Musée Maillol

Paris has so many amazing museums. Some are world famous of course, like the Louvre or Musée d'Orsay. Some are less well known, but still worth a visit. I'd never heard of Musée Maillol, but found it on my wanderings around our neighbourhood in Paris this year. It seems every Paris neighbourhood offers up fascinating gems like this.

The magnificent Fountain of the Four Seasons by Edme Bouchardon
caught my eye from the corner

It certainly looked intriguing. I couldn't resist.

They were having a Murano glass exhibition
I don't think I'd ever been to a glass exhibition before
and didn't quite know what to expect

It was an amazing exhibition showcasing 700 years of Murano glass, with 200 pieces from public and private collections. Sadly photos were interdit, so my stealth photos are pretty ordinary. There was a very informative audio guide available in English (and French of course, and one or two other languages from memory). 

Glassmaking began in Venice in the 10th century, and the industry was moved to the island of Murano in the 13th century because of fears about fire spreading from the dangerous furnaces. The Venetian glassmakers drew on the heritage of both east and west, the legacy of the Roman Empire, and also enamel painting which hadn't been seen in Europe.

My favourite piece
Carrona, Javier Perez
a really cool red chandelier, smashed, with ravens

Everyone stopped to admire it

My audio guide told me that the contrast of textures represented the contrast inherent in the human condition, that crows initially had white plumage, but they were turned black by too much vanity. Interesting, but it seems some folks think about ravens way too much. The audio guide also told me the black represented mourning and the red suffering and destruction. It was a very arresting artwork and much to my surprise I had worked out the artists implications before the audio guide told me!

This one has a "sand" walkway of glass
you can just see the glass steps leading up to the video steps
the glass steps formed then disappeared over again
so that the figure in video was walking away

A collection of glass turkeys in a wire cage
I'm not sure why either

I also got to see a glass covered table made for Napoleon. I was less impressed with the rest of the museum devoted to the afore unknown (to me at least) Aristide Maillol. The paintings were impossible to try to catch a picture of, but I did prefer his sculpture work anyway. I was running short of time at this stage, I imagine these are studies for his larger works. 

The Murano exhibition is now closed, but you can take a quick video tour here.

Musée Maillol
61 Rue de Grenelle
Paris 75007
Open daily 10.30-19.00 (21.30 on Friday)
11 euros
Free for children under 11 (The French love imparting art to their children and many museums are free for kids).

February 2015- sad news today as Musée Maillol announced closure due to bankruptcy.

There is a Dallayou very close by, and I may have popped in after my artistic meanderings. Only to help Mr Wicker along on his eclair challenge mind you.

The lovely man gave me a bonus cerise/pistache macaron!

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