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The Temporary Grand Palais
On the radio one day I heard that the Grand Palais was moving to a new location. I went to Place Joffre across from the Ecole Militaire and the Champ-de-Mars--Nothing. Shortly after, I heard on the radio work had begun. I jumped on bus 86 and headed for the Eiffel Tower, missed my stop but saw this looming wood structure jutting out above the trees. The first frames secured on delivery trucks were being pieced together. A few weeks later, I returned to the construction site to check on progress. The Grand Palais Ephémère (temporary) is a wooden dual-framed structure is well underway in its new location with a spectacular…
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Lift the Mask and Smell the Rodin Roses
Alain Baraton recommends the garden at Musée Rodin for the perfume of roses. Colleen’s Paris recommends you hurry before all the petals fall off. It is the end of July. The alternative is to save the date for next year. You will be swept away by the variety of scents. Early Saturday morning, Mr. Baraton convinced me to make the museum’s garden my focus for the morning. He responded to a listener’s question on the radio: If one is in Paris, what garden would he recommend for a garden visit? He saw rabbits in the garden; I saw the Auguste Rodin’s Le Penseur (The Thinker) surrounded by roses in an…
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Charlotte Perriand, Architect/Designer/Artist at FLV
Are you interested or curious about the synthesis of architecture, art and design? Two noted artist/architects who fit that description are Charlotte Perriand and Frank Gehry. Charlotte Perriand "imagined an 'art of living' that broke the codes of the time." The Charlotte Perriand exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton may be closing February 24, 2020 but you have time to download the audio guide! This exhibition and audio guide have a "use-by date" and will not be available once the next exhibit opens April 1. Listen to the stories of her career in interviews and exhibit descriptions. You will find them fascinating. Charlotte Perriand was a member of the Le Corbusier…
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Shuttle Arc de Triomphe to Fondation Louis Vuitton
Do you prefer light, airy, electric transportation? Would you like a scenic ride along the fashionable Avenue Foch to and from the Arc de Triomphe? When you plan a visit to the Fondation Louis Vuitton (FLV) you have alternatives: Line 1, Buses 63 or 244 or the FLV shuttle. The requirement to use the shuttle is to have an admission ticket to the museum. Oh my! What if you decide to go to the museum on a whim and have not purchased a ticket!?
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Musée du Quai Branly – Timely Exhibition Opens
Musée du Quai Branly is free to visitors until October 11 in memory of Jacques Chirac. A timely exhibition of the acquisitions over the past 20 years opened September 24, two days before former President Chirac passed away. In 1990 while still mayor of Paris, Mr. Chirac wanted to highlight the African Arts. When he became president in 1995, the Louvre was his target for the collections from two other Paris museums: Musée de l’Homme and the national museum Musée national des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie. Employees of the Musée de l’Homme went on strike in 1999 against the closure. The Musée des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie closed in 2003.…
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Romantic Paris (1815-1848) The Lull Between Upheavals
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…
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A Century of Working Women-3 Paris Exhibits
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…
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Le Car Rapide at 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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Treasure Hunt at Musée d’Orsay
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
