A Saturday Morning in the Louvre

The Louvre – because where else would you spend a rainy Parisian day?

It was a typical Parisian winter’s morning – cold, grey and very damp. Indeed, it was the type of day which is most suitable for curling up in bed with a good book, a hot cup of tea and a purring cat. With only one day in Paris before we caught a plane to Johannesburg, we drank several cups of our hotel’s delicious coffee, ate a plate stacked with cheese, cold meat and croissants and ventured out into the pouring rain. We headed straight to the Louvre for where else would you spend a rainy Parisian day?

 

The Louvre is massive and it was our first time inside the museum (indeed, it was Stephen’s first time in Paris). Knowing that we had a very long day ahead of us, we limited our time there to two hours but would love to visit again. These were just some of the works that most impressed me on the day.

 

Éros, dit Le Génie Borghèse

 

Sculpted in the early 17th century, Éros is considered one of the seven most important of Borghèse’s works. I was most impressed by the angels wings and the detail in the folds of fabric.

 

L’Empereur Trajan

 

You may recall that the Trajan Fountain was one of my favourites of the architectural wonders of Ephesus and I was pleased to discover this statue of the Emperor Trajan. This wonderfully preserved statue was sculpted between 98 and 117CE (the years of Trajan’s rule as emperor) and the artist is unknown.

 

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa

 

Of course we headed straight to the Italian Renaissance art section to see the Mona Lisa and of course she was absolutely mobbed by onlookers. While Stephen stood back at the edge of the crowd, I allowed myself to be carried forward to eventually reach the front. I took a photo but then quickly lowered my camera and took a minute to savour the moment. I thought back to Milan where we saw works by Da Vinci and Michelangelo at the Museo d'arte Antica and Michelangelo’s Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie. I felt very privileged indeed to be standing there in front of another masterpiece. I took the time to admire Mona Lisa’s hands and the expression in her eyes. All too soon it was time to move on and allow other onlookers the chance to see her too.

 

Les Noces de Cana, Paolo Caliari

When I reached Stephen, he remarked that he couldn’t believe people were so focused on the Mona Lisa that they failed to notice this work of art on the opposite wall. In his mind, this was the far superior work and he bemoaned the fact that artists no longer favour such complex murals. I have only captured a small portion of this grand work which was difficult to photograph given the glaring lights that were focused on it.

 

Painted in 1563, this work depicts the wedding feast at Cana.

 

What do you think? Is this superior to the Mona Lisa?

Daniele Ricciarelli, dit Daniele Da Volterra: Le Combat de David et Goliath

 

Daniele Ricciarelli, better known as Daniele da Volterra, was no stranger to controversy in his lifetime and is best known for painting over the genitals of the figures in Michelangelo’s Last Judgement. I quite liked his depiction of David and Goliath, painted in 1555, a year before his death.

 

Antonio Campi, Les Mysteres de la Passion du Christ

 

I really liked this painting by Antonio Campi, painted in 1569.  What caught my mind was the array of rich, bold colours and the almost futuristic depiction of the ascension in the top right corner.

 

Barthélemy Blaise, Giulio Romano dit Jules Romain

 

I loved the detail in the hair and beard of this sculpture by Barthélemy Blaise which was commissioned for the museum in 1802. I was even more impressed when I took a closer look at his eyes. If I’m not mistaken, they appear depict a shade of the palest blue.

 

We took a peek outside and were quickly reassured of our decision to stay inside.

 

Eugène Delacroix, Le 28 Juliet, La Liberté guidant le peuple

I really loved this depiction of Liberty guiding the people, painted by Eugène Delacroix in 1830. I think that if I were ever to return to the Louvre, and I hope that I do, I’d head straight for the sections containing the works of French artists. Their works were excellent but also a great representation of French history and sentiments.

 

Salle Denon, Musée du Louve

 

In the case of the Salle Denon, the most impressive sight was the hall itself. The Louvre really is a beautiful museum.

 

The ceiling of the Salle Denon – a very grainy photo taken in low light.

 

Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, L'Impératrice Joséphine

 

I really liked this painting but it was only after our visit that I learned of Josephine’s tragic story.  Josephine married Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1796 but was unable to bear him children. Her marriage to Napoleon was repudiated in 1809. This painting was completed in 1805 and is said to depict a melancholy Josephine; I thought she looked more like a goddess.

 

Galerie D'Apollon

The Galerie D'Apollon was closed to visitors which is a pity because it looked to house the most exquisite collection.

 

With a final glimpse at the inner courtyard of the museum, we decided it was time to brave the cold and rain in search of some cake, coffee and the Eiffel Tower.

 

Musée du Louvre
Address: 75001 Paris, France
Open: Daily (except Tuesdays)
Entrance: €12

---

I wish all of my lovely readers a fantastic New Year and all the best for 2015! Our epic trip to South Africa is drawing to a close soon and I will see you next week in London.

Read more »

Finding Myself in Paris

 

It occurred to me the Sunday before I left for Paris that nothing I could possibly say about my time there would be much of a surprise to anyone. Paris is possibly the most photographed, painted, filmed and written about city on earth and I am but one voice in the chorus.

I set myself a task - I was going to find myself in Paris. It’s not that I was especially lost – I like to think I’ve got quite a keen sense of who I am – but I’m not quite the same person I was when I lived in South Africa.

I decided it was time to reconnect with who I am and what I like. To show you Paris through my own eyes, what I see when I look at the world around me. This is a post of things, of experiences and impressions. It won’t include the actual reasons for our visit – meeting up with precious friends and family, tracing our family history, reconnecting with our loved ones – but I thought it was a good place to start.

Tube, underground, metro or subway. Whatever you name it, I love the underground networks beneath many of the world’s greatest cities. I’m a little sad that I didn’t take more photos of the Paris Metro – I was convinced I had but this turned out to be my only photo.

I love discovering grand old houses, palaces and buildings and learning of their history. This is the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the western suburbs of Paris. My mother's family once lived in a house in the grounds of this estate but today all that remains of the house is overgrown grass covering the foundations.

I love stairwells and tiles, old buildings and classic fittings. My mother and uncle would once have run up and down this stairwell when they were young children.

I love architecture. I like to look at the lines and curves of a building and learn more about its style and design. This house is part of the house where my mother and uncle lived as children. It is next door to the building that the photo above was taken in.

I love gardens and statues and learning more about their meanings and the reason they were built. This photo was taken in the gardens of the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. After a particularly difficult morning tracing family history, I took a long walk alone in the gardens. I love being alone and often like to be alone when I am feeling emotionally drained.

I love views, especially ones filled with greenery and nature. This is the view from Saint-Germain-en-Laye looking towards Paris in the distance. If you look closely, you can see the Seine winding through the middle of the photo and also some interesting turrets in the right corner of the photo.

I love city scenes and seeing how different cities in the world look. This photo was taken in the 10th Arrondissement, shortly before the shopkeeper closed for Friday prayers.

I have always loved Joan of Arc and consider her a hero. This statue is located just off the Rue de Rivoli in Paris.

I've learned to love sweet foods during my time in London. I was never really a sweet tooth before but that has all changed now! This is a Tarte au Citron from Angelina which is located on Rue de Rivoli.

I love lampposts and am quite certain that this can be traced back to my love of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. This photo was taken in The Tuileries Garden where the lovely Yannick took me on a sanity-saving walk.

I love sculptured gardens and extravagant walkways. This was taken in The Tuileries Garden looking towards the Louvre.

I love old Victorian arcades. I think this is only something I discovered after moving to England seven years ago but since then I have discovered arcades in London, Norwich, Paris and Milan.

I love churches in all their details and symbolism. This is the Église Saint-Laurent in the 10th arrondissement of Paris.

I love people-watching and looking at how people interact and relate to each other. This was taken from my seat in the Renouveau Bistro in the 10th arrondissement.

I love Art Nouveau and was thrilled to see all the Art Nouveau touches in Paris, such as this Metro sign. This was taken emerging from the École Militaire Metro station near the Eiffel Tower.

I love handwriting as well as stationery and books. This is the Mur de la Paix or Wall for Peace monument in the Champ de Mars gardens.

I love seeing the things that other people have seen with my own eyes. I try not to think about whether or not they met my expectations but instead I like to really look at them and to see the details that I hadn't noticed before.

I love metal work and filigree and the details that go into massive metal structures. I first realised this love in New York when I visited the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty.

I love rivers and especially rivers that flow through cities. Water is in fact one of my greatest loves of all. I love rain and oceans, waterfalls and rivers, swimming pools and canals.

I love flags. I always loved the Union Flag and the new South African flag but I think it was again in New York that I discovered my love for flags in general. New Yorkers were so proud of their flag whereas we in the UK only really discovered that pride in 2011 / 2012 in the run up to the Royal wedding, Diamond Jubilee and Olympics.

I love cafe culture and sitting in cafes across the world. I also love eating alone and am also known to go to the cinema alone. I know that many people don’t like that at all but I find that these are my best times to think and reconnect with myself.

I love coffee. This wasn't always the case. For many years, coffee gave me headaches and so my love of coffee is a very recent thing. I generally like my coffee and tea the same, strong, sweet and milky but I've also discovered a passion for the French café noisette - espresso with a dash of hot milk. I’ve finally learned to sip it slowly with a glass of water too, instead of downing it in one gulp.

I love France. This is a brand new love and one that surprised me. I never had any desire to visit France at all and often wished that other countries were just across the Channel. But visited Boulogne and Lille in 2012 and Normandy this year and I have certainly fallen in love. This is one of the reasons I try not to hold expectations about destinations.

 

And finally, I am beginning to love myself, even my tummy which, it seems, will not be tamed. This is me after a mammoth walk through Paris right at the end of our four day stay. I was much more relaxed and at peace with myself than I had been four days earlier but that was soon scuppered by our bus to the station being delayed behind protestors and the two of us almost missing our Eurostar home!

Have you ever lost or found yourself? What do you do when you need to reconnect or are you naturally Zen about the whole thing?

Read more »