I visit The Louvre for the 2nd time. Visiting this museum for the 2nd time, I was free from the stress to see the “Must See” artworks like Mona Lisa and The Winged Victory. This time I was searching for Dutch Artworks in the Room 844 – Paintings of North Europe. Why? Because Vincent van Gogh once said:
In the Louvre, I still return with great love to the Dutch, Rembrandt first and foremost — Rembrandt whom I once studied so thoroughly …
Letter to Emile Bernard, Arles, 26 June 1888.
It was not very easy to find the Room 844, my heartfelt thanks to my friend, who was so committed to help me find it.
St. Matthew and the Angel by Rembrandt
Listen — Frans Hals’ flesh colours are also earthy, that’s to say in the sense you know. At least often. There’s also sometimes — I almost dare say always — a relationship of contrast between the tone of the clothes and the tone of the face.
Vincent van Gogh
Letter to Theo
Nuenen, on or about Tuesday, 20 October 1885
The Lute Player by Frans Hals
You know the strange and superb portrait of a man by Rembrandt (no more true, but may be by his student) … … I don’t know why, but I always call that portrait ‘the traveller’ or ‘the man coming from far away’.
Vincent van Gogh
Letter to Theo (Arles, Monday, 17 or Tuesday, 18 December 1888)
Young Man with a Stick or The Traveller by a student of Rembrandt
St. Matthew was paying attention to the message given by the angel when writing. The colourful Lute Player was playing and singing to entertain the audience, this painting also has another name called A Fool with a Mandoline. Was he a fool or a musician or both? The confused, tired and rootless Traveller with his Wanderstab (walking-stick). These deep portraits with soul by Dutch painters mentioned by Vincent touched my heart.
Other than to have found the paintings I was longing to see, by visiting the Louvre for the second time, I gave myself a chance to discover many beautiful paintings other than “Must See”. One of many paintings I saw was the painting below (part of it). Guess the story! Hint: A statue comes alive, Greek myth.
The answer is Pygmalion and Galatea (By Anne Louis Girodet de Roucy Trioson)
The Louvre 2nd time, rather than let the guide tell me what should be important, I knew what touches my heart and search for it. Also, I was open minded to discover those beautiful paintings that did not make into the guide. I realized I’ve changed a lot since my last visit.
Note:
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https://youtu.be/S-SMJubfXRM
Contents:
How does it feel like to visit a place for the 2nd time?
The Louvre
Parisian Café
French Dinner
Montmartre
Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur
- If you missed the Paris Vlog Day 1, you can view it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LROAXIMz5rI
Contents:
The meaning of travelling
Arc de Triomphe
Avenue des Champs – Elysées
Shakespeare and Company Bookstore
Le Petit Prince Store
Evening Programme
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- I visited Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, what I’ve learned from him? Read this:
https://thejourney-writing.com/2023/04/to-say-something-consoling-like-music.html