Portugal

I was in Lisbon few weeks ago and I have to admit that this city is amazing!! I visited my friends who are studying there and I fell in love with Portugal! That's why, I would love to give you some reasons to visit this beautiful country!  

First of all, when it comes to the capital of Portugal, Lisbon is a city ruled by landscapes. Sited on seven hills running down to the grand Tagus River, this city is one of the most scenic cities which I've ever seen! Beautifuls views are found at every turn! Colorful, picturesque streets and pastel-colored buildings give an amazing atmosphere. 

Moreover, one of Lisbon's most popular acitivites is bar-hopping through Bairro Alto, a central district. As one of the top wine-producing countries in the world, Portugal also attracts tourists looking to discover its wines but also other drinks, so when I was there, I had to try it! That's why, I went to the "Museu da cerveja". It's one of the several restaurants in Comercio Square and it's also a museum. Up the stairs is a small space presenting the history of beer. The ground level is spacious and very attractive but to be honest, most people were looking for the tables outside to drink some refreshing beer in the sun :)

When it comes to food, it's obligatory to go to the famous pastry shop "Fabrica dos Pasteis de Belem" and try the delicious cake of Belem. It's a kind of egg tart pastry that is famous for its authentic Portuguese taste. Because this recipe has been kept in secrecy throughout history, the best place where tourists can enjoy its true flavor is still in Lisbon! :)

The other thing that you must do when you're in Lisbon, is going on a ride on Tram 28, one of the city's main icons, the best and the cheapest way to discover Lisbon. This legendary tram is a tourist attraction in itself and it goes all aroud the town. 

To sum up, there are some places you will never leave. You may not be there physically, but a piece of you stays there forever ! And Lisbon is a place that stole my heart! That's why I highly recommend all of you to visit this stunning city :) 

The Scream

“The Scream” is one of the most celebrated and recognized paintings in art history. The Norwegian artist Edvard Munch’s image was painted in 1893.

Although this fact is often forgotten, Munch intended “The Scream” to be part of a series, known as the “Frieze of Life” which explores three different themes : Love, Anxiety and Death. “The Scream” was the final work of the Love theme, and signified despair because according to Munch, despair was the ultimate outcome of love.

This painting shows a bald, mouth open and deformed figure standing on a bridge under a yellow-orange sky. This central figure barely looks human and the background figures are unidentifiable.

When it comes to the setting, this scene has a real location. The landscape in the background is Oslofjord, viewed from the hill of Ekeberg, in Oslo. Thanks to the artist’s dynamic use of curving lines and strong colors, the composition has an intense energy.

From my point of view, the central figure isn’t screaming. It's his inner self, the person he's keeping locked away inside, coming out to show the frustration which life can bring onto people. I think that we all know this feeling, and we all hold it inside of ourselves.

Moreover, in 2013, “The Scream” was one of four paintings that the Norwegian postal service chose for a series of stamps marking the 150th anniversary of Edvard Munch’s birth.

What it's also very interesting, it’s the fact that in the late twentieth century, “The Scream” was imitated and parodied. There are a lot of of fun parodies of this painting:

Screaming Homer

Screaming Macaulay Culkin known as Kevin from “Home alone”

Screaming Squidward from “SpongeBob SquarePants”

Screaming Joker from “Batman”

And what about you, do you think that creating a parody of famous work of art is suitable? Do you like this type of art?