I have saved my visit to the Louvre for the end of my trip in Paris. Mostly, I planned it this way but also I have struggled here in Paris (more on that later). Paris is grand in every sense of the word and though I traveled to large cities before; c'mon I lived in New
York for 10 years, Paris is larger than life and overwhelming and it's hard to wrap my head around it.
Nowhere is this more evident than the Louvre. It's huge and filled with more artwork than one can possibly contemplate in a lifetime much less a day. So I decided to break it up into manageable bites. And I go straight for the meaty center. That's how I find myself making my way past the throng for the first time at 5pm on a Wednesday; practically a week into my stay. I've come late in the day to see the "highlights", the best of, the top 10. Then tomorrow I can arrive and lazily stroll around knowing I won't miss any of the "biggies".
First up, obviously, the Mona Lisa or more properly, La Giaconda. I brace myself, literally & figuratively. I'm hoping there will be a small mob as opposed to a stadium sized crowd as I've come at the end of the day. Just a quick look to say I've done it and move on, I say to myself. I'm already geared up for disappointment. I mean, this is an image i have seen..who knows how many times. Also, Ive heard, in person, it's small and behind glass and you have to jockey for position among the hoards. All this is true, although it's actually larger than I had imagined in my head. Also, it's spectacular. This is an image I have seen hundreds of times in my life and think I know intimately. Even so, I am surprised when I see her. It's familiar yet completely new. I had often wondered why out of all the wonderful paintings daVinci did, and I have seen many, why was the Mona Lisa the most enduring? And then I stood in front of her and it made me emotional. All around me people were snapping pictures and I wanted to shout,"what are you people doing!" I have stacks of pictures of this image and now know no camera lens can capture it. And so I stand and I stare and she stares back. And I smile and she's smiling back. And even though the 20th person elbows me out of their shot, I feel like ML and I sharing a private moment, a secret and it fills me with emotion and I feel like if I let myself I could cry right now, let go the way you can with a good friend. Hello art, old friend. Thanks for the warm hug.
http://www.lairweb.org.nz/leonardo/monalisa.jpg
When I went, I felt a little let down by ML, but then I turned to my left and saw an enormous DaVinci that I'd only ever seen in books (it's so small in books, I was unprepared for the scale of it). And everyone was so obsessed with Mona that no one was blocking my view. I had my face three inches from it! I stood back and took it all in. That's when I had my shed-a-tear moment...and I wished one of my art school friends was there to hold my hand and see it with me...♥
ReplyDeleteGlad you had your moment! Ya, not sure anyone is even aware that there is anything else in that room but it'd be impressive even without ML. Can't remember which Leo is next to her, is it the Virgin and child with St. Anne? Went to L'Orangerie this morning and pretty much had a mystic/religious ecstasy moment with the water lilies. Need to find a job where you can just look at art and eat croissants all day. Think someone will pay me for that?
DeleteCZ,
ReplyDeleteGreat image of you sharing an intimate moment with Mona Lisa while surrounded by that amoeba-like creature of tourists/photographers. Kind of sums up one of our big problems here in the modern world. As one who could have easily been trying to shoulder you out of the way, I'm glad to be brought back to sanity by your calming voice.
Scott
Thanks Scott..ya loads of people..you would not be a happy camper in that place!
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