I could have spent thousands of dollars to get to the Zwinger, a magnificent Baroque complex in Dresden, and wander through the neo-Renaissance style building.

In Second Life, it’s one teleport click away.

All the rooms of the museum have been reconstructed true to scale in the SL Dresden Gallery and all of the 750 masterpieces in this permanent exhibition are on display. Apart from the truly beautiful art, the building itself is superb. The textures are the best I’ve seen anywhere. Maybe they are all carefully created from photographs? That’s enough work for 3 graphic artists, and half a dozen top notch SL builders.

In any case, it’s a work of art in itself.

Click the images to view a larger picture and you’ll see what I mean. (And read on further for Sleeping Venus)

Rembrandt, Vermeer, Canaletto, Poussin, Watteau, Duerer, Titian — they’re all here.

My favourite (if it’s possible to have a favourite among the marvels of European art history) is the Sleeping Venus by Giorgione. All my life I have absolutely loved that painting.
The power of Sleeping Venus is in its perfect inner harmony. Some of the typical qualities of Greek sculpture are here, the idealised, regular face and long, graceful bodily contours, but not made regular to the point of becoming abstract, nor hard and stone-like, or sharply linear.

I love the warm, blended tints which add reality and decorative richness, contrasted with the textures of crimson and silver-gray draperies, and the soft green landscape. And I love the beautiful body in an attitude of modest concealment, the broad, rolling landscape, drawing the eye over long flights that expand our imaginary reach, the feathery trees reaching into the air, the rich literary associations of Greek mythology. Overall, there is that lulling, quieting air of brooding peace, safety and serenity.

No wonder I was lost for hours in contemplation!

SLURL : Dresden Gallery