Musee Picasso

The news of the theft of a Pablo Picasso sketchbook from the Musee Picasso yesterday sent shivers down my spine. Although I don't specifically recall seeing the sketchbook with a red cover valued at $12.4 million during my visit, it was shocking nonetheless, especially since no alarms were set off in the museum and there were no signs of a break-in. This magnificent collection of Picasso's work is housed in a former mansion located in the Marais district of Paris and its out of the way location means that it is usually not crowded. (Could that be one of the reasons the thieves targeted this museum?)

The entire museum is devoted to the works of Picasso and includes more than 250 paintings, 180 sculptures and 1,500 drawings. The pieces were acquired by France upon the death of the prolific artist in lieu of death duties. I'd hazard a guess that no other museum in the world can rival this collection of Picasso works.

There is a charming cafe in the garden where you can feast your eyes on this amusing goat sculpture.

I've been a long time admirer of Picasso's work. The energy, creativity and genius that he demonstrated in his lifetime is unparalleled.

Photo credits: Ingrid Mida

Musee Picasso
5 Rue de Thorigny
01 42 71 25 21
Metro: St-Sebastien.

Yves Saint Laurent Retrospective Opens at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco

The Yves Saint Laurent retrospective opened in at the Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco on Saturday.

Having attended the retrospective during its Canadian stop at the Montreal Fine Arts Museum this past summer, I can attest to the magnificence of the show. His designs were not only timeless, elegant but works of art unto themselves. His admiration for artists was evident in a room devoted to dresses that used artwork as their inspiration. He "borrowed" inspiration from paintings by Mondrian, Matisse, Picasso, Warhol, Van Gogh and other artists. He also took inspiration from other cultures (Russia, Spain, Japan, India, Africa), authors (Shakespeare, Apollinaire, Cocteau, Aragon, Wilde), nature, history, and design (redefining the silouette). His genius is apparent in the 130 works of wearable art on display.

And yet, Saint Laurent thought himself to be "a failed painter". ('Sayings of the Week', The Observer, 1 November 1992, p.22) How sad it is to think that this creative genius considered himself a failed artist!

Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco
November 1, 2008 - April 5, 2009
Golden Gate Park
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
www.famsf.org 415-750-3600