This is the third part of a trilogy started by Christophe Leribault at Petit Palais with “Paris Romantique ” in 2019 and “Paris 1900”, in 2021. “Le Paris de la Modernité, 1905-1925” is a multifaceted show starting with Montmartre and Montparnasse, the beginnings of automobile and aviation, Paul Poiret and Jeanne Lanvin’s fashion, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées and the … Read More
Le Bourget airport, a chef d’oeuvre of the 1930’S
Some of you might have seen the film on Rudolf Nureev’s defection to France, which took place at le Bourget airport on June 16, 1961. He had come to Paris to dance with 100 dancers from the Kirov for a month and as the group was going to London, he was being sent back to Moscow supposedly for a benefit. … Read More
The Patrimoine culturel is a big French issue
There were newcomers and the old traditional attendants at the Salon du Patrimoine culturel in the Carrousel du Louvre and it is always amazing to find unique specialists of French art de vivre who cater mostly to historical places. They are not all geared at the restoration of castles and churches but the 300 participants all use exceptional materials and … Read More
Jeanne Malivel, a Bretonne who knew how to paint
An American friend, who knows everything happening in Art Deco in Paris, mentioned this exhibition of paintings and furniture by Jeanne Malivel, 1895-1926, at Bibliothèque Forney and of course I rushed… She probably would have remained in the reserves if she had not been a woman, who died at 31, and a Bretonne on top of it. Mostly self taught … Read More
The most portrayed woman ever, Sarah Bernhardt is at Petit Palais
Out of 400 works shown at Petit Palais in the exhibition “Sarah Bernhardt, and the woman created the star”, there must be at least 200 portraits of hers in oil, watercolor, photographs and sculpture including a number of self portraits and works done by her lifelong companion Louise Abbéma. I had never realized what a good artist the actress was … Read More
Kraemer Gallery opens a pop up store on avenue Matignon!
I ran into Patrick Hourcade last week and this former stylist from Vogue who worked closely on Karl Lagerfeld’s art collections, is full of new projects in photography and sculpture. While his garden decors in Vaux le Vicomte have inspired a New York museum to hire him, he did the scenography of a chic pop up store on 1 avenue Matignon … Read More
Vincent Darré creates a stir with le Mobilier National at Les Gobelins
The only mistake with the new show at Mobilier National called “Le Chic, Decorative arts from 1930 to 1960” is its title which could deter anybody to go and visit. But so many friends told me it was a great exhibition that I went, after seeing the Art Deco show at Chaillot. And it was, in a way, a welcome … Read More
In Versailles, Louis XV’s world is very conventional but superb
It was particularly difficult to access château de Versailles this time because of school vacations and even though we had booked tickets, the line to enter the castle was going all the way to the main gate… So be prepared. But once inside, the magic of the Sun King always operates even though we were there to discover his great grand … Read More