Tag Archives: Musee du Louvre

The Monet in Me

21 Mar

I love Claude Monet the Impressionist artist. Whenever I travel abroad, I always make the effort to visit art museums to view the Impressionist collection and especially to stand in front of a Monet or two to be inspired. I must say Musée d’Orsay ranks up there for me over the Louvre.

This love for Claude Monet started in college. I was very taken with the Impressionist style. One of my early Illustration classes, I did a portrait of Mr Monet. And it was during my summer Painting class that I did further studies on him. I remember one assignment called for us to emulate our choice of artist.

Obviously I chose Claude Monet. And the particular piece I chose was ‘Poplars on the Banks of the River Epte, Seen from The Marsh’ (1892). My two feet by two feet effort still hangs at home in the TV room today.

I loved the Poplar series so much that I recreated the ‘Seen from the Marsh’ piece at a smaller scale of eight by ten inches. The Monet in me then did a little series of my own with two additional interpretations of the poplars. But unlike Monet, I used the palette knife, my choice of tool to paint.

 

The paper may have faded but he’s still looking good!

  

My version of the Poplars

  

My Poplar series

 

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The Mona Lisa

13 Jan

I started reading the book ‘How to Think Like Da Vinci’ a Christmas gift from hubby. It sure is an interesting eye opener not because of Da Vinci himself but more of the fact it made me recall my encounter with the Mona Lisa.

I have been to Paris twice. The first trip when we wanted to visit the Louvre, we didn’t know the museum’s schedule well enough. It was closed and we were due to fly home the next day. Disappointed, we vowed that if we ever went back to Paris, we have to make the museum trip.

Went back we did, a few years later – 2013. During the second trip, hubby and my sibling were off for a business meeting, so I was left to my own devices. I decided to visit the Louvre. Thankfully, it was open.

And like every other tourist, I had to see the great painting. It was such a huge crowd, I couldn’t get any closer. And having a barrier and protective glass over it, it sure was hard to have a good look at the masterpiece.

Was it worth the hoopla? Depends on which angle you look at it. For me, it was merely a ‘been there, done that’ moment; didn’t move me. Give me a Monet anytime, I’d be totally inspired.

So back to my book, maybe reading it and trying to think like Da Vinci may move me better.

    

    
 

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Chat

You Gotta Have Good Shoes

23 Jul

Today I walked a lot. Left the hotel at 9.30am to go to the Louvre. I opted for my padded and comfy boots over my sandals which was a good thing, for I did 18,126 steps over a distant of 6.34km. In the process 365.2 calories was burnt.

I don’t think this could be achieved if the shoe choice was not right. Keeping up the speed of 0.8kph, this stats are way much better over a usual round of 18-holes for golf.

Let’s see how I fare for tomorrow when I visit another museum.

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Day at the Museum

22 Jul

It’s another hot day and a very long queue to see Mona Lisa!

The hubby and the brother went off for their business meeting, so I am left to discover Paris on my own. Donning my super comfy Blundstone walking boots instead of sandals, I took the train from Gare de L’est to Musee du Louvre.

I am determined to visit the Louvre this time as I missed it on my last trip here, back in 2008. And being a single person tourist today, things are moving quite fast. Good.

The buzz inside is so reverberating. Didn’t realize that the lure of art is so strong for people from all over the world.

Sculptors amazes me. They get so right into the details of the anatomy right down to the butt crack! Lovely cheeks, no? This was just a small detour before the big attraction.

Ceiling art are also amazing pieces of work. How do these artists endure the neck cramp painstakingly getting the details for us to appreciate? I get a neck cramp by just looking at all these!

Like every other ardent tourist, I made my way to get a glimpse of the Mona Lisa.

Alas! Being a short person I can’t even get close. This is the closest! I think it is overrated. At least cameras are allowed unlike the Sistine Chapel where everyone has to be hushed while being ushered in.

Mona looks green, probably from all the attention and nausea from the noise and smell. Hahaha….

Why is she such a fascination? I think it is more of the ‘been there, seen it, done that’ syndrome that people are thronging Room 6.

The crowd is just too much and I am getting a headache from it all. So am plugged into my music to drown out all the museum excitement which I don’t really need as I explore and jot my observations along the way.

I attempted again, sucker for the ‘been there, done that’! And succeeded to get a closer picture.

I find this picture comical. How does one go to war without any loincloth or something to cover that part of the anatomy?! Aren’t they putting themselves at risk for such exposure? Tsk! Tsk!

It is interesting to note also that while sculptures are crafted with so much details on the body muscles and hair on the head and crotch, all sculptures do not have armpit hair! Maybe this is deemed ugly that can mar the beauty of the body?

I have been wandering through the many halls housing many themes and era of art pieces. Three hours into my exploration, I have walked 2.78km and took 7948 steps and burnt 164.1 calories. Yes, I am one of those who likes to record my physical efforts. I lost my pedometer awhile back but thank goodness for the iPhone, I have an app on it to do the job!

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