• Handout Exhibition Brochure cover Madame de Maintenon
    Museum exhibitions,  Versailles

    The Extraordinary Madame de Maintenon at Versailles

    Until July 21, Versailles currently has two exhibitions about Queens of France. The one, Madame de Maintenon, was never declared queen; the other Marie Leszczynska, reigned for 42 years and is little known.  The anonymous illustrator of "Le Camp de Compiègne" places Madame de Maintenon sitting in the center of the illustration. As the center of attention, viewed by the nobles and soldiers, she is treated as a queen. Madame de Maintenon was the secret wife of Louis XIV. The announcement of her official marriage to Louis XIV is still only a whisper at court. This scene is part of the exhibition "Madame de Maintenon, In the Corridors of Power".

  • Similng Spider (Araigée souriante), 1881, Musée d'Orsay (conserved at the Louvre)
    Museums

    Paris Museums using “Apps” for Audio Guides

    Look for Paris museums to use phone applications (apps) for their audio guides more frequently. As an amateur art critic, I am a big fan of audio guides. They provide in-depth background information on exhibition selections. They make you visit more efficient if you are short on time. The availability of languages depends on the exhibit or the museum. Generally, the museum’s audio guides for children are only available in French. Downloading an application offers several benefits: use your own headsets and phone/mp3 player for the visit; re-listen to the highlights again as often as you like and pretend you were there. The price might be cheaper for the download…