Picasso and Pompidou

Yesterday I certainly learned a lot about 20th-century art at the Picasso Museum and the Pompidou Center!

On my way to the Picasso Museum, I took in some of the Marais neighborhood, which is across the Seine from our neighborhood, the 5th arrondissiment. I started at Place de la Bastille:

It's a huuuuge square where the Bastille prison used to be. Now there's a monument and traffic circle, and also the Paris Opera, the modern building beyond the column. It was also our first truly beautiful, sunny morning! Quite welcome.

I wound my way back to Place des Vosages, which is one of my favorite spots in Paris so far. It was built by Henri IV in the early 17th century, and the lovely houses surround a park with trees, fountains, and playgrounds.

 Victor Hugo lived here on the square, and his house is a museum.

Loved it! I look forward to going back, maybe to have dinner in one of the restaurants.

First up: Picasso Museum.

Sculpture made with a mix of household items, and the later bronze version (Picasso said it gave it unity to cast it in bronze).

 

 Musicien (1972)

Picasso never returned to Spain after the civil war, but he did create some Spanish folk art. 

After lunch in the Jewish Quarter (falafel!) I was on to the Pompidou Center. It's a strange-looking place from the outside, but you make your way to the upper floors where the main collections are via an escalator on the outside of the building that gives you wonderful views of Paris. 

Otto Dix: Portrait of the journalist Sylvia von Harden (1926)

Niki de Saint Phalle: La mariée (1963)

 Georges Braque: Paysage de l'Estaque (1906-07)

 Frantisek Kupka: Plans par coulerus (1910-11)

Loved this one particularly. 

Marcel Duchamp: Fountain (1917)

The most famous bit of Dada art, probably? Glad to get to see it!

Didn't catch the title of this one, but maybe this is what people who come into Luyben Music with their metal clarinets should do...? :) 

Robert Delaunay: Le poete Philippe Soupault (1922)

The warped Eiffel Tower caught my eye. Pretty cool!

Next post: impressionism, and lots of it! Musée d'Orsay and Musée de Marmottan Monet, visited on July 6th & 7th. Not sure when exactly that will go up, as Mom arrives tomorrow morning! I'm attempting to lead her on a crazy "see the highlights and beat jet lag" adventure that will probably prove to be impossible, but we'll see what we can do.

PS France is playing Germany in the Euro Cup semi-finals tonight, and it was funny to walk home from dinner to deserted streets, empty restaurants (except the ones with TVs), and knowing that France is up 2-0 based solely on the cheering around us. Vive la France!