France, the Netherlands, Italy Coincidence, happy coincidence ... two exhibitions illustrate the particular situation of France artistic crossroads and meeting point for creative homes in the north and Italy: Rubens and Poussin at the Jacquemart Andre, France in 1500 at the Grand Palais.
The exhibition shows the great palace of the predominance of Nordic, on the French scene in the early 17th century, and the weight of the Flemish Rubens (Baroque, the generous, the move) in orders of the court (see the portrait of Marie de Medici for the Luxembourg Palace) before does not develop his own style "French" inspired by Poussin, leader of the classical school (symbolic, uncluttered, inspired by ancient) from Rome from the mid-century.
A century ago, France ( who was at the same location) was already the hub for travelers from the north and exchanges with the South. Impregnated these two cultures, the French Renaissance has certainly much to envy of its neighbors, but no lack of originality, or color, or strength. The reigns of Charles VIII (1483 - 1498) and Louis XII (1498 - 1515), and both married to Anne of Brittany, form the historical background of the exhibition.
This exposure also hit by the huge variety of exhibits: windows, panels, paintings, sculptures, books, furniture, forming a rich panorama of the French art of the sixteenth century. The bias of the exposure on most of the course, to present works based on their geographical roots (Loire Valley, Paris, Lyon, etc.) and to enlighten questions of aesthetics based on political and geopolitical time is particularly well seen (such as Lyon city remained loyal to the king of France is thanked by a boom in orders, another region passed into English during the war of 100 years is the subject reconquest of a cultural, etc.)..
The purpose of the exhibition is to dispel the myth that France would have kept out of the great upheaval of the Renaissance, essentially a spectator of a phenomenon driven by its neighbors (the discoveries by Portugal and Spain, humanism literate and painting in Italy or in Flanders). Spread the word: the France of 1500 has not been idle, and the French people itself, according to the chronicles of the time, felt proud to participate in a unified kingdom, prosperous and active on the cultural, diplomatic, economic, etc.. I quote the catalog, p25 "France in the 1500s at the dawn of the" beautiful sixteenth century ", is a country that moves, and that the stability and unity. The great English wars are not forgotten ( what has been called since the war of 100 years), so the French accept the constraints of a royalty (...). strong in all this, no breakage or physical or mental thus chivalric values embodied by Louis Bayard and the Tremoille remain on the agenda (...). That is because they were assured their people that Charles VIII and Louis XII, Francis I in the meantime, on behalf of what they considered their rights, dared to try their luck in Italy - Milan, Genoa, Naples. "
While making use becomes a little to hear or read at length on this exhibition period that "no, decidedly middle-age was not a dark period" (because it's something we hear from at least 20 years so everyone should be well aware, and it becomes a stance a bit outdated) and that "no, the Renaissance did not spring ex nihilo suddenly in the darkness", the quality of collected works is enough to make this exhibition a must for the fall. One Sunday morning while the crowd pressed to see Monet, ATM de France 1500 were almost deserted. For how long?
See also the link here
(site of Expo 1500 which will lead France
here) and here
(Rubens exhibition site)
Through Michel Touze (our photo), himself a navigator and officer of Collect-Yew, supports our assiociation Joris De Carlan, a young 22 year old skipper, who will compete in the category " rum "his first Route du Rhum. 
