pages

Tuesday, November 05, 2024

Figures du fou, du Moyen Âge aux Romantiques, musée du Louvre

 
Foolishly I went Sunday afternoon to the Louvre 

When it is crowded like a madhouse.


Even more foolishly, I did not follow the signs ➡️ I climbed on the escalator with the rest of the sheep 🐑 🐑🐑 and had to backtrack down to the ground floor exhibition.

I usually go on weekdays when it’s less crowded. 

Or on Friday nights, when the Louvre is open till 9:45  pm

 When most sane people are out dining 🍽️ & dancing 💃 

I went to do a little research 🔬 for Elaine Sciolino’s new book, Adventures in The Louvre: How to Fall in Love with the World’s Greatest Museum, coming out April 1, 2025. I’ll be doing a drawing ✍️ for her book tour etc.

Anyhoo not a good idea to go on the first Sunday of the month when all Paris museums are free. 

*You still need to reserve a time slot online ahead of time (ever since the Olympics).

While I was looking for ideas & inspiration, I dropped into the Figures du Fou/Figures of the Fool exhibit,
What with all the shenanigans we’ve been going through the last few months…it seemed appropriate. 
Over the course of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the fool came to occupy every available artistic space, 
Insinuating himself into illuminated manuscripts, printed books and engravings,
 
Tapestries, paintings, sculptures, and all manner of objects both precious and mundane. 
His fascinating, perplexing and subversive figure loomed large in the turmoil of an era not so different from our own’.
A visitor in keeping with the spirit of the fool wearing a hair roller on her head.
A very silly Medieval towel holder.
I wouldn’t have thought this exhibit would draw such a crowd..
“Ah…”What fools these mortals be” 
Thank you Puck 😂
While many of us fools are holding our breath awaiting tomorrow’s outcome…
Perhaps contemplating the Seine is a better idea..?
Or contemplate some Paris 🥐 Letters in my Etsy shop?

19 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:25 AM

    Holding our collective breath ..... let "fool"ishness be gone .... and on to a more calm tomorrow. With gratitude for your exceptional blog - an admirer from north of the 49th. xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:40 AM

      Thanks ! 🍁
      The 49th parallel north as a border between the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba (to the north), and the U.S. states …

      Delete
  2. Anonymous9:38 AM

    Amen to that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9:47 AM

    Thanks for the booking tip.

    Noelle

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous10:31 AM

    Your pictures and commentary provide a sane moment in the US life at the moment and thank you. Particularly love the evening Seine one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:03 AM

      We’re all trying to keep our sanity 🙏
      1-2-3-4 breathe

      Delete
  5. Anonymous11:01 AM

    To a New Yorker, that doesn't look crowded!
    Take care 😊

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:02 AM

      I didn’t show the mammoth entry line…worse then Angelina!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:27 AM

      As another NYer, I thought the same thing!🤣

      Delete
  6. Anonymous11:06 AM

    This was great. Lynne

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:58 AM

    Great entry - the exhibit looks fascinating! Yes, contemplating the Seine - always a good thing to do . . .

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sukicart3:11 PM

    I would have loved that exhibit - I find jesters interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Linda Scott3:17 PM

    Bonjour Carol
    What a perfect post for today ! I totally agree with above comment about pictures and commentary providing a sane moment which the USA needs right NOW! I sighed when I came to your photo and commentary about the Seine ! 💗🗼🇫🇷 👍🙏

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous3:40 PM

    One of your best, Carol. That's such great advice about going in the evenings with the soft lighting, murmurs, and many near empty galleries. I had always been intimidated by the Louvre on short visits to Paris and only went to special exhibitions. I saved the rest of the museum until we lived in Paris for a year and a half. I took an online course on the great paintings of the Louvre then went through all the painting galleries in chronological order in the evenings. What an experience. I'd need another Paris year and a half for the sculpture! I'm thrilled to hear about Elaine Sciolino's book. Her book on the Seine was so wonderful along with "The Only Street in Paris." I gave myself that rue des Martyrs experience that same year and a half, using her book as my guide. Since I'm not able to travel to Paris right now, your blog brings Paris to me. Merci.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:30 PM

      Thank you for your comment 🙏 You will LOVE ❤️ Elaine’s new book 📕

      Delete
  11. Anonymous9:28 PM

    Oh my goodness Carol, such a fine focus for today and wonderful comments!! I'm sure your wisdom, focusing on American current foibles and needs IS gonna make a difference!!!!! Carla

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous9:41 PM

    Gosh your blogs are so clever! Always like to see your name pop up in my inbox ❤️ I pre-ordered the book and love that it is being released on April Fool’s Day! How appropriate. 🤣 Congratulations on creating artwork for the tour! Hope those of us who can’t be there in person can purchase a copy? I especially enjoyed the curler coiffure 🃏Lots of Love from 🇨🇦

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:08 AM

      Great on you!
      I’m reading the galleys now for the drawing ✍️
      Elaine is a great story teller 👏

      Delete
  13. Thank you for the Louvre trip, I would go see the fool exhibition if I was there. That sounds like a very interesting book, I still need to read the one about tie Seine as I enjoyed the one about the Rue des Martyres.

    ReplyDelete

Love hearing from you