57042--Mona Lisa smile

[zyzyly]

We went to the Louvre gallery today. It's a big place. We were there most of the day and only saw a few of the possible galleries. Now I can say I've been to the Louvre. I was kind of intimidated by its size, and still am. It should be 4 or 5 smaller museums. I'll be sure to suggest that when they appoint me king of museums. If I lived here, I would tackle it but by bit, maybe a room at a time. Just spend the day staring at a few pieces.



Speaking of kings, here is Napoleon crowning himself.

Really, there isn't much to see other than hundreds and hundreds of rare and magnificent pieces of art housed in a spectacular building.



She's got it
Yeah, baby, she's got it
Well, I'm your Venus
I'm your fire
At your desire.



Mona under glass. The most crowded spot in the gallery. I did manage to get up front and spend some time looking at her. It's funny, I've seen the pictures a thousand times, probably, but there's something about the actual painting (even behind glass) that is different, somehow. She has kind of a sad face behind the smile.



After we got out of the museum we walked across the bridge over the Seine. It has been raining, but the sun came out a little and illuminated the Île de la Cité and the towers of Notre Dame. We walked home and relaxed for a while before having dinner at a local place. We had rum baba for dessert.

Tomorrow we will take the train to Chartres. It's an hour's train ride from here.

I have been having interesting dreams since I have been in Paris. I think it is because the bed is so comfortable, and maybe the food a little. Last night I had a dream that I was back in 5th grade. what made it interesting was that it was something that really happened to me, but out of context.

Comments

[pasticcio.livejournal.com]

I felt the same way about the Louvres .. it's almost impossible to take everything in .. when you're appointed King of Museums can you hire me as your executive assistant???

If you have time you should go to the Musee d'Orsay .. it's my favouritest of all in Paris!

[thoughtsbykat.livejournal.com]

I agree Musee d'Orsay is wonderful.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

We almost went to the Orsay today, but then discovered that our museum passes expired yesterday. :(

[anita-margarita.livejournal.com]

The most interesting thing about the Mona Lisa is how small it is. (Also she has beautiful hands.) It used to be displayed next to a Da Vinci painting of Virgin and child with St. Anne, which I thought was much more beautiful, and which was almost totally ignored.

However, the chocolate crepes in the cafe are very worthwhile :)

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

This one? It is still in the same hall, but off to the side. I probably spent more time looking at this one than I did the Mona Lisa, since I had it all to my self pretty much. I love Anne's smile.

[anita-margarita.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's the one. Almost completely ignored by the crowds.

[howeird]

Much grass for the pix and travelogue. My only visit to the museum was long before they remodeled, and Mona had just been installed in her own gallery at the end of a long velvet-roped line. I only got a quick glimpse, but share your impressions. The statue section was closed, but I think David was outside that section and viewable. There was a Rembrandt called "Full Length Portrait of a Standing Man" which I spent about half an hour looking at. Up close it was all peaks and very 3D constructs of hardened paint, but from across the room it was a lifelike, life-sized portrait. I don't see it on the Louvre's web site, maybe it's somewhere else now.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

Could be, or on loan or something. Maybe they ran out of space.

[saltdawg.livejournal.com]

Mona is much smaller than she should be, for all the hype.

My favorite was always "Winged Victory" at the top of the steps, at least she was when I was there...

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

"Winged Victory" was out being restored, so we missed it. Maybe next time.

[thoughtsbykat.livejournal.com]

There is so much to see in the Louvre, could spend days there. I wanted to get to the Orangerie to see Monet's Water Lilies again, but did not have time. We did go to the Rodin museum(they were have a special exhibit with Monet's paintings).

Enjoy your remaining time in gay Paree.

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

We go home tomorrow, but it was a wonderful trip. Lots of stuff to see next time around.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I had a biography, as a kid, of Josephine Bonaparte, and it had a sketch of that drawing. She seemed very stiff to me, and him--frighteningly, impossibly arrogant. I don't remember anything about the book, but I remember the sketch.

To think you've seen, in person, some of the most well-known pieces of art in the world!

[zyzyly.livejournal.com]

I remember seeing something about Josephine Bonaparte in the Borghese museum in Rome--either a bust or a painting. She looked unhappy.

And yes, it is awesome to be able to have seen what we have seen.