Antique Vanity/Desk from Venice

 

Venetian Hand-Painted Vanity/Desk

 

An absolute gem! This Venetian desk/vanity is a fantastic, one of a kind find! Delicate proportions, 5 drawers, hand-painted, with a fabulous gold sheen, and a marvelous patina; a charming relic straight from the Old World right to your home.
Ref TT37

 

Dali Au Centre Pompidou, Paris

An exhibit of the works of the great Surrealist painter, Salvador Dali is now showing at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Known for his flamboyant and eccentric behavior, and his unique take on his own art, Dali's work is some of the most recognizable in the world. Often criticized by critics and scholars for his subject matter and his commercialized involvement with Hollywood, his collaborations with fashion and interior design; the most famous of which is his design of the lips sofa based on his painting Face of Mae West Which Can Be Used as an Apartment (c. 1974).

Face of Mae West Which Can Be Used as an Apartment (c. 1974)

The Mae West Room at the Centre Pompidou exhibit, Paris

In 1939, the leader of the Surrealist movement, André Breton, coined an uncomplimentary nick-name for the Catalan painter Salvador Dalí. Avida Dollars, an anagram of Dalí’s name, translates phonetically into the French avide à dollars, or ‘eager for dollars.’ It marked, with little subtlety, Breton’s disapproval of Dalí’s commercial success. Dalí, who had been a member of the Surrealist group for a decade, was thereby excommunicated (designodaily.com).

Dalí's major contribution to the Surrealist Movement was what he called the "paranoiac-critical method," a mental exercise of accessing the subconscious to enhance artistic creativity. The active juxtaposition of dreams and subconscious thought to reality, for Dali, became a way of life. This major retrospective of the artist's works, both known and unknown, aims to reconcile his reputation as a sell-out, accused of moneymaking and self-publicity with his status as a respected Surrealist painter. The exhibit will include:

Portrait of Pablo Picasso in the 21st Century

Dormeuse, Cheval, Lion Invisibles

Guillame Tell

Dalí
Centre Pompidou - Place Georges Pompidou - Paris 4e
Exhibit through March 25, 2013.