Saturday Bear 🐻 and I took a deep dive
Into a Monet immersion
To get away from the sizzling 🥵 heat
Now suddenly the ‘Hot topic’ worldwide.
I am happy 🤸♂️ to report
As early as 1895, Monet painted a series of works depicting the pond, the surface studded with water lilies.
The artist painted the location over and over again,
Capturing it from different angles and in different light, as the seasons changed.
He worked both "en plein air", in the impressionist manner, and in the studio, devoting himself to this cycle for almost 30 years, until his death in 1926.
Around 250 canvases of varying sizes, including some forty very large paintings, are now scattered across the globe.
The 22 panels combined in 8 compositions that make up the Water Lilies/LES NYMPHAS, conceived by Monet for the Musée de l'Orangerie, represent his final masterpiece: a testament to his legacy, and the culmination of his aesthetic journey. (Information from the placards at the entrance).
Bear 🐻 and I grabbed a simple lunch in the gift shop.
We did not get the enticing waterlily financiers or any Monet stuff, hoping to find a waterlily bucket hat or cap 🧢 at musée Marmottan.
I drew ✍️ the Lion outside l’Orangerie
Before heading to the 16th…
But it was some synthetic fabric 👎 ☹️
They had fans, tongs 🩴 T-shirts, a ton of books📚 and very good gift items.
They did not have AC, but the gift shop stairway takes you directly to their huge Monet collection in the basement, which does have AC (for the restoration of the paintings not the people).
The biggest collection of Monets
Donated by his son, Michel Monet,
The range is extensive, including Paris
You get a sense of how the water lilies evolved,
From sketch to completed painting. 🌺
Which brings me to my own restorative measures during this heatwave to stay cool 🥶 not to forget ‘pain de glacé ice bricks in bed 🛌 at night and tin foil on the windows 🪟 One does not leave the house without a hand fan or spritz spray.
Hopefully 🙏 the MONET PARIS LETTER will be completed soon & go out next week. The brain 🧠 is in the repair shop.
You are all on my mind across the Atlantic these days. Hoping you can find some relief in this weather. I can’t think of a better way to spend hot days than immersed in Monet’s water lily paintings. Even the photos look refreshing!
ReplyDeleteThank you STACIA, we are having some relief today
Deleteand in the next week with temps in the 80’s 🤸♂️ 🤸♂️ 🤸♂️
Take care...thought of you and the chambre de bonne. My sensitive artist friend was made nauseous by the movement in the Monet paintings. But AC is surely welcome.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting response…they are like looking into a deep pool of water.
DeleteMonet quote,” " ...
La couleur monte du fond de l'eau par nuages, par tourbillons.»
Colour rises from the bottom of the water in clouds and whirlpools."
This takes me back several years when I came to Paris to watch the end of the Tour
ReplyDeleteDe France. It was 42 degrees and we were out in the blazing sun from early morning until the riders arrived around 4:30. Thank goodness I had an umbrella with me and an old each towel to sit on while waiting. I may have looked odd but at least I wasn't taken away by ambulance like a fellow near me. I visited the Orangerie during that trip and was blown away by the entire place. Wishing you relief from the heat soon.
I love Monet and his waterlilies series of paintings. I was able to see them in person in an extensive exhibit years ago. I've been concerned for you with the heat in Paris. My hope was you would go to places with AC and get relief at the pool. Glad to hear that it will be cooler this week for you. -Suzanne P.
ReplyDeleteThanks Suzanne, I went to the pool 🏊🏽♀️ this morning. It was FULL and the water was 30 degrees but still refreshing. The hard part with staying inside too much is you lose stamina and feel like a marshmallow. It takes effort toget it back 🥰
DeleteI have been worrying about my family in France as this heat is getting worse each year in my opinion. The lack of A/C and the inability in many places to even open the windows and many don't have screens was stunning to me. I hope this latest heatwave will abate for you and everyone.
ReplyDeleteAlmost all places have windows that open…but vertically - French windows. No screens but you can buy bug 🐞 shades.
DeleteYou amaze me with your resilience! Nothing stops you, not even 100°+ temperatures. So glad you found some relief in air-conditioned museums. Wise choice of subject for your Paris Letter this month. Love your sketches of Monet. ❤️
ReplyDeleteThank you Bonnie ❤️ Claude Monet has been starring at me for 2+ weeks. The museum visits made it real. Certainly MONET was persistent and prodigious 🎨
DeleteI keep thinking about you. We were in Paris for the heat wave last month and it was miserable and this week's is even hotter. I'm thrilled with your posting today because while we got out to Giverny, the day we had planned to see musee de l'orangerie and Musée de Montmartre (with advance tickets purchased weeks in advance) I was suffering from food poisoning. So, thank you so much for your pictures and coverage. I really do feel for you but am curious as to how you are getting from point A to point B in the heat?
ReplyDeleteThat is a shame to miss out because of a bad restaurant experience. Sometimes eating a boulangerie take-away sandwich is much safer than a fancy sit-down restaurant.
DeleteI use the METRO to get around Paris + buses. The metro is fast and often the stations, being underground are much cooler. I prefer them to parcs if I want to cool down.for a bit.
Great post! I love both lOrangerie and Marmottan -- it was a surprise since it's less well-known by most tourists. I want the bucket hat!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Marmottan is a bit off the beaten path of most visitors. Much less crowded generally, but many treasures and a lovely mansion museum.
Deletehttps://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2010/11/musee-marmottan-monet.html
I was hoping for a cotton hat. Plus it was 2-sided. Blue on the inside so doubly hotter.
DeleteGoodness, this must be the best way I’ve seen yet, to beat the heat!!!! Just looking at those gorgeous waterlily paintings makes me feel refreshed. Glad you are finding fun ways to manage this heat but know you are always welcome to visit us in Canada!! 😘🇨🇦
ReplyDeleteThanks Nicole 😀 My bag is packed. Bear 🐻 is coming too 🧳
DeleteMy husband and I were on a Rick Steves tour of France. We were staying in Amboise, 98F, no ac in our hotel room, just a double window, and a small desk fan. Soooo hot in our room. Some Texans told us what they do in hot Texas weather: wet a towel with lukewarm water and place it over your naked body to bring your core temperature down. Leave it on. We did it and slept soundly. This is what we did for the next 3 nights.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU! Sounds like a good idea. I went a T-shirt in cold water and sit by a fan = evaporative cooling. But these days the T-shirt dries Very quickly than over several hours. Still the bed trick is worth a try 👍
DeleteI've been thinking of you in this heat and so glad you're finally getting some relief. Also glad you took Bear with you as I'm sure he was very warm. I love Monet and enjoyed both l"Orangerie and Marmottan but haven't been back to either in a long time.
ReplyDeleteI just spent a few hours at an exhibit called Monet and Venice at the de Young Fine Arts Museum in San. Francisco. It was amazing! Luckily the museum is air conditioned!
ReplyDelete