Ce week-end, c’est le 11ème salon de la culture et des jeux mathématiques à Saint Sulpice ! D’anciens instruments scientifiques à de la dentelle au fuseau, il y a de quoi se divertir et s’instruire !

Mais aussi, ce week-end c’est l’occasion de (re)découvrir l’entrepôt MacDonald, le plus grand bâtiment de Paris, avant sa rénovation. Expos, visites du quartier, projections… sont au rendez-vous pour cette manifestation initiée par le Pavillon de l’Arsenal.

Ca ne vous convient pas ? Vous voulez plus de verdure en ce printemps hésitant ? Et bien, pourquoi alors ne pas allez profiter des journées portes ouvertes de l’Ecole du Breuil ? Visitez ses jardins et admirez les démonstrations et les expositions présentées à cette occasion.

Sur ce, bon week-end ! Et on croise les doigts pour la météo…

during the special Nuit des musées exhibition!

We mentioned previously that the Musée du Luxembourg is about to close.

There have also been all the strikes affecting Beaubourg, the Musée d’Orsay, even the Louvre or Versailles… (Most museums seem to have reopened though some are “free” because of strikers blocking the cash desks.)

Anyhow, now, it’s time for the Palais de la Découverte… I know this has been under discussion for a while: closing the Palais before it’s grown too “dusty” and that the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie “does the same thing”. Apparently, the decision has become official that the Palais de la Découverte will die at the end of this year. Whatever remains are left will be integrated with the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie. I’m quite curious ready about the current exhibits: this week, “The hunger of dinosaurs” was just launched and it’s supposed to run until May. The few images I’ve seen seem striking, I hope many will be able to enjoy that exhibit.

If you think it’s a shame for the Palais de la Découverte and its traditions of bringing science to the large public, in its own way (because it’s not “just like the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in old and shabby”!), then you are invited for breakfast over at the Palais de la Découverte: every day (except on Mondays when it’s closed) from the 8th of December from 9am30 to 10am in the Hall d’Antin. Just bring your thermos of coffee, your croissants, etc. to show support or take part in what seem to be the last days of this institution…

I found out recently when going to the Tiffany exhibit at the Musée du Luxembourg (which was great btw) that the museum is about to close! That exhibit could be the museum’s last with a planned closure in January 2010! Employees suggest that you sign their petition to protest against the closure of such a historical museum. After all, this museum first opened in 1750 and it was the first art museum to be open to the public in France! (Among other achievements) A better written post about this topic (in French).

Meanwhile, the Centre Pompidou is closed to visitors because the people working there are on strike! A post in French, one in English, to explain the main reason behind this strike: half the people going into retirement won’t be replaced starting in January 2010 and as many employees there are over 50, this means very soon the number of employees will crash… Such measures should also impact other cultural places such as the Louvre or Versailles. This is not going to get better soonish with a general call to strike for next Wednesday…

A coincidence? Or is “someone” bound on destroying Paris’ image of a culture-rich capital?

In this cultured city, the abundance of exhibitions that one could attend can be rather overwhelming. But if you have some time and money in your hand, your effort will be richly rewarded, for the curation of these exhibitions means dispersed work of arts are shown together for a short period of time. The window of opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.

Marguerite Gérard : Artist, 1789 in the Workshop of Fragonard
(10th September 2009 – 6th December 2009)

Over 60 portraits and drawings, from a female artists revered in her time, the works of Marguerite Gérard are on exhibit at the Musée Cognacq-Jay. Living in Louvre during the period, her works feature portraits of her family, friends, and people of consequences.

Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese – Rivals in Renaissance
(17th September 2009 – 4th January 2010)

Rivals these artists may be, but the competitive streak between them resulted in some of the most amazing works of Venetian Renaissance. Inspiring each other to push their talents to the maximum, hundreds of years later, the world still marvell at their genius and appreciate the beautiful pieces that they’ve created and presented.

Renoir in the 20th Century
(23rd September 2009 – 4th January 2010)

This is an exhibition that one must NOT miss. In fact, book your tickets ahead because the queue at the National Galleries of the Grand Palais will be insanely long. Exploring the works of this Impressionist artist in his later years, this collection comes from both public and private loan, including paintings, drawings and sculptures.

Bruegel, Memling, Van Eyck… The Brukenthal Collection
(11th September 2009 – 11th January 2010)

Exhibiting at the Musée Jacquemart-André is a wonderful collection of Flemish arts, by the grand masters of 15th to 17th century. The fifty pieces on loan from Muzeul Naţional Brukenthal of Romania are shown for the very first time in France, and you can even download the podcast (in French) prior to your visit.

The name Tiffany is synonymous in popular culture as the great jeweller. From Holly Golightly with her Breakfast at Tiffany’s, to Marilyn Monroe’s best friend – the diamonds, to Ugly Betty’s Daniel Meade who loves to shop at Tiffany’s & Co., this reputation has long been sealed.

However, one must also not overlook the marvellous works of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the son of the founder of Tiffany’s & Co., whose life was that of a celebrated artist, innovator and glass designer. His renowned art nouveau panel of glass window The Four Seasons won a gold medal in Paris during Exposition Universelle 1900, and to this day, is still much admired (although it is now in several panels instead of one magnificent piece). And if you’ve heard about Favrile iridescent glass, well, it was something that he had patented.

The Morse Museum in Florida houses the most comprehensive collection of his works.

Now though, you get a chance to take a closer look at some 160 pieces of his works, in an exhibition entitled Louis Comfort Tiffany : Colors and Light at Musée du Luxembourg.

Window of Bella Apartment

The exhibition is divided into several themes, exploring his early career and his interest in the art of glassmaking (as opposed to his family trade of jewellery and silverworks making), the recognition of his works in Europe, the stained glasses, the Favrile pieces, and the expansion into decorative art pieces including lavishly coloured lamps.

It was his unique and innovative style of glassmaking, by incorporating various impurities to create a bloom of colours within the glass pieces, rather than merely painting stains onto transparent glasses, that brought the attention of the world to his genius. Is it any wonder then, till this day, his pieces are still coveted as collectors’ items and fetch great values.

The exhibition runs daily from Wednesday 16 September 2009 till Sunday 17 January 2010, with variable opening hours depending on when you plan to visit. Check out the reservation page for more details.