Today we have the pleasure to introduce you to world famous works of art: Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Vincent Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait. Are you ready to stroll through the most beautiful Parisian museums? Let's start with the 1st arrondissement of Paris, not far from the magnificent Jardin des Tuileries. The mythical Louvre Museum is waiting for us. We will finish our journey 700 metres away, at the Musée d’Orsay, in the 7th arrondissement, where the works of the greatest artists will amaze you!
Leonardo Da Vinci said: "Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than of seen. ».
THE SECRETS OF THE MONA LISA
We know his work, but do we really know who the man behind the canvas was? Leonardo Da Vinci, of his Italian name, was born in Tuscany on April 14, 1452. Did you know that this man was not only a painter of genius? He was a man with many caps: painter, engineer, scientist, philosopher, inventor, humanist and architect, who still lives today thanks to his heritage. He quickly became a great painter around the age of 15, and first became known for his engineering skills. Very avant-garde, he designs hydraulic machines, imagines the helicopter and so many others. He is just as brilliant as a painter. He trained in painting at a young age, alongside Sandro Botticelli. Today, the Mona Lisa is one of the most famous and protected paintings in history.
Today we are pleased to offer you a very privileged visit of a real masterpiece, the most famous portrait in the world: the Mona Lisa. We will make you discover more closely the one that has always intrigued.
Painted between 1503 and 1506, and if today we think that it is Lisa Gherardini, wife of the Marquis Francesco Del Giocondo, painted to celebrate the birth of the couple’s three children, there is no way to really affirm her identity. The Marquis is said to have asked Leonardo Da Vinci to paint a portrait of his wife for the occasion. Have you ever wondered why this painting by an Italian artist is exposed at the Louvre Museum and not in Italy?
After four years of work, the Marquis not liking the portrait, the painter took it with him to France, refusing to part with it. He eventually ceded it to King Francis Ist. Following his death in 1519, the painting entered the royal collection at the Château de Versailles until 1950. It was in 1805 that Napoleon entrusted it to the Musée du Louvre, one of the most famous Parisian museums. Today, the Louvre in Paris is the public institution with the largest number of his works, including the most famous: The Mona Lisa. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors every day to Room 6 of the Louvre, where it is exhibited. It would be estimated at more than 1 billion euros.
Did you know that the Mona Lisa had been stolen from the Louvre by one of its employees, Vincenzo Perugia? It did not reappear until two years later, when he sold it to an Italian antique dealer: Alfredo Geri. After its recovery, the painting was exhibited in Rome and Florence before being returned to the Louvre in 1914.
In addition to the mystery of the young woman’s identity, her smile and her gaze have also been the subject of many questions over the centuries. Let's analyze it together! Indeed, it would seem that it fades as close as we are to the canvas. The technique used by the painter to paint, the Sfumato, creates a play of shadows and reliefs, at the origin of this optical vision. Doesn't her eyes intrigues you? We have the impression when we look at her that her gaze follows us. Once again, Da Vinci's genius impresses us. When we change our angle she keeps her gaze on us because of the play of light, creating the illusion that Mona Lisa is alive in her painting.
If you have been fascinated by the genius of Da Vinci, you will not be disappointed after our walk. We now take you to another of the most illustrious Parisian Museums. Be assured, you have never seen before, the most beautiful pieces in the world so close to you. Stretching out your arm would be enough to touch the works with your fingertips. Welcome to the Musée d’Orsay.
VAN GOGH: A TORMENTED ARTIST BEHIND HIS SELF-PORTRAIT
If we tell you Vincent Van Gogh? What comes to mind at the mere evocation of his name? Do you think of his severed ear or of his life’s work?
We are pleased to present to you the story of his life and works of art. It is a kind of therapy that Van Gogh sought through painting. An artist with talent and unhappiness in his lifetime during his lifetime, his paintings are nowadays among the most coveted in the world. Extremely tormented from childhood, the artist trained in his uncle’s branches in London, Brussels and The Hague. It is in true self-taught, that the artist makes his weapons in Nuenen in Holland. After the death of his father in 1885, he left for Antwerp, where the art market was not very favourable. He joined his brother Theo in Paris. Paris was a real source of inspiration and encounters for him.
Very close to Paul Gauguin, Van Gogh gradually worked on his palette of colours and his taste for Impressionism.
Later in 1888, it was in Arles that Van Gogh produced nearly 200 canvases. On December 23, 1888, he cut off the lobe of his left ear. Deep traumatic episode that revealed a definite psychiatric disorder.
Van Gogh died in 1890. If the exact reasons and conditions of his death are uncertain, we believe he shot himself in the chest.
Are you familiar with Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait? It should be noted that the artist painted more than 43 self-portraits during his lifetime. This one, exhibited at the Musée d’Orsay, is undoubtedly one of the most famous. The painting was painted in 1889, shortly after the artist voluntarily admitted himself to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France. It is one of many paintings he made during his stay in the asylum, where he continued to paint despite his precarious mental health.
In this self-portrait, Van Gogh represents himself by three-quarters, staring directly at the spectator with an intense and expressive gaze. He wears a green wool jacket and a felt hat with a red trim, which contrast sharply with the dark blue background. The brushstrokes are wide and visible, characteristic of the painter's artistic style, which was influenced by the artistic movements of the time, such as Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.
Van Gogh's Self-Portrait is considered a masterpiece of the artist, highlighting his talents as a colorist and expressionist. It is an important work in the history of modern art, which has inspired many artists since its creation.
Our artistic tour of Paris is coming to an end. We hope you enjoyed these two Parisian visits and that you were charmed by them. Our artistic stroll of Paris is coming to an end, and we hope you have enjoyed it. If you have been charmed by these illustrious paintings and are curious about the art and, above all, the art of living of the painter, we invite you to visit our magnificent hotel: Le Walt. From the moment you walk through the hotel doors, you are transported to a world where art is king. The walls are adorned with magnificent reproductions of iconic paintings, reminding the cultural heritage of Paris. Each room is a work of art in itself, with its own theme and delicate decoration.
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