First Class in the Louvre
As mentioned in my first post, one of the classes I am taking in Paris is called “Images of Domestic Life in the Louvre”. This was a topic that did not interest me at all initially, however, once I learned that the majority of the class would take place in the museum itself I reserved a place immediately. The opportunity to take a class in the Louvre under the tutorial of a Stanford classicist is a one-in-a-lifetime chance! How could I pass it up?
I awoke early this morning to finish my reading for the class and also to head over to the museum early to obtain my Student Card. As a “student of art history” I get a free pass to freely enter the museum during operational hours. So for the next two months I have unobstructed access to some of the world’s finest and most precious art! I am awed.
The entrance to the museum was bustling today, probably due to the tourists seeking shelter from overcast skies and wishing to share outdoor ventures for a clearer day. Once our group got underway we dove into the museum, walking through several halls to reach our destination. How devastatingly beautiful! Any single piece in that museum on its own would be worth seeing, yet the overwhelming power of those pieces together in grand ball rooms lined with marble and gold, cannot but elevate one’s spirit. Yet at the same time I despaired in the fact that I would not be able to see every piece and give it its due attention. Then again, if my greatest problem at the moment is not enough time to wander art galleries, I think I am getting by just fine.
Today’s class dealt primarily with Greek pyxis, small circular containers that women used to hold jewelry and cosmetics. What surprised me the most regarding these simple, domestic devices was the wide variety of scenes portrayed on the pottery. One has a girl gazing into a mirror; another, a bride preparing for a wedding; a third, the Sirens singing their bitter-sweet songs of temptation. The class then proceeded to four 17th century Dutch paintings. Small, yet exquisite (and more interesting than before due to the assigned reading which dealt with the development of the “home” in the Golden Age of the Dutch and how that influenced the art) the paintings portrayed various domestic activities, most often in dark hues.
A question that puzzled me at the time, and seemed to puzzle the entire class when asked by Professor Peponi, was why such art would be worth purchasing for hanging in one’s home. For example, why would someone want a painting of a woman peeling apples in their home. What purpose does it serve? The best that I can come up with at the moment is that women attempted to glorify their mundane chores by mirroring the actions- however trivial- of the depictions of such high art. I am more than open to ideas if anyone is so inclined to email me.
As a preview, this weekend we have our quarterly Bing Trip. It is so-called in honor of Mrs. Bing, a patron of the overseas study program, and attempts to open students up to various cultural experiences. We will be traveling to the Loire Valley. The weather as of now looks iffy… I hope it holds out so that our wanderings will be dry! But now I must sleep for class tomorrow (a visit to the Notre Dame crypt with Professor Martin!).
Yours truly,
Austin
