A French Painting with a Story

While in gay Paris last fall, I purchased this darling little Impressionistic painting at a flea market:

(I've propped it in this frame to photograph.  I still must have it properly framed)

The painting depicts a street in Montmartre, rue l'Abrevoir.

An abrevoir (a French word with which I was unfamiliar) is a watering trough for animals,  as the vendor explained to me.  

If you look closely, the Sacre-Coeur Basilica is visible in the distance:

I really like the soft, muted colours in the painting, although shades of pink and lavender don't really seem to work in any room right now.

I especially like the butterscotch and teal blue tones on the left side:

The vendor was an elderly man who said the artist, Fremont (he told me the first name which I forgot an hour later), had painted these small paintings in the 1940's and had been a rather prolific local painter.

Two other paintings in the set were also for sale.  The vendor said he had bought them a long time ago and kept them for himself for many years. He was reluctant to break up the trio, but I only wanted the single painting.  

On hindsight, I am also fond of the one below, which depicts the ubiquitous steep Montmartre stairways.  However, since the price was also steep, I only took the one:

The vendor also took pictures of the three paintings before I left, and seemed a bit teary-eyed to part with any of them.  He seemed like a kind fellow and we talked quite a while, as I struggled to cope with his lovely but very quickly spoken French.  He did seem thankful that the painting was going to an interested person with a sympathetic spirit.

When I got home, I was rather curious about rue l'Abrevoir, about whether the scene existed or was a construct of the artist's imagination.

So I Google-mapped it and sure enough, here is the street from the painting:

Note the street lamp on the left, the triangular-roofed building (now painted white) on the left with the dormer windows and chimney, and the stone wall to the right with trees atop it:

Further along the street you can see the pink house in the distance which appears in the painting:

The artist took some license, as the roof of the Sacre Coeur is just barely visible through the trees and not so prominently located as in the painting (unless perhaps the buildings blocking it in the distance were not there in the 1940's).

There is nothing better than owning a thing which has a story reaching back into the past. 

Paris IV

So I'm finally getting around to the final Paris post, if you aren't all sick of me and Paris.  Yes, it is possible to get sick of Paris.  Last time we were there, by Day 10 I was done in.  But this time, I could not get enough!

There was a beautiful flower shop near our apartment.  They had a different small "feature" arrangement every day (for less than $20) and I went in almost every day to see what stunning creations they had wrought (all exquisite):

An artsy shot of detail on the Pont Notre Dame, with the Conciergerie (the prison where Marie Antoinette was locked up before she was guillotined!) in the background:

The bridge has such beautiful decoration:

We always take time to walk along the banks of the Seine.  It is so quiet and removed from the busy streets of Paris (and has wonderful views):

Notre Dame from the Seine

Notre Dame is a stunning Gothic cathedral.  It still shocks me that the Nazis left it standing when they got chased out of Paris... 

We didn't go inside Notre Dame, as I have visited before and didn't feel like standing in line for 2 hours.  But we did go inside many other churches, including St-Paul St-Louis, which was a block from our apartment.  I love this church!

I always light a candle, even if I am not Catholic.  Someone can always use a prayer (me included):

I didn't completely forget about decorating, although I did get absorbed in my photography.  

Here is a pretty antique barometer at the St-Ouen flea market.  I did not ask the price (which in hindsight I should have!):

I liked this little shop (Du Bout du Monde), which had a table setting idea that I really love...a pair of lamps.  I just wish the cords didn't show.  Do you think I need to drill holes in my dining room table to get this look?

I liked the colour of the stormy sky and slate roof here (slate blue is my favorite colour).  The round window in this mansard roof is where Restoration Hardware stole the idea for their mirror of the same name...

We saw some darling, chic little clothes for kids.  French kids are much more chic than North American kids (they wear wool coats!) and start life very fashionably...

I wish I were this cool when I was 3.

And last but not least, here was our kitty friend, saying goodbye on our final day:

Miao!  Don't go...

Farewell Paris.  Parting is such sweet sorrow!

Paris, Part III

For those still reading, allow me to present Part III of our Paris sojourn:

We adored the Rodin Museum (you have to go), housed in a beautiful chateau.

The space is light-filled, airy and magical (the sculptures aren't bad either):

Pedestals elevate smaller sculptures which might otherwise be missed...

Many famous sculptures are housed here, including The Cathedral (which has two right hands):

Seated Venus (casually relaxing without her head):

Moi, overlooking the grounds. 

The Eiffel Tower.  A great time to visit the Eiffel Tower is at the end of the day.  We showed up around 6 pm (the wait is shorter and you get to watch the sunset, which is very romantic and good for photography!)

Amazing views (see what I mean about the evening light):

Sacre-Coeur (Montmartre) in the far distance:

The next day we visited the Tuileries Gardens (with the Louvre in the background) just as it started to rain.  People scattered, so I got some nearly people-free shots (which is very rare in Paris):

On sunny days, these chairs are filled with Parisians and tourists:

From the looks of the flower gardens, apparently it is still summer in Paris.  I definitely live in the wrong city...

Then we visited Musee de l'Orangerie in the Tuileries Gardens.  This classical building houses Monet's famous water lily murals (les Nymphaes), in addition to many lovely paintings by Monet's contemporaries (which are worth the trip alone). 

 It was my first time here and I loved it (add it to your list)!

Photography is strictly forbidden inside the dreamy oval galleries, but I sneaked one just for you.  The two rooms have skylights and are lined with murals, giving them an underwater feel:

A group of French school children receiving an art lecture (poor deprived little souls).

Later in the week, we briefly visited the Maison Victor Hugo, inside the Place des Vosges.  He lived here after writing The Hunchback of Notre Dame but before writing Les Miserables:

His writing desk, with four inkwells. He also had a tall desk where he wrote standing.

Views from his writing desk (I could easily be inspired here):

Paris parking (not so polite):

We also visited the Musee Carnavalet, which houses a varied collection covering the history of Paris!  I was most enchanted with the furniture rooms, displaying pieces from the reigns of the various Kings Louis:

Furniture experts will see evidence of Louis XV here

The Musee Carnavalet is huge and tiring.  If you have limited time, you must visit the art galleries which feature room after room of utterly stunning paintings depicting Paris in the 1800's.  Most of this art precedes Impressionism.  The artists are not famous but the art is exquisite:

A painting by Victor Dargaud of the Statue of Liberty, being constructed in a Parisian workyard before being dismantled and shipped to New York

I must confess, I am not yet done describing our Paris journey, so there will be another post or two in this series!  I hope you'll not be too bored when I'm through with you...

Soon, Terri

Paris, Part II

I have another few days in Paris to share with you...

I think I took 1000 photos, so it was a challenge to select only a few for you!

Here is Paris from atop the Printemps Maison Department store...a wonderful view that only a few lucky tourists discover by accident (if they happen to wander up to the cafe on the top floor)!

At Printemps Maison, I discovered many wonderful things, including this much coveted china.  This beautiful brand is Raynaud Limoges.  I needed it.

Of course, I visited Laduree (several locations) to see the beautiful confections...

Next stop was Place Vendome.  I love this grand, expansive plaza very much (even if I cannot afford to shop there): 

I was relieved to finally get a good photograph of the Vendome Column.  I've been trying for years to capture an interesting view of this monument, but the light has never cooperated...

Place Vendome is where all the very posh jewellery stores are located:

Next is one of my most beloved places in Paris, Place des Vosges.  Vosges is a department (state) in France and was the first region to pay taxes to Napoleon.  So he renamed this beautiful square (built in the early 1600's!) after it...

Our apartment was just steps away from the delightful Place des Vosges!

The red brick buildings, from the early 1600's, are exquisite:

Here's another view of Notre-Dame: 

I snapped this from atop a tour bus!  Despite knowing Paris very well, I took a tour bus ride with David and we had a blast!

We visited the inimitable Rodin Museum.  This museum is a must see.  The sculpture garden is incredible, as is the old mansion (Hotel Biron), which houses many more sculptures).  Here is Rodin's famous statue, The Thinker, in the garden:

I must have waited 20 minutes here to get a photo without people in it.  There are many replicas of this statue in museums all over the world.

Here is my dear David in the beautiful rose garden with its immaculately-pruned trees:

 I was so happy to have some stormy wet weather while we were in Paris.  It makes for wonderful skies!

I was so in love with the roses and the light that I couldn't stop taking pictures:

Here's another garden shot before we went indoors.  The French are famous for their beautiful allées of trees:

Now, we're inside the Hotel Biron, which is where Rodin lived for many years and which houses much of his collection, donated to France:

Blogger is being difficult tonight, so in my next post, I'll share more photos inside the Rodin Museum (and a few other things).  Sorry to leave you hanging...

Soon, Terri