RAD blog

Favorite London & Paris Pics and Sketch

The Lily House in Kew Gardens
Musee d'Orsay
Notre Dame Cathedral 

posted by janelle @ 12:19 AM 0 comments

The Paris Catacombs- The Last Day

This place was downright creepy, but in a very cool way. During a widespread illness before the French Revolution, more space to bury the dead was needed so it was decided that the all the bodies from a local cemetary should be exhumed to make way for the bodies that needed to be buried. The bones that had been exhumed were moved into the abandoned limestone quarries that lie beneath Paris and painstakingly arranged in bizarre patterns. I imagine that they were carefully placed in this way to show respect for the dead, though for me it certainly made for an entertaining albeit spooky visit!

 

posted by janelle @ 11:22 PM 0 comments

Musee Rodin- Last Day in Paris

The third in my trifecta of favorite Paris museums was the Rodin museum. I absolutely love Rodin's sculpture and to see so many of his sculptures in one place and in such a great setting was enough to make me giddy and gleeful. It was part of a perfect day to end my european adventure. These feet belong to Rodin's famed sculpture "The Thinker" which is located in the garden courtyard of the museum (which themselves are incredible)




The person who layed out the courtyard, had a great sense of humor.
















A detail from the Burghers of Calais


















This is a mold created by Rodin for one of his bronze sculptures. It is sculpture in and of itself! 

posted by janelle @ 11:13 PM 0 comments

? Museum

I honestly don't remeber the name of this museum or that I ever knew it, though it had very cool displays and was quite inspirational. This is a simply beautiful plan model.
A playful model with fabulous graphics
I don't know what it is, but it sure is fabulous!
A peek into the real world. 

posted by janelle @ 11:04 PM 0 comments

Musee d'Orsay

Another of my favorite museums was the d'Orsay. What an amazing collection of art! I went there twice not only because I loved what I saw, but because there was so much of it. This is a painting called "The Gleaners" by Millet- one of my all time favorites. It is one of those pieces of art that though I cannot explain why, it speaks to me. These women are poor, but they are also stout and determined. Millet's technique is subtle, but elegant and real.
This is one of those accidental beauties. I was trying to photograph the wonderfully bazaar models beneath the glass, but the reflections of the people walking over it are delightful and very sucessful in this photo.
A fabulous model of the Paris Opera House (if I remember/read the french didactic correctly)
The express escalator to the fifth level (where the impressionist gallery is) also was an intriguing glimpse into the background architecture of the museum. 

posted by janelle @ 10:52 PM 0 comments

Walking Through Paris

 

posted by janelle @ 10:49 PM 0 comments

The Orangerie

I saw several absolutely breathtaking museums while I was in Paris, and though it is difficult for me to claim one favorite, The Orangerie definitely is in the debate. In my opinion, this tiny, seemingly unheraled museum that is nestled near the more famous Louvre and d'Orsay museums, is an absolute must-see. Not only does it house an awesome collection (in the literal sense of the term), the architecture is simply beautiful as well. This is a small vestibule between the main lobby and the rooms housing its most famous paintings, which are...
Monet's waterlillies. Eight of these enormous paintings are divided between two oval rooms. Of all of Monet's works which I have seen, these stood out to me. To cover so much space, Monet used larger brush strokes which seemed to magnify the impressionist feel. It was almost non-sensical to stand close to these paintings (though you could) for you would see nothing but large smears of color.
The Orangerie is housed in what was once the Orangerie (imagine that!) for the Louvre Palace. It has been remodeled several times since then, most recently re-opening after such construction May 2006. Essentially, only the shell of the old structure remains. A completely new concrete and glass structure has been built inside the old shell. A glass roof allows natural light to pour into the space and affords a warmth to the museum even on rainy days (like the one when I visited the museum)
Even the lower level is flooded with natural light. It is carefully controled with special shades so that no direct light damages the paintings and to make it more comfortable for those in the space. 

posted by janelle @ 10:27 PM 0 comments

Montmartre & Sacre Coeur

Another one of the famed Metro entrances, this one located in the well known arts district of Montemartre.
A woman watching the passers-by from her window.
Atop the hill of Montemartre (for which the area is named) stands the Sacre Coeur, a beautiful white stone church.
From the top of the church, breath taking views of Paris can be seen. Here is the Eiffel Tower in the distance behind some of the details of the church. 

posted by janelle @ 10:18 PM 0 comments

Notre Dame

I genuinely loved Notre Dame. It is a beutifuly detailed building without the overwhelming massiveness of some of the other catedrals I had seen.

 

posted by janelle @ 10:13 PM 0 comments

Centre Pompidou

Of all the museums I saw in Paris, the Pompidou was my least favorite, but it did have some very nice details, including the neon wayfinding.
I also loved the reflecting pool on the roof. The third thing I liked about the Pompidou (of which I do not have a pic) was the gift shop. Its a Parisian version of the MOMA store! 

posted by janelle @ 10:09 PM 0 comments

Versaille

The coolest (and most simple) corridor in the Palace. I loved the plain stone and ample light
A boat ride on the Grand Canal. Using the oars is harder than it looks!
The best part of the Palace (Mindy was mad at me for thinking this) was the absolutely brilliant and simple treatment of the restoration of the hall of mirrors. They are working on half of the hall at a time and the scaffold structure is completely hidden behind temporary walls with a tunnel passing through the center. The wall facing the hall was covered with mirrors, reflecting the open section and giving the illusion of a complete room. I love it! And the black tunnel and white chandeliers were breathtaking!
Perfect moment in the gardens 

posted by janelle @ 10:13 PM 1 comments