ANOTHER WORLD : OUFF - WHAT A RELIEF !

I don’t mull over exhibitions but the Stephane Mandelbaum had had a real effect and images of his portraits and vulgar ladies kept on flitting through my mind. It was good to go with Marielle to the Custodia Foundation to look at 500 years of the Masters’ drawings.

We started in the lVe and went through to the XXle. As you can imagine the early centuries didn’t really attract me. In fact I didn’t take any photos at all. However, some of the sketching were incredibly detailed and precise. However, when we moved into the XXe I was back in my element. A couple of the artists were new to me. This time, I am just going to add a few comments on each one of the photos I took. As you will see, there are very few. Once again, just those that stopped me in my tracks.....

This was done by Vincent van Gogh in 1888. The title is "La Mousmé "or Portrait of a young girl The Mousmé is assocaited to a character in a Pierre Loti' novel, "Madame Chrysantheme" and represents a Japanese girl. You may remember that Van Gogh was passionate about "Japonism"

You probably recognized Picasso. A study for three women - watercolor - done in 1907-08. The beginning of the cubist period with Braque. It has a real music and seems to dance and twist. The women become really clear when you look closely at that movement.

This served at the poster at the entrance of the Custodia and was a favorite for me. A watercolor by Johan Adam Klein (new to me) and done in 1818. Here he has painted his friend and artist Johan Christophe Erhard. The two men shared a flat in Vienna for a couple of years.

Max Pechstein. An ink sketching of a mother and children done in 1913. He was part of the Die Brücke group which I enjoy so much.

Emil Hansen, but known as Nolde. Another of my favorite artists of that period. "Three heads of women" done sometime before 1930. Nolde was one of the first artists of that period to use very strong colors and paint strokes. His work is very powerful - for me.

Max Pechstein again. At the Seaside, a water color done in 1919. Pechstein was attracted by the exostism of Gaugin and traveled to Indonesia in 1914. The Palos Island. Is there a echo of aboriginal art? Wooden sculptures?

Of course, it's Kandinsky and once again a water color done in 1919. Quite simple, "Composition on a brown background".

And another Kandinsky painted in 1915. He really was one of the pioneers of abstract art.

I really adore this water color done by Paul Klee in 1923. "Portrait of a Little Doll". She is practically alive and dancing...

Another Paul Klee "The Paris Comet" in 1918. Done during the war when Klee was separated from his friends. We see the horrors of war creep into his paintings as they seem to float around in the sky without touching one another...