Rodin Museum, 1

In all our visits to Paris, we had never been to the Rodin museum. As noted in previous posts, we just don't bring that much to the appreciation of sculpture. And Rodin is definitely not our favorite. (We never miss a Bernini). Anyhow, we finally made it, spending several hours and even having a picnic on the grounds after seeing the museum interior. It's a very large affair, considering...and people who like this sort of thing will find it just the sort of thing they like. All this on June 15th.

The main hotel...one of several structures on the site...where the interior
museum collection is; Rodin lived and worked here the last couple decades
of his long life

His most famous creation (copy #12,402); and me

Himself

La Defence, sketch, 1879

Not one of the countless burgers of Calais 

Pano of one of the larger salons

All in a row

Test Kiss; note the grossly over-sized hands...a constant
feature with Rodin

Marble Kiss; note hand

Rare dorsal view of the Three Shadows; the Renaissance featured a huge
discussion of which was superior...painting or sculpture; sculptors emphasized
their three-dimensionality; I'm still supporting painting...

Another of the countless burgers

Typical interior of the hotel

Recreation of how Rodin decorated the place, with his and others'
art works

Helpful chronology of Rodin's life

Victor Hugo

Typical upstairs room

Pallas Athena and the Parthenon; not one of his triumphs

Rodin collected widely and supported other artists;
here, one of several van Goghs

Monet, Belle-Ile en Mer, 1886

Renoir, Female Nude, 1880

Study for Crucifixion

Iris, part of a study for the Victor Hugo monument; muy

controversial; Rodin's answer to Courbet's Origin of the World?

Rodin in His Studio, Rene Avigdor, 1897

The Age of Maturity, Camille Claudel, 1893; Rodin's special lady friend

Spare parts; fortunately, plaster of Paris could be locally
sourced 

No Kings In Paris

Paris had its own No Kings demonstration, small by US standards, mostly expats, as far as we could tell, but we were sure to be there...

In the Place de la Bastille, of course

National Archives And The Marais

When we had an apartment in the Marais (2021?) we had vowed to visit the National Archives, a stately old historic complex within a few blocks. We never did. But this time we did it, in part thanks to our Passion Monuments pass. Not surprisingly, there was no line to get into the National Archives, and we seemed to be the only tourists...

Entrance

Of course, there is the new, much larger Archives complex elsewhere in
Greater Paris; this is the historic one

'Twas the Archives Museum we were headed for

Helpful model of the Bastille, the site of which is just a few blocks away

Lots of records

Contemporary exhibit

Cursive is no longer taught in US schools, we understand, thereby
obviating Louis XIV's concerns

Some of the Archivist's offices and quarters

Helpful model of the Archives complex

Archives bookstore

Seriously

More upstairs, but we found the staircase daunting

Now in the Archives Garden, which we found disappointing,
almost umkempt

Walking in the Marais, toward the Place de la Bastille

Contemporary sculpture

Paris' original public library

In the Vosges

Victor Hugo's house...next time

Interim Update #1,288

American flew us back to Cary, via Philly, on June 27th, where we have been since, unpacking, sorting, repacking, continuing our outfitting of the "camper." We will be here several more days, then will set forth on our North American road trip. The blog will remain in Paris for a while longer, with a dozen or so more posts to go....

Our temporary storage/workroom...note that it's a corner office, with a view