Marie-Antoinette at Bernardaud

Marie-Antoinette teapot,watercolor 5.5" x 7.5"

I was first bowled over by the Bernardaud's windows at Carrousel du Louvre of their Marie-Antoinette commemorative collection.

Bird cup at Bernardaud, watercolor 5.5" x 7.5"

Plus the big posters all over Paris drove me to the not-to-be missed exhibit.

 

An exquisite goblet in the same collection...This milky breast-shaped piece was designed especially for La Laiterie de Rambouillet - Marie-Antoinette's dairy, Le hameau at Versailles.And then back again to Bernardaud to look again at this Limoges china...

A 16th c Supernanny giving a good wacking with a bouquet of roses. These lush silk roses drove me to seek out SIA.

*Note the decorative macarons.

The shelf life of these cookies is not long.

I wonder who's job it is to eat and replenish these window?

A piece montee des macarons.

 

Sia Again

#167 Lettre à Marguerite, original watercolor,9" x 11"

I’m fixated on painting flowers in glass vases this week.

So it's back to the beautiful Parisien flower shop, SIA...

Marie-Antoinette exhibit

Marie-Antoinette Rose, watercolor,

Sometimes you take a step in one direction and it leads you to all sorts of unexpected places you never dreamed of.

I went to see the Marie-Antoinette exhibit at the Grand Palais last week. I'd learned to love the movie after watching it in French, so visiting the exhibit was a must.

 

The museum gift shop was full of roses pink roses.

 

  Pink, pink, pink

More pinkerie with a touch of raspberry.

 

Inside the exhibit there was a wall of hairstyle prints - more roses here too.

And Marie-Antoinette's exquisite china - with roses bien sur.

 On Easter Monday I visited the Louvre, and was more excited by Bernardaud's window display of special edition "Marie-Antoinette" china.

And the silk roses were to die for. Perfect for painting still lifes. But where to find them!!! A friend sent me to the wholesale hat district in the Marais = zero, nada, no silk roses. Finally I just walked into Bernardaud and asked them. So simple and they could not have been more kind. They got on the phone et voila! Their silk roses were from SIA and quite close by.

I went to 3/5 boulevard Malesherbes, 75008 near the Madeleine. LOOK Right in the window = my roses!

Mission accomplished.

SIA is a chain of home shops founded by Sonja Ingegerd Andersson in 1963 in Sweden. Now their main offices are in France.YUM and not just roses, but stunning vases and china and furniture... But the silk flowers are sensational - almost more beautiful than real flowers... And they have scented versions if you are so inclined.. Thank you SIAThank you Bernardaud

And most of all Merci, Marie-Antoinette!