No Public Restroom Paris, France 2013

I’m sure there’s an alternate explanation, but that’s the first title that came to my mind when I queued up this photo for use as a POTD.]]>

Best of the Best Paris, France 2013

The Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo notwithstanding, the scupture Winged Victory of Samothrace is for my money the most memorable and impressive work of art in the Louvre.]]>

Gallery Fatigue Paris, France 2013

We bought six day passes that allowed us into almost all of the museums in Paris. Since we are here for three weeks it would have been nice to have spaced out those six days over that whole period of time. Unfortunately the passes cover only consecutive days so we had spent some long days trying to fit in as much as we could. A friend who works for an accreditation organization for museums once told us that gallery fatigue typically sets in after just a couple of hours; after that you are not only tired from standing around so much but also begin having difficulty appreciating yet another spectacular piece of art (not to mention all the lessor works). Still, we gave fighting off the fatigue our best shot and succeeded fairly well most of our six days.]]>

Under the Pyramid Paris, France 2013

This may be what had the guy from yesterday’s POTD as well as me a little concerned: the view of the crowd streaming down the stairs from the main entrance to the Louvre (under I.M. Pei’s famous Pyramide de Louvre).

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Another Happy Camper Paris, France 2013

I can’t  tell whether this fellow is ecstatic about the art work at the Louvre where he resides or going bonkers due to all the crowds shuffling through the galleries. I know I felt both ways myself at times during our visit there. Maybe it’s a self-portrait.]]>

The Evolution of Rodin Paris, France 2013

These three sculptures at the Rodin Museum don’t really have anything to do with evolution–or at least I don’t think they do. But I thought this lineup (a composition actually spotted by the Fashion Queen) looked very much like part of one of those old textbook illustrations of the steps in the evolution of man.]]>

Bowie is God Paris, France 2013

I thought it was odd to come across this David Bowie poster just a few days after I posted this POTD photo of a guy on the street in a similar pose. What is even more odd perhaps is that even though the words on the poster are in English rather than French, I still don’t really have much of an understanding about its message.]]>

Art is What You Make It Paris, France 2013

Aside from it’s inherent characteristics, how we react to art is also a reflection of our background, our experience and the times in which we live. So, after walking around Paris seeing so many tourists using their mobile phones to take self-portraits of themselves with famous sights or art in the background, you have to forgive the Fashion Queen and I for having the obvious reaction to this otherwise rather fine piece of sculpture at the Louvre. I’m sure it had a more historically plausible interpretation (although all the signage was in French), but sometimes you have to go with your gut reaction.

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21st Century Mona Paris, France 2013

A new-age La Joconde striking a pose at the Hôtel de Ville on  drizzly evening.

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The Road Less Traveled Paris, France 2013

The next street over from the busy one in yesterday’s POTD. Guess which one I actually walked down?]]>