Painting on the back of a painting at the Louvre
We took the early train into Paris today. All of us had stayed a few days in Paris before the residency started, and a few of us had ventured down into the catacombs on the last morning. But it was nice to go back all together with the soul purpose of looking at and discussing some art. After a much needed coffee and pain au chocolat, we started our day at the Louvre. I was happy to see the familiar lions guarding the entrance we used on the far end, near the Seine, where there is never a line. JP (aka Prof. Jean-Pierre Roy) weaved us through the crowds that gathered around the top sights. Up and down staircases we ran, all the way, until we halted in front of french paintings. He started with the Renaissance and then showed us his favorite room in the Louvre. It was full of little jewel like portraits and it felt like real people were present in that room. I was immediately drawn to quite a few pieces when we passed through a 19th century Scandinavian room. One that comes to mind, is of a little girl in a plaid ruffled dress, looking inappropriately serious for her age. A portrait of the artist's sister, painted by Christen Købke.
Then we all took lunch and some of us went off to find means with which to mail large works home. A few of us went on to the Musée d'Orsay. I hadn't gotten there before the residency and returning to it after so many years was long overdue. After, we ate gelato as we walked back to meet up with the group, we rested in front of the lions in the shady grass. I needed to process all I had seen that day, so I took a nice walk alone along the Seine and peered at the old books and trinkets of nostaglia for sale.
Le Char d'Apollon, Odilon Redon, Musée d'Orsay
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