Art

I've thus far made it to the Rodin Gardens, the Picasso museum, and, of course ... La Louvre. I think, over all, Picasso was my favorite. I've only had limited access to his work before now, but I spent almost as much time viewing his collection as I did in the entire Louvre today.

I spent a good ten minutes sitting in front of this one, completely entranced (it's called Large Nude in a Red Chair).



I also fell in love with Olga (titled Olga looking pensive):





After Rodin, and my Louvre tour, I've realized I really like sculpture. I'm not sure what it is exactly. I don't like the busts ... they seem pompous somehow ... you know, the ones that are OF famous historical people, like Napolean or other monarchs or aristocracy. But the sculptures depicting saints, or gods and goddesses, or mythological people, or real people who seem mythological (like Hercules) - I love.

There is something about how smooth and accurate to the human form they are. The shape of flesh, but not flesh. It suggests to me the artist's love of the human form, so much that they mold or chisel it in 3 dimensions with their hands. It speaks to a love of man that I just don't get when looking at Renaissance paintings, for example.

Maybe it is the 3 dimensional aspect I like, and the accuracy of form, and the scale . It just gets me.

I really, really want to go to Florence someday to see David in person. A friend of mine showed me some pictures she took of David when she visited a few years ago, and it was SO much more real for me than what I'd seen in books or on film until then. Just the pictures made me cry.

I did get weepy looking this piece at the Louvre. I think it may be my favorite piece I’ve seen in Paris so far, of painting, sculpture or other objets des artes.

It’s called Psyche ranimee par le baiser de l'amour which I think translated is “Psyche revived by Cupid’s Kiss” L’amour would suggest “Love’s Kiss” but the French call Cupid “L’amour”.