paintings Archives - Paris with Scott
Paintings in the Louvre Acquired by Louis XIV

Paintings in the Louvre Acquired by Louis XIV

One of the most fascinating parts of stopping at a painting that strikes your sensibility is learning more about it.  The labels next to the works are little blurbs providing basic information.  And generally, it includes how the object made its way into the collection – part of the provenance of the work.

Like monarchs in other realms, French kings were great collectors of art and owned royal castles that could store all of these objects.  The Louvre was one of those castles owned by the sovereign, and we are fortunate that they kept adding to the royal collection over the centuries.

Since Louis XIV is often thought of as the most outsized King of France, here are a few paintings that were directly acquired by the Sun King.  Most of his acquisitions were safely classical French works.  Many religious and classical myths, historical battles, triumphant victories, and battle scenes glorify Louis XIV. And compare Louis XIV to gods.  What else would he expect?

Of course, all of the paintings that belonged to the French crown belonged to Louis XIV when he was King of France from 1643 until 1715.  But these are 7 collected by him, or given to him, while he was king and that are hanging on the walls of the Louvre ready for you to search them out on your next visit.

(The artist’s name is followed by the name of the painting in English and French, the date the work was created, a brief description of how it entered Louis XIV’s collection, and the location where it is on display in the Louvre. All images from louvre.fr.)

1.

Luini, Bernardino.
Salomé Receiving the Head of John the Baptist.  Salomé recevant la tête de saint Jean Baptiste. 1520 – 1530.
Acquired in 1671 from Everhard Jabach.
Denon, Salle 710 – Grande Galerie

To start things off, take a look at this painting of a lovely Salomé turning her head away while John the Baptist’s is held by his hair above the silver plate.  This is one of many paintings Louis XIV bought from Everhard Jabach.  Jabach was an art collector, wheeler, dealer, and director in the French East India Company, which held a monopoly on trade in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.  He had the resources to amass a huge collection of important works from renowned artists.  Some of these he sold to Louis XIV in 1671.

Musée du Louvre. Luini, Bernardino. Salomé recevant la tête de saint Jean Baptiste. 1520 – 1530.

2.

Gellée, Claude, called Le Lorraine.
Seaport at Sunset; Port de mer au soleil couchant.  Painted in 1637 for Pope Urbain VIII.
Given to Louis XIV by André Le Nôtre in 1693.
Richelieu, Salle 827

This beautiful landscape is by a celebrated French painter who creates a classical scene of a port with the warm glow of sunset washing the sea, the ships, the buildings, and the people.  And, notably, this was a gift to Louis XIV by his gardener, André Le Nôtre, the designer of the gardens at Versailles.

Musée du Louvre. Gellée, Claude. Port de mer au soleil couchant. 1637.

3.

Le Brun, Charles.
Alexander the Great Enters Babylon; Entrée d’Alexandre dans Babylone.  1665.
Collected by Louis XIV.
Sully, Salle 914

Could more adoration and comparison be heaped onto Louis XIV?  This is pretty triumphant, for both Louis XIV and a triumph for Charles LeBrun.

Musée du Louvre, Le Brun, Charles. Entrée d’Alexandre dans Babylone. 1665.

4.

van Rijn, Rembrandt Harmenszoon, also called Rembrandt.
Portrait of the Artist at His Easel; Autoportrait au chevalet et à l’appuie-main de peintre. 1660.
Collected by Louis XIV about 1671.
Richelieu, Salle 101

Rembrandt, check.

Musée du Louvre, van Rijn, Rembrandt Harmenszoon, also called Rembrandt. Autoportrait au chevalet et à l’appuie-main de peintre. 1660.

5.

Titien (Tiziano Vecellio, called Tiziano), in English, Titian.
Saint Jerome doing penance; Saint Jérôme pénitent.  XVI century.
Louis XIV bought this painting and others from Pierre-Alexis Ponce de La Feuille in 1671.
Denon, Salle 711

Poor St. Jerome.  He lived in the 300s and early 400s living in a cave outside of Bethlehem after converting to Christianity.  Writing furiously and eating a subsistence diet, he is often portrayed half-clothed.  Here, Titien shows a penitent St. Jerome on bended knee before a crucifix.  Notice his friend the lion in the shadows, faithfully staying with the one who had removed a thorn from his paw and nursed him back to health.

Musée du Louvre. Titien. Saint Jérôme pénitent. XVI century.

6.

Santi, Raffaello, called Raphaël.
St. George Fighting the Dragon; Saint Georges luttant avec le dragon.  1503 – 1505.
Acquired by Louis XIV from the heirs of Cardinal Mazarin in 1665.
Denon, Salle 710

This jewel is only 11.5” x 10”.  Even though it is in a large gilded frame, it is easy to miss.  The Grand Gallery can be overwhelming with masterworks whizzing by.  Take some time to find the ones you like.  Notice that Cardinal Mazarin had a good eye when it came to collecting masterpieces.

Musée du Louvre. Santi, Raffaello, dit RaphaëlItalie. Saint Georges luttant avec le dragon. 1503 – 1505.

7.

Vouet, Simon, Attributed to.
Christ on the Column;  Le Christ à la colonne.  Around 1645.
Entered the collection of Louis XIV before 1706.
Richelieu, Salle 831

This may be one of the most muscular depictions of Jesus ever created.  He and his tormentors are definitely gym rats in this painting.

Musée du Louvre. Vouet, Simon. Le Christ à la colonne. Around 1645.

BONUS – because it is a must to include:

Rigaud, Hyacinthe also called, Rigau y Ros.
Louis XIV (1638-1715); Louis XIV (1638-1715).  1701.
Collected by Louis XIV
Held by the Louvre, but on view at Versailles.

Louis XIV in all his glory.  Of course, he collected it.

Musée du Louvre. Rigaud, Hyacinthe. Louis XIV (1638-1715). 1701.

There are so many paintings that were acquired by royalty.  Find your favorites on the walls of the Louvre, then check the label.  You may be surprised who shares your taste!

Musée du Louvre
Paris
For hours and information to plan your visit, go to https://www.louvre.fr/en/visit#hours-admission.
Look for the logo:

New Paris Art Exhibits & Musical Highlights 2019/2020

New Paris Art Exhibits & Musical Highlights 2019/2020

Now that La Rentrée is complete, it is time to start trip planning in the winter and into 2020.  Here are a few highlights that begin with visual arts and exhibits.

Théâtre du Châtelet

The Théâtre du Châtelet will reopen in September after a 30-month renovation.  A sumptuous theater, but at the same time with an intimate audience space.  One tremendous idea of the co-directors is to introduce an idea that people who purchase tickets for a show buy extra tickets for those who cannot afford them.  What a refreshing idea!  Along with avant-garde theater, the Théâtre du Châtelet will perform An American in Paris from November 28, 2019 until January 1, 2020.

Léonard da Vinci Exhibit

That is correct.  The French do not call him Leonardo, rather Léonard.  Buy your tickets now for the sensational celebration of Léonard da Vinci at the Louvre.  From October 24, 2019 until February 24, 2020.  You can get priority access by becoming a Friend of the Louvre.  Add this to your trip planning as the main event.  Then, schedule other things around this once in many, many lifetimes opportunity.  I am trying to make it to see this!

Leonardo, Virgin of the Rocks.

Skip Mona – this is on the wall with no one looking at it!!!!  Next to other masterpieces by him – bonus – and people walk by with no clue.

A change at the Louvre you definitely need to know.  If you have a museum pass, you must now reserve a time to enter the Louvre.  Best advice on visiting – go when it opens or go on a Wednesday or Friday late afternoon or evening.  The Louvre is open until 9:45pm on those two days.  (You don’t want me to gush about how enchanting it is to visit the Louvre in the nighttime.)  Remember, Tuesdays, the Louvre is closed.  You can always buy timed entry tickets online as well.

Grand Palais Exhibits

Three extraordinary events are coming to the Grand Palais!

El Greco

First, we know him as El Greco, but the name of the exhibit is GRECO from October 16, 2019 – February 10, 2020. This is the FIRST retrospective in France dedicated to El Greco!!! What a bonus for Paris! From the Grand Palais’ site: “Attracted by the incredible promise of the El Escorial site, the artist brought Titian’s color, Tintoretto’s audacity, and Michelangelo’s heroic style. This eloquent combination, original yet consistent with his own way, gave El Greco (who died four years after Caravaggio) a unique place in the history of painting, as the last grandmaster of the Renaissance and the first great painter of the Golden Age.”

El Greco

Toulouse-Lautrec

Second, on October 9, 2019, the exhibition TOULOUSE-LAUTREC, Resolutely Modern opens. It is another retrospective, and the last one was in 1992. It runs until January 27, 2020. Rather than focusing on what is called, the “Montmartre Culture,” this exhibition explores his art, on its own. And, in the Grand Palais’ site, it states, “By giving too much weight to the context and folklore of the Moulin-Rouge, we have lost sight of the aesthetic, poetic ambition which Lautrec invested in what he learned, in turn, from Princeteau, Bonnat, and Cormon.” It should be fascinating.

Toulouse-Lautrec

Paris Photo

Third, and not the least by far, is Paris Photo. From November 7-10, 2019, you can see amazing art under the glass ceiling of the Grand Palais. “Paris Photo is the largest international art fair dedicated to the photographic medium and is held each November at the historic Grand Palais in Paris. Since 1997, the Fair’s mission is to promote and nurture photographic creation and the galleries, publishers, and artists at its source. Paris Photo brings together up to 200 exhibitors from across the world, offering collectors and enthusiasts the most diverse and qualitative presentation of photography-driven projects today. Leading galleries showcase historical and contemporary artworks from modern masters to young talents.” From https://www.parisphoto.com/en/fair/About/.

That is three events in one space to consider in your trip planning.

Jeu de Paume

Photographs by Peter Hujar are coming soon to the Jeu de Paume in an exhibition, Peter Hujar Speed of Life. In keeping with its goal of promoting mechanical and electronic imagery of the 20th and 21st centuries, it stays on the cutting edge. From October 15, 2019, until January 19, 2020, Hujar’s work will entice visitors into the beautiful building where court games were once played. The press for this exhibit describes the artist as, “In his loft studio in the East Village, Hujar focused on those who followed their creative instincts and shunned mainstream success. He made, in his words, “uncomplicated, direct photographs of complicated and difficult subjects,” immortalizing moments, individuals, and subcultures passing at the speed of life.” From the Jeu de Paume’s website. Also on view late 2019 and early 2020 are exhibits of work by Daisuke Kosugi and Zineb Sedira.

Palais de Tokyo

October 14 – RÜFÜS DU SOL.  In the Yoyo at Palais de Tokyo.  An amazing venue for this Australian group to perform!!!

Also, from October 16, 2019, until January 5, 2010, Futur, ancien, fugitif is an exhibition of contemporary works from artists of varying ages, living throughout France and other countries. None of the artist’s work is in the same medium or in the same method. All of the invited artists will answer and explore similar existential questions through their works. Like many of the other exhibitions at the Palais de Tokyo, this one sounds like it will be interesting and mind-expanding.

Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature

Sorry, but this gem will be closed until the fall or winter of 2020 for renovation and enlargement.  Obviously, the word has gotten out that this place is a must see – the number of visitors doubled between 2016 and 2018.  Put it in your trip planning at some point.

Musée de Luxembourg

You can see more than just the garden over at Luxembourg Palace. Just next door to the French Senate complex, the small Musée du Luxembourg museum often hosts fascinating exhibitions. And, it is true for The Golden Age of the English Painting, from Reynolds to Turner.

From September 11, 2019 to February 16, 2020, if you happen to be in Paris and want to see a dose of English painting in Paris. This is the ticket for you.

Musée Jacquemart-André

Not into English painting? What about paintings from the Italian Renaissance? If so, make trip planning a priority to see, The Alana CollectionMasterpieces of Italian Painting. In this unprecedented loan, seventy-five masterpieces from Italian masters will hang in the sumptuous rooms of the Musée Jacquemart-André. From September 13, 2019, until January 20, 2020, admire works by Lorenzo Monaco, Fra Angelico, Uccello, Lippi, Bellini, Carpaccio, Tintoretto, Veronese, Bronzino, and Gentileschi.

Musée Maillol

One hundred works from ‘Naïve’ artists (“Called ‘modern primitives’ by one of their ardent supporters”) soon will grace the Musee Maillol in the exhibition entitled, From the Douanier Rousseau to Séraphine, The Great Naïve Masters. From September 11, 2019, to January 19, 2020, you can be mesmerized by the seemingly simplistic art by André Bauchant, Camille Bombois, Ferdinand Desnos, Jean Ève, René Rimbert, Dominique Peyronnet, and Louis Vivin. From the museum’s site: “By combining a historical, analytical, and perceptive approach to the works and their presentation in the exhibition, the Musée Maillol will unveil the subversive dimension of Naïve art and will present these Naïve, primitive, modern, or anti-modern artists as great artists who ran counter to the avant-garde artists.”

Fondation Louis Vuitton

Charlotte Perriand: Inventing a New World will be on view from October 2, 2019, to February 24, 2020. The website for the Fondation describes the exhibit, “To mark the twentieth anniversary of the passing of Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), the Fondation pays tribute to her as an architect and visionary creator through an exhibition of her work exploring the links between art, architecture and design.” Charlotte Perriand worked with both Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret in her youth. She designed interiors for the art of living, “L’Art de Vivre,” with the idea that everything working in conjunction, beautifully, creates a better place for all of us.

charlotte perriand

Furniture and interior by Charlotte Perriand on exhibit. Jacques.delacroix, Meubles Charlotte Perriand, CC BY-SA 3.0

And, for an abbreviated round up of highlights from the performing arts….  There is just soooo much happening in Paris…..

Opéra National de Paris

Over at the Opéra National de Paris, at both venues – Palais Garnier and the Opéra Bastille – of course, there are some of the most in-demand events in the world. Well-known operas from Madam Butterfly to Don Carlo, but also with lesser-knowns, like Les Indes Galantes and Boris Godunov. Plus newer works like Lear. And, the opera is performing a few works from Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

On the ballet and dance front, the troupe is performing a Balanchine tribute from February through April 2020, Giselle in January and February of that year. But, from January 18-29, the ballet will perform Debussy and Ravel together for a cosmic performance. Described on the website as, “Guided by her perpetual fascination for the relationship between pure movement and music, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker takes up Prélude à l’après‑midi d’un faune with the dancers of the Rosas Company. The performance continues with L’Enfant et les sortilèges, a tale written by Colette and finely orchestrated by Ravel. In Richard Jones and Antony McDonald’s production, the singers of the Academy suffuse this work with the freshness of youth.”

As well as many concerts and events. And lots of “Young Audience” events that are great for all ages. Each seems like it is a can’t miss engagement.

Philharmonie de Paris

Okay, the Philharmonie de Paris has about 500 concerts each year – of every kind of music. Plus, it has a museum and mounts exhibitions. A LOT is happening. Some interesting and fun events are the movies where the orchestra plays the music. Yes, live music at a movie. Take a look at the calendar once you have your dates and make a plan to visit this incredible venue. The building alone is worth a visit, but add in talented musicians and singers and performers and you have a guaranteed exciting time.

philharmonie de paris

Inside the Philharmonie de Paris. Photo by BastienM, Paris-Philharmonie1, CC BY-SA 4.0

Even if you lived in Paris, I don’t know how you could see all of these incredible opportunities to learn and experience more!

A Step Inside Giacometti’s Studio

A Step Inside Giacometti’s Studio

More than 50 years after his death, Alberto Giacometti’s studio in Paris has been reassembled and is open for you to visit.  You will find it about a mile from his original studio, in the same Montparnasse neighborhood.

Forethought to Preserve an Artist’s Legacy

When he died in 1966, Giacometti’s studio of 40 years was disassembled by his wife, Annette.  She removed all of the artist’s works in progress, furnishings and even the walls to preserve them.  Annette had the forethought, and somehow knew, that Giacometti’s studio should be saved for the future.

Eventually, Giacometti’s studio and artwork, notebooks, sketchbooks and all kinds of things Giacometti, was left by Annette in 1993 to the Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti.  The Foundation runs the Giacometti Institute and that organization, “is the reference place for Giacometti’s work and an art history center including exhibitions, research and pedagogy.”

Reconstruction of Giacometti’s Studio

In furtherance of its mission, Giacometti’s studio was reconstructed.  Using old photographs of Giacometti’s studio by Robert Doisneau, Gordon Parks, Sabine Weiss and Ernst Scheidegger the Giacometti Institute rebuilt the studio just as it had been.  At only 15′ x 16′, you wouldn’t think it could hold much.  But, like his skeletal sculptures, Giacometti’s studio is powerful and full of the artist’s presence.

The website explains that now the Giacometti Institute has on permanent display, “Giacometti’s reconstructed studio including his furniture, personal objects, walls painted by the artist and exclusive works, some of which have never before been exhibited.”

Giacometti’s Studio Housed in Art-Deco

The Giacometti Foundation decided to place the institute in a 1914 Art-Deco building with a famous history of its own.  Paul Follot, the renowned Art-Deco artist and interior designer had his showroom in the building.  (Super-cool!)

Of course, the 3,700 square foot space needed lots of work to make it a suitable place for the Institute.  Pascal Grasso, the architect working on the restoration and renovation, had three objectives, “respect the historic monument and give Giacometti’s work pride of place, while devising a contemporary space endowed with its own identity.”

The foundation’s collection is the largest holding of artwork by Alberto Giacometti.  It includes hundreds of sculptures, nearly 100 paintings and thousands of drawings, etchings and engravings.  Some of these can be seen on a visit to the institute.

Breaking Many Banks

Alberto Giacometti’s sculptures are some of the most recognizable in the world – and the most expensive.  “Chariot,” a breathtaking 1950 bronze by Alberto Giacometti, sold for nearly US$101 Million in 2014.  And, in 2015, the spaghetti-string armed, “Pointing Man,” sold for over US$141 Million.  That set a world record for a sculpture at auction.

Alberto Giacometti "Chariot"

“Chariot” by Alberto Giacometti

Want to see a current major exhibition of Alberto Giacometti’s work in the United States?  Visit the Guggenheim in New York through September 12, 2018.

Quotes are from the Fondation Giacometti website.

Giacometti’s Studio
Address:  Inside the Institute Giacometti, 5, Rue Victor Schoelcher, 75014 Paris
Nearest Métro:  Raspail or Denfert-Rochereau
RER:  Line B, Stop: Denfert-Rochereau
Official websitehttp://www.fondation-giacometti.fr/en
Hours:   Open by online reservation system only.  Tuesday from 2:00pm – 6:00pm and Wednesday – Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm.
Closed:  Monday all day and Tuesday mornings.
Admission charge:  Yes