Program 186a: European Art Outside the Museum; The Monuments Men

You don't have to go inside a museum to experience great art - especially in Europe. 

On the next Travel with Rick Steves, we look at some of the ways Europeans love to embellish their every-day scene.  And Robert Edsel shares stories of the people who helped rescue the masterpieces of Western art from the Nazis, during and after World War Two, and how their work continues today. 

Get inspired by the street art of Europe. . . and the heroics of the "Monuments Men" . . . on this week's Travel with Rick Steves. 

This is a re-edit of Pgm #186, which originally aired Oct. 17, 2009

• Art historian Gene Openshaw, co-author of Rick Steves' "Europe 101"  (Avalon Travel)
• Robert Edsel, author of ""The Monuments Men"   (Center Street)

• Rick and Gene co-author the art history book "Europe 101."

• Americans living in Krakow — found that cemeteries "offer wonderful sculpture.  From our first visit to Milan's Monumental Cemetery, we have become 'grave yard tourists,' and seek out cemeteries in each city we visit." (Stephanie in Krakow, Poland)
• Discusses the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna, Austria as having "the most interesting sculpture art I have seen outside the museum.  They dug up famous people buried around Vienna and re-buried them here, grouped by profession." (Nate in Orem, Utah)
• "Be alert for art everywhere! While in Rome we were in a hardware store (one of our favorite places to search for practical travel souvenirs) and while searching the collection of brass hardware displayed on the wall, we were amazed to see a beautiful ceiling fresco. The hardware store was formerly a palace!" (Shari in Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
• "Some of the best art I saw during six months in Europe was graffiti on Granada's side streets, especially in the Albaicin, as well as Berlin's East Side Gallery.  Some of it was simply stunning.  Would you agree, or it is really just vandalism?" (Spencer in Austin, Texas)
• "I'm a fan of contemporary and urban art, and was wondering what are some of the best places to see street art and outdoor modern art around Europe?" (e-mail from Judith in Omaha, Nebraska)
• Describes a lemon festival in Levanto, Italy in May.  "The people drew beautiful designs on the street that they filled in with flower petals, coffee grounds, etc." (Mike in Austin, Texas)
• "I find the street musicians throughout Europe provide the best 'outside of museum' art. From the classical quartet in Amsterdam to the father-son rock group in Heidelberg to the clarinetist playing Beatles tunes in London's Tube, it is all great art!" (Adam in Fresno, California)
• Suggests a tour of the Gobelins tapestry workshop in Paris.  Also mentions the flower carpet in Brussels' main plaza every other August. (Nicole in Dallas)
• "What about Monuments Women? Were there any Monuments Women — or was it indeed only men involved?" (e-mail from Jennifer in San Francisco)
• "After seeing what happened during WWII, why was not more done to protect Iraqi museums?  Are new Monument Men seeking what was looted? As more WWII veterans die off, are more stolen treasures expected to be found as relatives divide up their estates, as occurred in the case of Lt. Joe Meador?" (William in Miami)
• "I have read that some of the Nazi treasury is still somewhere in a Swiss lake.  Has anyone recovered it yet?" (Holger in Tillamook, Oregon — in web  extra)

• Caroline Goulding, "Syncopation (Kreisler)," Caroline Goulding / Telarc
• The Dining Rooms, "Pure and Easy," Six Feet Under - Original TV Soundtrack (collection) / Universal
• David M. Patrick, "Meditation, op. posth..  (Duruflé)," French Organ Masterworks / Sanctuary Classics
• Leif Ove Andsnes, "Piano Sonata 1 x 95 ‘Street Scene: Zulice-Death (Leos Janacek)," A Portrait / EMI Classics
• * Mito Chamber Orchestra, "'Scherzo' from ‘Quartet for Strings no. 14 in D minor:  Death and the Maiden' (Schubert, arr. by Mahler)," Schubert/Mahler: Death And The Maiden / Sony
• Zach Brock and the Coffee Achievers, "Common Ground," Zach Brock and the Coffee Achievers / Secret Fort
• Caroline Goulding, "Four Souvenirs for Violin and Piano (Schoenfield)," Caroline Goulding / Telarc
• Gonzalo Soriano, piano, "Canción española (Ravel)," The Fabulous Victoria de los Angeles / EMI Classics
• David Russell, guitar, "Cherish the Ladies," The Emerald Isles (collection) / Telarc
• Dominic Alldis Trio, "Oranges and Lemons," Songs We Heard: Improvisations on Nursery Rhymes from Around the World / Canzona
• Josem, "John C Tutti Danse:  image 2," Josem:  20 ans / (self-released) (France)
• Trio Fontenay, "Piano Trio in E-flat major, ‘Nottorno D.897' (Schubert)," Out Classics (compilation) / BMG Classics
• * Andre Rieu, "Waltz No. 2 (Rachmanioff)," Masterpieces / Philips
• Orchestre Capitole du Toulouse, Michel Plasson, cond., "Cinq grimaces pour 'Le songe d'une nuit d'été' (Satie, arr. Milhaud)," Satie:  Orchestral Works / EMI Classics
• Orchestre Capitole du Toulouse, Michel Plasson, cond., "En habit de cheval (Satie)," Satie:  Orchestral Works / EMI Classics
• Intro to Ray Ventura, "On ira prendre not'linge," Les Chansons de la Liberation (collection) / Distribution Soldore  (France)
• Intro to Charles Trenet, "Quand un facteur s'envole," Les Chansons de la Liberation (collection) / Distribution Soldore  (France)

• At 9:39 in segment A, Gene brings up a proposal to use large billboards at St. Mark's Square in Venice to cover, and help pay for, architectural renovations.
• In the open to segment B at 20:23, Gene mentions that Europeans support public art on a large scale, while in the United States only around 10% of public art is government funded, compared to around 80% government funding for public art in Europe. 
• At 30:10 caller Mike says he and his wife went to Italy "in May."
• Around 33:00 Rick says a lot of good accordion players from Russia and Romania are performing on city streets in other countries as a way to make a living, and to escape the economic situation in their home countries.
• At 34:10 caller Nicole says during a weekend in mid-August there is a traditional carpet design recreated in flowers in Brussels's Grand Place, but only in even-numbered years. 
• In segment C, caller William asks, starting at 50:30, how American forces in Iraq were unable to protect Iraq's art treasures during the invasion of Bagdad.  At 53:16 William asks Robert if the Bellini "Madonna and Child" painting will ever be recovered.  Robert's reply suggests that "in the next 5 to 10 years" the remaining survivors of World War Two will pass away, and more works will surface from their estates. 
• At 52:30 Robert says there are cultural affairs officers in today's U.S. Army, whose role is similar to the Monuments Men, who are recovering stolen items from Iraq. 
• Robert says his father died "last year," at 53:26.
• At 55:25 Rick and Robert discuss the Monet and Renoir works found in a Swiss safety deposit box of a former Nazi art advisor who died "a couple of years ago."  Robert concludes at 56:23 that the story of the Monuments Men is uplifting "even in these difficult economic times."
• Rick, at 57:45, calls Hitler's birthplace of Linz, Austria "a dreadful little town on the Danube."