BEST LIGHT BLUES

August 1, 2013, 8:35 pm

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My  most - read  posts  have  overwhelmingly  been  those  concerning
blue   paint   colors   ( in  April / May,  2011) .     Two   years  later   seems   like   a   good   time   to   check   in   again   and   see    where   blues   are   headed   today.   Let's   begin   with   pale   blue.

With all of the bold, crazy color out there, pale blue is softer and more neutral with applications in any number of settings.    Pale   blues   make   for   wonderful   neutrals...and the right ones also create  soothing   environments. 
  

Two      current       favorites     that      appear      to      rise     above    the     many :

Farrow   and   Ball's        " LIGHT    BLUE "     22 ,      and  

Benjamin   Moore's        " WOODLAWN    BLUE "       HC - 147.

 " LIGHT    BLUE "  is   a   colour   we   have   used   in   all   our   houses.      It     is     an     exceptionally     subtle     colour,        sometimes    blue,       sometimes    grey,       always    interesting.          It   is   also   a     very   calm     colour   and   makes   an     elegant   background     for   prints   and   engravings.  "
- Ros  Byam  Shaw,     
author   of     Farrow   and   Ball    Living   with   Colour
via Ryland Peters and Small

 Farrow   and    Ball's       "LIGHT    BLUE"       22
( shown   above   and   below )

“ If    you    wish    for    a    slightly    light    blue    room

this,    rather    than    the    more    obviously  -  blue    blues,   

is     the     one     to     try. ”   

–   Farrow   and   Ball

" LIGHT   BLUE"    22      is     one     of     designer     Phoebe   Howard's
' most       requested       paint       colors. ' "

(This    earns    it    a    gold    stamp    in    my    book!)

Farrow   and    Ball's        "LIGHT    BLUE"       22
( shown   above   and   below )

“Try   light   blue   on   your   walls.       It     works     well     for     bedrooms,     bathrooms,      and      especially      work     spaces,
because  it’s  a  powerful  yet  gentle  mediator,  bringing  calm  to  all  that  clutter.    To  me,    the   most   diplomatic   shade   of   all   is   Farrow   and   Ball   22,   
which  approximates  the  color  of  lake  water.    Neutrals  don’t  need  to  go  away  –  they  simply  need  to soothe  and  anchor  a  room.”    -  Susan Ferrier

Farrow    and     Ball's          "LIGHT      BLUE"          22

( shown  above  and  below )  "I'm  always  surprised  when  clients  balk  at  color,  and  never  surprised  when  they  realize  the  difference  it  makes.   In  a  transitional  space  like  a  stair  hall,   you  have  more  freedom,   so  we  tried   a   grayish - blue   —   soft,    but   with   great   depth.     Once  the  client  saw  how  it  enriched  the  space,   the  deal  was  done."  —  Madeline  Stuart

Farrow   and   Ball     recommends   
pairing       "LIGHT    BLUE"      22       with 
their   "SHADED   WHITE"  201      and       "SLIPPER   SATIN"   2004     or 
with   their  "HAGUE   BLUE,"  30    and    "MOUSE'S   BACK,"  40,    amongst   others.

Farrow    and     Ball's       "LIGHT      BLUE"         22
( shown   above   and   below )
 ( click   here   for   a   "LIGHT   BLUE"   paint   story. )

Benjamin   Moore’s       " WOODLAWN   BLUE "        HC - 147
( shown  below )   " Wedgwood  Gray   and    Woodlawn   Blue    have   that   robin's   egg  vibe.    I   always   hedge   my   bets   toward   grayed - down  shades,    because   bright   colors   that   look   so   happy   in   the   paint   store   can   look   bizarre   in   real   life.    If   you're   nervous,   start   by   painting   the   back   wall   inside   the   cabinets. " 

- Clare Donohue

" I   am   a   huge   fan   of  Benjamin  Moore's   "WOODLAWN    BLUE"    HC-147.
( shown  above  and  below )     It   is   one   of   those   watery   blues   that   can   be   used   in   so   many   settings.    It  would  look  great  in  a  cottage  setting  or  a  more  transitional  space 
-  it   is   such    a    great    versatile    color. "     - Delorme Designs

“  There’s    a    vibrancy    to    this    shade.        It’s   not   shy.     But  it  also  has  a  kind  of  cloudiness,    and    those     soothing      gray     undertones     come  out  in  the  early    morning    and    at    dusk. ”        - Michael  Cox

 

( shown  above  and  below )  "WOODLAWN   BLUE  

Benjamin  Moore   recommends   pairing     "WOODLAWN     BLUE"   with   their   "FALCON  BROWN"  1238       and       "LIGHTHOUSE  LANDING"  1044     or    with    their    "FRENCH   BERET,"  1610      and      "BUTTERFIELD,"    897

      "WOODLAWN  BLUE"  ( shown  above  and  below )   ranks    amongst
Benjamin   Moore’s     own     TOP - TEN ,    TOP - SELLING   BLUE
paint      colors      today.
( click   here   for   a   "WOODLAWN   BLUE"   paint   story. )

ADDITIONAL,      WORTHWHILE        PALE       BLUE        COLORS

Benjamin   Moore      " ALBEMARLE    BLUE "      DC - 11

from  designer  Darryl  Carter's  collection   ( shown  above  and  below )

According   to   Benjamin  Moore,    " This    very    subdued    blue    evokes 

  a   sense   of   an   early   morning   walk   on   the   beach. "

Benjamin   Moore’s      “LOOKOUT   POINT”       1646
( NO     PHOTO     AVAILABLE )
“[ LOOKOUT   POINT  is ]  one   of   those   elusive   non - colors   that   reminds   me   of   the   time   between   morning   dew   and   sunrise   –   a   perfect   marriage   between   khaki   green   and   pale   blue.   Whatever   room   you   put   it   in,   it   creates   a   calm,   serene   mood.”      -  Darryl Carter

“LOOKOUT    POINT”    [ is   a ]    weightless     pale     blue    with   the    slightest     touch     of     soft,     smooth     gray  . . .  [ it ]  captures   the   appearance   of   the   sky   on   an   overcast   morning. "   - Benjamin   Moore  Paints



Benjamin Moore   recommends   pairing    "LOOKOUT   POINT"   with   their  "NAVAJO  WHITE"  PM - 29      and      "MIDNIGHT  BLUE"  1638     or   with   their  
"CAPE  BLUE,"  1642     and     "PLUM  ROYALE,"  2070-20

Bossy   Color   Blog's    Annie   Elliott    used    “LOOKOUT    POINT”   1646   for   her   own   bedroom   walls.      Elliott    describes    it    as     "serene"  and   "lovely."

"PALLADIAN  BLUE" - Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams' Home,   shown  above

Benjamin   Moore’s       "PALLADIAN     BLUE"     HC - 144

has been one of their top-selling colors for many years as well as interior designers' most -  talked - about colors over the past decade.  It also  ranks amongst  
Benjamin  Moore's  Facebook  Fans' Favorite  Colors.

Benjamin    Moore’s        " PALE     SMOKE "      1584

( shown  above  and  below )

( click   here   for   a   "PALE   SMOKE"  paint   story )

 Farrow   and   Ball's       " SKYLIGHT "      205
( shown  above  and  below )
“ [ "SKYLIGHT" ]  is   a   calming    and    versatile    color
and   mixes   with   black   lacquer wonderfully    .  .  .   a   Venetian   blue - gray.”
-  Alessandra Branca

Shape  Magazine  counts    Benjamin Moore's   “LOOKOUT    POINT”   1646 

as       a       paint       color       which       reduces       stress,    

in     addition     to      Benjamin    Moore's 

"CRYSTAL    BLUE"     2051 - 70,          "YARMOUTH    BLUE"    HC - 150, 
and      "WHITE    SATIN"     2067 - 70.  

All     three     colors      are      recommended      to     

"calm     your     mind     and     reduce     tension."

above:    "CRYSTAL   BLUE"    2051 - 70

below:  "YARMOUTH    BLUE"  HC - 150,  and  "WHITE    SATIN"  2067 - 70

"YARMOUTH    BLUE"   HC - 150     is     also     one     of

Benjamin   Moore's     " 10     Best -  Selling     Blues. "

H A P P Y     P A I N T I N G !    :)

R E L A T E D     P O S T S  :

Soothing   Paint   Colors  for  the  Bedroom

" I  need  a  great  blue  paint  color 
(not  navy !) "

More   Great   Paint   Colors

for   your   Bedroom

---

Paris Treasures: musée Nissim de Camondo

August 21, 2013, 4:44 pm

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Dreaming  of  setting  foot  right  into  18th - century  Paris?    You  can!
Last  year,  I  visited  the  spectacular musée  Nissim  de  Camondo in  the  8th  arrondissement,  on  the  edge  of  the  Parc  Monceau.

This  is  a  private town home - hôtel  particulier  containing  its  original   collection  of    18th - century    French    furniture    and    decorative   objects.

“  The   mansion   was   built   in   1911   by   the  
COMPTE    MOÏSE   de   CAMONDO,   a  banker,   with   architect   René   Sergent,    to    set    off    his    collection    of    eighteenth - century    French    furniture    and    art    objects.      Its   design   was   patterned   upon   the   Petit   Trianon   at   Versailles,    though   with   modern   conveniences. "  

Comte    Moïse    de   Camondo

" Both       house       and       collections       were 

bequeathed    to    Les   Arts   Décoratifs    in   honour   of    his    son,

Nissim    de   Camondo

NISSIM      de      CAMONDO,         killed     in     World    War   I,

and    opened    as    a    museum    in    1935,    upon    Comte   Moïse's    death. "

"  Today,   the   house   is   maintained   as   if   it   were   still   a   private   home,     [ remaining ]     preserved        in        its       original       condition.  " 

 It's   impossible   to  describe   the   full   extent   of   these   treasures    and    the     magic    they    encompass    as    a    whole.    Everywhere  you  turn,  every  square  foot  is  so  perfectly  planned  and  executed  to  its  exact  period.  

The  musée  Nissim  de  Camondo  is part  of  Les Arts  Décoratifs  (the  Decorative  Arts  museum)   which,  with  other  great  collections,    comprise   the    entirety    of   the   Louvre   museum.

You needn't be connoisseur nor follower of 18th-century France to appreciate the grandeur of each space.  Much of the greatest examples of this period illustrate
a   great   bequest   by   a   family   who   experienced   great   tragedy.



T H E         G R O U N D         F L O O R

includes    the    formal   living   quarters    (per  above  plan):

1 .      La     GALERIE    /     Entry   Spaces;     Main    Floor   Landing

 2 .       Le     GRAND     BUREAU       /       Formal    Study

3 .         Le       GRAND       SALON        /        Formal      Drawing      Room

  

4 .          Le        SALON        HUET       /       Huet       Drawing       Room

dedicated to French Rococo painter, Jean-Baptiste Marie HUET, whose

thirteen tapestries  depicting pastoral scenes were part of the Camondo bequest to the Louvre (of which the musée des Arts Décoratifs is part).

5 .        La      SALLE      À    MANGER        /        Formal      Dining     Room

"The boiserie of the Dining Room in green rechampi (meaning glazed in various tones) is partly 18th century."     - The Devoted Classicist

6 .        Le    CABINET     des     PORCELAINES      /      Formal     China     Storage

 7 .          Le          PETIT         BUREAU            /            Small        Study





C O L L E C T I O N             H I G H L I G H T S 

" The   house's   FURNISHINGS   include   needlepoint   chairs   and   work   by   artisans   of   the   Garde   Meuble   Royal   (Royal   Furniture   Repository)   such   as   Jean - François   Oeben,   Jean  Henri  Riesener,   and   Georges  Jacob.    



FLOORS   are   furnished   with   Savonnerie   carpets   woven   in   1678   for   the   Grande   Galerie   in   the   Louvre,   and   walls   accented   with   TAPESTRIES (many   Beauvais   or   Aubusson),   and   



PAINTINGS   including   portraits   by   Élisabeth - Louise  Vigée  Le  Brun,   landscapes   by   Guardi   and   Hubert  Robert   and   hunting   scenes   by   Jean - Baptiste  Oudry.   

 TABLE   SETTINGS  are   of   particular   interest,   especially   the   Orloff   silver   dinner   service   commissioned   by   Catherine  II  of  Russia  from   silversmith   Jacques - Nicolas   Roettiers   in   1770,   and   the   Buffon   porcelain   services   made   at   Sèvres   in   the   1780's   with   a   bird   theme.    Other   notable   objects   include   a   marble  bust,  " Summer "  by  Jean-Antoine  HOUDON,   bas - reliefs,   Chinese   vases,   and   crystal   chandeliers. ”    –  Wikipedia

T H E              F I R S T              F L O O R

(second  floor,  as  referred  to  in  the  US)     incorporates     the
private      living      quarters,      including      ( per   plan ) : 

  
1 .           La     GALERIE        /       First      Floor     Landing

2 .            NISSIM'S            ROOM

3 .             MOÏSE'S            ROOM

4 .        La       BIBLIOTHEQUE       /      Library

5 .       Le       SALON      BLEU        /        BÉATRICE'S    ROOM
The       Blue       Room      /      Béatrice's      Room

The   below    text    from   " My    French    Life "   describes    the   museum: 

“ .  .  .  I    had    been    reading    The   Hare   with   Amber   Eyes :
A   Family’s   Century   of   Art   and   Loss   by   Edmund  de  Waal,  beautifully  written  and  painstakingly  researched,  it  tells  the  story  of  the  Ephrussis,  a  family  of  financially  successful  Jewish  bankers  and  art  patrons.  As  their  fortunes  in  grain-trading  increased,  the  family  migrated  from  19th-century  Odessa  to  Vienna  and  Paris,  establishing  financial  headquarters  there."

" . . .  In  Paris,  de  Waal’s  ancestor,  Charles  Ephrussi,  settled  in  an  up-and-coming  Right  Bank  neighborhood  on  the rue  Monceau,  around  the  corner  from  the  Parc  Monceau,  one  of  the  city’s  loveliest  parks.   So  did  Count  Moïse  de  Camondo’s  family,  I  learned.   Ephrussi  was  also  perhaps  the  model  for  Marcel  Proust’s  ‘Charles Swann’. "

" . . .  Like  Charles  Ephrussi,  de  Camondo  was  a  wealthy  businessman  with  roots  in  the  East.   (His  Sephardic  Jewish  family  owned  one  of  the  largest  banks  in  the  Ottoman  Empire.)    Like  Ephrussi,  he  was  viewed  as  an  outsider,  a  recent  arrival  and  nouveau  riche.   He  too  was  a  keen  art  collector  (as  was  his  cousin,  Isaac),  but  drawn  to  18th-century  rather  than  contemporary  art. "

  

"    To     walk     through     the     place

is      to      be

transported        back        in        time.    "

" . . .  The  wood-paneled  apartments  for  the  family  –  Moïse,  his  son  Nissim,  and  daughter  Béatrice  –  suggest  what  everyday  life  was  like  for  the  very  wealthy  of   France’s  belle  epoque  (a  golden  age  from  about  1890  to  1914).   There  are  upstairs  and  downstairs  (domestic  staff)  dining  rooms,  a  huge  kitchen,  and  state-of-the-art  bathrooms. "

-    www.MyFrenchLife.org

A D D I T I O N A L         D E T A I L S

 

Not noted on the First  Floor  plan are these  large, "modern   baths," 
especially so  by turn of the century  standards.

S E R V I C E           Q U A R T E R S 

Located in the basement are all service areas, including the large kitchen.

Views  of  the  garden  (above)  and  of  the  rear  of  the  house  (below).

"  A          F A M I L Y ' S         T R A G I C          D E S T I N Y  " 

"  Comte  Moïse  de  Camondo  was  born  in  Istanbul  in  1860  into  a  Sepharadic  Jewish  family  that  owned  one  of  the  largest  banks  in  the  Ottoman  Empire,  established  in  France  since  1869.    Moïse  de  Camondo  meant  to  give  his  mansion  and  collection  to  his  son  Nissim.    But  World  War  I  broke  out,  and  Nissim  was  killed  in  an  air  battle  in  1917.  "    

Nissim  de  Camondo,   World  War I  Pilot

"  After  this  tragic  loss,  he  decided  to  bequeath  his  property  to  the  “Arts  Décoratifs”,  in  memory  of  his  son.    The  museum  opened  the  year  after  Moïse  de  Camondo  died,  in  1935.    During  World  War  II,  his  daughter,  Béatrice,  his  son - in - law,  Léon  Reinach,  and  their  children,  Fanny  and  Bertrand,  died  in  the  nazi  camps.    [ With  no  heirs ]  The  Camondo  family  died  out.   "
-    Les   Arts   Décoratifs

Siblings  Béatrice  and  Nissim  Camondo,   1916

Plaque    located    inside    the    museum:

" Madame  Léon  Reinach,  born  Béatrice  Camondo, 
her  children,  Fanny  and  Bernard  Reinach, 
the  last  descendants  of  the  [ museum  donor,  Count  Moïse ], 
and  Monsieur  Léon  Reinach
were  deported  in  1943 - 44 
and  died  at  Auchwitz. "


 The     Camondo     Family     Tomb 

is     located     in     Paris'      Cimitière     Père     LaChaise

F U R T H E R      I N F O R M A T I O N

The   Metropolitan   Museum   of   Art's 

" Golden  Age  of  French  Furniture  in  the  Eighteenth  Century "

The  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  of  Houston's

" Life   and   Luxury:  The   Art   of   Living   in   18th-century   Paris "

further     information     on
The     CAMONDO    Family

I F        Y O U ' R E        G O I N G :

Combine your visit to the Musée Nissim de Camondo with some time in the neighboring Parc   Monceau, and it makes a pleasant few hours or half-day in fine weather. You may even want to walk to/from the Arc de Triomphe, 1.5 km (1 mile), a 15- or 20-minute stroll southwest along Avenue Hoche.

Musée   Nissim   de   Camondo

63 rue de Monceau   75008 Paris, France

Tel: +33 1 53 89 06 50

Métro :  Villiers  (Lines 2 and 3),  Monceau  (Line 2) 

Bus :  30,  94,  84    Paris  Museum  Pass  accepted.

restaurants  /  cafes    nearby :
Eric   Kayser   Bakery
85 blvd Malesherbes, 75008,  Métro: Villiers 
Les   Fougères
10, rue Villebois-Mareuil, 75017,  Métro: Ternes

PHOTOS: 
Ruth Burts Interiors, wikipedia, flickr/jason whittaker, flickr.com, flickriver, loveisspeed.blogspot.com, forumbiodiversity.com, the devoted classicist, and hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com


R E L A T E D      P O S T S  :

Paris   2010 :   FAVORTIES
(musée   des   Arts   Décoratifs)


" God   is   in   the   Details "
( musée   d'Orsay)

Fall Decor: Arrangements

September 30, 2013, 4:52 pm

≫ Next: Amazing Fall Desserts!

≪ Previous: Paris Treasures: musée Nissim de Camondo

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T h a t       o l d      a d a g e  

 about   ' nature   being   the   most   beautiful   decoration, '

.  .  .   or,     ' the    only    decoration    you    need, '

.  .  .   is     especially     true     this     time     of     year !

It     seems     everything     you     could     wish     for,

     

in      any     fall     arrangement     or     centerpiece,

can       be      found     at     the     farmer's     market, 

the      grocery     store, 

on       the       ground,

or     in      your     yard !  

 

I     hope     these     beautiful     displays

 will     spark     your    own      imagination     and    creativity

 during     this     fantastically     beautiful     time     of     year!

PHOTOS:  all photos via pinterest :    1.  emily brown,*    2.  wed 'er up,*    3.  stone gable blog,
4.  sweet something design,    5. , 12. unknown,     6. wedding decorator blog,    7.  janette allen,* 
8.  gayle nicoletti,    9.  corasotropa,     10. , 14.  bhg,   11.  the french tangerine,     13. ruffled blog        
 *  pinterest   site

R E L A T E D       P O S T S   :

Nature's     Amazing     Palette

Beautiful,   Fall - Inspired   Paint   Colors

Amazing     Fall     Desserts

Etsy   Fall :     soft  +  cozy

Amazing Fall Desserts!

September 30, 2013, 9:19 pm

≫ Next: Thanksgiving Place Settings

≪ Previous: Fall Decor: Arrangements

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salted  caramel-dipped  pears

(Salted)  caramel,  pumpkin  and  spice....they  all  add  up  to  something  nice!

You   just   know   these   are  as   delicious   as   they   are   beautiful!

 maple  pancakes

pumpkin  crème  brûlée 

cupcakes

pumpkin  pie

pumpkin  pie  cookies

apple  tart

pumpkin-cheesecake  trifle

   

 

mini-pumpkin  cheesecakes

 pumpkin  truffles 

 spice  cupcakes

 autumn  delight  cake

spice  pancakes

pumpkin  spice  cupcakes

pumpkin  réligieuse

-  Dedicated   to   Mister  M.   and   his   'tresserts !

PHOTOS:   1. salted caramel-dipped pears - designmom,    2. maple pancakes - everlasting autumn,   

3. pumpkin crème brûlée - source unknown,     4. cupcakes - pumpkin pie and autumn leaves,  

5.  pumpkin pie - autumn cozy,   6. pumpkin pie cookies - the high heeled hostess, 7. apple tart - tiny white daisies,    8. pumpkin-cheesecake trifle - my baking addiction,    9. mini-pumpkin cheesecakes - britmorin

10. pumpkin truffles - annie m and ben,   11.  spice cupcakes - october haunt, 12.  autumn delight cake - dusty keyes on pinterest,   13. spice pancakes - 500 days of autumn,   14. pumpkin spice cupcakes - cider and cinnamon,   15. pumpkin réligieuse - twigg studios

R E L A T E D     P O S T S  :

B e a u t i fu l   H o l i d a y   D e s s e r t s

F  A  L  L

for   the   love   of  :   Gingerbread

Etsy   Fall :     soft  +  cozy

Thanksgiving Place Settings

November 8, 2013, 9:20 pm

≫ Next: "still life, quick heart:" cats + dogs

≪ Previous: Amazing Fall Desserts!

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Here's  hoping  these  inspire

your  own  beautiful  Thanksgiving  table!

PHOTOS :  1. eab designs,  2. stone gable,  4.  spoon fork bacon,  5. amanda carol interiors,

8. martha stewart,   3.,  6., 7., 9., 10. unknown,   all   photos   via   pinterest

R E L A T E D       P O S T S   :

F a l l     D e c o r :     A r r a n g e m e n t s


A m a z i n g       F a l l       D e s s e r t s

N a t u r e ' s       A m a z i n g       P a l e t t e

R o o m s      t h a t      f e e l      l i k e      F a l l

"still life, quick heart:" cats + dogs

April 1, 2013, 8:13 pm

≫ Next: Red Rooms: Historic

≪ Previous: Thanksgiving Place Settings

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Let    Us    Be    Friends              19th   c.              William    OSBORNE

Irish,      leading   animal   painter   of   his   era

The   Animals,   Cat   and   Dog           1611         Böetius   Adams   BOLSWERT

Flemish   artist   and   copperplate   engraver,    engraving

Come   and   Play              late   19th,   early   20th-c.           Wright    BARKER

British,          oil    on    canvas 

Boy   with   Marmoset   and   Spaniels   in   a   Landscape       late   17th  c.

Anglo - Dutch,   unknown  artist,   pets   of   the   Tudor   family

Two       Dogs       and       a       Cat       Before       the       Fire

19th   c.             Henriëtte      RONNER   -   KNIP

Dutch,         oil     on     canvas

Man's    Dog    and    Cat          1928          Thomas  Hart  BENTON

ink,    pencil    and    watercolor    on    paper    laid    down    on    board 

Kittens     at     Play                19th  c.              Henriëtte    RONNER  -  KNIP

Dutch,             oil     on     canvas

Old    Enemies                 1887              Edward    Lamson    HENRY

American,            oil      on      canvas

  The    Master's    Chair            19th   c.              John   Henry   DOLPH

american,             oil     on     panel 

 Landscape       with       a       Dog       and       Cat       Fighting

17th   c.          Adriaen     Cornelisz      BEELDEMAKER

oil        on       canvas

Friends              2012             Yana    MOVCHAN

American,     oil   on   canvas

The   Family  in  Scotland           2011          Karen   KILIMNIK

American,      painter    and    installation    artist 

all   images   via   "still  life, quick  heart"   tumblr



R E L A T E D    P O S T S :

still life,  quick heart :   more  cats


still life,  quick heart :   more  dogs

still  life,   quick  heart :  cats,  resting

still life,  quick heart :    rabbits

Red Rooms: Historic

April 2, 2013, 8:15 pm

≫ Next: autumn for kitties + pups

≪ Previous: "still life, quick heart:" cats + dogs

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ISABELLA     STEWART     GARDNER     MUSEUM

Titan Room,     1903       Renaissance  style  based  on  15th c.  Venetian  Palazzi 

Willard   T.   Sears       Boston,   MA

Le    MUSÉE     CONDÉ,     Château   de   CHANTILLY 

Salle   de   la   Tribune,        19th  c.         French   Renaissance   style

Jean  Bullant  and  Honoré  Daumet          Chantilly,   France

ALDOURIE       CASTLE

Red    Drawing   Room,          1626         Scottish   Baronial   style
Robert     Lorimer           Loch    Ness,      Scotland

THE     WHITE     HOUSE,

Red    Room,           1792 - 1800          Neoclassical  style
James   Hoban,           Washington,   DC

BUCKINGHAM       PALACE

State    Rooms,          1703        Edward   Blore          London,    England

Château      de      CHENONCEAU

Red  Room,          1515 - 1521         late - Gothic   and   early - Renaissance

Philibert   de   l'Orme          Loire  Valley,    France

THE     STONELEIGH

The    Music    Room,       1936

Dorothy     Draper     (interior   design),      Dallas,   TX

MORGAN     LIBRARY     AND     MUSEUM, 

J.   P.   Morgan    Private   Study,        1906      Palladian   style

C.   F.   McKim    (original  residence)        New   York

THE    ELMS

Red   Library,        1899        Horace   Trumbauer,        Newport,    Rhode  Island

  copy  of  French,  rococo - style  Château  d'Asnières,   near  Paris   

Château    de    VAUX  -  LE  -  VICOMTE,

Red     Room,           1658 - 61            Baroque

Louis     Le  Vau            Maincy,      France 

Le   LOUVRE
     Grande   Galerie,        1546 - 60         Renaissance  style       Pierre   Lescot
Paris,    France     (painting:  Eugène Delacroix,  "Liberty    Leading    the    People, "  )

HEARST       CASTLE   

1919 - 1947          Mediterranean   Revival
Julia    Morgan             San    Simeon,      CA

FALLING      WATER

Living   Room        1936 - 39       Prairie   Style   and   Modern 
Frank    Lloyd    Wright,         Bear Run,    PA  

CHINESE     PAVILION

Drottningholm    Palace,          1753          Rococo
Carl    Fredrik    Adelcrantz          Drottningholm,     Sweden

SAMUEL    CLEMENS   (Mark  Twain)    HOME   

Billiards    Room,             1871 - 74            Victorian    Gothic

E.  T.   Potter,              Hartford,   CT  

R E L A T E D      P O S T S  :

red  rooms :   darker  reds

color  combos :   red + black + white

Paris   Treasures : 
musée   Nissim   de   Camondo 

red  rooms :   pink + berry  reds

autumn for kitties + pups

September 30, 2013, 12:00 pm

≫ Next: More etsy Letterpress Gift Tags to Love!

≪ Previous: Red Rooms: Historic

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"Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way." -  John Muir

PHOTOS: 4. pinterest via pixdaux,  5. pinterest via marni m.,   7. puppy in motion,   

8.  fantastic viewpoint,  9., 10. autumn-dreaming,  12. cider and cinnamon,  11. worldly animals,  1. - 3., 13. - 18.,unknown,  19.  brilliant asylum,  20. elledreamlove   

R E L A T E D     P O S T S:

F  A  L  L

" all   creatures   great   and   small "

Nature's    Amazing    Palette

---

More etsy Letterpress Gift Tags to Love!

December 3, 2013, 3:41 pm

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≪ Previous: autumn for kitties + pups

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 Fa la la    letterpress   tags   by   paperlovelypress

It's that time of year again! :)  And whatever you're looking for, you're likely to find it on etsy.com.  I'm such a big fan of the many talented and creative letterpress artists and their work!  Gift cards are just one way to make your holiday gifts extra-special.  These tags go on everything from your baked goods to a wrapped gift to a bottle.  

There's   something   for   everyone . . . take a look!

Click    info    below   photos     to     access    storefronts !

"Snowman"  letterpress   gift tags   by   WordLetterPress

letterpress   gift   tags   by   BobalongPress

 Douglas  Fir  letterpress  gift cards  with  red enveopes  by TigerFoodPress

"Handmade  with  Love"  letterpress   gift  tags   by   WordLetterPress

 Menorah   Letterpress   Hanukkah   gift   tags  by   PomegranatePress

Letterpress   scalloped   hanging   gift   tag   from   PressaRussa

"Silvery  Pine"  gift   tags   by   SpoonandSailor

"red  on  white"  gift  tags  with  glassine  envelopes  by  maydaystudio

"The  Holly  and  the  Ivy"  Christmas   gift   tags   by   Studio9Ltd

"Festive  Floral"   Letterpress   ornaments  or   gift   tags    by   Sweetletterpress

 "Noël"   Christmas   gift   tags   with   perforated  edges   by   FoglioPress

 "Cheers"  holiday tag   by   IglooLetterpress

Christmas Ornaments  Letterpress  gift tags  by  BearsEatBerries

pine tree,   pine branch,   berry  and  pine   gift tags   by   ideachic

"Cheers"   letterpress   gift   tags     by   missive

Woodland   Holiday   gift  cards   from   BearsEatBerries

gold  and  white  foil   letterpress   christmas   gift   tags by charmandfig

 "Naughty  and  Nice"    holiday   gift   tags   by   FoglioPress

pine   cone   letterpress   gift   tags   from   inhauspress

Should you discover the tag you wanted is sold-out, 
printers will often fill a custom order - just ask! :)

 "Oh  Snap"  candy cane   letterpress   gift card   by   fancyseeingyouhere


When you find one you like, be sure to look at the rest of that printer's store - there will be others to choose from!    Enjoy! - and Happy Holidays! :)

Christmas  "Plum  Pudding"  letterpress   gift tags  by  thesmallprintcompany

R E L A T E D     P O S T S  :

 for   the   love   of :
Letterpress   Gift   Tags !


Letterpress   Holiday :
Gift  Cards  +


Letterpress   Holiday :
Handmade   Cards

Power Neutrals: WHITE

January 4, 2014, 10:42 am

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interior   by   joseph  minton,    paint   color   unknown

What's    the    best    white    paint    color    --    for   YOU ?

Here       are      the     most - requested,     top - selling

white  -  neutral     paint     colors . . .  and    the     closest     you'll     come     to
" fail  -  safe "   and    " fool - proof "  color!



interior   by    timothy   whealon,    paint   color   unknown

Color   expert   Maria  Killam   describes   the   "80/20  rule,"
as   it   applies   to   paint : 
"Eighty   percent   of   all   paint   jobs   involve   
only   twenty   percent   of   all   paint   colors. "  

above   paint   color   unknown

Benjamin    Moore 's            " L I N E N       W H I T E "              9 1 2
 Benjamin     Moore's       all  -  time,     number  -  one  -  selling      white

“  [ LINEN          WHITE            is ]           absolutely         classic. 
A     bit     warm     and     not     overly     crisp,   
meaning   it   never   looks   brand   new.   Fades   into   the   background,   offering   support   to   the   other   colors   in   the   room.
My   kitchen   cabinets   are   linen  white,   since 
I     wanted     the    room     to     look     lived     in     instantly. ”  
-   Celerie   Kemble

"Linen   White"  walls   at   "Boxwood"  in   Atlanta,   GA,    Miles  Redd 

" When             in            doubt,             LINEN           WHITE.  " 

You      can      phone      that      in.
It   might   seem   like   a   cop - out,   but   it   works   beautifully.
I   use   it   when   people   are   unsure.   They   want   something
light        and        airy,        but        not        stark        white.
No   matter   what   light   you   put   it   in,   it   looks   good. "
-  Matthew   Patrick   Smith



" LINEN    WHITE    has   gotten   us   through   many   a   paint   dilemma.
It's      a      creamy      white,      very      neutral      and       just      works.
There's        a        reason        it's        so        popular! 
When   it   feels   too   yellow,   we   cut   it   with   one   part   White   Dove   and   it's   a   toned   down   version.      It's      a      great      staple      color.  "  
-  Enchanted  Home

" A   . . .   flexible,        soft        white  . . . 

If   you   are   looking   for   a   white   that   will   complement   any   variety   of   room   décor,    [ LINEN      WHITE  ]   will   provide   the 

perfect        backdrop        for        art        collections 

and   pieces   of   furniture   and   any   color   combination   you   may   choose. 

-  Frank  Campanelli

“  [ LINEN      WHITE 's  ]       creamy        undertones        can        help
add       a       glow       and       warmth       to       a       space.
It   looks   especially   beautiful   at   night   in   a   room   full   of   lit   candles. "
-   Grant   Gibson

 '' I     take     a     gallon     of     Benjamin   Moore     regular     white

and     a     gallon     of     Benjamin     Moore      Linen    White
and     mix     them     together. '' 
-  Mario   Buatta

" 50%    Linen White     and     50%    Decorator   White; 

it’s    sort    of    a    design    secret    that    has    been    used    for    years. ”

-   Grant   Gibson


Another white paint color with similar levels of acclaim:

Benjamin       Moore's           WHITE      DOVE           OC - 17

" My    fave    shade    of   white   is   Benjamin   Moore  WHITE   DOVE 
-   it's     warm     but    not    too    yellow,    not    too    gray. "
-  Nick  Olsen



WHITE     DOVE     IS   . . .  

" a    foolproof,    livable    shade    of    white. "   -  Cary  Bernstein  

" clean,   calm,   and   a   great   backdrop   for   art." - Celeste Robbins

"...the  perfect  shade  of  white… not  too  yellow,  not  too  blue." - Chloe Warner

“  If      there      were      such      a      thing     as
A       P A I N T      C E L E B R I T Y 

White      Dove      would      be      it.   "    

" . . . a    cool,    modern    white    with    a    very    faint    taupe    cast; 
e v e r y o n e        t o t a l l y        l o v e s      i t. ” 

-   Doty  Horn, Director of Color and Design, Benjamin Moore

T  R  I  M :

“Anyone  can  pick  a  color  for  walls.   What’s  harder  is  choosing  hues  for  trims  and  ceilings.   [White Dove]  is  my  choice  for  window  casings  and  door  frames. " 
- Todd Romano

"[White  Dove  is]  great  on  woodwork  in  traditional  homes" 
- Mario Buatta

"[White  Dove]  looks  great  in oil-based  high  gloss  on  trim!"
- Nick Olsen 

"If  we  had  a  signature  trim  color  [White  Dove]  would  be  it!"
- Chloe Warner

Proceed with confidence that one of these two whites will work for you!

R E L A T E D    P O S T S  :

WHITES :  Designers' Favorite  White  Paint  Colors

Tips   for   Decorating   with   White

WHITES:  Best-Selling  White  Paint  Colors

snow  whites

Paris ID: "Enchantment Under the Sea"

February 3, 2014, 10:10 am

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≪ Previous: Power Neutrals: WHITE

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Paris  may  be  gray  and  rainy, 

 but  the  store  window  designers  are  dreaming  of the islands...

It's  'Enchantment  Under  the  Sea' 

in  Paris' Place  Furstemberg  this  month!

photos   by   ruth   burts

R E L  A T E D     P O S T S :

Paris  I D : red + pink + orange 

Paris  Treasures :

musée   Nissim   de   Camondo

Paris Favorites: 2014

April 27, 2014, 6:45 pm

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1.   Jardin  d'Acclimation

   +   Frank  Gehry's " Cloud "

The  Jardin  d'Acclimation  is  located  just  outside  Paris' city  limits.
It's  also  the  location  for  Frank  Gehry's  new  building  " The  Cloud, " 
(will  house the Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation museum).   We  went  with  the  intention  of  seeing  the  building  and  ended  up  loving  the  park!  
The  Jardin  d'Acclimation is located at the northern end of the Bois  de Boulogne, one of four parks from Baron Haussman's  19th-century redesign of Paris.  The other three are the Bois de Vincennes, the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont and the Parc Monceau.  Each is worth a visit.


The Jardin d'Acclimation retains its mid-19th-century atmosphere in many ways.  
It's a maze of open walkways, low, rolling hills and multi-cultural landmarks.  Perhaps best of all are the endless kiddie-rides, zoo animals, and charming follies.  There are plenty of restaurants and cafés as well (including an outpost of Angélina!)  This was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our trip!  It's  a   fantastic  place   for   kids   and   families,   and   is   off   the   usual   tourist   path.   
Finally, I'd wondered how a Frank Gehry building would fit into this scenario . . . beautifully, it turns out!

Le    Jardin    d'Acclimation   Bois de Boulogne,  75016  Paris
  Metro :   Les Sablons   or   Pont de Neuilly

daily: May-Sept 10am-7pm/Oct-Apr 10am-6pm  entry: €1.45-€2.90  under 3: free

paris  for  kids :   review

Recommended:   Catch the 73  bus, which passes right in front of the Musée d'Orsay.   For a little extra time and one metro ticket, you'll ride up the Champs-Elysées and around the Étoile-Charles de Gaulle/Arc de Triomphe on your way.   It's easy :  exit the bus at Les Sablons  and you're there!

2.   The   Cats'  Café 

 I    LOVED    the    CAFÉ    DES    CHATS ! 

What   a   FUN   place   with   a   FANTASTIC   concept 
and  delicious  food  to  boot!
The   Café   des   Chats   is  home  to  strays
and  shelter  cats  who  would  otherwise  be  put  down.   


Resident cats,  in  their  usual  spots  to  the  left,

monitor  the  goings-on  in  the  rue  Michel  Le  Comte (above).

Upon arrival, you are asked not to feed the cats, disturb those who are sleeping, or pick them up (if they jump in your lap, that's a different story!)  It's clear you've arrived in their domain!   You  are  invited  to  enjoy  their  presence  
(and,  of  course, the  food  and  drink.)  
What  I  loved  most  about  this  place  was  how *happy* everyone  was !   
Cats,  customers  and  employees  alike,  it  was  clearly  a  mutual-appreciation  society!  (Someone needs to open a dogs' café!)


These two (above) were always watching the front window.  
 One of the waiters called them "des petits voleurs de pain" (bread thieves!)
excerpts    from    the     Café    des    Chats   website : 
" We  adopted  our  cats  from  shelters.    They weren't chosen for the color of their fur, the texture of their coat, or the color of their eyes.
As our only criteria is their well-being, we chose cats who enjoy the presence of people and other cats.   Our cats have run of the café  (excluding the kitchen)  at all times. 
Our cats' welfare is very important to us.  All remain in the care of a veterinarian, receive vaccinations regularly, and have been sterilized.  We work with animal welfare groups to develop a happy environment for them; 
our goal is giving a second chance to cats who no longer have homes. "

I absolutely fell in love with "Calissie" (above) and "Ringo" 

(below), who napped in the chair beside me.

The Café des Chats is approved by France's Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare Services, for food safety and hygiene.
This     place     is     busy !
Seating is limited, so reserve in advance.  If you don't have a reservation, try arriving at noon when they open - this is the best time to find an empty seat! 


Café   des   Chats      16  rue  Michel  le  Comte     75004    Paris
Metro :  Rambuteau cross rue Beaubourg to rue Michel Le Comte, 2-3 minute walk to no. 16 on your left.   reserve  online :  reservation@lecafedeschats.fr     by  phone : +33973533581     Note: the website is in French but you may reserve in English -  all    employees    speak    English.
review :   huffington  post

3.  Lady   with   the   Unicorn

(Tapestries  at  the  Cluny  museum)

detail from the "Lady with the Unicorn" tapestry, "A Mon Seul Desir" (above)
I   always   enjoy   revisiting   the   spectacular  " Dame   à   la   Licorne " 
tapestries!   Often  called  "the  greatest  works  of  Medieval  art," and  even
"The  Mona  Lisa  of  the  Middle  Ages,"  this  series  of  six  tapestries  is  located  in  Paris'  Cluny  Museum.  Their design is 15th-century French, and their fabrication, Flemish, of wool and silk.  The series was likely commissioned by French nobleman Jean Le Viste, perhaps as a gift for his fiance.  His family's coat of arms is depicted in each tapestry.


the Lady with the Unicorn tapestry, "A Mon Seul Desir" (above)
Each tapestry depicts a noblewoman with a unicorn to her left and a lion to her right.  A coat of arms is also depicted in each.  The woman is shown in a garden or forest.  Most tapestries also include a maidservant and various animals and birds.
Five   tapestries   represent   the   senses.

details from "Hearing" and "Scent" tapestries (above, below) 

In this tapestry, the noble woman plays the organ, representing HEARING.

In another, she weaves a wreath of flowers, while a monkey smells a flower, representing SCENT.

In the tapestry representing  SIGHT, the woman holds a mirror to the unicorn, who sees his reflection.   Representing TASTE, the woman reaches into a bowl of sweets, while a monkey eats one nearby.  Last, the woman holds the unicorn's horn in one hand and the pennant in the other, representing TOUCH. 
details from "Sight" tapestry (below)

The   sixth   tapestry   is   unexplained.
 The woman now stands in front of a tent which is held open by the unicorn and lion.  The tent bears the inscription  "A  mon  seul  desir," meaning   "to  my  one  desire" or  "by  my  will  alone."   Many believe it represents an additional or sixth "sense."   The noblewoman places her necklace, worn in the other five tapestries, into a jewel coffer.  This is the largest tapestry and the only one in which the woman seems to smile.


Unicorns were often used in Medieval art to symbolize Christ.
Some interpret the sixth tapestry as a rejection of the material world, and an affirmation of Christianity.  Some believe it represents a spirit of peace, tranquility, or a reassurance that Christ will prevail.  It is also associated with free will, love and virginity.  Animals and birds shown in each tapestry carry their own symbolic meanings.  With no official documentation on these tapestries, however, the true meaning remains obscure.


My  favorite  aspects  of  these  tapestries  are  their
brilliant    colors    and    intricate    details.
The woman's dress shows beading, damask and moiré fabrics.  Bouquets of flowers and fruit and nut trees are beautifully executed.   the background is the most wonderful, unusual orange-red.  Blue and green tones are stunning as well, especially given the age of the tapestries (over 500-years-old).  The tapestries range in size from 9' x 11'-8" to 12' x 15' and their design remains true to the "Mille Fleurs" ("Thousand Flowers") style of their period.

"These fabulous wall hangings have exercised an almost universal fascination on all those who have encountered them for hundreds of years."- source

The tapestries were  recently  re-installed  in  the  museum, 
following an  extensive,  two-year  cleaning  and  restoration.   The tapestries returned to a new exhibition space, designed for optimal viewing, contemplation and conservation.   The tapestries' new arrangement is the way in which tapestries were shown during the Medieval era.  The order goes from the most material, earthly sense (taste) to the most spiritual, or exalted, (eyesight).   - artdaily.com


National Museum of the Middle Ages - Baths and Hôtel de Cluny
6, place Paul Painlevé    75005 Paris    hours: Wed-Mon, 9:15 to 5:45
Métro   Cluny-La Sorbonne,   Saint-Michel,   or   Odéon
review :  the guardian      review :  new york times

4.    Paris   Walks

Among the many walking tours available in Paris,
Paris  Walks'  are the highest-rated and the best-priced!  At 12 euros (about $17) per person, you can choose from a wide range of Paris topics.  My favorites included "Revolutionary Paris"and "Paris Under The Occupation." Tours run on a given schedule, rain or shine, and last about two hours.  Just show up (no reservation needed)!   Entertaining,  informative,  and inexpensive  great way find out about Paris for the first-time or many-times Paris visitor! My husband enjoyed books from their recommended reading list as well.
  further  information
reviews :   trip advisor

SPECIAL MENTION: I highly recommend Paris Muse Tours as well.  

They're expensive, but worth every euro!

    5.  Musée  Jacquemart-André

details of  "The Tapestry Room" (above)
I loved visiting this opulent, Belle-Epoque museum in Paris' 8th arrondissement.
A Second-Empire mansion, opened in 1913, it's comparable to the Frick Collection in New York and the Doria Pamphili Gallery in Rome.  It is an often-overlooked gem.


ornate carved mill work in "The Music Room" (above)
Edouard André, army officer and son of a banking family, married Nélie Jacquemart, a society artist who had painted his portrait. Together they built this private residence to house their extensive art collection.  My favorites included: Rembrant van Rijn's Supper at Emmaus, Jacques-Louis David's portrait of Antoine Français de Nantes, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini's bust of Gregory XV.

Rembrant's "Supper at Emmaus" in the Library (above)
Additional masterpieces include works of Canaletto,  Donatello,  Della Robbia,  Botticelli and Houdon.  The double-staircase boasts an extraordinary fresco by Giambattista Tiepolo.  These are just the tip of the iceberg!

Jacques-Louis David's "Antoine Français de Nantes" in the boudoir
Furnishings and antiques include pieces from the periods of Louis XIV to Louis XVI, in addition to Fifteenth and sixteenth-century Turkish carpets and Beauvais tapestries.  Edouard and Nélie created an"Italian Museum" on the second floor. It includes three exhibition spaces, called "Venetian, Florentine and [Italian] Sculpture" Galleries.


the antechamber, above, where Nélie and Edouard's private quarters joined
and where they enjoyed breakfast together.
The   perfect   place   to   spend   a   rainy   morning   or   afternoon!

Musée   Jacquemart - André
158, Blvd Haussmann 75008 Paris
Metro :   Miromesnil  or  Saint Philippe du Roule
Admission 10€ adults, 8.50€ children 7-17, 6 and under, free

museum  photo  galleries


This   post   is   really   five   little   posts   in   one   big   post!  
Click   on   orange - highlighted   words   for   further   info  and   enjoy! 
PHOTOS by Ruth Burts Interiors, with exception of numbers
2. kenzo.com, 17. artdaily.com, 20.-21. musée jacquemart-andré

R E L A T E D    P O S T S :


Paris   2012 :   Favorites


Paris   2010 :   Favorites

Paris 2014: Musée Marmottan

August 4, 2014, 8:57 pm

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Just at the edge of Paris' sixteenth arrondissement and the Bois de Boulogne sits the Musée Marmottan.   Often overlooked by tourists, the Marmottan contains the largest collection of Impressionist painter  Claude  Monet's  work in the world.  Spectacular paintings, furniture and decor abound in this jewel box of a museum.  It also houses an array of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works (including Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Édouard Manet, Berthe Morisot, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Signac, and Alfred Sisley), the Jules and Paul Marmottan collection of Napoleonic era art and furniture, the Wildenstein Collection of illuminated manuscripts, and Italian and Flemish primitive paintings.

Established in  1934  by France's Académie des Beaux Arts, the Marmottan began life as private residence.  It was originally built as a hunting lodge for maréchal C. E. Kellermann, the Duke of Valmy.   In  1882,  Jules  Marmottan  purchased the Empire-style residence to house his collection of Napoleonic era pieces.

Marmottan's son, Paul, inhabited the residence and expanded it with his own collected works from the  second  Empire.  Paul  Marmottan  dedicated his life to the study of the Second Empire and his own collected works expanded his father's already generous collection of furnishings, objets-d'art and paintings.  The museum's main and second floors are decorated in the Empire style to highlight this collection.  Marmottan willed the entire residence and its contents to the Académie des Beaux Arts upon his death.


  
Empire styles gave way to Impressionist paintings via a large donation in 1957.   Victorine Donop de Monchy bequeathed her father's collection of Impressionist works.  He was Georges de Bellio, homeopath and physician to Manet, Monet, Pissarro, Sisley and Renoir, as well as an early supporter of the Impressionist movement.   It was likely this donation which led Michel Monet, son of Monet, bequeathed his own collection of his father's work, as well as the artist's property in Giverny, to the museum in  1966.   Monet's donation prompted the construction of a basement-level gallery space whose design was inspired by that of the Musée de l'Orangerie, home of Monet's grand-scale
 "Nymphéas" ("Waterlilies") paintings.

Numerous  works  by  Monet  on  permanent  exhibit  include :
"...the Trouville beach, Camille, and the movement's eponymous painting Impression, Sunrise; the Argenteuil pieces: walks or railway bridges; the views of Paris: the Tuileries, the Saint-Lazare station; the travel memories: the London Parliament, the Charing Cross Bridge; the water lilies, Japanese bridges, and rose alleys that will lead to the Grandes Décorations..."  ( - Marmottan website)

Claude Monet  by  Nadar

Singular in its renown is  " Impression,   Soleil  Levant " ( " Impression,
Sunrise ")   1873,   likely of greatest interest to most visitors.  This painting, by Monet, of sunrise, is credited with establishing the Impressionist movement as well as its name.   "...a  thing  done  in  Le Havre,  from  my  window,  sun  in  the  mist  and  a  few  masts  of  boats  sticking  up  in  th e foreground.  ...  They  asked  me  for  a  title  for  the  catalogue,  it  couldn't  really  be  taken  for  a  view  of  Le Havre,  and  I  said:  ' Put  Impression. ' "  -  Claude  MONET 

 " Impression,  Soleil  Levant "    ( " Impression,  Sunrise " )  1873

Originally part of Dr. Georges de Bellio's collection,"Impression" was stored at the Chateau de Chambord, in the Loire Valley, beginning in 1940 alongside some of the greatest artworks in the world, such as the Mona Lisa (click here for summary and photos of this undertaking).  It was stolen from the Marmottan in 1985 and recovered in 1990, "Impression" has remained on permanent display since 1991.  The Marmottan will mount an exhibit,  " Impression,  Soleil  Levant:  Biography  of  a  Masterpiece, " in the Fall.  The exhibit will trace the origins, influence and travels of this singular painting.  It will also include a rare "night version;" Monet's painting of the same - at night - via an American collection.

Musée  Marmottan,  lower-level  gallery

  Uniquely, two paintings were most compelling to me.   I spent time observing each - via multiple points of view, listening to audio guide descriptions, and reading details listed in accordance with each.   I had the sense that if I would continue to study them, I would become aware of some additional insight, be it visual or otherwise.  Each possessed an enigmatic quality.  I wished to stay much longer, and disliked having to leave them.  One point in common, both paintings were examples of  Monet's  series  paintings,  for which he simultaneously and repeatedly painted numerous canvases of the same subject matter in order to capture the changing light of the day.

" Train  in  the  Snow,   the  Locomotive "   1875     oil on canvas,   approx. 23" x 30"

Various summaries of  "Train in the Snow, the Locomotive" describe it as such:

"Monet's attraction to the convergence of nature and technology..."     
" [possessing] the qualities of constant visual change 
that drove artistic observations"  (source)      
"[Monet] became so fascinated with the railways that in January 1877 he installed himself in a one-bedroom apartment on the Rue Moncey in Paris just a few blocks away from the Gare St. Lazare so that he could study and sketch the activities from different angles at all times of the day as the light changed."   
"[Monet] captures the grey stillness of a snowy dusk..."   (source)      
"Unlike Impression, soleil levant this work clearly depicts an event and a location.  The true stillness of the moment has been captured...short brush strokes give texture to the wooden fence posts and to the smoke from the train...the setting of a winter day ... lack of any sun gives this painting a timeless setting. Monet unlike many of his contemporaries painted modernity... [Monet's] contemporaries disliked the ideas of industrialization  ...does not look back at some pastoral scene as the best time ... he states that now life among man's new inventions is the best and most interesting period in which to live."  (source)

I felt that cold air, the headlights' bold glow, and the massive, bulky frame of the train.  The lack of sun, the waiting...and the melancholy of this little-frequented stop.

" Branch  of  the  Seine  near  Giverny,   Morning  Mists "    1897   oil on canvas,   approx. 35" x 36"

Ethereal  and  mystical,  " Branch  of  the  Seine  near  Giverny,   Morning Mists  " presents  the  mood  as  blue  and  chilly,  peaceful  and  alone.  A heavy mist and haze blurs the line where horizon and water meet.  One senses the early hour and cool air amid these soft-edged forms.  

Nearly each day, Monet rose at 3:30 to record the light on the Seine near his home village.  He painted in a flat-bottomed boat, custom-built with grooves that held numerous paintings.   An assistant stood by and handed him canvases, all numbered, as he painted.   Monet worked on as many as fourteen canvases at one time (twenty known versions in this series exist).  His goal was to capture the essence of the changing light at dawn, and mist on the river. 

  "While some of the artist’s later works are increasingly bold, this painting exemplifies Monet at his most poetic and introspective." (- source)

"...This version (in the series) is notable for its softness... With the point of view suspended over the water, we are made to feel weightless, perhaps even bodiless.   Almost symmetrical reflections threaten to disorient us, but Monet has left enough clues to let us know which way is up."(- source)

Somewhat ironically, Monet's work is often critiqued as "lightweight" or simply "pretty," without much depth.  Maybe this was true of these two paintings?  Perhaps the depth of the viewer's response is simply a recognition of the scene, and how profoundly Monet captures it... if  this  is  "fluff," I'll  take  it. 

Musée Marmottan, exterior

The location of Monet's most-viewed work is Paris' Museé d'Orsay and nearby Musée de l'Orangerie which showcases his extraordinary
 "Nympheas" or Waterlilies canvases (in dimension).  

Paris to Giverny, is an easy day trip, sponsored by any number of tour groups.  About fifty miles northwest of Paris, Giverny is a small Normand village
dating to the first century, AD.  Monet spent most of his adult life, 
and created the majority of his work, here.  

Remarkably, Monet envisioned the gardens himself - as he wanted to paint them - with their wild colors and unstructured forms, their ponds, waterlilies and Japanese bridges.  They are unique in their beauty and originality.  Try to visit in the spring or summer.  The gardens, which provided Monet's greatest subject matter, are unforgettable and stand alone.  The house is also on tour; its pink crushed brick exterior embodies the charming, dynamic interiors that await.

Musée  Marmottan

2, rue Louis Boilly    Paris 75016

 Tel. 01 44 96 50 33  

Hours: Tuesday, 11:00 am-9:00 pm, 
Wednesday-Saturday, 11:00 am-6:00 pm. 
reviews

Metro:  La  Muette
Bus:  No.  63 
Bus 63 travels between La Muette (Marmottan location) and Gare de Lyon, stopping at  locations including Le Trocadéro (Eiffel Tower), Les Invalides, Solférino (Musée d'Orsay), and main arteries of Saint Germain.  The bus costs 1 Metro ticket per person per ride and is   a great way to see Paris!

"still life, quick heart:" more cats

January 2, 2013, 8:07 pm

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The  Poppy,  the  Cat  and  the  Compass        2005          Mary   FEDDEN

British,             oil    on    canvas,          still - life,              figurative

Abysinnian      Cat                2003             Elizabeth     BLACKADDER

Scottish,             painter    and    printmaker,            hand  -  colored     etching

Angora     Cat        c.   1926        Norbertine   Von  BRESSLERN - ROTH 

Austrian,         color    linocut

Pompidou                   1980                Jean - Paul     VROOM

Dutch  -  French               silkscreen

The     White     Cat              1894              Pierre      BONNARD

French,              oil     on     canvas,             Japonisme,               Musée     d'Orsay,       Paris

 Cat   and   Butterfly             late - 19th  c .          Mori     KANSAI

Japanese,          Hanging   scroll;      ink   and   color   on   silk      Museum  of  Fine  Arts,    Boston

Christina's      Bedroom                    1947                Andrew     WYETH

American,       watercolor    on     paper         20th - century,     realist / regionalist    painter

Le    Vieux    Chat             1902             Théophile  -  Alexandre     STEINLEN

Swiss  -  French,          color   soft   ground   etching,    drypoint   and   aquatint,          Art    Nouveau

White    Cat    I                  1919                    M.    C.     ESCHER

Dutch,           graphic     artist,         Expressionist            woodcut

The    White    Cat          1900           François     JOURDAIN

French,             aquatint           Art   Nouveau          Minneapolis   Institute   of   Art

Le    Chat           1882            Henri     de    TOULOUSE - LAUTREC 

French,        Printmaker  -  Illustrator,      Post  -  Impressionist     period        oil   on   canvas

Cat                1941             Xu     BEIHONG
Chinese,            Scroll,      mounted   and   framed,     ink   and   color   on   paper     

Cats   in   a   Summer   Garden,   detail             20th   c .            Anne    HEWSON

British,             oil   on   canvas   laid   to   board 

all   images   via   still   life,   quick   heart   tumblr

R E L A T E D      P O S T S  :

still  life,  quick  heart :   Cats !

still  life,   quick  heart :  cats,  resting

still  life,  quick  heart :   cats + dogs 

"still life, quick heart:" more dogs

January 3, 2013, 8:57 pm

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Moon   on   Musashi   Plain            1892             YOSHITOSHI

Japanese,   woodblock  print,  via   series :   One  Hundred  Aspects  of  the  Moon    Harvard   Art   Museums

Sir    Watkins    Williams    Wins                2011                Tania    STILL

English,        painter     specializing     in     hunting     hounds     only,       oil     on     canvas 

        A  Scottish   Terrier       late-19th,   early-20th  c.        J.  Wright   BARKER

British,          oil    on    canvas

Two   Dachshunds        1897       Julius   Josef   POLLAK
Austrian,                     oil         on         wood

Dog  and  Blue  Tit  with  Fruit      17th  c.      circle  of  Jakob  BOGDANI

Hungarian   -   British,                               oil         on           canvas 

 A     Boxer             mid - late   19th   c.           Wouter     VERSCHUUR

Dutch          painter,                 oil     on        canvas

Japanchins                   1931                 Norbertine BRESSLERN-ROTH

Austrian,          linocut,          pre - eminent     linocut     artist     of     the     20th     century

Group    of    Dogs             1908           Heinrich    SPERLING

German,            oil     on     canvas

The    Blue    Bow        19th c.        Henry    Collins    BISPHAM

American,          original      member     of      the      Philadelphia     Sketch     Club,         oil      on      canvas

Dear    Betty             1909             Umberto    BOCCIONI

Italian,                          oil       on       canvas

Vizzy                         2011                     Erik    de    JONG

Dutch,   contemporary     painter

Two   Dogs   on   a   Terrace   with   a   Statue   of   Diana

17th   c.         Jan   Van   KESSEL , III

Flemish,               Old    Masters,             oil    on    canvas    laid    down    to    panel

Dog          late-17th / early-18th  c.     Alexandre   François   DESPORTES

French,         painter      for      Louis    XIV,         portrait,       animal      and     still     life      painter  

A      Sleeping      Dog                  1650                    Gerrit     DOU

Dutch,              Old     Masters,            oil     on     panel

Still   Life,   detail          1644           Adriaen   van   UTRECHT 
oil      on     canvas,                      flemish      baroque       painter,                    rijksmuseum

A   Cavalier   King   Charles   Spaniel        18th  c.       Sawrey   GILPIN

English;   with    STUBBS   (below),   considered    greatest   animal   painter   of    his   era;    oil    on    canvas

The    Pointer                      1766                      George    STUBBS

English,   oil  on  canvas

all   images   via   "still  life,   quick  heart"  tumblr

R E  L A T E D      P O S T S  :

still life,  quick heart :  DOGS

still life,  quick heart :  dogs!

still life,  quick heart :  cats  + dogs

---

Hidden Doors to love!

January 23, 2013, 8:49 pm

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Hidden doors are so hip these days . . . they're everywhere!

 Everyone wants to figure out where and how to install one in their home!

  

At first I thought it seemed impossible (for me)

to pull one off without lots of expensive labor. 

Then I found this diy post on pinterest via Lyn C.,

and I'm thinking it might work!

Some of the most fun hidden doors 

-- those more typical of historic interiors --

 - are set within wallpaper, molding and/or paneling.

As square footage in our homes decreases, hidden doors make more sense 

in terms of creating wall surfaces which appear "unbroken" to the eye at first glance.  

The more the eye must take in -- a door and door frame -- 

the smaller and busier the room will appear to the viewer. 

And since doors are most often a different color and texture (depending on the paint) from the walls and include relief/molding (also unlike the walls),

they give the impression of visually "breaking" the surface of the wall.

Not only can it make a space seem smaller and busier,

it can divert the viewer's eye from the intended focal point.

On the other hand, if a wall  appears  to  be  continuous or unbroken

(whether painted, wallpapered, with molding, or all of the above), 

it's oftentimes more pleasing to the eye. 

It may feel larger, perhaps more spacious and serene

because  of  its  perceived  unbroken  expanse.

Try re-thinking any problem areas in your home...
those which are annoying to you for one reason or another.

Might you have overlooked one? 

Be creative:  you may find an exciting design solution!

Above is design legend Albert Hadley's former NYC 
apartment guest room; can you find the door jamb?

(Sometimes a hidden door is just a cabinet -- it needn't be full-size).

So, where will you install your hidden door?

What purpose will it serve?

Fun?  Privacy?  Keeping valuables?  Perhaps all of the above!

ENJOY!

PHOTOS: 1. music room, via mixr.se, 2. estate of rex whistler via architectural digest, 3., 15., 19., 24., 28. unknown, 4. david hicks,  5. interior style design,  6., 22. design, nicky haslam, 7. michael s. smith, 8. fleaing france, 9. fauxology via elle decor, 10. jeffrey bilhuber, 11. ,13. elle decor,  12. linda evangelista by steven meisel, vogue italia,  14. chambre de marie-antoinette, versailles, via à l'ancien régime, 16., 20. à l'ancien régime, 17. world of interiors, 18. not my beautiful home,  21. robert a. m. stern, 23. albert hadley, 25. gatewood house, gil schafer, 26. andrew gn residence, elle decor, 27. milk and belladonna

RELATED   POSTS  :

for  the  love  of :  Hidden  Doors

snow whites

January 27, 2013, 9:37 pm

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PHOTOS: 1. une étoile dans le ciel, 2., 7., 9., 11., unknown, 3. wistfully country, 4., 5., 12. 
life is beautiful,  6. helena bemald photography, 8., 10. tiny white daisies, 13. cyndi lou, 
14. a life's findings, 15. filling the soul with beauty, 16. les petites pages

R E L A T E D    P O S T S  :

winter   whites

winter   whites  +  wisdom

tips   for   decorating   with   white

soft,   summer   whites

love is more thicker than forget

February 14, 2013, 7:42 pm

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love is more thicker than forget

more thinner than recall

more seldom than a wave is wet

more frequent than to fail

it is most mad and moonly

and less it shall unbe

than all the sea which only

is deeper than the sea

love is less always than to win

less never than alive

it is most sane and sunly

and more it cannot die

than all the sky which only

is higher than the sky

[ love  is  more  thicker  than  forget ]

BY   E.  E.  CUMMINGS

RELATED   POSTS :

Happy  Valentine's  Day !

for  the  love  of : RED

i  carry  your  heart  with  me

Happy   Valentine's !

Visiting Le Corbusier: Le Petit Cabanon

February 18, 2013, 9:49 pm

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 “  I      have      a      castle      on      the      Riviera ;
it    measures    3.66   x   3.66    meters,        and     is     extravagantly    comfortable    and    lavish.  ”      -  L e     C o r b u s i e r

One   of   the   highlights   of   my   trip   to   France   last   year   was   visiting
Le      Corbusier's        12  '   x    12  '   x    12  '       summer       home,
"L E       P E T I T     C A B A N O N "   ( " The  Little  Cabin, " )
in  Roquebrune - Cap - Martin,    just   east   of   Nice.   

above :    Swiss - French  architect   Le  Corbusier  in  his  cabin

aboard  the ship,  Lutécia,  in  1929;  the  space  is  said  to  have  been

his  initial  inspiration for  Le  Petit  Cabanon.

" When    Charles - Edouard   Jeanneret,    known    as    Le  Corbusier,
was    found    dead    in    the    sea    off   Cap    Martin    in    the    south    of    France,
the    local    paper    proclaimed    that    the    architect    was    the   
' worst - lodged    tourist    on   the    Côte    d'Azur. ' "
-  The  Guardian

I.        W H Y          I S          L E      P E T I T      C A B A N O N         S O         T I N Y  ?

" .  .  .  m y              s m a l l e s t              m a c h i n e              f o r              l i v i n g  .  .  .
w h e r e          n o t           o n e           s q u a r e           c e n t i m e t e r
o f            s p a c e            w a s            w a s t e d .  "
-  L e        C o r b u s i e r
Le     Corbusier         wanted         a         primitive         hut
where  he   and   his   wife   could   spend   summer   vacations.    He   designed   it
to       serve       only       the       most       basic       living       needs.
Le     Corbusier      also     sought     to     demonstrate    that
good       design   -    not      square      footage   -    constituted      luxury.
In    1952,    Le  Corbusier    presented    Le   Petit   Cabanon
to    his    wife    Yvonne    as    a    birthday    gift.

 

   Though  all  of  Le  Corbusier's  work  interests  me,  I'd  not have thought  Le  Petit  Cabanon  the  place  to  begin  discussing  it.    I've  always  loved  his  1920's  work  (like  Villa   Savoye)   best,  but  his  latter  buildings  are  usually  considered  his  real  chefs d'oeuvre.     At   the   end   of   the   day,   Le   Petit   Cabanon    is    likely    where    Le  Corbusier    was    happiest.    It's    also    the    place    where    Le  Corbusier    died    and    is    buried.

I I.       R E A L  -  L I F E        T E S T A M E N T      t o       " L e     M  O  D  U  L  O  R "

Beginning  in  the  1920's   Le   Corbusier  began  studies  for  what  would  become

"  L  E           M  O  D  U  L  O  R  "
    (emblem, above).    A   system   of   measurement   based   on   proportion,
Le     Modulor     combined     the     basic     tenets     of

Leonardo    da    Vinci's      V I T R U V I A N         M A N 

( below,   left, )      and,     ( below,   right, )  

   T h e           G O L D E N              R A T I O.

Le   Corbusier     sought     a     universal     system     of     measurement
that      could     be    applied    to    all    architecture    and    mechanics.
He   spent   twenty   years   studying  math,   nature,   human   form,   beauty  and   architecture   looking   for   a   formula  by  which   to   unite   and   apply   them   all.    "Le Modulor," his final result,  would  be  not  just  a  unit  of  measure,  but  a  universal  system  to  be  applied  to  all arts.... also  called  his
" Synthesis   of   the   Arts."
"Le  Corbusier  became  aware  of  the  special  links  which  connect  the  ineffable  essence  of  an  idea  to  the  structure  of  an  object,  and  of  how  any  discipline  will  be  intimately  related  to  other  fields.    He  determined  that  the  different  art  forms  should not  be  separated,  as  sight  ought  not  to  be  dissociated  from  hearing  or  the  sense  of  smell  from  that  of  touch. "    -  artdaily.org 

The      above      floor      plan      of       Le      Petit      Cabanon

( via  petitcabanon.blogspot.com   an  in-depth, all-comprehensive site on L.P.C.!)

shows    Le   Petit   Cabanon     as    comprised     of    golden     rectangles ;   which     determine    not    only    its     overall     dimensions,      but     its    separate     sleeping,       reading       and      working        areas     as     well.

 
Albert  Einstein   praised  Le  Corbusier's   "Modulor."
"A  six-foot  man . . . with  his  arm  upraised  (to a height of  7’ - 5”),  was  inserted  into  a  square.    The ratio  of  the  height  of  the  man ( 6’ - 0" )  to  the  height  of  his  navel  (at the mid-point of  3’ - 8.5”)  was  taken  precisely  in  a  Golden  Ratio.    The  total  height   (from  the  feet  to  the  raised  arm)  was  also  divided   in   a   Golden  ratio  at  the  level  of  the  wrist  of  a  downward - hanging  arm.    The  two  ratios  were  further  subdivided  into  smaller  dimensions  according to  the   Fibonacci  series."   --  Golden Ratio in Art and Architecture"    by  Nikhat  Parveen, UGA

I I I .        U N D E R S T A N D I N G         T H E         G O L D E N         R A T I O

divide    a    line    into    two    parts    so    that:
the   longer   part   (a)
divided   by   the   smaller   part   (b)
(a ÷ b)
is    a l s o   equal    to   the   whole   length  (a + b)
divided   by   the   longer   part   (a + b)  ÷  (a)
-  this    is    the    golden    ratio.
(a ÷ b)   =   (a + b)   ÷   (a)    =    the  golden  ratio    =     1.618    =    Φ

For  thousands  of  years,   artists   and   architects    have   considered   the   Golden   Rectangle   the   most   beautiful   shape,   and   based   their   work   on   it.    It  is  based  on  the  Fibonacci   series   and   also   known   as  the Golden  Section,   the  Golden   Mean,   and   the  Divine  Proportion.   Note  the  Golden  Rectangle  (above, left)  and  how  it  is  applied  to  the  Parthenon  (above,  right),   one  of  the  most  important  structures  ever  built.

We  can  say  the  same  for  the  Mona  Lisa,  whose  face  is  a  perfect  Golden   Rectangle.   Note  also  the   spiral   shape   in  the  Golden  Rectangle,  which  is   often   found   in   nature,  and  called   The   Golden   Spiral.    We   see   it   throughout   creation:   in the  human  body,  in  leaves,  flowers,  pine  cones  and  seashells.   Some  of  Mozart's  sonatas   are   said   to   be   based   on   the   Golden   Ratio.

"The  length  of  the  bone  segments  in  the  fingers  of  our  hands  can  be  measured  in  this  way.   Consider the length of the first segment of any finger as the standard measurement for that finger. The length of the second segment will measure a close approximation of 1.618 times longer than that. The third segment will closely approximate 1.618 times longer than the second, and the fourth segment 1.618 times longer than the third.    The  bones  of  the  entire  human  anatomy  relate  with  one  another  according  to  the  golden  ratio,   although in a more complex manner than in the hand. Not only the human form, but all creatures and natural forms can be measured in terms relating to the golden ratio."-- staffweb

The   faces   our   society   perceives as  the   most   beautiful   are   those  whose  features  (and  the  distances  between  them)  are  the  most  proportional,    i. e.    those     most    closely    reflecting    Phi   (Φ)    (below, left).
Sometimes    referred    to    as    a     " Phi  Mask: "   (below, right)

" Regardless    of    race,    the    mask    fits    attractive    faces. "

Queen  Nefertiti (Egyptian, 1400 BC) and  Marlene  Dietrich (German, 20th C.),
considered  amongst  the  most  beautiful  women  in  the  world,  both  have  faces  which  almost  perfectly  fit  the  "Phi  Mask." 

 Golden   Ratios   in   the   human   face   include  : 
Length of face / width of face,    Distance between the lips and where the eyebrows meet / length of nose, Length of face / distance between tip of jaw and where the eyebrows meet,    Length of mouth / width of nose,    Width of nose / distance between nostrils,   and  Distance between pupils / distance between eyebrows.

I V .         L E        P E T I T       C A B A N O N  :        F L O O R      P L A N   

b e g i n n i n g         l o w e r  -  l e f t        c o r n e r,         m o v i n g        c l o c k w i s e : 

1.     entrance,         2.   door,          3.    coat/hat  rack,  hooks,        4.   entry   into main space,     5.   wc,      6.    clothing   armoire   sliding doors and drawers,       7.   bed    with built-in headrest + storage; bookshelves overhead + light,      8.     storage   unit,      10.   sink   wash basin with medicine cabinet above,       11.     dining   table   +   desk   ( "0" on  either  side :   seats),
12.      bookshelves,                    13.     single   shelf, 
14.    tall,  narrow   ventilation   windows    at opposing  corners  of  the  cabin, 
15.    windows      (facade + right),          16.    window    close to the ground

i n s i d e   Le   Petit   Cabanon,   (via floor plan)   above:
6.  clothing  armoire / drawers  and       3.   coat / hat   rack  and  hooks  to  left,   4.  entry into main space,   5.  wc behind  curtain,    7.   bed with bookshelves and reading light,      10.   sink   in   foreground

(continued)     foot of   7.  bed,      8.  storage unit,    16.  window,  10.  wash basin and cabinet,  15.   window,     14.  ventilation window,    12.    shelving and     13.    separate shelf,      11.   table/desk top

Not  unlike  Frank  Lloyd  Wright,  an  architect  who    
blurred  the  lines  between  " indoors  and  outdoors,"
Le  Corbusier    designed   and   located    Le  Petit  Cabanon's    windows
   to     highlight      various     features     of      its     landscape :
 Window   2.   faces  the  sea,   highlighting  the  landscape's   " aquatic    feature. " (above, right)    Window   15.   views   " the   vegetation   feature  " (above,  left.)  

 These  two  windows  feature  folding  shutters,  each  with  a  painting  on  one  panel  and  a  mirror  on  the  other  (above),  designed  to  reflect  these  features  into  the  cabin.    Window   16.,   smaller  and  lower  to  the  floor  on  the  rear  wall,
views   a   rocky   surface;    " the     mineral    feature. "

V.       W H Y         T H E          P R I M A R Y        C O L O R S   ?  

Le  Petit  Cabanon's   ceiling   is   divided   into   large   rectangular   sections,   
in   white,   green   and   red;   an   inclusion  of   Le  Corbusier's  color  philosophy.   As  with  most  of   his  views  regarding  all  arts,  Le  Corbusier   wished  to  use  only  PURE  COLOR;  an   ideal   which  naturally  coincided  with  his  faith  in  pure,  undiluted materials,  such  as  concrete  and  glass.

Le Corbusier's early work  was  highly  influenced  in 1920's  Paris  by the Dutch Modernist de Stijl  movement.  It was led by artists such as Piet  Mondrian,  and  Gerrit  Rietveldt.    Mondrian,  founder  of  de Stijl , is  known  for  his  grid - based  paintings  of   black  lines  which  separate   simple   forms   of   pure   color, ( typically  there   are   more  pure  white  forms  than  pure  color).  Mondrian " advocated  pure  abstraction  and  a  pared  down  palette  in order to express  a  Utopian  ideal  of  universal  harmony  in  all  of  the  arts " -theartstory.org



Rietvelt's     "Red  Blue  Chair,"   1916,   (above, left:)
Piet   Mondrian,       painting,        1921  (above, right:).
De Stijl  theory  closely  matches  Le Corbusier's  "synthesis  of  the  arts."
"The   De   Stijl   movement   claimed   a   connection   between   art   and   life   with  color   as   a   fully   integrated   component   in   architecture,   although   their  palette   was   limited. " -Marilyn  Sturgeon,   "Le  Corbusier's  Colors"

  Gerrit   Rietveldt :        Schröder    House,       1924,

   UNESCO   World   Heritage   Site    (above, left)

  Le   Corbusier:       Maison   La   Roche,      1925     (above, right.)    

"Proponents of De Stijl sought to express a new utopian ideal of spiritual harmony and order. They advocated pure abstraction and universality by a reduction to the essentials of form and colour; they simplified visual compositions to the vertical and horizontal directions, and used only primary colors along with black and white." -wiki

 Le  Corbusier's        Maison   du   Brésil,     1954,
Cité   Universitaire,   Paris    (above left)   and
  Armée    du    Salut  /  Cité    du    Refuge,      1930,
Paris   (above, right);  given  the  twenty-five  year  difference  between  the  two,  note  the  variations  in  color  palettes  and  construction  materials.

Le  Corbusier   created   two   separate   color   palettes   for   KT   Color: 

"LC 32:" "Thirty-three pastel hues selected by Le Corbusier for the monochrome 1930's Salubra wallpaper collection and used against the white background of the architecture of the time."

"LC 43:" "These twenty vivid colors were introduced in the 1950's and selected by Le Corbusier to contrast dramatically with natural materials such as lime plaster,  raw concrete, and wood."

V I.          L E     P E T I T     C A B A N O N  :       D E T A I L S

l ' E T O I L E         d e        M E R          a n d          e 1 0 2 7

Adjacent   to   Le  Petit  Cabanon   is    l'Etoile   de   Mer    Restaurant

(" the  Sea  Star ") above,  owned  and  operated  by  Corbusier's  friends,  Robert Rebutato  and  his  wife.    Le Corbusier  first  visited  l'Etoile  de  Mer  in  1951  as  a  guest  of   Eileen   Gray   at  her  own  home,  e1027,  next  door.    Le Petit Cabanon  has  no  kitchen,  just  a  door  ( above,  no. 2.)  to  be  used  for  passage  to  the  restaurant.   The  painting  is  a  replica  of  Le Corbusier's  work.

In  the  photo  above  are  Le  Corbusier  and  his  wife,  Yvonne,  on  the  terrace  of   the  l 'Etoile  de  Mer.   To  the  left  of  Le  Petit  Cabanon  is  Le  Corbusier's  studio  -  even  smaller  than  Le  Petit  Cabanon  -  where  he  worked.

Behind   l'Etoile   de   Mer   are  several   "Unités    du   Camping"  (camping  bungalows)   1956,   also  designed  by  Le  Corbusier;  one  shown  above  bears   The  Modulor   symbol  on  its  side,  along  with  LC's  signature,  primary  colors.

Above  we  see   Corbusier  and  Yvonne's   cat (left on bed)  and  dog 

(with  LC)  enjoying  their  own  vacations  at  Le  Petit  Cabanon !

I N S P I R A T I O N         from         T H E          L. P. C.       S T U D I O

Le  Corbusier   is   said  to   have   envisioned   his   greatest   work
from   his   Le  Petit  Cabanon   studio   (above,  left).
LC's   Monastery  at  Sainte - Marie  de  la   Tourette  (above, right)   and

Notre  Dame - du - Haut  at  Ronchamp,   (above,  left)   France,

and  his  government  buildings  in   Chandigarh,  India  (above, right)   fall   into   this   category.

C E L E B R A T I N G           L E        P E T I T       C A B A N O N

In    2012,   Le   Bon   Marché,   the   oldest   of   Parisian   department   stores,

featured   a   life - sized    model   of   Le   Petit   Cabanon.     In  2009,  RIBA  (The  Royal  Institute  of  British  Architects )  reconstructed  Le  Petit  Cabanon   for  its  London  exhibit,  "Le  Corbusier’s  Cabanon  -  the  interior  1 : 1 " 

finally,    back    to   our   visit .  .  .

We  had  first  visited  the  beach  just  below  Le  Petit  Cabanon  that  morning,
the  location  where  Le  Corbusier  swam  daily.   
I  loved  this  little  guy  (above)  who   blended   so   beautifully  into  his  surroundings.   I also  found  the  partial  pine  cone  (below)  there.    What a  joyful moment!    Le   Corbusier  made  frequent  reference  to  pine  cones  as  perfect  models  of  the  Golden  Ratio;   as   in   his   drawing   and   poem   below :

«  Débarrassé   d'entraves   mieux        qu'auparavant   la   maison   des

       hommes   maîtresse   de   sa   forme         s'installe  dans  la  nature                    

Entière   en   soi               faisant   son   affaire   de   tout   sol.  »

 -  Le   Corbusier     

( portion,    Poème  de  l'Angle  Droit )

By the time we walked into a Nice restaurant for lunch hours later, I was carrying several pounds of rocks in my pockets!  I know I shouldn't have taken them. 

But, sitting in a glass on my desk, they make me smile and give much inspiration!

 " Le  Corbusier  had  experimented  with  all  sorts  of  houses,  worked  on  big  collective  housing  and  public  architecture  projects,  and  conceived  designs  for  whole  cities.    

He  had  constantly  questioned  the  meaning  of  architecture,  and  attempted  to  create  ideal  environments  for  humans  in  the  context  of  the  Modern  age.    

It  is  fascinating  and  symbolic  that  he  chose  this  small  hut,  a  minimal  house,  as  his  final  destination.   

He  had  once  predicted  that  this  would  be  the  house  where  he  would  live  out  his  life,  and  just  as  he  predicted,  in  the  summer  of  1965,  Le  Corbusier  swam  out  to  sea,  never  to  return.     He  was  77  years  old.  "

- Mori   Art   Museum ,    Tokyo :      Le   Corbusier   exhibition,      2007

I F                  Y O U ' R E                G O I N G  :

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin is basically at the French/Italian border; was once part of Italy until Napoleon made it otherwise.  If you are a  Le  Corbusier  fan,  it's   worth   the   time   and   effort !  Exit the train at the Roquebrune-Cap-Martin station.  There's a small path down to the beach ("Plage de Buse"), but the access path from there to e1027/LPC was blocked at the time.  We walked back up to the footpath alongside the train tracks, and headed SE for about ten or fifteen minutes, then found a stair leading down to the Cabanon.

Additionally, if you have no wish to drive in France, I can't recommend the SNCF/French national rail highly enough.  It's easy to understand, consistent and reliable (...if only we had a system remotely like it in the US!)   Take a train to the main Nice train station, then change trains - it's about fifteen minutes from there to Roquebrune-Cap-Martin  (see  below,  the  stop  just  after  Monaco).   In fact, I wasn't able to go inside; it was closed. Our time was limited, :( and we finally left around noon, with plans to catch the Matisse and Chagall museums before leaving Nice that day (locating these wasn't as easy...give yourself enough time to get there and back).  And though  I'd  not  have  missed  the  Chagall  museum  (the other, not so much, surprisingly), it did mean missing the Promenade Le Corbusier as well as his tomb, both close by.

PHOTOS:

intro:    1.  3. ruth burts interiors,  2. fondation le corbusier (FLC)

I.    1.   (FLC), 2.  ruth burts interiors

II.     1. (FLC) 2.  rouleauc.blogspot.com, 3. wikipedia, 4. petitcabanon.blogspot.com, 5. (FLC)

III.   1. hongkiat.com, 2. 3. conceptart.org, 4. unknown, 5. worldtruth.tv, 6. ecobrooklyn.com, 7. knoji.com, 8. inventikasolutions.com, 9. american journal of orthodontics, 10. - 12. beautyanalysis.com

IV.   1. - 4.  (FLC) 5. wall street journal

V.   1.  (FLC)  2., 3. wikipedia, 4. archdaily.com, 5. (FLC), 6. 7. ruth burts interiors

VI.  1., 3., 6., 10., 11., 13. - 15.  ruth burts interiors, 2. hervé lucien, 4. petitcabanon.blogspot.com, 5.  (FLC)  7.-9. wikipedia,  12. Poème  de  l'Angle  Droit, 

SOURCES:

archdaily.com

artdaily.org

fibonacci series

the marquardt foundation

mori art museum, tokyo

nikhat parveen

petitcabanon.blogspot.com

wikipedia

R E L A T E D      P O S T S  : 

Happy  Birthday :  Le  Corbusier  at  125

color combos: RED + WHITE + BLACK

February 28, 2013, 8:17 pm

≫ Next: fifty (more) shades of green

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R E L A T E D     P O S T S  :


red  rooms :   darker  reds

color  combos:   always  classic,  black + white


for  the  love  of :   RED



bring  the  glamour :  mary   mcdonald

color  combos :   black + orange

PHOTOS:     1.  albert hadley  apartment, nyc,   watercolor by   mark hampton,   2. south side shots,  3.  adorn and embellish,   4.   via  'still life, quick heart :'    'young  girl  with  mandolin,'   marie  laurencin,   early 20th c.,   15.    'music  room,'  ceri  richards,  1951,    25.  'dark  red  sam  with  green  eyes,'  andy  warhol,   1954    31.  'diana  vreeland,'  dexter  dalwood,   2003,   43.  'studio  still  life,'  alberto morocco,  1992,  45. red-black-white cat,  otto möller,  1930,    5.  kelly  wearstler residence,  kwid,     6., 22.  'the  green  room,' la,   dorothy  draper,    via   architectural   digest :  7.  sig  bergamin  residence,  brazil,   37.  eberstadt  apartment  foyer,  nyc,   39.,8.   christian  louboutin,     source  unknown:  9. - 12.,  23.,  30.  street of the fishing cat, paris,  36., 40., 41.      13.  steven  gambrel,   14.   le  petit  pouailler,     16.  not martha,   17.   suzanne  rheinstein,   18.  céline,   19.   de  gournay,  20.  encore  une  minute,   21.  1949  alfa   romeo  6c  2500  super  sport  car,  via  notes on design,  24.  the  foo dog  ate  my  homework,  26.  live like you,   27.   savvy  home,    28.   crush cul de sac,   29.  pink wallpaper,   32.  the house home,   33.  sara story,  34.   obee  designs,   35.  the  fuller  view, 38.  'black  cat,'  tim  campbell,  21st c.,      42.  we are oh so,  44.  paris apartment,  46. this ivy house,  47.  traditional home