The Exhibition: Paris - Impressions of Life 1880-1995
The Gallery: Bendigo Art Gallery, Bendigo
Until: 14 July - of course.
"Let's go see the French Exhibition," said Lindy, one of my retreat mates.
"Yes, why not."
This almost throwaway line was made in January. We set a date, put them in our calendars, booked tickets and waited. We decided to go together, have a "we" day, deciding to say nothing to our extended friendship group. We could have asked the women we went to France with along - and we may organise something in the coming months - but today was for us.
Today, our day trip came to fruition.
It was bloody marvellous.
Following a very lovely lunch at Masons of Bendigo, and a glass of rose, in memory of L'Hotel de l'Orange in Sommieres, we ambled over to the gallery for a little bit of culture.
As exhibitions go, this was lovely. So much has been written, drawn and photographed about Paris, this small part only looked at the city at a critical part of history.
According to the gallery blurb:
"The busy banks of the Seine, bustling marketplaces, grand boulevards, idyllic public gardens, and the heady atmosphere of bohemian Montmartre are brought to life in more than 170 works of art and artisan objects. From the renowned collection of the Musée Carnavalet - History of Paris, the iconic museum of the history of Paris, this exhibition reflects on an effervescent period of great social change, urban development and artistic innovation which shaped modern Paris and continues to capture the global imagination.
Tour seven themed pathways and discover artisan street signs, historic couture, decorative arts, and everyday ephemera alongside paintings by artists including Jean Béraud, the pre-eminent painter of Parisian life in the Belle Époque, Maurice Utrillo and Paul Signac, pioneer of the artistic technique of pointillism, as well as vibrant graphic prints by Toulouse-Lautrec and his contemporaries.
The oldest municipal museum in Paris, the Musée Carnavalet was founded in 1866 to document the history, built environments, and unique character of Paris during a period of rapid modernisation. Located in the historic Marais district, the museum is home to over 620,000 works of art and artefacts from the Mesolithic period to the present day."
What struck me most was that the exhibition took me straight back to Paris. We spent time going over maps, taking in the amazing clothing on display, viewing the posters and loving very item in this compact, but expansive show. This isn't a show of the famous artists of the time. There are no Manets, Monets, Chagalls or Lautrecs. You're not going to see a Degas, Claudel or Rodin.
But what you are going to see is a view of Paris and its famous arrondissements at a time of huge change. The exhibition packs a punch. And unlike the other show's I've seen at the Bendigo Art Gallery, this was not packed out. You could roam around in relative quiet.
This is definitely worth a look.
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