Friday, April 01, 2005

Matisse

I finally got around to the new Matisse exhibit at the Musee du Luxembourg. This exhibit apparently focuses on his "second life." When I asked the meaning of his "second life," I was told that it probably had to do with the fact that Matisse had a near death experience around that time. The exhibit focuses on Matisse's work from the 1940's until his death in 1954.

First, let me say I really enjoyed the exhibit. There are four rooms with various works of art. You start the exhibit with some information about Matisse and his friend Andre Rouveyre. They corresponded a lot over the years and throughout the exhibit you can read letters they wrote to one another and look at the envelopes the letters were sent in, which are also works of art(they'd probably be thrown out by the postal office in this day and age).

In the second room, there is a magnificent tapestry, Polynesia, by Gobelins that Matisee designed. There are also illustrations for a book of poems by Charles D'Orleans. These are aspects of Matisse's work I was not familiar with previously. Then in the last two rooms there were the works of art I am more acquainted with..... cut outs like the Jazz works of art (20 framed pictures that cover one wall with the most beautiful colors and images) and the Tree of Life, and La Gerbe. There are also a number of paintings on display, including the Interior Yellow and Blue.

The Matisse exhibit is 10 euros per adult, but well worth the price to see this eclectic mix of his works of art. The show will be at Musee du Luxembourg until July 17. I went on a weekday at an off-hour and the exhibit was still packed with people. I wouldn't recommend trying this exhibit on a weekend unless you had no other choice.

-- said Auntie M in Paris
6:51 PM

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