MILLESGARDEN MUSEUM
On the recommendation of our friends Mary and Joe, we visited the sculpture garden and house of Swedish sculptor, Carl Milles. We took a cab from our hotel to a suburban residential area where the entrance to MilllesGarden is boldly signed on a quiet street.
Milles lived from 1875 to 1955, was in Paris for a few years early in his career, and then he and his wife Olga returned to his native Sweden on the outskirts of Stockholm. Olga was also an artist, a painter, and Milles’ sister Ruth Milles too.
The grounds of the Milles property, built on several levels, include an expansive sculpture terrace facing the water, several pools, a couple of upper terraces, and their house. Many sculptures are mounted on tall pedestals.
Carl Milles collected antiquities and these pieces, along with plaster casts of some works, and art by both women, Olga and Ruth, are on display in the house.
Milles favored classical and mythical figures from Europa to Orpheus in his work with the occasional fish or bison or other animal. It is an amazing collection (roughly 100 pieces) and was a treat to experience.
I liked several paintings by Olga Milles, one of a woman at the piano, and the other of some vibrant red poppies.
There is also a café, which we didn’t patronize, and a small shop where I purchased some note cards. There I got asked to do a visitor survey. Using a QR code, I logged into the survey site on my phone. Even after choosing English, it was not the easiest survey to navigate. I would have gladly provided some constructive suggestions, but was happy enough to just get through it!
The desk staff called us a cab, and while we wondered for a bit if we’d be rescued, we were. The taxi driver ferried us back and knew the streets well enough to turn away from a set of horses and riders slowly clopping their way down the road and backing up traffic.
OUTDOOR LUNCH
Bistro du Passage
This was Sunday, and many restaurants were closed, including almost all of them in Saluhall. We spied outside tables at what we thought was Paula’s, but turned out to be Bistro du Passage according to the menu. It was breezy and cool outside and I wanted to eat in, but the Chief Penguin insisted on an outdoor table. From our sidewalk seats, we watched family groups and individuals stroll by while we awaited our orders.
This lunch was excellent. I had pappardelle with chèvre which was lovely pasta with a goat cheese sauce and some little spears of asparagus, topped with thin slices of summer truffle, super yum! The Chief Penguin had their chicken salad: greens, bell peppers, and sliced artichokes, all under a small chicken leg and thigh —some of the most flavorful chicken he’s had. And I survived the gusty weather!
Note: All photos including header photo of sculpture terrace ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
