Boarding the train was exciting; I managed to miss the first one by thirty seconds -- they were actually closing the doors as I walked up -- and when I boarded the next one (three hours later) it turned out I didn't have an assigned seat number. But eventually I found a free seat, so all was well.
Lots of architecture going on in Vienna. Cloudy skies and cool weather, so I got pretty much everywhere on foot while I was there.
The art museum had several rooms set up like this, with paintings covering the entire walls. The signs explained that it's more accurate to how the paintings would have originally been displayed, and lets them incorporate the design of the building as part of the art.
They had several rooms full of Rubens, including this picture of the child Christ and St. John the Baptist. There were also a couple of wall-size Rubens (which would have been painted with the help of his workshop) together with the original small sketches (which he did entirely by himself) for the purposes of comparison.
There was also a really spectacular collection of Bruegel, including this one (which some readers will no doubt recognize from Look And See)...
...as well as this one...
...and this one...
...and even this one.
After seeing the Bruegels, it was time to move on downstairs to the collection of artifacts from the Imperial Treasury of the Hapsburgs. This was one of the more ridiculous displays of opulence I have ever seen, featuring everything from miniature bear statues dressed as hunters and scented with ambergris to elaborate vases made of precious stones filled with artificial flowers also made of precious stone. I'll just hit the highlights, but you have to imagine these surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of other random, elaborately decorated objects made of gold, carved stones, and blown glass.
This one's actually a calculator that does simple arithmetic operations. Intended for land surveying, according to the sign, although I really can't imagine taking that thing out surveying with you.
A drinking horn in the shape of a dragon. For all your dragon-drinking needs, I guess. (Even the placard just gives up and describes it as "bizarre.")
Various mathematical instruments, fairly normal aside from the whole "being made of gold" thing. You'll recognize a protractor, a couple of compasses...
...and, oh yes, an artillery gunsight with calibration rod. I'm sure we have one of these lying around somewhere.
Finally, my absolute favorite. This is, of course, a glass centerpiece in the shape of a dragon. The idea is that there's a hidden reserve of water in its stomach, and when someone having dinner is foolish enough to press the lever on its tail, water sprays out its mouth and (presumably) squirts someone in the face. Everyone needs one!
And on the way out, one final look at the interior of the museum, which is impressive in its own right.
Next up: the House of Music, one of the more surreal museums I have ever had the ... pleasure? of visiting.
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