok, back inside again

Stella, not exactly inspiring or clever, but I can see the attraction on interior decorator grounds

Calder mobiles don't do much for me

But Magritte is a different matter. Lovely work this - the odd angle being because so many people were in front gazing at it.

Back across the courtyard (rain relenting somewhat)

Then one comes to the second "half" another building containing the restaurant, book shop an dthe temporary exhibition space. This is where I lucked out as there was an exhibition formed of two private collections of impressionist and post-impressionist art. Glorious, nit least as they were works I had never seen before in books etc.

Did include one lovely water-lily canvas by Monet

But lots of other works by artists I hadn't come across, primarily in pointillist style

So I had really enjoyed my visit, and armed with the exhibition guide I headed out again into the elements.

Back across the bridge, the Palazzo Barbaro was hosting an exhibition of modern glass art as part of the Biennale (more on which in a later entry). This was right up my street as I love glass and got the chance to poke around the palace too. The exhibition is called Glasstress and its coming to the Wallace Collection in London, so might give it another go.

Yes, glass balloons. A cartload of them. Very jolly

This is one of the most fascinating objects but it doesn't photograph well, not least because its a moving piece. You seem to be looking at an ornately carved Victorian mirror but the mirror surface although at first glance is mat, actually has a film within so you see not a reflection of yourself but the image of a snake coming out of a misty background. See it.

Obviously this is a clever piece as the "sculpture" looks like a blog but the image is contained in the shadow it casts.

A glass hammock. Obviously

I liked this a lot too. What you are looking at is a frosted glass cushion with a pair of footprints embedded. Cool. I want one.

This is a quite stunning combination of glass and light. Its as if one broke a stone log and found crystals inside.

And this is neat too, a limp glass body draped over a glass wall

Most bizarre is this collection of mannequins with glass waistcoats. Supposed to say something interesting about airport security. Honestly.

This little blob is a cat designed by Tracey Emin. You could probably tell because it is isn't very good, but she does try.

The Palace also has a nice courtyard.

In am almost adjacent courtyard was another exhibition of works by an oriental artist scattered over both courtyards and the palace. And all totally free. Enjoyed this, especially the simple polished shapes in the courtyards, possibly enhanced by the pouring rain.

Now, to the Azerbaijani Pavilion at the Biennale. How is this for interior design? A bit busy maybe? But your living room would be a conversation piece if it looked like this. And at least everything matches.