Nicknamed the « Raphaël of flowers », Pierre-Joseph Redouté spent almost 60 years collecting and identifying flowers that he then meticulously painted. His artistic talent rivals his scientific rigor as we can see at Musée de la Vie Romantique, in the first ever exhibition devoted to his art in France. There are 250 items celebrating flowers and the garden of the museum, … Read More
Pissarro, a double bill at Marmottan and at Luxembourg
I am not a particular fan of Camille Pissarro but Musée Marmottan always has nice shows and walking through the Ranelagh gardens on the way, is an extra bonus. The new exhibition « Pissarro, the first of the Impressionists » is a good surprise. From the painter‘s origins in St Thomas in the Caribbean, to his paintings of Norman harbors and gardens … Read More
Prune Nourry plays around at Musée Guimet
I first attended a Prune Nourry show in 2011, when Tatyana Franck, then 26, exhibited her work in an empty apartment of Faubourg St Honoré with Sophie Ubald Bocquet. These very young ladies were quite excited over their friend’s « Terracotta Daughters » and one could sense success around the corner. Tatyana went on to exhibit Prune Nourry in Mexico, Zürich and … Read More
Camille Claudel and the Marquise de Maillé
It was a short drive from the beautiful village of St Loup de Naud where I slept in Violet Trefusis‘s house (now owned by a close friend), and we arrived at Château de la Motte-Tilly promptly for the 10.30 am tour. This house which used to be Louis XV th treasurer Abbé Terray’s, was built in 1754 by architect Francois … Read More
Topor, the dark genius, at Bibliothèque Nationale
The Bibliothèque Nationale, the French Public Library, has a rich fund of books, drawings, photographs and etchings and the celebration of Roland Topor’s art is a perfect example of what they know to do best : a profound exploration of one’s art through 300 of his drawings, film and illustrations.
A Japanese collector overwhelms l’Orangerie
Only a brilliant mind (Japanese in this case) could have thought of turning his own name of Ishibashi into Bridgestone, the exact English translation, and turn it into one of the greatest tyre companies in the world. Shojiro Ishibashi started collecting Japanese and Western art in the 30’s and built a fabulous collection which was added on by his son … Read More
Grand Paris Express, when train stations become artworks
It is not a new concept to turn train stations into artworks and Gare de Lyon or Grand Central Station in New York are proof of it. But to create 68 new stations in the greater Paris for 200 kms of automatic subway lines might be a true revolution and the project to be completed in 2030 is called « … Read More
An American Excentric in Paris
Only an excentric American friend could have thought of taking twenty Parisians and a few Americans on a cruise to the unknown ! When I received Micky Wolfson’s invitation to embark at 8.45 at the Bastille, and to sail on to Gallery Thaddaeus Ropac in Pantin, I could not stop smiling for a week.