Arcimboldo. He was the official painter of the Austrian court: Ferdinand I, Maximilian II and Rudolf II. His works are discreetly celebrating their glory as suzerains of a changing country with recently discovered animals and vegetables from Africa and America. Nevertheless he could have failed totally out of our memory if the surrealists would not have become fond of his portraits. They probably enjoyed Arcimboldo portraits composed of vegetables, fruits and animals to represent craftsmen, the four seasons and the four elements corresponding (for ex.: Summer with fire).
Long before surrealism he offered a non-academic approach to art, like a still- life plate of fruits becomes a portrait when you look at it up side down. In brief, it offers to us, an insight on the rich culture of the late XVIth century and it's definitively worth a visit. In order to avoid the lines, you book your entrance tickets before and walk right in.
Do you know the Marmottan Museum, located in a former villa? It not only offers some of the Monet paintings but also some great exhibitions : the latest dedicated to the collection of the doctor Bello will be opened till February 3rd and is displaying works of Berthe Morisot, Pissaro, Renoir and, of course, Monet. I love this museum, the collections are great, and best of all it is rarely if ever crowded. Since it's located on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne beautiful, I often follow my visits with a ride in this hugepark.
Courbet is definitely one of the French Masters of the 19th century. One hundred and twenty of his paintings and dozens of pictures will help you to discover or rediscover this great painter. The exhibition is located in the Grand Palais and ends on the 28th of January.
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