Palazzo Farnese

Rome, Italy - Now through April 27, 2011, the Palazzo Farnese will be open to the public for an exceptional exhibit entitled, “Palazzo Farnese – From the Renaissance to the French Embassy.”

Annibale Carracci Gallery

A collection of over 150 pieces (drawings, sculptures, paintings, objets d’art) will bring to life five centuries of Palace history - from the Farnese family fasts in the 16^th century, to the last 35 years when the Palace served as the French Embassy in Italy and the École Française de Rome. An incredible selection of works from the Farnese family collection has been reunited and returned to the site for the first time in centuries thanks to the generosity and passion of the Farnese family.

Annibale Carracci Gallery

The brainchild of Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, French Ambassador to Italy, this exhibit was produced in collaboration with the Minister of Italian Culture of Italy, and curated by Francesco Buranelli and Roberto Cecchi.

Interior Court of Palazzo Farnese

During the exhibit, the 16^th century Palace will open its doors, by appointment only, and welcome the return of the “Museum Farnesianum” where the exquisite “Emporer” and “Philosopher” rooms have been recreated with much fanfare. In addition, thanks to new technology, the court will be virtually repopulated with imposing silhouettes of the Farnese Atlas, the latin Hercules and the Farnese Bull.

Farnese Bull

Generous loans from the National Archeological Museum in Naples have facilitated the reunion of these works. Among the most important pieces of antique furniture is the Farnese cabinet from the Ecouen Museum, a precious piece designed to display the coin and cameo collections of the Farnese family. Tapestries from Quirinal, on loan from the Italian Presidency as well as the Chambord castle, will retake their places in the salons on the piano nobile, as well as the ceramics of the Renaissance.

Farnese Cabinet

Pope Paul III by Titien

The portrait of Pope Paul III by Titien, the Christ painted by Annibale Carracci for the private chapel of Cardinal Odoardo, works by Sebastiano del Piombo, and Le Greco are all testament to the richness of the painting collection, now displayed in the North-East gallery. The collection of sketches and drawings by Annibale Carracci (mostly on loan from the Louvre) and the frescoes of the Palais Fava de Bologne illustrate the design of the famous Carracci galleries.

Detail of the Carracci Gallery

Relive the intertwined histories of the popes, cardinals, kings, ambassadors, and artists, who, during five centuries lived and worked in the Palazzo Farnese, indirectly making this site exceptional and alive.

French Embassy in Italy
Palais Farnèse
Via Giulia 186
Rome
39 06 32 810

Piet Mondrian and De Stijl

This winter the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, opened an exhibition exploring the works of Piet Mondrian and De Stijl. Piet Mondrian was a Dutch painter and a key contributor to the De Stijl Movement of the early 20th century. He coined the term "Neo-Plasticism" to describe this style characterized by rigid lines and primary colors.

De Stijl, or "The Style," was a group of Dutch artists and well as a journal they published from 1917 until 1931. They sought to express a utopian ideal through abstraction, a fundamental reality rather than emotions. They simplified shape and color to their most basic, clearly defined forms. They worked with planes on a white background, adding only primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. Symmetry was avoided; balance and harmony were achieved through opposition. 

Neoplasticism did not end with painting, but naturally flowed into furniture, interior design, and architecture. Straight lines and primary colors were used to achieve three-dimensional works of art. The Red Blue Chair was designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1917. Originally painted in the "non-colors" of De Stijl (black, gray, and white), it was repainted in 1923 to match the primary colors being used by Mondrian.

The Schröder House, also designed by Rietveld, was built in Utrecht in 1924 and is the best example of De Stijl architecture. Its facade is composed of intersecting, rectilinear planes in black, gray, and white, with primary colored accents. It has an open floor plan; in place of walls the house has rotating and sliding panels that can partition off space as needed by the residents.

De Stijl influenced fine arts, music, typography, furniture design, fashion, and architecture the world over. It proposed using geometry, asymmetry, and abstraction to express beauty. It had profound impact on the art and architecture to come in the Bauhaus, International Style, and Modern movements, and we can still see its effects today.

Dress designed by Yves Sant Laurent

Piet Mondrian, "composition en rouge, bleu et blanc II", 1937
© Mondrian / Holtzman trust, coll. Centre Pompidou, RMN

Mondrian / De Stijl
December 1, 2010 - March 11, 2011
Place Georges Pompidou
75004 ParisGeneral phoneline : +33 (0)1 44 78 12 33

"Decade" - Opening Night with Meredith Pardue

Meredith Pardue's "Decade" opened Thursday night in our gallery. It was a lovely warm evening after our first summer storm. Meredith's new works beautifully embellished the space and set just the right mood for what turned out to be a delightful night. Thanks to our all our friends who came to the show!!

Take a peak at the installations:

Most Expensive Work of Art Ever Sold At Auction: Giacometti's "Walking Man" Breaks The Record

Alberto Giacometti’s life size bronze, “L’Homme Qui Marche I” (Walking Man) made history last month becoming the most expensive work of art ever to sell at auction; it sold for £65, 001,250 ($100.3 million) at Sotheby’s of London on February 3, 2010. The final sale price just beat the previously held record, set in 2004 by Pablo Picasso’s “Garcon a la Pipe” (Boy With A Pipe) at $100.1 million, but stunned bidders and bidding wannabes from all over the world anticipating a sale price closer to the estimated £12–18 million. Kind of ironic for a bronze sculpture with existentialist themes…

"L'Homme Qui Marche I" at auction at Sotheby's London.

Working the phones at Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art Auction.

What’s even more ironic is that this record-breaking sale comes at a time of historic, worldwide economic crisis and recession. Obviously there are those who are not feeling the pinch – ten to be exact (ten buyers were involved in the eight minute bidding, narrowing down to two after the bid hit 50 million). According to two London based art dealers, the piece was purchased by Lily Safra, the Brazilian-born widow of Lebanese banker Edmond J. Safra, who died in a fire in his Monaco apartment in 1999. (Forbes says her net worth is $1 billion). The seller, Commerzbank AG, a German bank that inherited the work when it took over Dresdner Bank last year (also a result of the economic crisis), says it plans to use the proceeds to fund philanthropic endeavors…

Giacometti's "Walking Man".

There are two versions of “Walking Man,” I and II, each in editions of six plus artist proofs. The six-foot-high bronze was initially acquired in 1961 by New York art dealer Sidney Janis, who bought it from Galerie Maeght in Paris, according to the auction catalogue. But interestingly enough, these world renowned figures came to be thanks to a New York achitect by the name of Gordon Bunshaft who commissioned Giacometti to create a large group of figures for the outdoor plaza of Chase Manhattan Bank in New York in 1956. The public art project was never completed but it was the American connection that encouraged Giacometti to create larger-scaled works.

Alberto Giacometti.

So just how do works of art fetch such phenomenal prices in today’s economy? Apparently, it’s simple economics - supply and demand. According to Georgina Adam, editor-at-large of The Art Newspaper, the price was so high because there are so few Giacometti sculptures and it was very rare for them to be put up for auction. The Giacometti sale was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. In fact one of the bidders said he had waited 40 years for this work to come up for auction. The sculpture is considered to be one of the most important by the 20th-century Swiss artist.

Alberto Giacometti.

Melanie Clore, Deputy Chairman of Sotheby's, says the answer is five-fold: condition, rarity, reputation of the artist, competition, and confidence that the piece will at least hold its value. "The competition which generated these exceptional results demonstrates the continued quest for quality that compels today's collectors," says Clore.

Giacometti at work.

It makes sense that in times of economic crisis and financial bailouts, investors would be keen to move their moneys towards more tangible investments such as art, antiques, precious metals and stones. And as the returns continue to grow, so will the art market. And if Sotheby’s Impressionest and Modernist auction last mon this is any indication, “la tendance” seems to be moving in an upward direction for now. Investing never looked so good!

Sotheby's employees move works for the Impressionist and Modern Art auction in London.
The large painting is by Gustav Klimt, the still life is by Paul Cezanne.

But you don’t have to be a billionaire to get a glimpse of and appreciate truly fine works of art such as Giacometti’s “Walking Man”. Fortunately for the rest of us, it can be seen in several museums around the world: Carnegie Institute Museum of Art (Pittsburgh, PA), Albright-Knox Art Gallery (Buffalo, NY), National Gallery of Art (Washington DC), Kröller-Müller Museum (Otterlo, Netherlands), Fondation Beyeler (Basel, Switzerland ), Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (Humlebaek, Denmark), Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, IL), Herbert F. Johnson Museum, Cornell University, (Ithaca, NY) and Fondation Maeght (St. Paul-de-Vence, France).

I’ve seen the one in St. Paul de Vence, along with several other works by Giacometti – it’s definitely worth the trip!

Fondation Maeght, St. Paul de Vence, France.

Bronze by Giacometti at Fondation Maeght, St. Paul de Vence, France.

Giacometti figures in courtyard at Fondation Maeght.

Giacometti's "Dog" at Fondation Maeght, St. Paul de Vence.

Giacometti's "Cat" at Fondation Maeght, St. Paul de Vence.

Claude LeBaube (1919-2007)

Born in 1919 in Montmartre (Paris), in the art studio of his grandparents, Hortense Dury-Vasselon et Marius Vasselon, both of whom were accomplished painters, Claude Le Baube lead a life of two passions: sailing and painting.

Claude Le Baube in his studio in Aix-En-Provence. Jean-Marc Fray peruses his work...

Le Baube started drawing very young. He was talented and encouraged by his parents, Marthe Vasselon and Robert Le Baube, excellent illustrators in their own right. As a child, he was a huge fan of Jules Verne and spent countless hours pouring over the lavishly illustrated Hetzel collection of Jules Verne novels which would serve as a source of inspiration throughout his life (for illustrating of course, but perhaps too, for his incredible gift of story telling - another art form he truly mastered during his lifetime).

Front Cover of Hetzel Edition of The Adventures of Captain Hatteras by Jules Verne

Le Baube's love for the sea and sailing led him to the Ecole de Navigation, where he rapidly climbed to the position of Lieutenant. He served as a French Naval officer for the duration of WWII then joined the commercial Navy in 1945 as a Captain.

"Bateaux de Malte"

"La Jeanne d'Arc"

Throughout his 30-year career of voyages around the world aboard naval ships and cruise liners, Le Baube never neglected his love for painting. He always traveled with paint and brushes and set up his easel and canvases in ports of call around the globe. During his visits home, he frequented the Parisian art studios and studied under the masters Fernand Leger, André Lhote and Yves Brayer.

"La Pasteque"

His work includes natural landscapes, seascapes, still life and surreal scenes of mythical or imaginary inspiration. He also painted ships and historical naval battle scenes from all eras with extraordinary precision, exposing his talents as both a gifted artist and an erudite historian. He has illustrated more than 20 books for the French Navy. The last years of his life were spent with his family and two dogs in Aix-En-Provence where he painted profusely when he was not cooking, entertaining family, friends and a wide circle of admirers.

Claude Le Baube at work in his studio in Aix-En-Provence, 2005.

Juliette Fray with "Gabelou".

Jean-Marc in Claude Le Baube's Aix-En-Provence studio, 2005.

"Le Pain".

"Composition".

Commentary by French Art Critic Henri Feyt, 1998.
(Translated from French by Cynthia Fray).

"Armed with uncommon technical skills, this navigator rapidly reveals himself as an excellent seascape artist. The subject of the sea inspires a sense of modesty, deprivation and purity for him. The artist seems to find himself there with his motivations and deep roots geographically close to the somber seas of Normandy. Undoubtedly, the native pallor of the skies we find in his work comes from there, as does an undeniable sensation of a free existence - one that, above all, cherished the sea.

Claude’s evolution might have stopped there if, at the age of navigational retirement, which is to say still relatively young, he hadn’t latched onto what we could call the pictorial adventure of his life.

In this new venture, at once original and ambitious, the artist-sailor who’d forgotten nothing of his origins, will attempt, in his own way, to sail back up the river of Time in order to capture, as if by a series of snapshots that would become canvases, some references or striking memories.

The artist disposes with but a mere skiff for this expedition: a dozen object-symbols, who take turns in compositions or juxtapositions that might appear insolent, if, during this long voyage, these object-symbols hadn’t visibly sympathized with one another under a wand of eminent and sensitive coherence.

Thus an impression of temperate surrealism is born, where the author never crosses the frontier of the unconscious in this symbolic voyage through the mist of memory. Carrying at heart, of course, the secret dream of every life’s end: to perhaps brush against the youth of roses once more ….

Refinement and light nostalgia are his travel companions."

Awards:
La Jeune Peinture - Marseille 1960; 1st Prize
Concours du Palais Royal - Paris 1965; 1st Prize

"Bataille de la Hague".

"Plante".

"Le Normandie".

"Nature morte".

"Chapeau de paille".

"Bleu".

Five Minutes With Artist Meredith Pardue

Meredith Pardue, one of Louisiana's hottest contemporary artists in the art world today (soon to be one of Austin's own!) was in town last week for her latest exhibit entitled "Unbound (Seven Parts of a Rainstorm)". The show opened in our gallery Thursday evening to an enthusiastic and receptive crowd. Thanks to all who joined us, including Meredith, the show was a success, and a memorable evening for all.

Afterwards we sat down with Meredith for a lovely conversation about her work, her inspiration and some insight into her life as an artist. Enjoy...

Meredith Pardue

Jean-Marc Fray: Meredith, when did you decide to become an artist?
Meredith Pardue: I don't think I ever decided to become an artist. I have always painted, and throughout my life it has been the only thing that I have consistently loved and practiced.

JMF: How would you describe your style?
MP: Abstract. The canvases are composed of organic forms that are similar to, and possibly even derivative of, those found in nature, but ultimately the paintings are a visual record of an unplanned dialog between myself and a blank canvas. The marks and forms create a language that reads as something unique to each viewer.

JMF: Where do you find your inspiration?
MP: Music, nature, visual art, weather, human relationships, the general dynamic of living.

JMF: Which artists do you admire and how have they influenced your work?
MP: Cy Twombly, Joan Mitchell, Tom Waits, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell, Jack Pierson, Peter Paul Reubens, Bob Dylan, Franz Klein, Stevie Wonder, Agnes Martin, Joni Mitchell, Robert Rauschenberg, Alberto Giacometti, Richard Diebenkorn. There are so many more, but those are probably the most significant in terms of influence on my work.
I am certain that somehow fragments of what I encounter through sight or sound and the emotional response that accompanies any meaningful experience with a work of art, manifest themselves in my work. That sounds vague, but it is just so subtle and intricate the way things combine together to form something new.

JMF: What’s your favorite medium?
MP: I use oil and water based media on canvas, linen, and paper. I love them all.

JMF: Could you talk a little about your latest series of paintings, “Unbound (Seven Parts of a Rainstorm)” ?
MP: The paintings address the freedom found in chaos, and the clarity that ultimately emerges from scenarios that previously, in their high energy, appeared disorganized. The drips in the paintings occurred at the beginning of the painting process, and I delineated each form in the composition as it sort of emerged from the mess. So, the process of how these paintings were made speaks of the content.

"Unbound (Part One of a Rainstorm)"

"Unbound (Part Two of a Rainstorm)"

JMF: You are a mother of two - how do you juggle parenting and painting?
MP: I just dive into each day face first. I don't think the work I do is any more demanding than what other working mothers do. I set regular office and studio hours for myself, and I feel panicky and nervous if I am not working really hard during those hours. I do not sit down until I get in the bed at night.

JMF: What do you do when you’re not painting?
MP: Spending time with my boys, running, reading, yoga, taking care of the one of the many living things in our house. And I am learning how to cook.

JMF: Any words of advice you’d like to pass on to aspiring artists?
MP: Have a disciplined daily studio schedule and stick to it. Deliver what you promised when you said you would, and you are already ahead of most other artists. Keep the old ego in check...nobody likes a crazy artist. Your work is also your passion, so a moment of gratitude here and there is probably in order.

"Unbound (Part Three of a Rainstorm)"

"Unbound (Part Four of a Rainstorm)"

"Unbound (Part Seven of a Rainstorm)"

Unbound (Seven Parts of a Rainstorm) - on display in our gallery through November 30, 2009. See the whole series here. See more of Meredith's work here.