Painting the Ritz!

I've been missing in action all week painting the Ritz!

The RITZ PARIS AUCTION preview was over 2 weeks ago at ARTCURIAL, Rond Point, Champs-Elysées. I thought there would be long lines to get in. Instead it was just me, Bear, and TV crews.

They were still setting up the 17 display rooms.

Designed by decorator, Vincent Darré. He's standing in LA SUITE WINDSOR.

Utterly gorgeous! Unfortunately you can't see the Windsor's little brown suede doggy bed for sale.

The divine Fitzgerald suite.

Back in the studio painting from my hundreds of photos.

Et voila.

Le Salon Proust. Someone past by and played the harp. Heaven.

I took a gazillon pictures of the old Ritz 'Marthe' pattern china (they changed the color from green to blue with new renovation. Its available in their hotel boutique). I thought I would be painting this.

Instead I became enthralled with the Ritz chairs.

And there were many, many chairs to paint.

How did the auction go? The link is above for more details. It was a grand success.

Almost 9 million dollars earned.

7 times the estimation. 

13,000 visiters during the 4-day viewing. 

5 days of sales. 

3,500 lots of 10,000 objects dispursed. 

100% sold. 

60% sold to foreigners in 53 countries. 

50% sold through the internet. 

The natural light in the Artcurial is simply gorgeous. You felt like you were wafting through the old Ritz.

Do visit their other auctions. Outstanding.

An archival picture of Mademoiselle Coco Chanel's suite.

Vincent Darré's version her bedroom full of red lacquer Chinoiserie.

Yes, Bear visited the Ritz Paris auction in case you were wondering. No one objected. Nor did they mind my sitting in one of Chanel's chairs and sketching onsite. 

Sheer heaven.

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Bonne Weekend!

Loupot exhibit, Bibliotheque Forney, Depot-Vente Map

The Roaring 20s (l'Années Follies) are hot in Paris right now.

A free exhibit of master poster designer, Loupot is on at Bibliotheque Forney, 1, rue Figuier, 4e

Quite the dandy as a young artist, Charles Loupot was born in Nice, studied at the Beaux-Arts in Lyon.

And moved to Paris in 1923.

This carrot-top girl dressed all in orange eating a chocolate bar is a shock.

Loupot's figures are like sculptures.

The big shapes dominate the picture plane, yet are still feminine

Loupot worked with industrial clients. His forms are simplified, direct and fresh.

Loupot's Art Deco posters for aperitif St.-Raphaël. These designs covered metro station walls, trucks, drink glasses, even bottle openers. This is an exhibit worth a visit.

If you're looking for vintage clothes, especially to match Loupot's rouge et noir color scheme try Paris' depot-Ventes. Didier Ludot in the Palais Royal will be starting at the top. The creme de la creme of luxury brands with the prices to match.

In many shops you can rent a bag or outfit for just a day...say you're attending a Chanel show.

These are consignment shops, but most of the used clothing will be in fairly good condition.

Some may still have original price tags attached. The 16e is loaded with depot-ventes. Four to five shops can line one street.

Look for "Names, Sweetie Darling, names!" Still plenty of consignment shops have mid and lower price clothing. Some are a complete grab bag. Clothing tossed into boxes with a single price.

Riciproque in the 16e is the grandaddy of consignments shops. Over 5,000 square feet to explore in a string of stores on both sides of the street. A lot more adventurous shopping than just visiting Paris' big glam department stores if you're into treasure hunts.

Thank you for reading Parisbreakfast. If you enjoyed this post, forward to a friend. 

Subscribe to Paris maps or letters in your mailbox + souvenirs at ETSY.

And don't miss the flowering trees across from Bibliotheque Forney.

Xxx Carolg and Bear🐻.

Rodin et la Danse

If you want to learn figure drawing copy Rodin, the master of the fluid line.

Last week. I saw a preview of the new, RODIN ET LA DANCE at the musee Rodin, 77 rue de Varenne.

An inspiring selection of 50 drawings plus maquettes, antiquities, photographs exploring the sculpture's fascination with art of dancing and movement.

Rodin surrounded himself with leading dancers of his day like Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan, Nijinski, often performing for him in his studio.

He adored the Royal Ballet of Cambodia when they visited Paris for the World Fair. Rodin sketching as a young dancer performs.

Rodin studied dance movements, the body's tensions, balance and imbalance.

Expressing the life force of the body, its vital energy.

Pieces from Rodin's collection of antiquities reflect his interest in the body's relationship to space.

The repetition of forms on a Grecian urn

Especially captivating his interest in awkward movements, imbalance.

Greek and Roman figurines showing the rhythmic flow of drapery on the moving figure

A marvelous quickie doodle on a hotel pad

Such an expressive economy of line. These could easily be contemporary modern dancers.

Really a glorious indepth exhibit offering many clues to Rodin's mythical sculptures, its on until the 22nd of July.

Last week was a triple-header of exciting exhibits and this week could be the same. Tomorrow is the preview of the THE RITZ PARIS auction at ARTCURIAL, Rond Point. The sale takes place from the 17th to 21st April. More info to come tomorrow post-preview.

What I wouldn't give for one cup and saucer. I had hot chocolate at the Ritz bar in 2009 and 2011.

Do I dare bring along Bear 🐻 to the Ritz preview tomorrow PBers ?