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09. 08. 12. - 13:00

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09. 08. 12. - 13:00

Beach volleyball venue pic on sale for 3million

The chance to own the earliest recorded image of the 260-year-old London landmark that was a backdrop to the Olympic beach volleyball games is being offered by a Vienna auction house.

The image of the New Horse Guards building taken from St. James's Park and painted by Venetian master Canaletto is veray similar to a painting snapped up by Andrew Lloyd Webber for a cool 9 million GBP.

But with pic in Llyoyd Webber's collection on a slightly larger format and showing the Old Horse Guards in 1749 shortly before it was knocked down, the painting now on sale is a bargain with its estimated price tag of just 2 million GBP.

Painted some three years later, "New Horse Guards from St James’s Park" which is a stone's throw from Downing Street is of the current building where monarchs take the salute at the Trooping the Colour ceremony on their official birthday. It shows women in the large bell-shaped skirts of the era alongside off-duty soldiers enjoying a stroll in the heart of the capital - a far cry from the bikinis of the volleyball teams that recently occupied the space.

And although the image was crowded for the day, it seems almost empty compared to the crowds that flooded in for the sporting spectacle.

Resident in England from 1746 to 1755, Giovanni Antonio Canal, called il Canaletto, painted some 40 works during his English period, many of which remain in the aristocratic collections for which they were originally commissioned.

Canaletto was especially popular among wealthy British patrons who had travelled as tourists to Venice and moved to England to be closer to many of his clients where he hoped to boost his standing with more local scenes. His success is evident by the fact that many of his paintings still hang in the National Gallery in London, the National Maritime Museum and the collection of the Queen.

The Dorotheum auction house in Vienna that is selling the picture on 17 October said it was not just an important historical record documenting 18th century London, but was also arguably the most English of the paintings Canaletto executed during his time in England from 1746 to 1755.

Vienna Times

Spanish Riding School for everyone
The riding centre of Heldenberg, district of Hollabrunn (Lower Austria) is now offering exclusive courses: professional riders of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna teach interested riders.

Vienna advocates a ban on pesticides
Vienna has now joined those Austrian states that advocate a cooperative strategy for a ban of the neonicotinoids pesticides. Apparently, there are tested alternatives for the pesticides that are harmful for bees.

Huge debate over multilingualism in Austria
Possible projects for a "multilingual oriented educational concept" have led to a debate in Vienna. The SPÖ, ÖVP and FPÖ are currently discussing the two sides of the issue: "multilingualism as a chance" and "German as a priority".

Exhibition Drawing Against Oblivion
The Leopold Museum in Vienna opened the the exhibition "Drawing against oblivion" on 17 May. Manfred Bockelmann drew more than 60 portraits of children and teenagers, who were victims of the Nazi terror.

Swap deals legal case gets underway
The civil case of the city of Linz, Upper Austria, against the Bawag bank about the swap deal will start on 24 May. The maximum amount of damage for Linz could be as much as 417 million Euros in the worst case.

Third man accident leaves man in hospital
A 55-year-old man fell during the "Third Man Tour", which leads visitors through the Viennese canal system. He is said to have suffered a femoral neck fracture.

Charity seeks funds to restore Jewish cemetery
SAFIKG – the Society of American Friends of the Jewish Community Vienna was formed as a U.S. registered charity to allow it to support the IKG (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien) with tax deductible American contributions.

Doves released for funerals offer
The Viennese funeral parlour Furtner now offers a symbolic supplement of the classic funeral. White doves can be released into the sky during the ceremony.

US embassy marks international day against homophobia
The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) took place on 17 May. On this occasion, the rainbow flag was raised next to the American flag at the building of the US embassy in Vienna.

Key for Two at Viennas English Theatre [Review]
Key for Two at Vienna’s English Theatre is a quintessentially British comedy. The play by John Chapman and Dave Freeman has to be one of the funniest and timeless shows about in the Austrian capital.