A MIXED LOT
It was a mixed lot today and cetainly not what I was expecting. Firstly Marielle and I went to see Berthe Morisot (1841-1895) at the Marmotton museum which is dedicated very much to Claude Monet. In fact the museum owns the largest collection in the world.
Once again, this is not my period unless looking at the end of Monet’s life work which becomes modern, less realistic and a beginning of a new era.
This exhibition was a first. If I wanted to see it, it was because Berthe was a rare woman for her period. Model for Edoudard Manet and that certainly meant her life changed. Through him she met some of the most important artists of that period who had a very obvious influence on her work.
For that reason I cannot say that I was overwhelmed or excited with what I saw. There were so many paintings which ressembled work of artists we know. However, toward the end of her life she did some beautiful and modern watercolors of landscapes. Small, minimalist and quite charming. An escape from all the portraits and children she had painted. Of course, I should add that she married Eugène Manet (Edouard’s brother) which must have confirmed her status in those circles.
Marielle is right. There is always something to «take away» from an exhibition even if it is not wildly interesting. For me it was those tiny watercolors and a black and white drawing of a girl with a cat.
I came home to pack before I leave tomorrow.
But there was another exhibition to see before leaving. I knew it would be small. Jean-Philippe Toussaint : «Livre/Louvre» .
We now have regular contemporary exhibitions at the Louvre. They are never too big nor crowded. Earlier in the week I had seen the poster which showed a man’s brain reading a book. Fascinating.
I knew nothing about Jean-Phillipe Toussaint but after a little research discovered he was from Belgium, 54, a writer, film maker and photographer. He had won and important book prize for "Escape" ("Fuir") which I bought to discover how he writes. I like his style
In this exhibition, it’s his imagination that plays as he associates videos, small installations to evoke books but without showing the written word. What was really intriguing for me was a transparent cabin where a young woman was sitting and reading in a space smaller than a shower. She wore an electonic cap which was linked to a screen on a wall away from her boxed environment. Toussaint had then produced what he imagined could be going on in her mind. The video flashed blurred pictures of fire, water, lovemaking, and different colours...real? Does it matter?
A little boy asked his father «Will she be let out of the box Dad?»
«Perhaps she will come out when she has finished her book» was the answer...
This exhibition was a first. If I wanted to see it, it was because Berthe was a rare woman for her period. Model for Edoudard Manet and that certainly meant her life changed. Through him she met some of the most important artists of that period who had a very obvious influence on her work.
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| The cherry Tree |
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| Lady with a fan |
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| Berthe Morisot |
For that reason I cannot say that I was overwhelmed or excited with what I saw. There were so many paintings which ressembled work of artists we know. However, toward the end of her life she did some beautiful and modern watercolors of landscapes. Small, minimalist and quite charming. An escape from all the portraits and children she had painted. Of course, I should add that she married Eugène Manet (Edouard’s brother) which must have confirmed her status in those circles.
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| Portrait of Julie |
I came home to pack before I leave tomorrow.
But there was another exhibition to see before leaving. I knew it would be small. Jean-Philippe Toussaint : «Livre/Louvre» .
We now have regular contemporary exhibitions at the Louvre. They are never too big nor crowded. Earlier in the week I had seen the poster which showed a man’s brain reading a book. Fascinating.
 |
| Front cover Escape - English version |
I knew nothing about Jean-Phillipe Toussaint but after a little research discovered he was from Belgium, 54, a writer, film maker and photographer. He had won and important book prize for "Escape" ("Fuir") which I bought to discover how he writes. I like his style
In this exhibition, it’s his imagination that plays as he associates videos, small installations to evoke books but without showing the written word. What was really intriguing for me was a transparent cabin where a young woman was sitting and reading in a space smaller than a shower. She wore an electonic cap which was linked to a screen on a wall away from her boxed environment. Toussaint had then produced what he imagined could be going on in her mind. The video flashed blurred pictures of fire, water, lovemaking, and different colours...real? Does it matter?
A little boy asked his father «Will she be let out of the box Dad?»
«Perhaps she will come out when she has finished her book» was the answer...
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