Rouge Et Noir..., watercolor on paper, 12" x 15" While painting Russian illustrations, you become acutely aware of national color combinations. In Russian folk art, red, yellow and green are used over and over. When I think of France I see bleu.
But this October Paris windows and streets were full of red and black. Hediard is the classic example of a red and black brand, that just always looks tres classe.
Galeries Lafayette knows how to throw around red and black and there was plenty in their windows.
Other windows too were pairing these two up. 
The classic black French wine bottle with the red capsule is always a standard of elegance. No one does it better.
Lots of the Paris cafés are done up totally in black, but can you count the number of people wearing touches of red with their black outfits to add some zip? 
I'm convinced this all-red café is saving itself for those customers wearing only BLACK!
As seen through the eyes of a true artist. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI just love your observations and watercolors, Carole!! Who else, during the red and green of Christmas preparations could write so beautifully about black!!!
ReplyDeleteThat really is an interesting observation, and dead on, about different cultures and their use of color. I enjoyed that. Love this latest pomegranate and tin painting...lovely. Thanks for the spots of color--it's pure white with snow here in Colorado today!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect post! Those boots and other red and black images show your artistic eye!
ReplyDeleteAre you eating your juicy red fruit everyday?
Black rubber boots
ReplyDeleteMade for rain-walking.
Red café
Made for talking.
Galleries Lafayette
Je regrette..rien..
French red wine,
When do we dine?
...Et quand vient le soir
ReplyDeletepour qu'un ciel flamboie
le rouge et le noir
ne s´épousent-ils pas...
Ne me quitte pas
ne me quitte pas...
(Jacques Brel)
Un post très"Stendhal-iéne",Carol.
Formidable.
red & black are my fav. combination. Used it for an album cover etc. Even as a kid I had a room with it... it had a black and white tiled floor ( like a chess set) with a bed spread the same..looked like the floor ran over the bed.. it was VERY cool.. ( well.. for a young guy)
ReplyDeleteDrove my parents crazy though
Ps-But I´ve always thought that RED/ROJO/ROUGE/ROSSO was Spain´s colour ;D
ReplyDeleteCarol
ReplyDeleteYour blog is a constant source of delight and colorful surprise, whether via your comments, photos, and or in particular, your lovely paintings.
And that's the truth.
sjerseyboy
Even the dogs in Paris use this combination. Black poodles in red designer coats with dinky little red bows tied round topknots.
ReplyDeleteOnly in Paris I guess. Wish I was fast enough to take a photo.
Once again beautiful watercolurs.
Lea
Red and black have been my 'basics' for years, now I really feel like I am in fashion... thanks for the lovely photos!!!
ReplyDeleteSmila, if red and black belongs to any one country, it's Japan.
ReplyDeleteBut fortunately everyone can love it! :)
Red and black?
ReplyDeleteReminds me of French Stendhal's novel "Le Rouge et le Noir", the hero being involved in the army (red) and in the church (black).
Julien Sorel experiences the 2 worlds with no success!
Hi Carol, your posts are always inspiring (especially the beautiful colours) - and I love the wellies :)
ReplyDelete