Museums

Let's Explore, Museums

Romantic Paris (1815-1848) The Lull Between Upheavals

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Scene de Carnaval, place de la Concorde, Lami

Was there a single event that led to Romanticism? Where did it begin? You could say the era Enlightenment and war brought on Romanticism. It started in Germany. The Petit Palais’s latest exhibition, Paris Romantique (1815-1848) until September 15, is one of a two-part exhibition. The second part takes place at the Musée de la Vie Romantique. Initially, I went to the exhibition out of curiosity; drawn to this period of emotional art. I found Romantic stylings of the Gothic, Middle Ages and Renaissance decor, women artists, writers, composers, sculptors, elements of the medieval and the erotic, theatre and fashion. I left Googling the whole story, its influences, philosophical connections and realised that between wars, there is always a period experimentation (think 1920s and 1930s).

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Book Reviews, Day Trip, History, Monuments, Museums

Meaux, A brie(f) half hour from Paris

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Fernand PINAL (1881-1958) Le Pont du Marché à Meaux, 1913, Musée Bossuet, Meaux

You know the typical vacation questions “Got the tee-shirt” or “Got the postcard”!? Well I can say, “Got the Brie (de Meaux)”! Brie de Meaux cheese that is. Meaux is a a 25-minute train ride from Paris.Meaux, A brie(f) half hour from Paris.
One hot August mid-afternoon I took a direct “P” train from Gare de l’Est to Meaux. Many of the Meldois (local residents) within the Gallo-Roman walls had left on vacation. I followed Annabel Simms‘s exact directions ….

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Museum exhibitions, Museums, Photography-Art

A Century of Working Women-3 Paris Exhibits

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2 posters for Qui a Peur des femmes photographes and Splendeurs et Misères

Constrained by social norms or cultural tradition, women working outside the home in the mid to late 1800s walked a fine line when wanting to earn a living. Three Paris exhibitions follow the working life of women for almost a century from 1839 to 1945. All three are exploring subjects assembled for the first time. “Qui a peur des femmes photographes” (until January 24, 2016) is the first gender-based exhibition in France and “Splendeurs et Misères, Images de la prostitution 1850-1910” (until January 17, 2016) “Splendeurs…” is the first time a museum is dedicating an entire exhibition to prostitution. Within this article you will find a synopsis of the three exhibits, links to YouTube videos with English subtitles, download links to publications in English, books in English available and visiting information.

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Museums

Le Car Rapide at Musée de l’Homme

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"car rapide" Bonne Mère located now in the Musée de l'Homme

We are heading to Senegal in December. A restored version of the famous “car rapide” (Sengalese express bus) the Musée de l’Homme was a natural source for our visual information on Saint-Louis and Dakar city transportation. The “Bonne Mère” was waiting for us on the second floor. We will have no problem recognizing the bus. The colorful paintings of popular art blend and illustrate the country’s Islam and Animiste cultures ….

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Children and Teens, Museums, Sightseeing

Treasure Hunt at Musée d’Orsay

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Colleen earning an extra 50 points imitating the sculpture, although backwards

We sat under the lion statue at the Musée d’Orsay counting up our scores: four teams. The four teams: a mother and daughter (12); three teenagers; the aunt and uncle; and two retired flight attendants. The post-hunt questions: “Did you ever find that chair?”, “Where did you find Sarah Bernhadt?”, “Did you see “The Voyager” statue?, “Wasn’t it a fun way to see a museum?” Daisy de Plume scores a winner again with another hour and a half treasure hunt adventure. THATd’Or (Treasure hunt at the d’Orsay) is the newest addition

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Children and Teens, Museums, Sightseeing

THATLou Hunts Treasure at the Louvre

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Michelle, Raina and Colleen, the "Winning Witches" finally finding the small, elusive Goya on our THATLou treasure hunt

The Louvre treasure hunt begins when “Daisy de Plume” sends you an email dropping hunting hints written with tongue in cheek humor.

Once you set off on a THATLou (Treasure Hunt at the Louvre) treasure hunt, your eyes capture a multitude of treasure in one and half hours. Add to this the excitement of looking for specific treasures, taking specific photos for bonus points, posing in front of treasure in specific poses, learning to write a limerick, experimenting with strategy and naming your team.

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