A Beautiful Day for Museums

It was indeed a beautiful day, with comfortable temperatures and lively skies.

TV tower

Domes of Berlin Cathedral

Clouds reflected in a glass skyscraper

Relaxing in front of a youth hostel

Nevertheless, we spent much of the day inside three museums on Museum Island, beginning with the Pergamon Museum. Much of the Pergamon is being repaired and remodeled, but what's still on view is wonderful.

A small portion of the wall of the Ishtar Gate from Babylon.

One of the wonderful bas-reliefs from Ishtar

Bas-relief of a remarkably mean-looking youth

The Museum of Islamic Art, on the third floor of the Pergamon, has many beautiful carpets,

but I was taken with the overlay of centuries of wear on this one.

The Altes National Gallery has 19th C painting, including some French Impressionist work.

But I thought that this painting by a German artist, depicting a European family dealing with a Middle Eastern rug merchant, fit well with the rest of the day.

The Neues Museum has the old stuff, including the bust of Nefertiti (of which no photos are allowed). But this dramatic bust of an Egyptian battle commander serves very well.

As does this bust of Homer.

Finally, we noted that the noble worker from two days ago had acquired an even more typical proletarian symbol on his raised hand.