Mucha's Belle Epoque jewellery shop at the Musée Carnavalet.

The interior and exterior of this jewellery shop were specifically designed in 1901 by the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha for the jeweler Georges Fouquet. It is a spectacular example of Belle Epoque (Art Nouveau) and certainly one of the most sophisticated spaces I have seen in my life. Check out the jewellery display cabinets! Nina...This one is for you...

Paris 70 years of liberation celebrations in full swing.

Parisians were out in full force yesterday to celebrate 70 years of liberation in a sunny Paris. The city had a palpable energy on every street! Her code was 'Rainer' and she had a gun called 'Oscar'. Not yet 20 a young female medical student on a bicycle took up a gun, aimed at a Nazi officer and shot him dead on a Paris bridge on a Sunday afternoon. That deed on July 23, 1944, was Madeleine Riffaud's summons to Parisians to rise up against the oppressor.

Henrique Oliveira at Palais de Tokyo.

Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira is currently exhibiting his exceptional 'Baitogogo' installation at Palais de Tokyo. This matrix of branches or roots unravels and twists from existing pillars and beams. The artist uses reclaimed wood consisting mainly of Tapume wood retrieved from the streets of São Paulo to create references of his Brazilian culture and identity. I just love the poetic interaction  between the architectural and organic/natural forms!

Art Deco room with silver leaf, Museum Carnavalet.

Another 'hidden gem' in Paris! In the free Museum Carnavalet there is one Art Deco ballroom completely covered with hand painted silver leaf. It was done by using 'transparent' oil glazes on top of the silver leaf. The whole space is lacquered and shiny. The painted subject matter definitely shows a penchant for exoticism. The clock is to die for... What I wouldn't give!

Museum Cluny ' s Medieval Collection. WOW!!!

Museum Cluny (also referred to as the "Moyen Age's collection" is one of the lesser visited museums in Paris, but a certain 'knock out'! I am beyond impressed!!! The museum has one of the largest and most important Medieval collections in the world. The museum is mostly known for it's "Lady of with the Unicorn" tapestries which consists of 6 large scaled tapestries done in the late 15th century and are valued for their harmonious colours, poetic elegance and are an allegory of the senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch). Amita was in heaven... Certainly worth another visit! Thank you Claudio D'Ogistini for your recommendation! 

Monet at L'Orangerie.

This is a close - up of one of Monet's famous water lilies curved panels in L'Orangerie! They are spectacular due to their physical size, ethereal quality and vibrant colours, but defenately need to be appreciated from a distance. Up close the surfaces get a little 'muddy' and 'chalky' at times. The rest of Museum L'Orangerie did not impress me that much. A lot of Renoir,  Cézanne, Derain and Guillaume. If you are in Paris for only a short stay and want to see the Impressionists, rather head for Museum D'Orsay instead!

William Bougerough, "The Virgin with angels".

William Bougerough is my favourite French academic painter! This work is on permanent display in Petit Palais, Paris.  It is impossible to convey the virtuosity of his brush marks in the illustration. It has the smoothness of Ingres, the radiance of Jacques-Louis David, and the sensuality of Caravaggio,  all at once! Superb! The 'kitsch value' also resonates with this 'closet Catholic' deep down... ;-)