Art Nouveau Balcony: An Integrating Modern Style

As you know Art Nouveau distinctive features are the use of ornamental shapes and patterns, mainly organic like these animals protruding from the balcony. Art Nouveau was as an international art movement with different names: Jugendstil, in Germany, Stile Liberty in Italy, Sezession in Austria and Modernism in Spain. It integrates different streams in art and design. For example, see this balcony, the abundance of motifs is almost Baroque in style and that bird might as well stand for a gargoyle on any gothic cathedral but at the same time all those characteristic natural elements seem to writhe and adopt impossible innovative forms breaking all previous canons. Most of all it is an emphasis on decorative arts based upon craftsmanship that goes hand in hand with symbolism, a consequence of industrial revolution, the constant search for modernity and the rupture with XIX historicism in arts.

Succulent Plants: Cactii Family and Friends

From the animal realm in last post into the succulent plants: the cactii. Not specially related to Barcelona unless you speak about Mossen Costa i LLobera Gardens, which contain one of the largest cactii collections in Europe, and what's best, out of a greenhouse, due to the peculiar microclimate next to the cliff wall of Montjuic mountain. The peaceful place is facing Barcelona port so you have a privileged view of the city and at the same time a comfortable blend of blue sea and green cactii to enjoy. As to the image, partipation to identify this particular cactus is open. I love succulent plants not just because you have Agave from where you get Tequila but because they make quite a good subject for a photograph, not only from the point of view of textures but of composition as well. Take this case, would you say I am crazy if I said I see a family here, a group of imaginary people whispering among themselves. As you see they have some hallucinogen effects too. Don't worry I'll call the shrink myself

Coleoptera: Stag Beetle

This is a beetle, a stag beetle, if I am not in a mistake of course. I give you a link to a fabulous site specialized in entomology. The small insect belongs to the coleoptera order, and its scientific name is Lucanus Cervus. I don't want to cheat with the picture, the poor animal is as dead as the little piece of wood where it is clung to. A friend of mine showed me the "bug" he had found already stiff. We had the wood and a nice surface so I thought it would look great for my animal set on Flickr and for those interested in entomology or nature lovers in general.