Van Gogh's Muse -- Agostina Segatori

Posing for shining names of
the Parisian art scene such as
Van Gogh, Dantan, Corot,
Gérôme, Delacroix and Manet,
this senora of Italian descent,
came into the world in the
seaport city Ancona, in 1841.
In her adopted hometown,
Paris, she set up the Café du
Tambourin, which was initially
nestled in rue de Richelieu,
before reopening at 62 Boulevard
de Clichy in 1885. A cabaret
kicked off a new episode of the
location which was artistically
announced by a poster created
by Jules Chéret.

It goes without saying that its interior decoration was
graced by Dantan's and Van Gogh's works. The latter
even used this Parisian cafe as a location for his first art
display. Further exhibitions featuring names such as Paul
Gauguin, Louis Anquetin and Émile Bernard followed suit.
In exchange for their wall-embellishing donations all the
artists were offered free meals. Bankruptcy was the
consequence. Closed, reopened and renamed in Cabaret
de la Butte in 1893, this little boîte changed its proprietor
repeatedly by the end of the century, renamed for the third
time to Cabaret des Quat'z'Arts.

This oil-on-canvas-painting shows Madame Segatori through
Van Gogh's eyes.Wile trying to transmit her identity, his main
goal was to convey his feelings for her and his distinctive idea
of his model. By focusing on color and brushstrokes the artist
aimed to show her inherent qualities, traits of character and his
personal relationship towards her. Implemented in the colorful,
bright surface is an ideology of the artist inherent: while
pursuing his goal of depicting his emotions toward Senora
Segatori he also sought to display his involvement with the
model.   

Portrait of an Italian woman;
Vincent Van Gogh, 1887
Musée D'Orsay, Paris
       

A Hairy Tale

Brunet is a drag! Blond is a bitch!
Hairy dreams come true when
Lady Gaga's personal coiffeur
sets his hands on any strand of
hair: Charlie le Mindu is
celebrity hairdresser, coiffeur extraordinaire, Enfant Terrible
among the hairstylists and
hair-raising, shape-shifting
dynamo of coiffeur. His
statement-making creations
include wigs, hair-dresses and extravagant head coverings one
can spot on Lady Gaga -- his
devoted fan -- or at Vava Dudu's
models. In June 2013 he
dreamed up some attention
grabbing window creations for
the Galeries Lafayette in Paris.

Futuristic styles, animal-like masks, controversial looks and transcendental get-ups: models sport opulent XXL creations on
their heads -- only!

J'adore!

In Harmony

Sprawling majestically over the Thames, flaunting the Borough of Southwark in the heart of London, this blue-tutu-sporting prima ballerina has been doing the split at tourist's and local's feet since its opening in June 1894. While being a suspension talent with an ability to foldaway (bascule), she is a real looker, flattering the sky on sunny days while contrasting the river's mystical hues. Feast your eyes on
the one-of-kind scenery while
strolling 42 meters above London's
river. For special occasions access
the high level walkways, pay a visit
to the luxurious North Tower Lounge
and drop in to see the majestic
Victorian Engine Rooms. This
tradition-steeped icon is a pièce de
résistance and a great example of
Victorian Gothic design.

Birthplace of the Renaissance

This precious oasis, in the heart
of Italy's Tuscany, is where
culture, tradition and spirituality
have been ubiquitous and vividly
alive in its 600 years of
extraordinary cultural activity.
Ranked as the world's 72nd most
visited city*, declared as a world
heritage site** and honored as one
of the most beautiful cities in the
world***, Florence is "the promised
land " to all culture-lovers, art-
connoisseurs, architecture-mavens,
museum-goers and fashionistas.

Pre-eminent, statement-making
sights such as the artistic and
architectural masterpiece the
Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral,
the church of Santa Croce, the
San Giovanni Baptistery, the
Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti
Palace, grace the old town of
Florence, drawing each year a
bazillion of visitors who stroll
the piazzas and vicolos in search
of the taste of La Dolce Vita
or divine inspiration.

Being home to famous
masterpieces of painters
extraordinaire such as Giotto,
Brunelleschi, Botticelli and
Michelangelo, Florence is
called the birthplace of
Renaissance and has been an
influential artistic vein ever
since the powerful Medici
family ruled it in 15th and 16th
centuries.  

*Euromonitor International
**UNESCO
*** Forbes

Petite Danseuse

This 14-year old ballerina cast in bronze
depicts barefacedly the Paris Opera
milieu and exudes a vibrant character of
The Perfect danseuse of the artist's time
in a pleasure-seeking society. A tulle tutu,
real bodice and shiny pink satin ribbon in
her hair embrace a haughty pose of a
wispy body patinated in various colours.
Overwhelming is her flagrant self-
confidence and imprudent sense of being.

Musee d'Orsay, Paris

Edgar Degas (1834-1917)
Small Dancer Aged 14

Amor Victorious

'Love conquers all; let us all yield to
love':
Caravaggio, the painter of Amor Vincit
Omnia (love conquers all), illustrates
a line from Virgil's Eclogues X.69. In
his painting from 1601, a playful spirit
accompanies an acrobatic pose of a
nude, slender body. Embraced by black
eagle wings and radiating a vivid smile,
this Roman cupid is about to descend
from a pile of human endeavours: music,
science, war, and government. A
dramatic interplay of light and shadow
mingles with a photographic clarity of
the vigorous subject. Allegorical
symbols play an important role alongside
naturalistic details: from the crooked grin,
dirty feet, crimson cheeks and tousled
head of hair.
 

Caravaggio, 1601
Oil on Canvas
The Gemäldegalerie, Berlin

The Role of Air

A mysterious inner space, embraced
by two slender right hands reflects
the suspense of emptiness:
This arrangement -- created by
Rodin in 1908 and assembled
from two different statues --
perfectly pictures the importance
of air in the sculptor's work. The
artist's passion and fondness for
these hands is being emphasized
by isolation while creating an
autonomous entity and generating
a throughout harmonious
atmosphere. Deep relaxation and
the release of tensions are being
evoked by focusing on the
sculpture's curves and structure of
surface. Visible toolmarks on the
stone underline the nature and
liveliness of human hands.

Foto: 'The Cathedral'

Musee Rodin
79 Rue de Varenne
75007 Paris