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San Francisco 2017, Day 1, Part 2

Golden Gate Park, Part 2:  Art

My day in Golden Gate Park was already spectacular.  And there was still so much more to see!

Shakespeare Garden

Welcome to Shakespeare Garden in Golden Gate Park. San Francisco, United States, North America
Welcome to Shakespeare Garden in Golden Gate Park.

Shakespeare Garden is a fun spot in Golden Gate Park, particularly if you love Elizabethan literature.  The garden is full of flowers and plants mentioned in William Shakespeare’s writings.

A small, colorful sample of the literary flora on display in Shakespeare Garden. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
A small, colorful sample of the literary flora on display in Shakespeare Garden.

Music Concourse

Giuseppe Verdi is one of the musical legends given tribute on Golden Gate Park's Music Concourse. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Giuseppe Verdi is one of the musical legends given tribute on Golden Gate Park’s Music Concourse.

The Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park is a place to appreciate live music performances, as well as musical legends of the past.  It sits between the California Academy of Sciences and the de Young Museum.

A view of the Music Concourse from the Spreckels Temple of Music. The Temple was a gift from sugar magnate Claus Spreckels. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
A view of the Music Concourse from the Spreckels Temple of Music. The Temple was a gift from sugar magnate Claus Spreckels.

Japanese Tea Garden

The Temple Gate and the Pagoda in the Japanese Tea Garden. Golden Gated Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
The Temple Gate and the Pagoda in the Japanese Tea Garden.

The Japanese Tea Garden is one of the most famous attractions in Golden Gate Park.  Like the Music Concourse, the Japanese Tea Garden was created for the 1894 World’s Fair, known as the California Midwinter International Exposition.

Trust me. Walking over the very steep Drum Bridge in the Japanese Tea Garden can be a little scary! Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Trust me. Walking over the very steep Drum Bridge in the Japanese Tea Garden can be a little scary!
A serene Buddha in the Japanese Tea Garden. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
A serene Buddha in the Japanese Tea Garden.

Statuesque

"Apple Cider Press" was installed in Golden Gate Park for the 1894 World's Fair. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Apple Cider Press” was installed in Golden Gate Park for the 1894 World’s Fair.

More statues abound in and around the Music Concourse.

Statue of controversial missionary Father Junípero Serra. It was toppled during the George Floyd protests of 2020. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Statue of controversial missionary Father Junípero Serra. It was toppled during the George Floyd protests of 2020.
Literary giant Miguel de Cervantes, being honored by his creations, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Literary giant Miguel de Cervantes, being honored by his creations, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
Memorial to General Pershing and the victorious armies of World War I. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Memorial to General Pershing and the victorious armies of World War I.
Double monument to German men of letters Johann Goethe and Friedrich Schiller. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Double monument to German men of letters Johann Goethe and Friedrich Schiller.
Looking across the Music Concourse to the Spreckels Temple of Music. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Looking across the Music Concourse to the Spreckels Temple of Music.
Monumental monument to Francis Scott Key, author of the American national anthem "The Star Spangled Banner". It was toppled during the George Floyd protests of 2020. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Monumental monument to Francis Scott Key, author of the American national anthem “The Star Spangled Banner”. It was toppled during the George Floyd protests of 2020.

de Young Museum

Cribbage boards carved from walrus tusks and wood, from an exhibit on Eskimo and Inuit art. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Cribbage boards carved from walrus tusks and wood, from an exhibit on Eskimo and Inuit art.

The de Young Museum is one of 2 museums in San Francisco known collective as the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.  The other one is the Legion of Honor.  I visited there on a spectacular Day 3.  The Legion of Honor is not too dissimilar from the time of art museum you might find in Europe, with a collection representing the history of Western art.  The de Young basically houses other types of art–focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on art of the Americas.

Arts of the Americas

This very cool modern Inuit piece is a bear in shamanic transition by Inuit artist David Ruben Piqtoukun, ca. 1991. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
This very cool modern Inuit piece is a bear in shamanic transition by Inuit artist David Ruben Piqtoukun, ca. 1991.
Something else very cool. An earthenware vessel from the Mayan civilization in Honduras, 7th-9th century. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Something else very cool. An earthenware vessel from the Mayan civilization in Honduras, 7th-9th century.
Fragments of a mural made from volcanic ash of warrior birds from 5th- or 6th-century Mexico. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Fragments of a mural made from volcanic ash of warrior birds from 5th- or 6th-century Mexico.
Fun! A happy earthenware figure with a rattle from Mexico, 6th-8th century. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Fun! A happy earthenware figure with a rattle from Mexico, 6th-8th century.

American Art

This is a modern piece piece, an image of a Turkana woman made from blown glass by William Morris, 2001. The Turkana people live in northwest Kenya. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
This is a modern piece piece, an image of a Turkana woman made from blown glass by William Morris, 2001. The Turkana people live in northwest Kenya.
"Resurrwreckage" in stained glass, Judith Schaechter, 2001. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Resurrwreckage” in stained glass, Judith Schaechter, 2001.
"Anti-Mass", Cornelia Parker, 2005. This interesting piece takes on deeper meaning when you learn that it is made from the ruins of a South Black Baptist Church destroyed by arson. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Anti-Mass”, Cornelia Parker, 2005. This interesting piece takes on deeper meaning when you learn that it is made from the ruins of a South Black Baptist Church destroyed by arson.
"Epiphany II (Adoration of the Shepherds)", Gottfried Helnwein, 1998. Very cool painting. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Epiphany II (Adoration of the Shepherds)”, Gottfried Helnwein, 1998. Very cool painting.
I liked this colorful piece, "Lettre sur les Aveugles II", by Frank Stella, 1974. I became familiar with this Boston-area artist in museums in Europe. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
I liked this colorful piece, “Lettre sur les Aveugles II“, by Frank Stella, 1974. I became familiar with this Boston-area artist in museums in Europe.
I thought this video collage was interesting. Turns out, it's by David Hockney. "Seven Yorkshire Landscape Videos", 2011. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
I thought this video collage was interesting. Turns out, it’s by David Hockney. “Seven Yorkshire Landscape Videos”, 2011.

Now for something a little more traditional:

A couple views of Niagara Falls by Gustav Grunewald, ca. 1832. I would have guess that he was part of the Hudson River School, with his romantic take on Upstate New York nature. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
A couple views of Niagara Falls by Gustav Grunewald, ca. 1832. I would have guess that he was part of the Hudson River School, with his romantic take on Upstate New York nature.
Arizona petroglyph, ca. 100-1500. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Arizona petroglyph, ca. 100-1500.
"William Vassall and His Son Leonard" by John Singleton Copley, namesake of Copley Square in Boston(!), ca. 1771. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“William Vassall and His Son Leonard” by John Singleton Copley, namesake of Copley Square in Boston(!), ca. 1771.
"James MacDonald of Inglesmauldie" by Gilbert Stuart, another New England favorite, ca. 1785. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“James MacDonald of Inglesmauldie” by Gilbert Stuart, another New England favorite, ca. 1785.
1 of 62 versions of "The Peaceable Kingdom" by Edward Hicks, ca. 1846. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
1 of 62 versions of “The Peaceable Kingdom” by Edward Hicks, ca. 1846.
Portraits of a freed slave, on the left, and possibly a free black woman, on the right, in Baltimore by Thomas Waterman Wood, 1858. Wood was yet another New Englander. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Portraits of a freed slave, on the left, and possibly a free black woman, on the right, in Baltimore by Thomas Waterman Wood, 1858. Wood was yet another New Englander.
"Still Life with Grape Juice and Sandwiches (Xenia)" by David Ligare, 1994. Yummy! This was inspired by just such meals that the artist used to serve at a homeless shelter. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Still Life with Grape Juice and Sandwiches (Xenia)” by David Ligare, 1994. Yummy! This was inspired by just such meals that the artist used to serve at a homeless shelter.
"Tulip Culture", George Hitchcock, 1889. And you guessed it, George was also a New Englander. He did much of his painting in the Netherlands. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Tulip Culture”, George Hitchcock, 1889. And you guessed it, George was also a New Englander. He did much of his painting in the Netherlands.
Maybe you can guess that this "Tree of Life" window, 1904, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Maybe you can guess that this “Tree of Life” window, 1904, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
"Bathers", 1917, by Max Pechstein, who was a member of the Die Brücke school of German Expressionists. It seems to have a touch of Fauvism. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
“Bathers”, 1917, by Max Pechstein, who was a member of the Die Brücke school of German Expressionists. It seems to have a touch of Fauvism.
Works depicting the Mexican Revolution are always fascinating, like this one, "Acordada" by José Clemente Orozco, 1941. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Works depicting the Mexican Revolution are always fascinating, like this one, “Acordada” by José Clemente Orozco, 1941.

African Art

A temple statue or house post from 19th-century Nigeria. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
A temple statue or house post from 19th-century Nigeria.
A chief's headdress from early 20th-century Cameroon. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
A chief’s headdress from early 20th-century Cameroon.
Lion mark from Burkina Faso, 20th century. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Lion mark from Burkina Faso, 20th century.
Water spirit mask from 20th-century Nigeria. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Water spirit mask from 20th-century Nigeria.

Oceanic Art

Maori gable feature, ca. 1880. Very cool! Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
Maori gable feature, ca. 1880. Very cool!
These 17th-19th-century spirit boards from New Guinea remind me of skateboards. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
These 17th-19th-century spirit boards from New Guinea remind me of skateboards.
19th-century headdress from New Guinea. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, United States, North America.
19th-century headdress from New Guinea.

My fabulous day in Golden Gate Park progresses.  Next up, the beautiful finish.

[Factual information is primarily gathered from Wikipedia, so you know it must be true.]

Related posts:

Introduction to San Francisco 2017 San Francisco 2017, Day 1, Part 1 San Francisco 2017, Day 1, Part 3 San Francisco 2017, Day 2, Part 1

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