Tablescapes
Just a Lot Of Pretty Pictures - But Who's Complaining?
I’ve just learned that this beautiful painting, The Basket of Wild Strawberries, by French artist Jean Siméon Chardin, will NOT be coming to the Kimbell Art Museum, in Fort Worth, after all. The Kimbell had been the high bidder - at 24.4 million Euros (roughly $26.4 mil) in March of 2022 - but the Louvre, in Paris, objected to this one leaving France, declaring it a national treasure which should stay in the country - never mind that they already have a fair number of works by Chardin. They set about raising the Euros to keep the treasure there. I don’t blame them - even though I was looking forward to seeing the “treasure” (it really is one) here in Texas. Guess I’ll need to go to Paris to see it - not such a bad think, I suppose.
As consolation, I looked around at some similar works (similar in style and subject) by Houston artists which are already here, and are also treasures, in my estimation. And so, on a lighter note than some of my posts (NO DEATH!), I share them with you. Hope you enjoy them. Happy Sunday!
Randy, thank you for such a beautiful start to this rainy Sunday morning in Chapel Hill. Your selection of paintings is exquisite and brings a happy sigh as I sit here remembering how we looked at beautiful art together in Paris just a year ago this week.
Keep these beautiful paintings in Houston. On the other hand, $26 million. . .