Only once in four year we get to see the 29th of February but this year there is the added celebration of the 40th anniversary of the foundation of Auroville.
The Golden Day was celebrated here too in London in a quiet way.
The daffodils in Green Park are the most enjoyable sight at this time of the year. People are out, walking through the park, even though it continues to be quite cold.
The exhibition of paintings at the Royal Academy is a must see. The collection is from Russia but there are several famous paintings done by French artists. Of particular interest are the those of the Impressionists. The last two rooms are entirely devoted to modern Russian artists. The main attraction is “The Dance” by Matisse which to my surprise was actually commissioned by a Russian collector.
Having a cup of coffee on the ground floor is in itself a prolongation of the mood of the exhibition. Each wall of the large cafeteria has a painting from a different period of European art. Especially attractive is the painting over the entrance, in the late Victorian style, showing Spring pushing Winter out. When you walk up the road to Green Park you can see the perfect daffodils bravely standing in the cold wind. And you know exactly what the artist had in mind while he was painting his picture.
