Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Paris 1900

As requested more Paris 1900 from the Petit Palais on til August 19

Art Nouveau bronze head

Stunning black opal brooch in the Art Nouveau style.

Curvilinear lines infuse everything in daily life
Thanks to the likes of Mucha, Gallé, Guimard and Lalique.
No straight line is left uncurved.
Many new railroad stations were built for the Exposition: Gare de Lyon, Gare des Invalides
And Gare d'Orsay now the musee d'Orsay.
As well as the first Metro line, the Metropolitain.
The views from Pont Alexandre must have been astonishing - 50,000,000 visitors flocked to Paris.
Though the best view may have been up in a balloon far from the maddening crowds...still is.
These illustrations...
Of everyday folk looked a lot like
Maurice Sendek figures to me.
High society Parisiennes decked out in fur and lacy garments
No wonder they were constantly fanning themselves.
For amusement a bit of embroidering perhaps?
While in the back rooms of fashion salons other Parisiennes stitched day and night
To fill shop orders in the big new emporiums like Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché and Printemps.
Something with a bit of ribbon Madame?
This pile of ribbons, flowers, leaves looks not so different from this fruity tarte from Gosselin on Bvd Saint Germain. Just pop this on your head and pretend you're back in Paris 1900...

17 comments:

  1. Love the old photographs of the ladies doing needlework....a tough job, their fingers would bleed and it affected their eyesight too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks a lot Carol! Now I hate myself for not going to see this exhibit when I was in Paris for a whole month in April!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I find if I go to things in Paris even if I don't think they're to my taste I'm always pleasantly surprised.

      Delete
    2. Hah! I tried to drag him there, but he was having none of it! The Exposition must have been something! 50,000,000 tourists is incredible!

      Delete
  3. I like YOUR rendition of the bronze..

    ReplyDelete
  4. Merci beaucoup for the fashion tip...this will give me reason to buy much more pastry! It's for my head, not my tummy!
    Love the Art Nouveau! We had a great Mucha exhibit 2 years ago at a local frame shop.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jane S.10:55 AM

    I'm sold! Will save a day during my upcoming trip to time-travel to 1900!
    Received your fraise letter yesterday, miam miam.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah ha!
      Bonne idée
      Loads to look at there..
      I have a feeling the eau de Fraise did not make it through la poste..
      Evaporated on the way oui?

      Delete
  6. Bonsoir chère amie,

    Après un tel billet, aussi varié qu'intéressant... Une part de cette fameuse tarte aux fruits rouges me tente !
    Gros bisous

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks Carol!
    This is wonderful!
    Loved all the interesting information.
    What different times,to say the least.
    Makes me very appreciative of the fashions(or not!)and the comfort(!) I wear today.

    ReplyDelete
  8. So wonderful. Thanks again. Wish it was on through September!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This exhibit reminds me of the absolutely fantastic Art Nouveau exhibit at the Smithsonian/National Gallery several years ago. One of the best shows ever. Your photos bring it all back and I'm jealous as anything that I'm not in Paris to see this.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great opening sketch.
    I love those shots (vintage & contemporary) of the railroad stations.
    When I look at the pics of the women sewing the garments, I wonder how they did it without air conditioning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahaha
      They Still don't have much AC here !
      Nuttin' has changed.

      Delete
  11. Felicity12:43 AM

    you reminded me of my most favorite word "indubitably"....!
    Love the photos.
    Pollyanna & I visited Paris for the first time in Nov'13 & Musee d'Orsay at night was fantastic! We are hoping to go again soon.
    Thankyou for keeping Paris close to us in your pb posts!

    ReplyDelete
  12. How cute! Yes, you're right, that hat and cake are perfectly similar!

    We're in the Loire now so definitely no chance of seeing this! Wah!

    xox

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fabulous. Those photos are incredible -- and how I love those posters. And Mucha! Merci!

    ReplyDelete

Love hearing from you