A Taste of Paris In May

Spring is the ideal time to visit Paris, when the trees are in full bloom and the days are getting longer.

Apart from the city itself, with its elegant streets, grand historical monuments and luxury shops there are plenty of interesting art exhibitions to see. Visitors are spoilt for choice.

© Agence photographique du musée Rodin - Jérome Manoukian

For sculpture lovers, two Rodin exhibitions are currently showing to commemorate the centenary of the sculptor's death. The first is at the Rodin museum where the great sculptor's work is juxtaposed with contemporary German artist Anselm Kiefer's art. The recently restored "Absolution", a fragile assemblage of three works partly covered by a a plastered fabric shroud, is being shown for the first time. The second Rodin exhibition, in the splendid Grand Palais, is a monumental retrospective showing Rodin's masterpieces in this grandiose and spectacular setting.

At the Louvre, the star exhibition of the season is "Vermeer and the masters of genre painting". This is an opportunity to see 11 small paintings by the master of Delft under the same roof .These treasures are sparsely scattered amongst some very mediocre works by his contemporaries. However,Vermeer's paintings glow with an inner light that make his work unique and radiant. Vermeer only ever painted about 36 works. " The Milkmaid" , "Lady Writing" or 'Woman with a lute" are pure joy to behold in real life. This is attracting serious blockbuster crowds so visit on a late opening night. Runs until May 22.

Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), Le Semeur, Arles, novembre 1888, Huile sur toile, Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum, © Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)

Further along the river Seine at the Musee d'Orsay ," Au dela des Etoiles" (Beyond the stars) is a chance to see some great 20th century artists from Geogia O Keefe to Maurice Denis and their take on esoteric matters and the cosmos.

The Renzo Piano and Richard Rodgers - designed Pompidou Centre is celebrating its 40 year anniversary with a variety of art exhibitions, films and performances. Find the complete programme on www.centrepompidou40.fr

At the Paris Asian Arts museum Guimet an exhibition dedicated to the contemporary French artist Prune Nourry has just opened. The creator of the Terracotta Daughters installation that has travelled the world and is now buried in a secret place somewhere in China, has been invited to exhibit in a poetic response to the museums permanent collection. A giant fragmented bhudda reaches impressively through several floors of the building. www.guimet.fr

Versailles and its gardens are resplendent in spring. To add to the total experience of the chateau, a new Alain Ducasse restaurant has recently opened inside the palace complex, in the Pavillon Dufour, for all day dining. Vegetables are grown seasonally and organically and sourced from the royal 'potager'.

www.ducasse-chateauversailles.com

For Museum Night on 20 May, Versailles will be open free of charge until 1am in the morning.

Last but not least, at the amazing Frank Gehry -designed Louis Vuitton Foundation in the Bois de Boulogne there are three exhibitions on African art currently showing.

Article by Claudia Barbieri

春天是到访巴黎的理想时间，树木开满花朵，白昼变得更长。

除了城市本身，优雅的街道，宏伟的历史纪念碑和奢侈品店，还有许多有趣的艺术展览可参观。对游客来说，充满了选择。

对于雕塑爱好者来说，有两个Rodin展览最近正在展出，以纪念该雕塑家逝世一百周年。第一个展览在Rodin博物馆，这位伟大的雕塑家的作品和同时代德国艺术家Anselm Kiefer的艺术并列展出。最近刚修复的"Absolution"第一次进行展出，这是一件脆弱的三件作品的合集，部分被一件沾满灰的布质寿衣包裹着。第二个Rodin展览在辉宏的Grand Palais展出，是在这个宏伟的背景下对Rodin的大作进行的一次纪念碑式的回顾展。

Gabriel Metsu, A woman reading a letter , 1664-1666. Oil on panel. 52.5 x 40.2 cm, Dublin, National Gallery of Ireland, Sir Alfred and Lady Beit, 1987 (Beit Collection) © Dublin, National Gallery of Ireland

在卢浮宫，本季度的明星展览是"Vermeer和题材绘画的大师们"。这是一次可以在同一屋檐下参观Delft的大师的11幅小型绘画的机会。这些珍宝被分散在他的同时代的画家的一些很普通的画作之间。然而，Vermeer的画作从内在散发出光芒，使得他的作品如此独特而耀眼。Vermeer只画过36件作品。" The Milkmaid" , "Lady Writing"或者 'Woman with a lute"是值得玩味的作品。这吸引了一大群观众在深夜来参观。展出一直持续到5月22日。

再沿塞纳河下去，在Musee d'Orsay，" Au dela des Etoiles"（超越星辰）是参观一些20世纪伟大的艺术家的机会，包括 Geogia O Keefe和Maurice Denis，以及他们关于神秘物质和宇宙的作品。

40 year anniversary with a variety of art exhibitions, films and performances.

The Renzo Piano和 Richard Rodgers设计的Pompidou中心正在通过许多的艺术展览，电影和表演庆祝其40周年。完整节目单请上www.centrepompidou40.fr

在巴黎亚洲艺术博物馆，向当代法国艺术家Prune Nourry 致敬的一个展览刚刚开展。Terracotta Daughters的创作者周游了世界，现在正藏身在中国的某处，被邀请作为该博物馆的永久藏品参展。一个巨大的，分为几个部份的佛像在该建筑的数层间展出。www.guimet.fr

Versailles and its gardens are resplendent in spring

凡尔赛和其花园在春天复苏。为了增加对城堡的总体体验，一个新的Alain Ducasse饭店最近在宫殿内部，Pavillon Dufour，开业，全天可就餐。蔬菜应季且是无机产品。

www.ducasse-chateauversailles.com

最后，在Frank Gehry设计的位于Bois de Boulogne的Louis Vuitton Foundation，有三个关于非洲艺术的展览在展出。

文章由 Claudia Barbieri 所著