About the Louvre With Apologies to The Masters

Posted on April 1, 2018 by sherrijeanmccullochart

Originally, I had planned on visiting the Louvre every morning of my trip. I thought I would get up early and just go and be with the beautiful paintings. I imagined sitting and gazing and sketching. I did go to the Louvre my first day ever in Paris, with those intentions, but Louvre reality was not my vision.

The Louvre is huge. Huge even for a palace…I think…but I don’t really know palaces outside of the one at Disneyland. And it’s got layers to it. Wide titanium white passages, ups, downs, and sideways, and amazing light letting ceiling on the top floor. And in this huge space are huge masterpieces; huge and dark masterpieces. I had a really hard time believing that the crushing crowd I was part of was being trusted around so much priceless art. It made me dizzy, or maybe that was the jet lag.

I mentioned they were huge and dark, these masterpieces. I’ve long been enamoured with the idea that language is unique for each of us because we give each word a meaning that is constructed by our own experience. For me, I think I gave masterpiece a meaning something like….best of the best, beautiful, makes me feel wonder and awe in a lifting sense. My new meaning is a highly revered work painted by a man during dark times for women.

I didn’t enjoy them the way I’d anticipated, not even the Mona Lisa.

They were like looking into an abyss. They were all about religion, warring, and reclining naked women often being suckled by really ugly man faced babies. (I didn’t,t take pictures of those).

I guess I knew this is what was at the Louvre but seeing so many of these pieces together was startling. I thought a lot about what I was seeing in this collection and what it represented as a period in art history. I noted the absence of femal artists and I wondered what they would have painted. I recognized my personal love of light and colour were needs not being met. I became so grateful for living now, when I can compare art of different periods, turn on the lights, and be free to say, the work of the old masters doesn’t really appeal to me.

Category: UncategorizedTags: art, art movements, france, The Louvre, The Masters

3 Comments on “About the Louvre With Apologies to The Masters”

Cathy Waet
April 2, 2018

Hi Sherri, Barry just dropped in for coffee on his way home and gave me the shortened version of your time in Paris. I can’t wait to hear how your painting time will go in the country. Enjoy! Love and miss you, Cathy

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- sherrijeanmccullochart
  April 3, 2018
  
  It’s been wonderful so far, Cathy! And the painting has begun!
  
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Writes for cookies
April 3, 2018

Hi Sherry, I get that, it would feel overwhelming to me too – and I’d feel downhearted about the portrayals of women/girls. I guess, in a way, it can be a reminder of how important feminism is and that we shouldn’t take women’s rights nowadays for granted.

Still, glad you are experiencing it all! I told one of my teachers at SMS about your adventure, and she gasped, “ahh, that would be my dream come true!” I shared your blog with her – hope that’s okay?

Carol

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