Born in 1927 in his grandfather’s foundry in Paris, Maurice Rapin became a mathematician and a painter at the same time. He taught at a lycée in Versailles and came home to his studio nearby in Chaville. His artistic life was discreet and he always resented exhibiting his work. This is why seventeen years after his death, Sabine Bayasli, is … Read More
Medieval glass at Musée de Cluny
Musée de Cluny is such a discreet place that I had to rely on Australian friends to find out about one of the most magical exhibitions of the moment : ” Inventiveness in glass in the Middle Ages “. It covers all aspects of glass from stained windows in Saint Denis Cathedral to spectacles, house windows and drinking glasses. It shows … Read More
Boros, old fabrics from Japan turned into abstract art
It is an extraordinary space for art that Italian artist Beatrice Caracciolo has opened on rue Jules Chaplain, taking great care in the architecture of the gallery. In the heart of Montparnasse and next door to a lovely Arts et Essais cinema, she exhibits artists that she loves. A show of Boro fabrics from Japan has just opened and it promises … Read More
Peter Paul Rubens in majesty
There is a true sense of excitement when one enters the first room of the magnificent Rubens exhibition at Palais du Luxembourg in which two paintings featuring Queen Marie de Medicis visiting Rubens’ studio and a large Gobelins tapestry are hanging : all are 19 th century works and they tell us how important the Flemish painter remained in art … Read More
Mariano Fortuny, remembered in great style
Fashion genius Mariano Fortuny was born in Granada in 1871, but adopted Venice as his home after a stint in Paris. The son of a famous Catalan painter, he invented new kinds of printed fabrics for dresses, took photographs, made oil portraits and is mostly famous for his Delphos gown which has inspired Issey Miyake. Palais Galliera is showing more … Read More
Popular images from 1500 to 1840 at Documents 15
It is a lovely little show that artist Erik Desmazières and Mireille Romand has organized at gallery Documents 15 to present a book of André and Marie Thérèse Jammes’ collection of popular papers. You might remember the fantastic sale of Jammes’ photographs in 2008 at Sotheby’s which has been since called “The sale of the century”. This erudite book seller, who still … Read More
Anders Zorn brings Swedish light to Petit Palais
There is a specific charm to Northern painters and Anders Zorn, one of the most famous Swedish painters of the turn of the century (1860-1920), is no exception. Famous in America and in France at the time, he had totally disappeared from the Paris scene until Christophe Leribault resurrected him at Petit Palais. The exhibition which runs until December 17, … Read More
Irving Penn is a 100 at the Grand Palais
We all know Irving Penn’s fabulous fashion shots for Vogue and his portraits of famous writers and painters. But I had never seen his series of Cuzco peasants photographed in 1948 nor his cigarette buts which were so visionary at the time : the exhibition of mostly black and white pictures at the Grand Palais is stunning and so elegantly laid … Read More