As part of the group itinerary, we visited the recently reopened Picasso Museum in the Marais district.
On our way to the museum, I spotted a space invader mosaic. I'm always on the look out for these - they are part of a series by the artist Invader and can be found in over 50 cities around the world.
But because the artist is located in Paris, it is where the heaviest concentration of these fun mosaics can be found.
I will be the first to admit that I'm not particularly fond of Picasso's work.
Cubism, especially when applied to facial features, is just not my cup of tea.
Left: Sketch of Montmartre and Sacre Coeur by Picasso. One of the few Picasso works that I can actually appreciate.
Plus, this was in the middle of my camera crisis, so I wasn't in the best of moods.
After my search ended in vain, I visited the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in hopes of brightening what was shaping up to be a dreary day.
And the antique/vintage jewelry room did just that. I wish I could show you all the fantastic pieces in that room, but photography is not allowed, as I found out soon after this photo.
And the Rene Lalique pieces are just sensational. They were like physical snippets of a fantastical Art Nouveau dream.
Luckily, one of my favourite pieces is featured on the ticket stub so I can show that to you.
Can we take a moment to lament the disappearance of craftsmanship?
In comparison, everything in the modern jewelry room across the hall just seemed dull and uninspiring.
The special fashion exhibition was on buttons.
Dinner: 58 Tour Eiffel
On our way to the museum, I spotted a space invader mosaic. I'm always on the look out for these - they are part of a series by the artist Invader and can be found in over 50 cities around the world.But because the artist is located in Paris, it is where the heaviest concentration of these fun mosaics can be found.
Hotel Sale - Picasso Museum
Cubism, especially when applied to facial features, is just not my cup of tea.
Left: Sketch of Montmartre and Sacre Coeur by Picasso. One of the few Picasso works that I can actually appreciate.
Plus, this was in the middle of my camera crisis, so I wasn't in the best of moods.
At least the house was pretty.
This Modigliani, part of Picasso's private collection, is more to my liking.
After the Picasso Museum, I headed out to Les Halles in the quest for camera memory card. Some of the sights I passed by along the way.
Pompidou Centre - Museum of modern art
Fontaine des Innocents
After my search ended in vain, I visited the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in hopes of brightening what was shaping up to be a dreary day.And the antique/vintage jewelry room did just that. I wish I could show you all the fantastic pieces in that room, but photography is not allowed, as I found out soon after this photo.
And the Rene Lalique pieces are just sensational. They were like physical snippets of a fantastical Art Nouveau dream.
Luckily, one of my favourite pieces is featured on the ticket stub so I can show that to you.
In comparison, everything in the modern jewelry room across the hall just seemed dull and uninspiring.
The special fashion exhibition was on buttons.
And before you roll your eyes like I almost did, the exhibition turned out to be absolutely fascinating and beautifully curated.
Who know buttons could be so interesting?
Displays were organized chronologically showing the evolution of buttons and their placements on garments.
Yves St Laurent's tray of button.
After this exhibition, I can totally understand why some people are avid button collectors.
The museum has extended hours on Thursdays. However, what the brochure did not say was that the extended hours did not apply to the permanent collections (what?) so that pretty much wrapped up the day.
Dinner: 58 Tour Eiffel
I'm surprised you didn't duck out and do your own thing during the group's visit to the Picasso museum.
ReplyDeleteThe Musee des Arts Decoratifs looks so cool! The buttons still look like (just) buttons to me, haha, but I'm glad you enjoyed seeing them!
I'm not sure craftsmanship is disappearing so much as people can't afford to spend money them any more :(.
I guess you didn't want to waste your remaining camera memory on dinner..... How did you like the food at 58 Tour Eiffel?
Oh, I tried. But I got double-teamed-guilted into joining the tour.
DeleteUp close, some of the buttons were unbelievably intricate. The amount of craftsmanship that went into this little piece of ivory/silver/gold was just amazing.
I don't think that craftsmanship disappearing is because people can't afford to spend money like that anymore. Most of the low-middle class couldn't afford it, just like now. It's just that now, the 5%ers who can afford things like this, buy the newest iPhone instead of fine silver filigreed buttons to show off their wealth.
It's a different age.
Haha, of course. Which guilt techniques did they apply that time?
DeleteYeah, that's a good point. So what you're saying is that Apple single-handedly destroyed craftsmanship.... interesting.... (I'm just kidding of course :D)
The usual - why must I be so obstinate when no one else was trying to "leave" the group, the tour was already paid for so if I left, I would be wasting money, etc... "How could I assume that the Picasso tour would not to be of my liking without going on the tour?" *sighs*
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