Yesterday in Paris with Marc

 

Yesterday I stayed in till 4 in the afternoon searching madly for a lost poppy 🌺 watercolor. I finally found it in the poppy file of course.

Then I ran to la poste, and the bank (they are closing early this week). I had plans to go to the movies later at 7:30 🕢 at Lost in Frenchlation.

Poppies = Rouge de Delacroix = Marianne, Postal Museum

 

One thing leads to another. I started painting poppies after seeing a photo in the Vegetal exhibit. 

Later I saw this poppy card in a stationary/papetterie shop window, BUCI News, 4 rue Gregoire de Tours 6 eme.

Delacroix’ Travel Journals

Most artists keep sketchbooks. And they do it in an orderly fashion, dating and numbering them. Then guarding them like the crown jewels, lined up in their studios like soldiers. Some other artists (please raise your hands) prefer to sketch on the odd scrap of paper...whatever comes to hand. But really I can see it's not the best way to go.

Monday I hopped over to the Louvre to find out how the procedure to access to the Department de Graphiques where facsimiles of Delacroix's Moroccan sketchbooks are kept. The Louvre owns three books and chateau Chantilly owns one. The rest were lost, when his studio was auctioned off. Louvre information desk told me I must go outside to Porte de Lion, apply in advance and then wait.

In fact I didn't have to wait. After filling out some forms, showing a picture ID and writing an incoherent letter of intent in my rotten French I as let in immediately! The receptionist giggled at my attempts to spell 'mes salutations distingue' and scribbled the correct spelling on a piece of paper. Quelle wreck! Still the librarian let me in. But first you must wash your hands bien sur!

And lock away all your belongings except for pencils/crayons. Papers and iPad are allowed.

The library is tres grand!

The library ceiling is even grander. 

Enfin they brought out the boxed set of 3 facsimiles and 2 books explaining the collection. I had just 30 minutes before closing time to look.

The woman assisting said,"It's OK to cry on the pages."Actually it isn't. This is a Very expensive and rare edition published in 1992 and can only be found at auction for thousands of €€€. I used my business card to turn the pages to keep my fingers off them(there's natural oils on the pads).

The first book of the collection, all of 10 cm wide x 16 cm high.

After seeing so many excerpts of sketchbook pages to actually page through them (very gently) is a wonder.

The mix of writing, watercolor, ink or pencil sketches just flow rhythmically from page to page.

Quite a few pages have no color but are just as beautifully and intuitively designed.

The use of space, weight of lines, repeated images..it takes your breath away.

I attempted at first to record briefly what was on each page but after a while decided to just look. It made me think I too should be working in a sketchbook and not scraps of paper. They have a tendency to get lost. It drives me nuts looking for them. Plus there is no sequential flow like looking at a book and turning the pages.

British artist and friend Ian Sidaway has kept travel journals for decades. Every trip is recorded. Take a look at his blog Fine Line for his recent Paris sketches.

Thirty minutes of communing with Delacroix and I was walking on air as I left the building in the Tuileries gardens...

It was dark outside...

Looking up the top floor is where the library is...

Suddenly the Louvre likes like my newest best friend. I can't wait to go back and visit with Delacroix again. This time I'll take a sketchbook.

Delacroix Day

Thursday I was about to go out the door to see the Braque at the Grand Palais. It closes on the 6th. Instead I thought about the rainy day drawing I'd just done and that I needed to get back into Delacroix sketchbook mode - more fluid, looser drawings with writing plus using different mediums, like pencil mixed with brown ink and watercolor. I left a fat file of Delacroix sketches back in New York.

Off to the Louvre book store to see what books they had on Delacroix. Not much but they suggested visiting musée Eugene Delacroix in the 6th arrondissment.

This book was put out by Bibliotheque de l'Image. Sounds like a place but it's a publisher of art books.

Librairie Couleur du Temps on 24, rue Dauphine, 75006 is their outlet and they had one last copy. Hooray! Marked down to 10€ too.There are lots of treasures here. Cookbooks, gardening, history many marked down. I've been coming for ages.

Time to see some real Delacroix. The museum is hidden in a courtyard off Place de Furstenberg.

Open 9:30  - 5:00 pm Closed on Tuesdays

Up the stairs a young Delacroix awaits you.

He lived here so the museum has an intimate feel to it.

He lived so many places around Paris - a wall map sited with all his residences. I wish it was still so easy to find an artist’s garret.

There's a new exhibition on of recent donations, many from Delacroix's Moroccan sketchbooks, my favorites.

An absolutely gorgeous sepia ink drawing - fluid and very contemporary in feeling. A joy to behold.

Delacroix was a master at painting interiors too...

His painting atelier is all in deep garnet red.

A small oil of a costumed Arab in the same garnet reds.

A little quiet garden separates his atelier from the rest of the house.

"My garden is decidedly charming...The view of my little garden and the cheerful appearance of my studio always makes me happy."

Delacroix painted and drew lots of cats domestic and wild.

He'd no doubt be pleased to be see this resident kitten scampering from tree to bush in his garden.

Pages From My Sketchbooks

Any artist worth their salt

earns their bones filling a gazillion sketchbooks with doodles

I made these when I was in my bookmaking phase.

Delacroix's Le Voyage au Maroc sketchbooks are one of the best sources. When you're considering starting a sketchbook.
It's both a diary + sketchbook, drawn and written daily records of his Moroccan travels.
 

I treasured this picture of J.M.W.Turner's leather bound sketchbook. Many of his sketches can be seen in the Tate's Turner collection in London, where Turner donated much of his artwork. In the US is the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, CT. You can actually touch a Turner sketchbook! But make an appointment first.

A Turner-esque page from my sketchbook

Multi-doodles done in Poppi, Tuscany

I love to put down blobs of color and then create a little scene on top

Sketchbooks provide the chance to make quick summaries of what you see. Like a quick camera snapshot.
Spontaneous notation is what it's all about.
Often sketches are more personal, more interesting than the final finished painting.

More color blobs + grape picker doodles

Chateau doodles.
The thing about sketchbooks is they are private.
You can be as casual and messy and experimental as you like.
No ones going to see what you do...
Well almost no one.
 

Some of the sketchbook paraphrenalia you can "collect" in the name of sketching! There are endless art supplies out there waiting to tempt you, and every bit as luscious as any patisserie shop offering.

more SKETCHBOOK posts:

More Candy Stores

Daffodil Sketchbook

My Venice Moleskine

Wine Tools...

Carnets de Couleur

Moleskine à Table

Moleskine de Voyage #3
Carnets de Voyage #2
Carnets de Voyage

My Bologna