Looking up at a stained glass dome
Architecture,  Lens-Artists,  Themed galleries

Gallery: going around in circles

March 10, 2024 / 60 Comments

A circle is a round straight line with a hole in the middle

Mark Twain

That is, I guess, as good a definition of a circle as you’re likely to find. I like this one too, although I’m not sure it’s true (would an oval not be longer?):

A circle is the longest distance to the same point

Tom Stoppard

A circle is a symbol of unity, eternity, and harmony. When used in a photograph, circular elements give a sense of unity and evoke feelings of serenity and timelessness. An image with circles is usually a restful one.

And we can find them everywhere: in nature, in architecture, and almost every time we sit down to eat or drink! It’s some time since I posted a gallery on this theme (Turning wheels and circles from my past) so I’m pleased to be able to revisit it with some more recent images, including a couple from Mexico, for Ann-Christine’s Circular Wonders Lens Artists challenge. This time I’m focusing only on manmade circles.

Some of these you may have already seen, but I’ve tried to include a few first-timers! My feature photo is from the Richard H. Driehaus Museum in Chicago.

Splashes of coloured paint on paving stones

In Thamel, Kathmandu

Rangoli painted on the street in Thamel for Diwali celebrations, the perfect circle now scuffed by passing feet.

Hand holding a brush against a paper with circular abstract designs

Thangka painting, Kathmandu, Nepal

A student at a school that teaches the traditional thangka style of painting, near the Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu.

Tray with round dishes filled with different curries

Dal bhat, Bandipur, Nepal

Dal bhat is a traditional meal in Nepal, similar to the Indian thali with a selection of curries and dals served on a tray with rice and pickles.

Manhole cover with city crest, set in cobbles

Manhole cover, Trondheim

The cover depicts the city’s coat of arms. This represents two kings significant to Trondheim: Olav Tryggvason who founded the city, and Olav the Holy.

Monument on a bare island with a metallic globe design

Monument marking the Arctic Circle crossing, Norway

 This small monument on the small rocky islet of Vikingen marks the line of the Arctic Circle. 

Looking down at a round hot tub with a couple sitting in it

Hot tub on a Hurtigruten ship, Norway

Looking down (some may say spying!) on a couple in the hot tub from an upper deck.

Metallic balloon reflecting a street scene

In the Rue Saint-André des Arts, Paris

A disappointed child let go of the balloon her parents had only just bought her, but her loss was my gain as I grabbed a quick photo!

Large balloon tethered in front of a modern glass building

The Generali Balloon of Paris

This very different Parisian balloon is tethered in the Parc André Citroën and offers rides with great views of the city.

Looking up at a plain glass dome

The dome of the Bourse de Commerce, Paris

This former stock exchange building (and before that a corn exchange) has now been converted to a modern art gallery. 

Shallow metal dish with metal circles

Candle holder, Unity Temple, Oak Park, Chicago

The church was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, although I suspect that this candle holder is more generic, but I liked it nevertheless.

Looking up at a stained glass dome

Dome in the Cultural Center, Chicago

This is the dome of the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall, not the more famous Tiffany dome in the Preston Bradley Hall, but I liked it just as much. 

Stone carving of a face encircled by a broken ornamentation

The Disk of Mictlāntēcutli in the Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City

Mictlāntēcutli was the Aztec god of death and ruler of Mictlān, the underworld of Aztec mythology. This disk was found by archaeologists in the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan in 1963.

Old fashioned globe with a toy aeroplane stuck on

In a coffee shop in Coyoacán, Mexico

We had a break here prior to visiting Frida Kahlo’s home nearby, and I loved the quirky decor as well as the great coffee!

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