Albrecht Altdorfer: Master of the German Renaissance
The Weird, Wonderful World of Altdorfer
An exhibition about a little-known 16th-century German artist doesn’t sound like a barrel of laughs, but “Albrecht Altdorfer: Master of the German Renaissance” at the Louvre turns out to be surprisingly entertaining thanks to the sheer exuberance and diverse talents … Read More
The Golden Age of Danish Painting
An Island of Calm in a Sea of Romanticism
The brilliance of the Dutch Golden Age is universally known and appreciated, but who gives a thought to the Danish Golden Age? Luckily, Paris’s Petit Palais is educating us with the delightful and comprehensive exhibition, “L’Âge d’Or de la Peinture … Read More
Paul Valéry et les Peintres
A Poet Rediscovered Through His Taste in Art
During his lifetime, Paul Valéry (1871-1945) was a revered poet and thinker in France, so much so that in 1925 he was elected to the Académie Française, an honor reserved for the immortal few (its 40 members are referred to … Read More
Cézanne and the Master Painters: A Dream of Italy
From Italy to France and Back Again
We often forget how much France owes to Italy. Would French cuisine have earned its reputation as the world’s best if Catherine de’ Medici hadn’t brought Italian chefs with her when she crossed the Alps to marry Henry II? And … Read More
L’Atelier de la Nature
Americans in Giverny
Americans can’t travel to France right now, but their paintings can, so the Terra Foundation for American Art has sent a batch to the Musée des Impressionnismes in Giverny and added others borrowed from the Musée d’Orsay and other French … Read More
Christo et Jeanne-Claude: Paris!
Christo's Gifts to Paris
The artist Christo’s obsession with wrapping did not begin with the spectacular environmental projects he and his wife Jeanne-Claude created around the world, among them Running Fence in California, The Gates in New York City’s Central Park, Surrounded Islands in Miami and Wrapped Reichstag in Berlin. … Read More
Picasso and the Comic Strip/Picasso the Poet
Outing Picasso's Inner Poet and Comic Artist
Picasso liked to read the funny papers, and one of his suppliers was none other than Gertrude Stein, who would save the “Katzenjammer Kids” and other comics for him from American newspapers. That’s just one of the many interesting facts … Read More
Ben: Être Libre
On a Bender
At the age of 85, the French artist Ben (real name: Benjamin Vautier) is as irrepressible as ever, both personally and artistically. Earlier this month, he was on hand to greet the press at the opening of his exhibition, “Être … Read More
Fondation Custodia: Three Exhibitions
Inside the Artist's Head
The Fondation Custodia, one of Paris’s under-appreciated treasures, was created by Frits Lugt (1884-1970), a Dutchman whose passion for art began when he was just a child: when he was only eight years old, he created and cataloged a museum … Read More
Les Gendarmes Crèvent l’Écran
Arresting Images of French Gendarmes
Melun is not the most beautiful town in France, but having spent New Year’s Eve there once, I can testify that it is home to some of the nicest people in the country. It is also home to the Musée … Read More