Le Grand Louvre and the Italians

The Italian painting collection in the Louvre was my favorite and above all I love the artists from Florence. This figure of an angel is from a fragment of a Fra Angelico altarpiece. I also loved Giotto, Fra Filipo Lippi, and  most of all Botticelli.

Maybe my next trip (in my dreams) will be to Italy? Florence?

Madonna with the Green Cushion

I gave up trying to sketch the Da Vinci and another painting nearby caught my eye. I drew it quickly at first and then another time  to enjoy the shapes, lights, and darks. 

I didn't know anything about this artist and have just now looked him up on the internet to educate myself. He is called Solario from Milan and he is considered to be very close stylistically to Da Vinci. Do you suppose that this is because he lived in France too like Da Vinci and painted this in about the same few years as the "Virgin and Saint Anne"? (alas this isn't an art history blog).

What moved me about this painting is more of a personal story. As a mother myself who has spent plenty of time nursing an infant, I was taken by the natural details. First, the green cushion, a woman must position a cushion like this to support her arm around the child. My heart went out to the way she is holding the baby in the most common nursing pose. And then, notice that the baby is playing with his foot while he nurses.  The Christ Child and His Chubby little Toes!

The Louvre all to myself

A friend has asked me "what artwork moved you the most in the Louvre?" How to summarize  centuries and miles of art?

If I could pick anything for now, my theme  would be the Madonna and Child.

 I really loved all that I saw by Raphael ( the sketch above is from "The Virgin and Child with Saint John the Baptist", but I left out the John figure) (also called "La Belle Jardiniere) and of course, the incredible faces of women by Botticelli. 

There were two masterpieces by Leonardo Da Vinci of  the Madonna and Child. 

"The Virgin, the Child Jesus and Saint Anne" was really dark and sort of weird, and I mean that both literally and figuratively. 

Next to it was the even more famous, "The Virgin of the Rocks".

This was so  beautiful, I was moved.  I wanted to stand and sketch it and give it concentrated attention but it was one of the stops on the official tour guide route. You know what that means, every few minutes, like trains pulling into a busy terminal, a huge group of tourists rushed over to crowd themselves about, listen briefly to a tour guide, snap photos, and stand in front of it to document themselves with this work of art.

The missing sketch

People in Paris love artists. I received more smiles, more kind glances, and space was made for me wherever I stood when I was sketching. (Except for the guide in the Sainte-Chapelle, but admittedly I did offend him).

We had a lunch at a place on Rue Mouffetard, old and charming as can possible be. The sign over the doorway read "Ernest Hemingway lived in this building from 1921 to 1925" and if that isn't enough , "in this house died on 8 January 1896 the poet Paul Verlaine".

The restaurant was named La Maison de Verlaine. My great moment came when the owner walked by my table and looked at my sketches. He then brought me a guestbook that he presumably keeps for more famous people to sign.  And he asked me to draw in his book and sign it. So I sketched the scene from where I sat, tables, wine bottles, plant growing in the window, random memorabilia on the wall.  I left that sketch there!  I was so flattered.

Le Cafe

For those of you who aren't sick and tired of my posts about my visit to Paris, you must be either (a) my greatest most loyal fan, or (b) my mother-in-law, or (c) both of the above. (!)

One last thought, IF I ever get to see Paris again I will bring a better sketchbook with colored pencils, or watercolor pens. I will need thicker nicer quality paper (maybe some paint) and more time to be alone with all the places and treasures that I want to see. 

These sketches that I have posted were all done in a little book that I could tuck in my bag and pull out in a hurry, and all I carried was an ordinary pen and pencil. Most of the time I used a ball point pen for the fastest draw.

I look at some of my favorite artists who also blog, (James Gurney) and their travel sketches and I am inspired to travel more and paint more. Mine look like  messy hurried sketches  without enough detail and observation to me now.

Aphrodite

Another amusing facet of drawing in public is not just the people watching, but listening to what they say. 

While here in the Royal Palace gallery in the company of Aphrodite of Milo I overheard this; "You look much  prettier naked than her. And you've got arms!" Guy smirks, girl blushes.

So many tourists from all over, speaking every language, wearing every form of dress. Some pause, check off the list, move on fast. Some look tired and bored and yet others are  excited to see all these monuments, and reach finally a life long goal.

Finally, they all have to pose too, and get their photo taken with this graceful lady.

The mighty Louvre

Le Grand Louvre is the world's largest museum.  

I read that it might take 9 months just to glance at every piece of art. I visited twice this past month, the first time with a tour group and the second time by myself with the luxury of standing in front of anything I pleased for as long as I wanted.  If I ever get another day like that, there is so much more I could have seen.

 I stopped in the gallery with the Venus de Milo and just couldn't leave. I drew her again and again. 

Life drawing from a perfectly still model! Although the crowds of people continually standing  in front of me snapping photos  blocked my view.

All the other tourists

While sitting in the Musee de l'Orangerie on comfortable benches placed just for optimal viewing.

These are fast gestural sketches of the parade of people who stood in front of me and provided a constant source of amusement and very natural live models. 

If you want to see these pages larger- just click on the art and it will appear in  large pixel glory, and fill up your screen.

Looking at Monet's water lilies

In the Musee de l'Orangerie.

The correct title for this series of eight huge paintings is Les Nympheas.   Monet designed the rooms in this building to display them himself.  These are huge canvases that wrap around oval shaped rooms. Ethereal shades of pink, violet, and cobalt make the water lilies appear as if they are floating on the canvas.

I had a rare quiet day all to myself with plenty of time to really look.

I sketched and took notes, what colors are these? How did he make these transitions?

And why does it come together so completely when I sit at a distance, and yet look so abstract, gestural,  and exciting when I get in really close?

And can you guess which tourist is me?

The Gates of Hell

I  returned to the garden of the Musee Rodin to sketch this immense bronze sculpture again. Last year when  I had my first opportunity to visit I sketched the statue of Eve, and blogged about it here.

This time I gave the figure of Adam my attention.  I have found that drawing a great work of art is the best way to look hard and appreciate. And, as a side benefit, the gardens with the French formal landscaping and many famous sculptures are so peaceful.

Our guide to the Sainte-Chapelle

This gentleman  abruptly told me to stop drawing him!  He was about to give a tour of  the Sainte-Chapelle and I offended him by sketching away as he was speaking. Then of course, I don't speak French!  But I got the message.

If I ever go back to Paris, this is first on my list of must-return. The stained glass windows sing, for this is Gothic architecture in perfection. I wish to go back to sit alone quietly absorbing the beauty.

Learn to speak French

I can't speak French, and I don't understand what I hear either. I am trying but I have so far to go yet. 

These two young woman have been studying French in high school and  practiced courageously while we traveled. I admired their effort!