Invisible Paris - The Mystery Solved

The Mysterious Paris Building

Those of you that have been reading my blog know that I not only post about my own painting journey and artwork, but I love to introduce a few art topics that I think you might find of interest.

When on our a trip to Paris I couldn't help noticing this very unusual building while on a walk in the 12th arrondissement. I was on an elevated walkway with lots of trees and shrubs and I could only see the top of the building.
The figures on the building looked familiar like, The Dying Slave sculpture by Michelangelo, but I was in a residential section of Paris and this was a modern structure.

I have taken a fair amount of art history/architecture in college, but I was stumped.
Who was the architect and what was this building's intended use?
After some searching on the internet I discovered the blog, Invisible Paris.
Adam, the author of the blog said,
"Seen something in Paris that has caught your eye but remains a mystery, or ever wondered about obscure people or events in the city's past"? 
So I emailed him. 
And to my surprise and delight, he took the time to solve the mystery! 
His response is so thorough with additional pictures, you will be fascinated to learn more.
Here is the link to his marvelous blog post 
Challenge 7: Curious figures on the Avenue Daumesnil in Invisible Paris.
Thank you Adam.
You can download his Invisible Paris tours on your IPhone.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Paris and Beyond

Le Train Blue Gare de Lyon Paris

Photo Karen F. Rose

Getting there

One of the highlights of our trip was taking the high speed train (TGV) from Paris to Avignon. The restaurant Le Train Blue is located in the station and was built as part of the 1900 Paris exhibition (same as the Eiffel Tower) and was located at the Gare de Lyon to showcase the best of Paris... The ceiling has 41 paintings of places you visit by train. 

Look closely, can you catch a glimpse of Coco Channel, Brigitte Bardot or Dali seated at one of the tables? They were once frequent patrons of the this restaurant. 

Fast forward to the Avignon TVG station where I saw no paintings hanging on the walls, but the station is a work of art itself, with sleek modern high speed trains that will spirit you to Paris at speeds of 185 miles per hour.

Travelers at TGV Avignon
Photo Karen F. Rose

Automobiles
May I just say that part of the art of driving in France is mastering roundabouts....? For those of you who live in the Midwest, where there are wide streets and large avenues and may not be familiar with this free flow of traffic concept, let's just say that instead of a four way stop you enter the outer lane of the circle and pray that someone will let you exit when you need to!!!
I think in Provence, there were roundabouts at every intersection.

Concept Car Art
photo Karen F. Rose

Automobiles
Much to my husband's regret, this was not our rental car while we were traveling but is a work of "car art" in a Paris showroom.

Planes - Waiting to board a plane in Jacksonville International airport, you notice the large mural at the end of the terminal, 

Art at the Jacksonville International Airport

Terminal

Photo Karen F. Rose

Can't help wondering, "That guy must be flying first class cause he will never fit in a coach seat. Don't you just love that image!

Must also say the art in the Atlanta airport international terminal that welcomes you as you come back to the states and head into customs and passport control is magnificent. What a Welcome Home!

My birthday trip was so memorable and as promised, if you are a subscriber to my blog and made a comment on these Paris and Beyond posts, I will put your name in a "beret" and choose a winner from all the names as a thank you to you for "contributing to my blog". So don't forget to subscribe!

Rose Valland, a Heroine for Art

Plaque on the Jeu de Paume in Paris
Photo Karen F. Rose

As you walk around the Tuileries in Paris you can't help but notice the beautiful fountains and flowers, but on this day I was in search of a special piece of history.

On a wall outside the Jeu de Paume in the Tuileries Garden in Paris is a plaque honoring the art historian, member of the French Resistance and perhaps one of the most heroic French women during World War II, Rose Valland.

To honor Rose Valland

I had often asked, "How did the great works of art survive the destruction and the ravages of World War II"?  

The spellbinding documentary The Rape of Europa  and the book The Monuments Men by Robert Edsel tell the heroic story of Rose Valland and the Monuments Men. The plaque on the Jeu de Paume is in honor of Rose.

During the war, the Nazis stole art works from museums and private collections and stored them in the Jeu de Paume, and all the while, Rose secretly kept records.


Wikipedia says that, "For four years she kept track of where and to whom in Germany the artworks were shipped and risked her life to provide information to the French Underground and about railroad shipments of art so that they would not mistakenly blow up the trains loaded with France's priceless treasures". 

Watch this video clip. Click  HERE 

Chambord
Photo Karen F. Rose

Chambord is the location where, as the Nazis advanced toward Paris, Leonardo Da Vinci's painting Mona Lisa, and the ancient Greek sculpture Venus De Milo, as well as hundreds of other priceless works of art were taken from the Louvre museum and secretly stored for safekeeping.

Venus De Milo
Louvre Museum
Photo Karen F. Rose 

When you see the actual film footage of this story unfold, you too will forever remember Rose Valland and the Monuments Men.
An amazing story.

Midnight In Paris, Not the Movie but the Experience

The Eiffel Tour viewed from a boat ride on the Seine
Photo Karen F. Rose

Passing under the Napoleon Bridge
Photo Karen F. Rose

Part of the joy and adventure of my trip to France was a birthday gift my daughter gave me, a boat ride at night on the Seine. The weather was perfect for seeing "The City of Lights".

Locks of Love on the Pont Des Arts bridge in Paris
Photo Karen F. Rose

Walking from the Louvre across the Le Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge, to the boat ramp, I was surprised to see thousands of locks covering both sides of the bridge. Hundreds of people were sitting, chatting and picnicking on the bridge. The locks glistened in the night air almost as if they were ornaments on a Christmas tree.

Being curious, I just had to ask. "What's this adornment of the bridge all about"?
I was told that people "who are in love" come to the bridge and afix a lock to the bridge as a testiment to their everlasting devotion to each other then throw the key into the Seine.
Well. such an event is not without controversy. Government officials were concerned that all these locks are defacing a national monument, a French treasure. So, one night in 2010, in the middle of the night. government officials removed all the locks.
Just as quickly as they disappeared they reappeared again.
Ah love is always in the air in Paris, I guess.

How would you feel if thousands of people wrote love messages on one of our Vermont covered bridges or placed padlocks all over the Brooklyn bridge? I am curious to hear your thoughts.

In my next post I'll introduce you to a French woman, an art historian
who I've wanted to meet, if only in spirit.

If you have not already done so, I invite you subscribe to my blog. Who knows, you might be the winner of a little something from France I am giving away at the end of my Paris and Beyond posts!

Musée d'Orsay - No Photography?

You have traveled thousands of miles to see paintings you have long admired in the collection of the Musée d'Orsay. You remember them from your art history classes. You have your camera, an extra memory card and back up battery.

There you are in front of that Degas sculpture, Monet, Renoir, or Van Gogh painting you absolutely love...wait, what did the museum guard say, "No photographs please"???

Degas Sculptures in Musee d'Orsay
taken before the ban on photography
Photo © 2010 Karen F. Rose

Thatched Cottages at Cordeville, 1890Vincent VanGogh
oil on canvas
Musée d'Orsay
photo © 2010 Karen F. Rose

The Musée d'Orsay now has a no photography policy throughout the museum.

While I can understand no flash photography, which is annoying and over time could be damaging to works of art, and no photography of works that do not belong to the museum, but for artists and who want to study a painting or sculpture in closer detail...what a hugh disappointment...no photographs...not even with your smart phone.

Art Info has an article about shutterbugs going to the Musee d'Orsay once a month to protest. Take a look at that article click HERE

Should museums limit non flash photographs. A Euro for your thoughts!

French, Female and a Portrait Painter

Self portrait of Louse Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun and her daughter
(detail)
Louvre Museum
Photo Karen F. Rose

In my last post, I showed the portrait of Marie Antoinette and asked who painted it and where is it hanging now?
The French female artist who painted that portrait of Marie Antoinette was
Louise Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun (1755- 1842) perhaps the most famous female painter of the 18th century.
Above she is pictured in this charming self portrait with her daughter that hangs in the Louvre.
Being a painter is tough, being a woman who paints portraits is even tougher and being a woman painter during the age of the French revolution and having been a portraitist to the queen of France ...well enough said.
You might want to read more about this amazing woman posted on the website of Kings College  HERE   
In answer to my "Paris and Beyond Art Adventure" questions
Marie Antoinette's picture now hangs in the Petit Trianon at Versailles.
The architect of the Louvre's pyramid was I.M. Pei
and the Musee d' Orsay was converted from a train station into an art museum.

In the next few weeks I will post art, food and history related questions about Paris and Provence. And, we will do a little sightseeing.
Hope you will join me by subscribing to my blog...just click on one of the subscribe buttons on the right.
Please leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.
If you had your portrait painted, what location would you choose? Would you choose to be formal or select casual clothing. What would best reflect your personality?

Follow Me on a Paris and Beyond Art Adventure

I'm excited to begin a Paris and Beyond art adventure and hope you will join me by subscribing to my blog. In the next couple weeks, I will post art, food, and history related questions about Paris and Provence. And we will do a little 
sightseeing.

Who painted this portrait of Marie Antoinette and where is it hanging now?

Who designed the Louvre Pyramid?

The building housing the Musee d"Orsay was what before it was an art museum?

If you subscribe to my blog, make a comment on these Paris and Beyond Posts... ooooh la la ...you just might be the winner of a gift from France. 

How do you subscribe? Just click on the blue "join this site button" or the "follow this blog" button on the right hand side of the blog.
Have your passport?  
Got your bags packed? 
Ok lets go on an adventure. 
Check the next post for answers to the Paris and Beyond Art Adventure questions.

Need a Little Artist Humor to Start the New Year?

Visitors to your studio?

Happy New Year and my sincerest wishes for joy and inner peace for you in this coming year.

With all the seriousness of New Year's resolutions, list making, goal setting, and organizing that takes place this weekend, I thought you could use a little artist humor to balance out your day.

While on an artist studio "art walk tour", I spotted this "Eyebrow Movement Analysis" taped to the wall in one of the artist's studios. Funny, yes?

And, while on a brief visit to Key West two weeks ago, we spotted this handsome fellow. We had all gathered to watch the sunset, at the most southern point in the United States.

Where's that green flash?

Now, Key West is know for some laid back craziness and "the Ernest Hemingway six toed cats" but this guy takes the cake or better yet, I think he has dipped those toes into some catnip cake. He was just as calm, cool and collected as could be, taking in the sunset with all the rest of us.
I asked Mr. Boots, my studio cat if he would ever wear such a visor. He said "No way,"Ray Bans are my style"!
Ok, now that you have seen enough of this silliness, go out and make it a great day and don't forget those resolutions you just made!

The Louvre Museum's Seated Scribe- Making That List and Checking It Twice.

Seated Scribe
Louvre Museum,  Paris

Writing, writing. writing. Tis the season for writing holiday and Christmas cards, writing year end to do lists and making those all important other "lists" and checking them twice.

Last night seated with my legs crossed, writing and writing, I thought about the figure of the Seated Scribe, in the Louvre museum in Paris. He is a masterpiece of Egyptian art.

I remembered the first time I saw him. wondering then, as I do now, "What was he writing?"

Quite a striking figure, he is rendered geometric, yet with very realistic touches. That day years ago, his fixed gaze starred right through me. He looked beyond me with his 4000 year old eyes to the courtyard of the Louvre, out to the streets of Paris and beyond.

But, last night with a chuckle, I thought of him with his fingers wrapped not around his scroll and quill pen, but with an I Pad in his lap instead.

My how our instruments of writing have changed over the years from papyrus, to 

I Pad.

What's on your list of to do's before the year end? Do you use lists to make yourself more accountable to achieve your goals?  If so, good luck with that!

If you are interested, there is a closer look at the Seated Scribe in an interactive view on the Louvre's web site Seated Scribe
Oh, by the way, unless you practice yoga, I wouldn't advise sitting with your legs crossed, guaranteed to put your left leg to sleep!

Pastels - What's Old and New - Henri Roché Pastels, PastelMat, Pan Pastels

An assortment of new Pan Pastels

Clairefontaine's PastelMat

Something Old: In a previous post, I included photos of my visit to La Maison Du Pastel, 20 Rue Rambuteau, Paris, a small shop that is like a walk back in time, not having changed much since the 1920's. There Isabelle Roché sells hand made Henri Roché Pastels. This line of pastels dates back to the 1720's.


Whether you are an artist or not, you would be fascinated by their luminosity. The history of these pastels, complete with mentions of Whistler and Degas and how Isabelle came to continue the family tradition of making these handmade pastels can be found by clicking on the history of Henri Roché pastels.


Something New: At the big department store BHV in Paris, you'll find just about everything. Want to have a snack while you are shopping, forget to pack that sweater, need a new watch battery, need a laundry basket? No problem!


At BHV a fully stocked art department awaits you. I found packages of PastelMat on the shelves. This acid free and lightfast surface for pastel will be a joy to work on and is available in eight colors.


At home, I have discovered Pan Pastels, which create less dust than stick pastels.  Pan pastels are an exciting new way to apply the pastel medium. Love the pans with lids, the sponges and the varied shapes of Sofft applicators to apply the pastel.


If you are new to the pastel medium, visit the site Artists in Pastel, a blog written by
a gentleman in Cork, Ireland who reviews websites of artists who work in pastel.


I am most honored to have my name mentioned on his blog site.

Discovering Monet at the Grand Palais

Exhibition poster outside Grand Palais in Paris appropriate for this landmark exhibition.

Long lines for admission. The exhibit runs until Jan. 24, 2011.

Monet exhibition bookstore
Can you say...bring your Visa!

More than 70 museums from around the world loaned paintings to the Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris. Included are more than 200 works covering 60 years of Claude Monet's career. It is the largest retrospective to be organized in his native France in 30 years. more than 83,000 tickets have already been sold and lines are long if you have not prearranged for your ticket. 

The painting, Impression, Soleil Levant which gave Impressionism it's name is missing from this exhibit and is on display at Musée Marmottan Monet that is a former hunting lodge in the 16th arrondissement district. There is an interesting Wall Street Journal article about the feud over the inclusion of that painting in the exhibit. Google the article if you want some behind the scenes drama.

This amazing exhibit has an interactive web site  

http://www.monet2010.com/en#/home/
But be patient because it takes a while for all the information to load.
Must say I was overwhelmed. I had severe jet lag and I kept pinching myself knowing this is a once in a lifetime exhibit and I was seeing paintings I will never again see in person.
The rooms were darkly lit and the deep jewel tones of the exhibition walls made the light in the paintings radiate their glow....very captivating. As Liz Lemon says, I want to go there....again.
I invite you to subscribe to my blog and please share my link with friends who might find it interesting. Thanks.

In Flight Thoughts - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Airplane In Flight Map
Over the Guernsey Island 

Just returned from a (vacation/birthday celebration) adventure in Paris, France and Italy.  I cherish the moments with family, old and new friends and the opportunity to see art and architecture in Florence, Cortona, Siena, and Paris, previously I had only studied in college art textbooks.
The enchanting Tuscan landscapes and my Paris adventure will be inspiration for pastel and oil paintings in the days ahead....so stay tuned.
However, back to the plane... on flights over "the big pond" I always love to view the map in progress. Seeing where you are at 35,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of the night always gives one pause. As we inched closer to France on the moving map, the Guernsey Island in the English Channel was highlighted. My thoughts immediately turned from, "gee, I hope we have enough fuel to make it to Paris CDG cause I can't swim", to the... oh so charming book I listened to last summer, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I say listened to, because many times when I am painting in the studio I listen to audio versions of books and this has superb actors. Kinda wished we weren't flying over Guernsey but were popping in for a visit with the locals.
Amazon has a wonderful clip about the book http://www.amazon.com/Guernsey-Literary-Potato-Peel-Society/dp/0385340990
Time to unpack the suitcase and read the mail. Subscribe to my blog if you want to join me on my colorful art adventure to Tuscany and Paris.

Paris Velib Bike Program and The Tour de France

Velib' Bike Rental Program Paris

Ok, confession time... instead of painting today I have been watching the Tour de France. As the cyclists spin their way through France headed toward Paris, I am reminded of the many Velib' stations located throughout the city. That rental program is the only way most of us will ever be riding a bike in Paris. 

Sorry Lance... for not making the team. 

I do like the the basket model velib bike. Perfect for art supplies and pastels from  La Maison du Pastel.

Seems there should be more emphasis on this kind of rental here in the States especially in college towns.  What do you think?

But whenever you ride your bike, please wear a bike helmet. 

A surprise at Sennelier in Paris

Sennelier in Paris
Photo Karen F. Rose

An artist in an art shop is like a kid in a candy store,

so having the opportunity to visit Sennelier at 3

Quai de Voltaire really set my heart racing.
Ah the pastels and oil colors, what joy, what excitement.

Wait a minute what are those guards doing in front

of Sennelier? I realize that there's lots of history

here...but guards?

Well apparently former French

president Jacques Chirac and his wife live in the

apartment above the store.
You just never know

who you'll run into on the way to pick up that

extra tube of French Ultramarine blue.
I hope he has taken up painting. How convenient

to walk downstairs for a new tube of paint!

La Maison du Pastel Paris

What an experience to meet
Isabelle Roché owner of La Maison
du Pastel, (founded in 1720) and to select a few
handmade pastels for my studio.


The sign on the door of the little shop open
only one day a week Thursday from 2 PM to 6 PM

Isabelle showing me pastels made with
the same skills that were inherited
from a family tradition and used
by artists Degas and Vuillard.

Outside the small shop at
20 rue Rambuteau, Paris

Click on this link for the web site

and a fascinating history.

http://www.lamaisondupastel.com/