Museums and Misadventures

Newsletter 05.14.2023

Bienvenue and welcome back to Musée Musings, your idiosyncratic guide to Paris and art. April showers have morphed into May … showers. And there’s a chill in the air, still. Which Ginevra, who arrived Tuesday, is plenty happy about. She abandoned the idea of ‘experiencing summer’ after last summer’s non-stop canicule (heat wave). Now all she wants is weather that reminds her of San Francisco. Which is exactly what the meteo has been dishing up since she arrived. Cloudy days, which in a pinch can substitute for foggy ones. And definitely sweater weather.

Last Sunday, after catching snippets of the Coronation of Charles III on television and the photos and short videos in the New York Times, (Figs. 1, 2) I walked over to the Fondation Cartier-Bresson to see C-B’s photos of the 1937 Coronation of George VI. There were a few newspaper images of the coronation itself - the ceremony, the passing coach, the appearance on the balcony - almost identical to the ones we had all just watched. Figs. 3, 4) But C-B’s photos were completely different, taken as they were for Ce Soir, a communist newspaper. They were of the people watching the events - most of them humorous, especially people with contraptions like selfie sticks which required that they turn away from the activities to watch a mirror version. (Figs. 5, 6, 7) According to the curator, by “reversing the direction of the gaze, C-B imagines a reversal of power.” Also at the C-B is an exhibition of photos by Vasantha Yogananthan, a French photographer whose photos of adolescents at that limnal moment in their lives, betwixt and between, childhood and adulthood in post Katrina New Orleans is evocative. (Figs 8, 9)

Figure 1. Charles III being crowned - the 3rd time, he got it right. Couldn’t they have practiced?

Figure 2. Balcony Scene from Coronation - no Harry, note to self: attend coronation then write exposé

Figure 4. George VI and Queen Elizabeth with Princess Elizabeth & Princess Margaret Rose

Figure 8. New Orleans, Vasantha Yogananthan

Figure 9. New Orleans, Vasantha Yogananthan

Mea culpa, I forgot to tell you that there is another exhibition at the Picasso Museum, in addition to the one on Picasso designed by Sir Paul Smith. Faith Ringgold Black is Beautiful which will be on until 2 July. It’s part of the museum’s new program “dedicated to the contemporary reception of Picasso’s work.” Ringgold was born in Harlem in 1930 and her long career has been as artist (paintings and textiles) and activist (paintings and protests). In 1990, she was in France, at La Napoule, on the Cote d’Azur (about which I have written) and in Paris, too. The result is “The French Collection,” on view at the Picasso Museum now. (Figs. 10, 11) It’s really interesting and beautiful. You must see it.

Figure 10. Picasso, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, & etc., Faith Ringgold

Figure 11. Cafe des Artists, Faith Ringgold

And then there’s the exhibition at the Palais Galliera, the fashion museum, on through mid July, which focuses on a single year, 1997, which the curators call, “Fashion Big Bang.” (Figs 12, 13) They prove their point over and over again. It was the year that Princess Diana died and just a few months later, Gianni Versace, too. Both icons in the world of fashion. There is a lot going on in this exhibition and if you are going to be in Paris before mid-July, you really must try to see it.

Figure 12. 1997 Fashion Big Bang, Palais Galliera

Figure 13. 1997 Fashion Big Bang, Palais Galliera

The exhibition at the Musée Marmottan-Monet, on until mid June is called “Néo-Romanitiques: un moment oblié de l’art Moderne - 1926-1972.” (Figs. 14, 15) The title nails it, mostly the forgotten part. The exhibition is especially interesting if you are a fan of Gertrude Stein’s, who seems to have underwritten quite of few of the artists in this group as well as the better known ones with which she is associated - thanks to Woody Allen’s film, ‘Midnight in Paris’.

Figure 14. Gertrude Stein, Kristians Tonny, Néo-Romanitiques: un moment oblié de l’art Moderne - 1926-1972, Musée Marmottan-Monet

Figure 15. Marie Laure Noailles, Eugene Berman, Néo-Romanitiques: un moment oblié de l’art Moderne - 1926-1972, Musée Marmottan-Monet

Also at the Marmottan is a contemporary artist’s ‘riff’ on Monet. This one, by Marc-Antoine Fehr, is particularly felicitous. (Figs. 16, 17)

Figure 16. Dialogue with Monet, Marc Antoine Fehr, Musée Marmottan-Monet

Figure 17. Dialogue with Monet, Marc Antoine Fehr, Musée Marmottan-Monet

Other interesting news - and also a public service announcement. I was on the #12 metro last Saturday morning, on my way to Montmartre, doing what every other person in that metro car was doing, looking at my cellphone. (Fig. 18) I felt a tug on my cellphone. As I was registering the tug, I realized that it wasn’t a tug, it was a grab. Someone had just grabbed my cellphone out of my hand. I saw him as he ran out of the car and up the metro station steps. I screamed. He turned around. Everyone in the train looked up from their cellphones. It wasn’t my stop. What sense would it have made to get out of the metro right there. I certainly wasn’t going to chase the thief. I was glad Nicolas wasn’t with me. He surely would have.

Figure 18. Me & my cellphone on a carefree outing

When I got to my stop, I trudged up the steps and spoke to the man in the ticket booth. We agreed that I wasn’t going to get my cellphone back. But he urged me to alert the cellphone company immediately and notify the police within a week.

Without my GPS to guide me, I relied upon the kindness of strangers to get to my destination -the café where I met up with Barb and Erin - about 20 minutes late.

We agreed that rather than trying to call the cellphone company, I should go there, on Rue Lepic - up a big hill and up another one - even bigger (I thought I was back in San Francisco). I purchased a new telephone which required some money upfront and a two year contract. I bought a case, a screen protector and insurance (voices in my head, mostly my dear departed husband’s told me not to do something so foolish)

The activation of the new phone, I was assured would deactivate the stolen one. With all the information stored on our cellphones, that was a relief. When I got back to my flat, a friend came over and helped me transfer the information onto my new phone, thank you ICloud.

The cellphone came to life. And rang immediately, Unknown Caller. Hmm. A woman introduced herself. She was calling from the Commissariat with two questions - was I Mme Held, had I lost a cellphone. Yes and yes. Turns out the thief, in fleeing the metro station, had looked a little too suspicious to the policemen in the police car that just happened to be driving by. When the thief couldn’t open the cellphone in his pocket, he was taken into custody. The Commissariat was closing in an hour. Either I could go there immediately or wait for a summons. I walked over. It was just down the street from the Fondation Cartier-Bresson.

It seemed as if everybody in the Commissariat had heard about the miracle - the recovery of a stolen cell phone and locating its owner. Everybody had something nice to say about this woman’s detective work. Me, too. We went into her office and she asked me to describe what had happened. Then she gave me a sheet of paper on which there were 6 ‘mug shots’. Two of them looked as if they could be the thief. But one looked too old. I chose the other guy. It was the thief.

I went back to my flat with two cellphones in my purse. I canceled the cellphone insurance (turns out the insurance is only for theft, not loss or any other misadventure). But the telephone was mine. Because, if you buy the phone from the company, you have 14 days to return it. If you buy it from a boutique, you get it immediately. But then it’s yours. I’ve never been a fan of instant gratification. And yet …

Lesson learned? I guess it’s this - if you are going to be looking at your phone, don’t sit near the door. It’s too easy for someone to jump into the car, grab your phone and flee as the doors close. Or, keep your phone in your purse or pocket and read a book. Or use the time to reflect upon your good luck.

Today’s post is from the archives. A celebration of spring, Art as Decoration, Impressionist Style, I hope you enjoy it. Gros bisous, Dr. B.

Comments from readers for which I am always, truly grateful:

New comments on How to celebrate a flawed hero:

Brilliant, thank you! I’m ordering the catalogue…Pieter, Amsterdam

OMG ... how fun is this. Already regret that I will be in Marseille and Aix during the run of this exhibit. Maybe I should rethink that. Anyhow, thank you for the article and many pictures. Delightful as usual. Ursula, Germany

Very interesting thank you, Chloé

Pots Pans and Protests

Beverly—As usual, your weekly musings are teeming with information and insights!

And sometimes wry insights — such as the painting on the ceiling of the newlyweds’ room, with assorted putti (and all the neighbors) looking down! Mark K San Francisco

New comment on The Big Reveal: What art historians do all day: Very enjoyable and interesting read! Pieter, Amsterdam

Dear Reader, I hope you enjoyed reading this article. Please sign up below to receive more articles plus other original content from me, Dr. B. Merci!

And, if you enjoyed reading this review, please consider writing a comment. Thank you.

May Daze

The Big Reveal: What art historians do all day

Musée Musings