Súper clarity

Club Deportivo Miguel Hidalgo (1955)

Vladimir Kaspé (1910–1996) was a Russian-Mexican mid-century modernist architect, born in Harbin, China. He moved to Paris in 1926 and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts from 1929 to 1935. In 1942 he emigrated to Mexico.

Migratory movements and political changes generated mainly in Europe during and after the wars favored fundamentally architectural production in the American continent during the 20th century.

The Russian architect put his stamp on the country with the use of local materials and understated aesthetics of their designs. Vladimir Kaspé’s work was characterized by its austere elegance, his good sense in dealing with the materiality of his works and for valuing only the essentials without formal displays and with clarity and moderation.

Among its main architectural works is the Súper Service Lomas (demolished in 2011).

 Club Deportivo Privado, detalle de la fachada de la piscina (1955)

 Detalle de la fachada posterior, Casa en Lomas, Montes Cárpatos, Lomas de Chapultepec (1952)

 Edificio de departamentos (1958)

 Edificio de la Escuela de Economía, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, México (1954)

Laboratorios Roussel, México (1956)

 Súper Servicio Lomas (1948-52) 

 Súper Servicio Lomas (patio interior)

Súper Servicio Lomas (garaje)

Interested by mid-century modernism in Mexico and Detroit? Check this tumblr out.

Le plus vieux Paris

Arènes de Lutèce, Paris © Timothy Keefe (2007)

C’est par pur hasard, lors du percement de la rue Monge dans le Ve arrondissement sous le Second Empire, que l’on découvre les Arènes de Paris, construites au 1er siècle.

Travaux d’excavation de la rue Monge, gravure de Burn Smeeton d’après
Jean Louis Provost, Journal Universel, Paris (1868)

Grâce aux grands travaux de la capitale entrepris par les restructurations de la ville par le préfet Haussmann, l’archéologue Théodore Vacquer met au jour les origines gallo-romaines de Paris.

Excavation des Arènes de Lutèce (1869)

Arènes de Lutèce (1910)

Vieux Paris – Arènes de Lutèce

To throw down the glove

Max Klinger (1857–1920) was a German symbolist painter, sculptor, printmaker, writer. His best known work is a series of 10 etchings, Paraphrase on the Finding of a Glove, published in 1881. Guess what? Max Ernst and Giorgio de Chirico were fan of him.

“Sur une patinoire, une jeune femme perd un gant. Un homme le ramasse. Ce gant devient l’objet d’un fétichisme délirant.” 
Paraphrase on the Finding of a Glove (ALL)

Sur les ailes d’un moulin

Ça a commencé ici: j’aime tout sur cette page.
De là, j’ai trouvé Zarou, artiste français né en 1930 à Gassin.

 La Camargue

 La Camargue

 La Camargue

 La Camargue

 La Camargue

 Le vieil olivier

 Taureaux en Camargue

 Taureaux en Camargue

La Camargue abrite un patrimoine vivant exceptionnel.

Russian retro space matchbox

 « In space, nobody can hear you scream. Nor can they give you a light if you need one, so Russian cosmonauts always had their matches with them, just in case they met a papierosy-puffing alien.»
– Nick Sweeney

2 January 1959: USSR launches Mechta (Luna 1) for 1st lunar fly-by, 1st solar orbit

3 November 1957: USSR launch Laika the dog into space aboard Sputnik II

4 October 1957: launch of Sputnik 1

4 October 1957: launch of Sputnik 1

Source: Jane McDevitt’s search (flickr)

Jane McDevitt’s albums (flickr)

Matchbox vintage Google images

Marie van Goethem

Edgar Degas: La petite danseuse de 14 ans (1881)

Little Dancer of Fourteen Years is a two-thirds life size (99 cm) sculpture by Edgar Degas of a young student of the Paris Opera Ballet dance school, Marie van Goethem.

Chris Costello: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen

 Chris Costello: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen 

Chris Costello: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen 

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, by Edgar Degas

« Now adored, this original wax version of Edgar Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen was reviled by most critics when it was shown at the 1881 impressionist exhibition in Paris.» Explore This Work


Between 1878 and 1881, Edgar Degas drew, painted and sculpted Marie van Goethem in artworks including Dancer with Fan, Dancing Lesson, Dancer Resting, numerous preparatory sketches and most famously in La petite danseuse de 14 ans. He frequently attended ballet performances at the Paris Opera and often observed classes at the dance school. By posing for Degas, Marie likely earned five to six francs per four-hour sitting.

Edgar Degas: Three Studies of a Dancer in Fourth Position

 

Amy Littlesugar, Ian Schoenherr: Marie in Fourth Position