Monday, April 30, 2007

Petit Dejeuner Bleu et Blanc

Bleu et Blanc Petit Dejeuner, watercolor
 
Usually Claire and I meet at cafe Le Luco for a tea or coffee. 
I've painted some of my best cups at Le Luco.
But last trip C. invited me for Sunday petit dejeuner at her place.
If you visited Monet's house at Giverny, you can not forget his egg-yolk yellow dining room or all the blue and white porcelain he collected.
C.'s Tetsumi tea potClaire told me her Grandmother encouraged her to start collecting mismatched blue and white porcelain when she was a little girl. Some of the pieces we ate off belonged to her Grandmere.
Why does everything taste better in France and look better too? 
Every table setting reminds you of a Bonnard painting.
Every plate of oranges makes you think of Matisse?One good reason is the soft, bluish, diffuse, reflective light in France. It's not something you can pick up at your local art store. Paris grey skies are unbeatable. But you can start collecting mismatched blue and white china.
Gustave Caillebotte's Rue de Paris, temps de pluie; Intersection de la Rue de Turin et de la Rue de Moscou

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:50 AM

    This one is among my favorite posts of yours C. I love white and blue china. I actually started my collection when I was a little girl :-) My favorite pieces are a full coffee set for 12 in The Blue Flower, Royal Copenhagen, given to me over may be 20 years from my mother.
    My most recent blue and white china is a small coffee cup I bought in Venice two weeks ago, made by a local artist. I showed it in The Blue Café a few days ago.

    I must find out more about paypal so I can buy one of your paintings.......

    By the way, I visited Monet's home in Giverny some years ago together with Marie Noëlle.

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  2. Anonymous9:10 AM

    Your cup is lovely here, Carol! I always loved the colors of Monet's Giverny, but that painting is a Matisse, Carol!! Bonnard is all bright orange hues in his...and many of his wife bathing, etc... I have it hanging (well, I have the print hanging) in our hallway--always loved that one of the Odalisque...) Lovely post...

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  3. Anonymous9:12 AM

    Oh, Carol, I re-read your notes and you were referring to Matisse's oranges on the plate--duh--sorry! You got it! Bonnard is gorgeous, too...

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  4. Not to worry loveitaly
    They're ALL GOOD!
    Matisse, Bonnard, Monet, Renoir, all the French Impressionist and post-impressionust painters are part of our visual frame of reference.
    Their in there lurking waiting for a chance to remind us :)

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  5. Anonymous9:43 AM

    Wonderful post today Carol. I love your painting. You are capturing more details in your cups and they are coming out so charming.

    I love Giverny, always wanted to go see it in person, not only because of the painter in me, but the Gardener also. ;-)

    I got to see in person the Umbrellas painting in an LA museum a few years ago. I was amazed at how large it was. I was in awe of the colors and the feelings they evoked. Just beautiful.

    Thanks for the ALL the art today. Love it.

    Cris in OR

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  6. So pretty - all the blue and white
    And I see what you mean by the French luminous lighting...
    No wonder those Frenchies have it wrapped up!

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  7. You are so right about their grey skies. In the UK our skies are GREY theirs are - at this point read this in italics - grey.
    Everything always tastes better in France because it is better and everything looks better because everything is beautiful.
    You know I think I like France and could you ask C if I can have her tall White Coffee Pot when she's finished with it?

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  8. Anonymous6:33 PM

    Grey skies, blue skies, rain, shine..Paris is just better all around.
    I love the atmospheric window view and then the Caillebotte painting, like a continuation of the view..

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  9. Anonymous6:38 PM

    I hear music when I look at these pictures...
    Vivaldi...
    Lovely

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  10. Anonymous2:42 PM

    Oh! This is beautiful! Stunning painting! That delicate cup. Your photos and story. Perfection.

    The pattern of Monet's favorite dishes is called, "JAPON." He painted them mostly, and refused to have people over suring the day, while the light was good!

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