Toby and Allan's 2013 Europe Adventure: Chagall, Murano Glass and Fete de la Musique

Friday June 21 was cool and cloudy and the sun only made a brief appearance near the end of the day.
We decided to stay on the Left Bank for the day. Our first stop was a wonderful exhibit entitled Chagall: Entre Guerre et Paix (Between War and Peace). Chagall (1887-1985) lived for almost a century and his life spanned the Russian Revolution, WWI and WWII and many other seismic events. He also had a wonderful relationship with his first wife Bella, who died in 1944 of an untreated strep throat, while they were living in New York City.

Poster for exhibit

The exhibit covers four periods of Chagall's life and work: (1) Russia during WWI. Chagall had spent three years in Paris (1911-14) where he was exposed to a number of cubist and futurist artists. He applied this modernity to his Jewish and Russian roots, but maintained an independent style throughout his life. In 1914, he visited Russia to see his family and Bella, his fiancee, but the declaration of war forced him to remain in Russia. He married Bella in 1915. A number of early pictures depicted his immediate environment and marriage. As he was living in Vitebsk (where he was born), a garrison town, he saw first hand the ravages of war and the pogroms against the Jews. (2) Between two wars in France. Chagall and his family settled in France in 1923. Working with the art dealer, Ambroise Vollard, he illustrated several books and then the Bible. He travelled to Palestine in 1931.

(3) Exile in the United States. In 1937, the Nazis seized his works held in German public collections. Some were burned and three of his paintings were presented in the Munich Degenerate Art exhibit. In 1941, Chagall moved to New York City. The images of war with persecutions, burning villages and exodus were featured in his work, with a darker tonality. The sudden death of Bella in 1944 devastated him. She continued to feature in his work, even when he later remarried.

(4) Postwar and the return to France. Chagall returned to France in 1949, eventually settling in Vence. His landscapes turned to the Mediterranean and the colours in his pictures became more vivid. He also explored new artforms in ceramics, stained glass and mosaics.

What clearly emerged in this exhibit was Chagall's constant use of various images, whether in his pictures of war and suffering or in peaceful settings: the bouquet of flowers; the images of Vitebsk, his hometown; the goat; Bella; crucifixion (Chagall used this to symbolize universal suffering), and the violinist. He remained a most innovative artist with an incredible sense of colour and line, throughout his 98 years.

Les Amoureux en vert 1911-12

Drawing from WWI

Vue de la Fenetre a Zaolchie, pres de Vitebsk 1915

Songe d'une nuit d'ete 1939 (a sombre picture based on a Midsummer's Night Dream, as war was imminent)

L'Exode 1952-66 (very powerful picture with burning villages, Christ)

Esquisse pour la Guerre 1964

Le Roi David 151

Monde Rouge et Noir 1951

Le Paysage bleu 1949

The last picture in the exhibit was La Danse, full of life, colour and many of Chagall's symbols: the couple, goat, violin, and bouquet.

La Danse 1950-52

After the exhibit, we had lunch at La Cousine de Bar, where they serve wonderful tartines. We shared a tempenade, artichoke and roasted tomato tartine and then went next store to Polaine for an apple tart (the best in the city).

Tartine at La Cousine de Bar on Rue Cherche Midi

Alain at Polaine

We continued our walk through the 6th, passing by a number of beautiful stores. We stopped at Bon Marche- both the main store and Le Grande Epicerie.

Beautiful dress in window on Rue Cherche Midi

Bon Marche - Brazil exhibit throughout store

La Patiserrie des Reves- One of my favourite pastry stores (for admiring )

We then checked out the Musee Maillol and discovered that the museum was open until 9:30 p.m. on Fridays. We decided to see the temporary exhibit entitled Murano/Fragile: Chefs-D'Oeuvre de Verre de Murano.

Poster for exhibit

The exhibit focused on the history of glass on the Island of Murano, Italy from the 13th century to the present. Glass was the second largest industry besides shipbuilding in Venice during the early days of the City's life. In 1291, the risk of fire led to a banning of glass-making from the city of Venice and it was moved to the Island of Murano. Glassworkers were sworn to secrecy, on pain of punishment.

The exhibit featured glass from Medieval times, the Renaissance, 17th and 18th century, through Art Nouveau and Art Deco to the present time. Different techniques and materials were featured as well as experiments in glass by well-known artists. Glasstress, an international glass art show now takes place at the Venice Biennale. It was a very interesting exhibit showcasing master Murano glassmakers throughout the centuries.

Lampe Decoree a L'email

Special milky white glass

Beautiful red glass

Jean Arp Figure 1964

Jean Arp 1962

Hommage a Sade by Man Ray

Great modern glasses with pills

Thomas Shutte (b. 1957) Berengo Heads 2011

Our favourite modern piece was by Javier Perez. It was a beautiful piece of destroyed red murano glass with birds picking at the pieces-- commentary on life, death and art.

Javier Perez (b. 1968) Carona 2011

We then went to the Musee D'Orsay to see a performance by The Tallis Scholars (British vocal ensemble formed in 1973 with ten singers) part of La Fete de La Musique celebrations which have taken place in Paris since 1982, on the evening of the summer solstice. It was great being in the main concourse of the old Gare D'Orsay hearing such beautiful voices. A crowd of around 700 were in attendance. They performed works by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-94) and Gregorio Allegri (1582-1652). The performance was from 8:30 p.m. to 9:45. While tough to sit on the concrete, it was a lovely concert.

Crowd getting ready for the performance

Tallis Scholars

As we exited the Musee, we stopped for a moment to see a rock bank playing on the banks of the Seine.

Band on the Seine

After the concert, we stopped en route back to our apartment and had dinner at a small French Bistro on Rue Jacob - called Au 35 Rue Jacob. We shared a great lentil salad and both had lamb stew and a glass of wine. Lovely, neighbourhood bistro.

Lentil salad

Lamb stew

Au 35 Rue Jacob

As we walked back to the apartment, we passed a number of bands playing on street corners, often with big crowds. Mostly rock, with a bit of punk. In a few places, where there was a young crowd, things had gotten a bit rowdy and there was lots of broken glass. La Fete de la Musique started in France in 1982 and is open to anyone who wants to perform. Performances run the ambit from professionals to rank amateurs and from classical to punk.