Paris Wanderings
“Blogging in Paris”
Blogging in Paris
At Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, a great exhibition, Public Portraits, Private Portraits 1770-1830, that will also be shown in London from February 2007 to April 2007. No queue, or crowds yesterday, which made it very pleasant. Unfortunately, they won’t allow you to take photographs at Grand Palais, — not that I would take photos of paintings, but I would like to capture the atmosphere of the place and it’s just forbidden, which I find rather frustrating. And believe me, they’re watching you closely…
I was surprised by this very well-known portrait of Napoleon by Ingres, full of pomp and circumstances (I had only seen reproductions of); I found Napoleon looking a bit overwhelmed by all this decorum.
My favourite painting, was that of a black woman Portrait de femme noire by Madame Benoist. The black woman seems to have been a freed slave. It was painted a few years after the abolition of slavery.
Quite magnificent.
Madame Benoist learnt her art with Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun
I had forgotten all about this charming child portrait of Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuniga by Goya which is full of interesting details, like the cats, the magpie, the birdcage, which attract your eyes, but you’re always attracted back to the lovely face of the boy and the stunning red of his outfit.
When I got out, it was night and I walked up the Champs-Elysées to Place de l’Etoile, with Arc de Triomphe. When you look towards Place de la Concorde, at Christmas time they have this wheel. I like the way it looks at night, but a lot of Parisians hate it.