O comme l'Obssession

 Macaron box, 9" x 11'

Do you collect whatever you obsess about?

 Yesterday was press day at the Met so off I went to see the refurbished arms and armor collection initially donated by Dr. Bashford Dean (1867–1928).

 Not necessarily my cup of tea you might think...

 Though very grand indeed.

 It was the obsession factor that grabed me. Bashford's father gave him a book on armor at age 10 and the dye was cast.

 His obsession became life long, though his training was in zoology with a focus on fish. Here Bashford is decked out in Japanese warrior armor acquired during his time in Japan.
FYI: this looked heavy to me but the collection's curator, Donald LaRocca kindly explained, the 50 pounds would be evenly distributed over the body and not at all the hardship one imagines. So feel free to give in to your delusions of knighthood.

 Dr. Dean's helmet collection was displayed thusly at the Met early days. Dean went on to become honorary curator, every summer high-tailing it to Europe by boat  to look for rare finds for the Met (now one of the best armor collections in the US and up there with many European collections thanks to Dean).

 Naturally I was given to think of my own copious collection of Paris macaron cookie boxes...

 And way too many pastry bags gathering dust on the shelf.

Would/could the Met be interested?

 There are still macaron remnents calling out siren-like from the fridge. It's a daily exercise in French delaying skills not to wolf them.

 Paris Macaron boxes, 9" x 11"

The one deterrent that keeps me from eating them, stale as they are since purchase in July of this year is the thought I could use them in a watercolor still life peut-etre?
Why ever does one hang on to these things?

 Admittedly, taking a giant leap of faith, can you imagine your collections.

Gracing the great halls of the Metropolitan Museum like Bashford Dean's?

I can...

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The Steins Collect - Met

 Wouldn't it be nice to receive a French handwritten postcard...

 With an original Henri Matisse drawing on the back?

 The Steins Collect opened at the Met last week. It's a don't-miss exhibit.

 If you're crazy for art/Paris/expat lit/old photos you'll love it.

 A woman looking very Gertrude Stein-esque.

The Stein siblings—Gertrude, Leo, Michael (and his wife Sarah)—were important patrons of modern art in Paris during the first years of the 20th century. This American family collected hundreds of artworks by a group of relatively unknown artists with whom they became close friends.The Steins opened their apartments on Saturday evenings  to anyone (just like in Woody Allen's Midnight In Paris) who arrived with a reference in hand. At these salons, scores of international artists, collectors, and dealers passed through their doors in order to see and discuss the latest artistic developments, long before they were on view in museums. This threesome easily fit the classic sib setup in my opinion. Eldest Michael Stein handled the finances and kept them all afloat in their collecting endeavors. Middle son, Leo dropped out of school and wondered Europe - he was first to start buying art. And youngest sib, Gertrude Stein was certainly wild and independent.

 This is a big show. The Stein's varied collections are astonishing. Many paintings will be familiar like Picasso's 'blue period'  figure.

 Or Cezanne's portrait of his son.

 Many you'll see for the 1st time like this Cezanne still life.

 A Matisse sketch of his daughter Marguerite reading.

 One of Leo Stein's first purchases (since there's a dog in it, ahem, I had to show it) - by Raoul du Gardier acquired 1903.

Matisse's painting, 'Tea', 1919. The samovar on the table once belonged to Sarah. She traded it to the artist for a drawing. There are amusing stories behind every painting on display. The Steins only bought from artists they knew personally.

It was not uncommon for Leo to have lunch with Matisse and dinner with Picasso in a single day. Both artists sent the Steins sketches and reports of their works in progress.

 I was enthralled with wall-sized photos of family gatherings...

 Gertrude and Alice at 26, rue de Fleurus.

 Walls covered floor-to-ceiling in treasures. 

The accompanying audio tape is full of historic family anecdotes and Gertrude reading her criptic poems.

 The Met gift shop had me drooling over this Bistro de Paris dinnerware set plus other Paris nonsense - Eiffel Tower dish towels, wine waiter aprons, Gertrude's scarves, mon dieu!

 They have loads of timely reading. I was pleased to see David Downie's Paris, Paris - my current addiction on the Kindle - making it so easy to access Paris while still in NYC.

The Steins Collect is on view till June 3rd 2012 at the Met, so do try to visit. This post is just the tip of a fabulous iceberg.

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More Animal Tails

Do you dream of dating a deer..?
What about two darling deer for a night on the town?
Go dancing with a handsome ram...

Or better yet a menage a trois with three handsome dandies...

Nothing wrong with swanning around town with your best pals...

Or throw on your best kimono for a closer look at the Met's Storytelling in Japanese Art

Scrolls and screens of delightfully well dressed animals tell the tale of the horoscope.Better a chicken with a pot than within...

'...more than 100 works that span mostly from the 13th to the 19th centuries. At its core are some 20 hand scrolls, or emaki, an ingenious medium evolved from the illustrated sutras that began landing in Japan from China in the eighth century as part of the spread of Buddhism'.

A mouse party that raises havoc before...

The mouse bride takes her vows...

A game of Go post-wedding festivities - there's nothing these elegant pets don't get up to and in to - at the Met till may 6, 2012.

Back to Bergdorfs where a bunny studies animal tendencies in depth...

Bonjour Deer PBers!

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