The Fitzwilliam Museum

My dear Friends
Here in Cambridge we are very fortunate to have the Fitzwilliam Museum. It is quite a large collection of continental art, and ancient antiquites from Egypt, as well as porcelain. And the museum is free. It is a beautiful building to wander round, with a tea room and a shop, and I often go there on weekdays or Sunday afternoons.

There is quite an extensive religious section, with some beautiful icons of the Annunciation amongst other things, but I actually have a favourite painting. It's called St Roch and the Angel. I have no idea who the artist is, but I was very drawn to it the moment I saw it. In it an old man is dying by the wayside, and this is St Roch. Holding him is a beautiful angel with a broad face and a very serene smile.

The first time I saw this painting was when it was hanging under a skylight and the sun was streaming down upon the face of the angel.Unfortunately when it is not on the walls (the Museum removes the paintings from time to time) no-one seems to have heard of it!

There is also a little library in the Museum which one can access on weekdays. It looks out onto a garden of silver birch trees,which as you know are my favourite.

I wish you happy times of looking round museums yourselves.
Shalom from
Sister Gila