There was a music room with the strangest of instruments – a giraffeklavier I think it was called – a sort of upright piano with an extension – like a grand piano on it’s side. My guide told me Schubert had played on the grand piano (there was an ordinary grand piano in the room as well as the giraffe version). And while she was namedropping, she said that Napolean Bonaparte had stayed in this house for a couple of nights too.
Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures as they wanted me to leave my bags in a locker before I went in – and I left my camera too. But I sat quite happily with my paints for the remainder of the afternoon and completed 3 daily draws from the exhibits – bringing my tally right up to date for this year (that’s a daily drawing since January 1st!) I love the mundane so kitchen utensils just do it for me – give me cheese grater and a cast iron stove to draw, over a chandelier any day. My escort left me to it. The place was very quiet – not many other visitors – hushed like a library.
Not long before it closed (and I think I missed the gallery part of the exhibition) I emerged into a rainwashed world – I’d not even noticed it had rained. I went in search of food and headed for a Turkish doner kebab place. Falafel, halloumi and salad in a huge, fresh baked wrap for €4 – perfect and hard to beat that.