France Magazine #96 - Winter 2010-11

FRANCE MAGAZINE

the best of culture, tr avel & art de vivre

W int e r 2 010 -1 1

gauguin: maker of myth • the BOcuse d’or • un des meilleurs ouvriers de france • Georges Borchardt

WINTER 2010-11

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No.96

2011’S HOT COMPETITIONS: The Bocuse d’Or & Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France

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Winter 2010-11 features 26 Art’s Fabulous Fabulist The largest Gauguin show in 20 years probes the fantasies, halftruths and untruths perpetuated by the ever-fascinating artist

by Sara Romano

40 Heated Competitions Scores of chefs are frantically preparing for the world’s most arduous culinary competitions: the Bocuse d’Or and Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France

by Lisa Abend and Tina Isaac

departments 5 The f: section Culture, Books, Film, Music, Travel, Shopping, Food & Wine edited by Melissa Omerberg

24 Littérature Georges Borchardt

by Roland Flamini

54 Calendrier French Cultural Events in North America

by Tracy Kendrick

60 Evènement France Magazine’s 25th Anniversary Gala

64 Temps Modernes Past Perfect

by Michel Faure

•

Gauguin’s “Self-Portrait Drawing” (1889).

Story page 26.

Dear Readers, We were in the midst of producing this issue when we heard the news that UNESCO had added the “gastronomic meal of the French” to the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.” Like most everyone else, we weren’t quite sure what that meant.

During the days that followed, journalists and experts on both sides of the Atlantic weighed in on the subject, some with a seriousness usually reserved for disarmament negotiations, others with a snarkiness that, while entertaining, often masked weak reporting.

As it turned out, UNESCO was enshrining a social ritual, not a cuisine. In the judges’ view, humanity is richer because of the multi-course meals that the French traditionally serve on festive occasions or simply when family and friends get together. Few Francophiles would disagree—most of us rate these moments among our most wonderful French experiences, right up there with the (UNESCO-classified) monuments and landscapes.

Food is of course central to these events, but just as important are the table linens, glassware, flowers….

COVER High aesthetics at the •Bocuse d’Or. Story page 40; photo They can be elegant and formal—gleaming crystal,

by Etienne Heimermann. silver and porcelain—or seductively simple, with charmingly mismatched plates from the flea market carefully paired with sunflowers in a rustic vase. Whatever the look, it is never banal, never boring; it announces to those gathered around the table that the host cares about them and want to make this moment special. That visual delight awakens your senses and, sometimes, even opens your mind.

What then plays out is a succession of courses that has typified French dining for centuries. Unlike a sandwich that can be gulped down on the run, these meals are like a slow striptease, revealing themselves bit by bit. Each dish demands your attention and appreciation; there are invariably comments about the provenance of the fragrant olive oil, the perfect ripeness of the cheese, the impressive balance of the bon petit vin….

As wonderful as all that is, I have always found the most extraordinary aspect of these meals to be the conversation. It’s an understatement to say that the French love language, wit and sparring with words. Over the years, I have occasionally witnessed exchanges that go way beyond animated—journalists from different sides of the political spectrum going head to head, relatives arguing a point until they were red in the face, friends ripping one another’s viewpoints to shreds. I often fear that things will end badly, yet when everyone gets up from the table, passions immediately dissipate. Plans are made to get together soon.

Kisses are exchanged. On s’appelle demain?

I don’t know about UNESCO, but I think this is the true genius of the French meal.

Before people air their differences, they experience and chat about common tastes and interests—the setting, the food, the wine. They identify with one another’s humanity before talking about what divides them.

Even more genius: If discussions become too heated, they can always blame it on the wine.

Karen Taylor

Editor

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France magazine Editor Karen Taylor

Senior Editor/Web Editor Melissa Omerberg

Associate Editor RACHEL BEAMER

Copy Editor lisa olson

Art Director todd albertson

Production Manager Associate Art Director/Webmaster patrick nazer

Contributors Lisa Abend is

the Spain correspondent for TIME and writes frequently about food for several other magazines. Her book, The Sorcerer’s Apprentices, about the apprentice chefs at Ferran Adrià’s restaurant elBulli, will be published in March 2011 • mIchel faure, now retired from L’Express, is pursuing a variety of journalistic ventures • ROLAND FLAMINI, a former TIME Magazine correspondent, now writes a foreign policy column for the Washington-based CQ Weekly and is a frequent contributor to France Magazine • TINA ISAAC, the Paris correspondent for Travel + Leisure and Flare magazines, also contributes to a number of other international print and online publications • tRACY KENDRICK is a freelance journalist who often writes about French culture • Sara romano covers French cultural topics for a number of international publications • Renée Schettler Rossi is a New York-based freelance writer; she has worked as editor and writer at Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple and The Washington Post • JULIA SAMMUT is a food writer and partner in TravelFood, which offers custom culinary tours • Heather Stimmler-Hall is an author and a hotel and travel writer for Fodor’s, Hotelier International and easyJet inflight.

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Gauguin, The Fabulous Fabulist p. 26:

POSTMASTER

28-29: private collection, apic ; samuel josefowitz collection of the school of pont-aven /indianapolis museum of art; pp. 30-31: national gallery of scotland, collection le thöer; pp. 32-33: hammer museum /los angeles, van gogh museum /amsterdam, hulton archive /apic ; 34-35: collection musée de pont-aven, national gallery of art / washington, dc ; pp. 36-37: van gogh museum /amsterdam, albright-knox art gallery/buffalo, ny; pp. 38-39: museum of fine arts /boston.

Heated Competitions p. 41: t. caron ; pp. 42-43: courtesy of bocuse d’or /ab3c, f. mainard; pp. 44-45: f. mainard, g. j. plisson, t. caron ; pp. 46-47: emmanuel dunand /afp /getty images, g. j. plisson ; pp. 48-49: david bachoffer /agence ig & av, stéphane gladieu /getty images ; pp. 50-51: stéphane gladieu, guy etchegoinberry, david bachoffer /agence ig & av, © jacques guillard /agence scope ; stéphane gladieu /getty images.

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magazıne

f original illustration •of This Mike Blueberry, the cowboy hero of Jean Giraud’s popular bande dessinée series, is featured in “Mœbius-Transe-Forme” at the Fondation Cartier.

Edited by melissa omerberg

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Culture

Paris & the provinces

paris

André Kertész One of the most important photographers of the 20th century, André Kertész pioneered the use of innovative camera angles; he is also considered a seminal figure in photojournalism.

Born in Hungary, Kertész moved to Paris in 1925, where he frequented numerous artists— he was particularly captivated by Cubism—and launched his career. Concerned by the rise of Nazism in Germany, he immigrated to the United States in 1936. The Jeu de Paume’s monographic André Kertész, the first major European retrospective devoted to the artist, explores Kertész’s “photographic language” and such recurring motifs as distortions, New York skyscrapers and solitude. Through Feb. 6; jeudepaume.org.

Gold of the Incas The Incas believed that gold came from the

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sun, their supreme deity. And as their emperor was the human embodiment of the sun, gold was the ultimate symbol of power, cherished by the elite and used in funerary practices and other religious rites. L’Or des Incas, Origines et Mystères, at the Pinacothèque de Paris, explores this aspect of Incan civilization through more than 250 objects—crowns, diadems, earrings, nose ornaments, figurines and ritual objects— from the most prestigious museums of Peru.

Through Feb. 6; pinacotheque.com.

Contemporary Ceramics Circuits céramiques: La scène française con-

at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, takes an intriguing look at the artistic and design possibilities offered by ceramics. The exhibit, which examines three themes—the body, imaginary landscapes and the objects themselves—features 65 established and up-and-coming ceramic artists whose work couldn’t be more diverse in style or content.

Through Feb 20; lesartsdecoratifs.fr. temporaine,

• Louis Vuitton’s library trunk catered to

traveling bibliophiles; it is now on view at the Musée Carnavalet.

Ambassador of Style One of France’s most celebrated and versatile designers, Andrée Putman trained as a pianist at the Paris Conservatory, winning the school’s highest award at age 20. Although she did not pursue a musical career, a sense of balance, harmony and rhythm pervades her work. Andrée Putman, Ambassadrice du Style at the Hôtel de Ville traces the career of the 85-year-old icon: her early work as a stylist with the Prisunic chain, where she championed the idea of accessible design; her sleek, avant-garde furnishings; and her surpassingly elegant hotels, boutiques, museums and movie sets. Through Feb. 26; paris.fr.

Time, Fire, Light The Mobilier National boasts a rich collection of royal clocks and bronzes. L’heure, le feu, la

©Louis Vuit ton /Ale x andr a Mendès-Fr ance

exhibits

lumière, now on view at the Galerie des Gobelins, showcases some of its most spectacular holdings including timepieces, chandeliers, candelabras, sconces and other precious objets.

These exquisitely crafted pieces—symbols of power, to be sure—reflect an age of great artistic creativity while painting an evocative picture of life among the aristocracy. Through Feb. 27; mobiliernational.culture.gouv.fr.

Henry Moore The Musée Rodin conjures up Henry Moore’s extraordinary studio in Hertfordshire, England, where the sculptor worked amid rocks, bones and all kinds of natural objects that he collected during his walks. Tracing the artist’s career from the 1930s to the early 1980s, Henry Moore, L’Atelier: Sculptures et Dessins

showcases more than 125 sculptures, two of them monumental in size, along with basreliefs, studies and preparatory sketches. A series of drawings created during World War II illustrates the lives of people seeking refuge in air-raid shelters and toiling in mines.

Through Feb. 27; musee-rodin.fr.

Tourcoing celebrates the centennial of Eugène Leroy with an exhibit that includes “Etreinte” •(1956) and “Papa Thiraut” (c. 1950).

P r i vat e c o ll e c t i o n , Pa r i s / D o n at i o n E u g è n e e t J e a n - J a c q u e s L e r o y, M U b a / © F l o r i a n K l e i n e f e n n

images from this year’s album. Reporters Sans Corners of Paris Painter André Renoux (1939-2002) once described himself as “a landscape painter who doesn’t like the countryside at all.” His landscape was Paris: a vanishing city of Belle Epoque storefronts, gleaming bistros, serene quays, quiet squares and passageways. Coins de Paris, peintures et lithographies d’André Renoux,

at the Musée Carnavalet, offers a rare opportunity to view his nostalgic, finely executed work, which is curiously devoid of people.

Through Feb. 27; carnavalet.paris.fr.

Reporters Without Borders The Petit Palais is marking the 25th anniversary of Reporters Sans Frontières—which publishes an annual photography album to help fund its activities—with an exhibit of

Opening

Frontières, 100 photos de Pierre & Alexandra

pays tribute to two of the great names in photojournalism: Pierre Boulat, famed for his reports on the shantytowns of Nanterre in the 1950s and the daily lives of women in America; and his daughter, Alexandra, equally renowned for her images of Gaza and the suffering of Afghan mothers. Through Feb. 27; petitpalais.paris.fr.

Boulat,

Louis Vuitton In 1854, trunkmaker Louis Vuitton made his way to Paris from the Jura and opened his first shop on boulevard des Capucines. He soon met with success, thanks to both the quality of his workmanship and a stunning design innovation: flat-topped trunks that could be stacked (previous models had rounded tops).

About 30 yards from its main building, the Pinacothèque de Paris is inaugurating an annex on January 25 with a collection of long-term

loans that includes some 200 masterpieces by artists as diverse as Cézanne, Lichtenstein, Modigliani, Picasso, Pollock, Rembrandt and Tintoretto; canvases are juxtaposed according to

Featuring a selection of beautifully crafted suitcases and trunks, the Musée Carnavalet’s Voyage en Capitale, Louis Vuitton et Paris takes a look at the history, savoir-faire and inventiveness of this quintessentially French company and its contribution to l’art de voyager.

Through Feb. 27; carnavalet.paris.fr.

Irène Némirovsky Best known for the posthumous success of her Suite Française, the Ukrainian-born Irène Némirovsky fled Russia with her family following the Revolution and, after a year in Finland, arrived in Paris. Enamored of the culture of her adopted land, she went on to write a dozen novels and numerous short stories in French before she was arrested in 1942 and deported to Auschwitz. Irène Némirovsky “Il me semble parfois que je suis étrangère…,”

at the Mémorial de la Shoah, presents this author in all her complexity through previously unpublished archival materials including manuscripts, photographs, poetry, voice recordings and her wartime journal. Through March 8; memorialdelashoah.org.

various shared connections. A below-ground space will present temporary exhibitions; the two “L’Ermitage one – La naissance du musée imperial” and “Les Esterhazy, Princes collectionneurs” display works assembled by the Russian tsars and leading Hungarian nobles. Jan. 26 through May 29; pinacotheque.com.

Mondrian / De Stijl Founded in 1917 by a group of Dutch artists and architects influenced by Dadaist ideas and Cubist paintings, the De Stijl movement—one

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of whose best-known proponents was Piet Mondrian—sought to express a new utopian ideal of spiritual order and harmony through pure abstraction. Stripping down form and color to their essentials, they used only vertical and horizontal lines and eschewed all but black, white and primary colors. The first half of the Centre Pompidou’s Mondrian / De Stijl explores Mondrian’s evolution through 100 major works, with particular emphasis on the paintings and drawings he created in Paris between 1912 and 1938; the second half traces the movement’s history through a selection of paintings, drawings and photographs.

Through March 31; centrepompidou.fr.

Mœbius Trip A legend in the world of comic strip art, the multifaceted Jean Giraud, a.k.a. Mœbius, is a master draftsman and inventor of extraordinary forms who consistently transcends the conventions of his discipline. Filled with shifting landscapes and constantly changing characters, his drawings explore the limits of the subconscious, revealing an imaginary, fantastical world. This theme of metamorphosis is the central focus of MŒBIUS-TRANSE-FORME; presented by the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, it is the first major Paris exhibition devoted to his work. Through March 31; fondation.cartier.com.

The Centre Pompidou’s •“Mondrian / De Stijl” is one of the winter’s most anticipated shows. Clockwise from top: A reconstitution of Theo van Doesburg and Cornelis van Eesteren’s model for the Bauhaus-influenced “Maison d’artiste” (1923); Jacobus J.P. Oud’s “Café De Unie, Rotterdam” (1925); Gerrit Rietveld’s “Red Blue Chair” (1918), still manufactured today.

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Contemporary Fashion The Musée de la Mode et du Textile presents the second installment of Une Histoire Idéale de la Mode Contemporaine 1971-2008, its yearlong overview of contemporary fashion. After revisiting the unbridled inventiveness of the ’70s and the legendary excess of the ’80s, the museum continues with Volume 2, which focuses on the 1990s and the emergence of such “minimalists” as Azzedine Alaïa, Yohji Yamamoto, Helmut Lang and Martin Margiela. The exhibit goes on to examine the provocative punk fashions of Vivienne Westwood and the edgy, sexy, romantic creations by the ultra-influential John Galliano. Through May 8; lesartsdecoratifs.fr.

Eastern Promises Couturier Christian Lacroix served as artistic director for the Musée du Quai Branly’s L’Orient des femmes, featuring a selection of dresses, coats, veils and headdresses from the bridal trousseaus of women from Syria,

C o ll e c t i o n G e m e e n t e m u s e u m , U t r e c h t; c o ll e c t i o n C e n t r aal M u s e u m © A d a g p, Pa r i s 2 0 10 ; P h i l i pp e M i g e at, C e n t r e P o mp i d o u © A d a g p, Pa r i s 2 0 10

Culture

Jordan, Palestine and the Sinai. Drawn from the museum’s holdings as well as a private Jordanian collection, these embroidered and colorfully appliquéd garments—some of which date back to the late 19th century—reveal the endurance of traditional motifs and craftsmanship in a changing sociopolitical context. The exhibit concludes with a selection of contemporary dresses sewn and embroidered in the Palestinian Territories. Feb. 8 through May 15; quaibranly.fr.

© N i c o la s K o e n i g c o u r t e s y o f M o r g a n s H o t e l g r o u p ; COURTESY O F M US É E M A NDET, RIO M

Exile and Engagement With the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939, several hundred thousand Republican sympathizers fled the Franco regime in what became known as La Retirada. Crossing the border into neighboring France, they were housed in refugee camps. With Engagement

whose surfaces are so thickly coated with paint that the images they portray are obscured. The New York Times once called them “engrossing in the way a glowing, slow-burning log might be: […] mesmerizing in their flickering details of texture and color, and so impacted with paint that they almost seem to give off their own heat.” The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tourcoing, near Lille, celebrates Leroy’s centennial with an eponymous exhibition devoted to its native son; the show features nearly 150 works from major public and private collections worldwide. Through March 31; muba-tourcoing.fr.

VERSAILLES

Sciences and Curiosities The word “Versailles” conjures up images of architectural splendor, lavish dans l’exil: Une famille de Républicains gardens, burgeoning arts. The sciences? espagnols, the Mémorial du Maréchal Not so much. Sciences et curiosités Leclerc de Hautecloque et de la Libéraà la cour de Versailles aims to change tion de Paris – Musée Jean Moulin • Andrée Putman’s sleek Morgans New York hotel is showthat. Indeed, not only were the Hall looks at La Retirada through a fam- cased in an exhibit devoted to the designer. of Mirrors, the Opéra and the Grand ily of politically engaged artists whose Canal technological wonders, the kings paintings and sculptures explore the themes of ambitious exhibit is organized into two sec- who inhabited Versailles well understood exile, activism and memory. Through June 26; tions: “Day” examines the artists’ depictions of the importance of the sciences to France’s ml-leclerc-moulin.paris.fr. bustling streets and cafés, small tradesmen and political power. Under their watch, great changing modes of transportation; “Night” strides were made in fields such as engineerfocuses on the streets after sundown, places ing, physics, chemistry, geography, mediEVIAN Daily Show of entertainment (the opera, theater and caba- cine, veterinary sciences and botany. This Daumier, Steinlen, Toulouse-Lautrec: La Vie au rets) and the cosseted atmosphere of brothels. exhibit showcases Versailles’s relationship quotidien, at Evian’s Palais Lumière, compares Feb. 5 through May 8; ville-evian.fr. with the sciences through scientific instruthe work of three chroniclers of society who ments and inventions, works of art, presentaproduced incisive portraits of their milieus. TOURCOING tions of scientific experiments and volumes Comprising some 200 canvases, drawings Eugène Leroy from the royal collections. Through Feb. 27; and lithographs as well as 100 magazines, this Eugène Leroy (1910-2000) is known for canvases chateauversailles.fr.

Reopening

• The Musée du Luxembourg reopens its doors on February 9 following a renovation by Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines, the team responsible for the Metz branch of the Centre Pompidou; new

public spaces include a restaurant and boutique. To mark this occasion, the museum presents “Lucas Cranach et son temps,” a major exhibit featuring paintings, drawings and engravings by the German Renaissance master who was both a court painter and a close friend of Martin Luther. Feb. 9 through May 23; museeduluxembourg.fr.

• The Musée Mandet in Riom (north of Clermont-Ferrand) is reopening on January 22 with a new department devoted to contemporary decorative arts. Already known for its stellar collection of 17th- and 18th-century decorative arts, the museum is showcasing creations ranging from the 1950s to the present—particularly metalwork but also glass and ceramics. Along with pieces by prominent designers such as Ettore Sottsass, Richard Meier, Jean Nouvel, Gae Aulenti and Olivier Gagnère are works by promising artists such as Canada’s Mike Sharpe (see his 2003 “Teapot bug,” right), who are likely to be the big names of tomorrow. ville-riom.fr/Musee-Mandet

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spotlight on ... l’Année du Mexique en France In 2010, Mexico commemorated both the bicentennial of its declaration of independence from Spain and the centennial of its revolution. Now, an after-party is in the works across the Atlantic as France prepares to kick off l’Année du Mexique.

Some 200 events nationwide will showcase not only sights, sounds and flavors traditionally associated with Mexico but also lesser known aspects of the country, from its wines, available for sampling at Bordeaux’s Vinexpo, to its aeronautics industry, whose innovations will be featured at the Paris Air Show.

A night of Mexican electronica at the Grand Palais ushers in the festivities in February, and Paris will of course host many more of the year’s highlights. A Mexican village will occupy the Place Saint-Sulpice, and monumental sculptures by the contemporary artist Rivelino will line the Seine. Mayan funerary art will be on view at the Pinacothèque from February to May, followed by a springtime survey of contemporary Mexican art at the Musée d’Art Moderne.

September will bring a show dedicated to the modern painter Rufino Tamayo at the Petit Palais, a study of Mexican art and society from independence to the revolution at the Musée d'Orsay, and an exhibit on Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera at the Orangerie.

Another Rivera show—this one focusing on Cubist works—opens at Bordeaux’s Galerie des Beaux-Arts in March. That same month, Lyon welcomes several Mexican authors to its annual Quais du Polar crime novel and film festival. Toulouse takes a more macro approach with its June Rio Loco festival, exploring Mexican culture through outdoor concerts, crafts and edibles in a park along the Garonne.

Throughout the year, Mexico will also enjoy a place of honor at Cannes and other film festivals, from Amiens to Biarritz.

The year wraps up with a Paris concert by tenor Rolando Villazón, whose latest recording, “¡Mexico!,” offers a fresh take on classic Mexican songs. culturesfrance.com.

• Diego Rivera’s

“Fusilero Marino (Marino almorzando)” (1914) will be displayed in Bordeaux as part of a show of his Cubist works.

By TRACY KENDRICK © DR F r a n c i s c o Ko c h e n / C e n c r o pam INB A

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Beaux Livres CHANEL

by Jean Leymarie

A prominent art historian, Leymarie originally published his classic monograph on Coco Chanel in 1989. Completely redesigned and supplemented by an essay on Karl Lagerfeld’s contributions to the brand, this authoritative biography—packed with photographs, sketches and paintings—has just been re-released by Abrams. Leymarie situates haute couture in the context of high art before taking the reader on a grand tour of Chanel’s life and her evolution as a fashion designer. Abrams, $45.

PARIS BETWEEN THE WARS 1919-1939 Art, Life & Culture

by Vincent Bouvet and Gérard Durozoi

In the years between the two World Wars, France experienced a great burst of creative energy.

Artists from throughout the world were drawn to Paris, establishing that city as the epicenter of the cultural avant garde. Richly illustrated with hundreds of paintings, drawings, photographs and posters, this encyclopedic new book explores the era’s many achievements in art, architecture, graphic design, literature, the performing arts and fashion. In short, it’s quite the movable feast. The Vendome Press, $50.

THE GREAT FAMILY WINE ESTATES OF FRANCE Style ∙ Tradition ∙ Home

photographs by Solvi dos Santos, text by Florence Brutton

A treat for both oenophiles and design aficionados, this attractive volume visits estates in all of France’s wine-producing regions: from Bordeaux to Alsace, Champagne to Corsica. While Brutton explores the notion of terroir and the importance of local wine-related customs, relating insights from the winemakers themselves, dos Santos trains her lens on the viticultural lifestyle, snapping photographs of great halls, libraries, dining rooms—even the occasional bedroom. Thames & Hudson, $50.

HISTORIC HOUSES OF PARIS Residences of the Ambassadors

by Alain Stella, photographs by Francis Hammond

Some of Paris’s most spectacular historic properties now serve as diplomatic residences, and a number of those stately homes are showcased here. This gorgeous tome features photographs of gilded halls, sumptuous furnishings and art- and antique-filled spaces—living museums that meticulously preserve period décors while offering a sense of the cultures they represent. From 17th-century hôtels particuliers to a daring modern structure, each residence rivals the next in splendor. Flammarion, $95.

LIVING ART Style Your Home with Flowers

by Olivier Giugni with Sylvie Bigar, photographs by Phillip Ennis

Hailing from the Provençal village of Brignoles, Olivier Giugni is the owner of Manhattan’s chic L’Olivier Floral Atelier. In this beautifully photographed book, the award-winning floral designer takes readers through the homes of A-list clients and his own apartment, pointing out the interplay between the décor of the house and his refined but never stuffy arrangements. As an added plus, he offers tutorials for readers eager to experiment with flower-arranging à la Giugni. Simon & Schuster, $60.

THÉODORE GÉRICAULT

by Nina Athanassoglou-Kallmyer

A pioneer of the French Romantic movement, Géricault broke with the neoclassicism favored by his teachers, taking as models such Renaissance and Baroque masters as Titian, Caravaggio and Rubens.

Drawn to subjects fraught with drama and horror (think “The Raft of the Medusa”), he produced a small but varied body of work that defies easy categorization. This new monograph, which includes all of Géricault’s best-known canvases, examines and reassesses his artistic career. Phaidon, $70.

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On Screen

new on dvd

POTICHE Donning

OCEAN ADVENTURES WITH

a red track suit and a ’70s-style hairdo, Catherine Deneuve reunites with director François Ozon (Eight Women) in this comedy adapted from Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédy’s play of the same name.

Suzanne (Deneuve) Judith Godrèche, Catherine Deneuve, Fabrice Luchini, Karin Viard, Jérémie Renier and Gérard Depardieu try their hand at conflict resolution in Potiche. is a housewife who must step up and run the factory owned by her tyrannical and chauvinistic husband (Fabrice Luchini) after he is taken hostage during a strike. Gérard Depardieu also stars as Maurice, a communist deputy and Suzanne’s former lover, who helps her restore order with the unhappy workers. Ozon has cited Ségolène Royal’s political campaign as an influence in his decision to make the film. Slated release: March. (Music Box Films) OF GODS AND MEN Writer-director Xavier Beauvois received the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes for this film, which is based on the true story of French Cistercian monks who were kidnapped and decapitated during the Algerian Civil War. Starring Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale, this moving drama explores the monks’ deep commitment to their community as they put their lives at risk to fulfill their spiritual and humanist mission. The film is France’s official selection for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Slated release: February. (Sony Pictures Classics) CERTIFIED COPY Juliette Binoche received accolades at Cannes and the New York Film Festival for her starring role in Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami’s recent film. Abstract and conceptual in its intent, the film follows a gallery owner (a luminous Binoche) and a visiting writer (played by English opera singer William Shimell in his cinematic debut) as they experience “a lifetime of love in single day” in Tuscany. Together, they explore both romantic clichés and the frustrations of long-term relationships while surrounded by breathtaking scenery. In French and English. Slated release: March. (First Run Features)

•

Music Zaz Zaz

Robin Leduc Hors Pistes

Having paid her dues busking in Montmartre and performing worldwide—from Paris cabarets to Columbian salt mines—the husky-voiced, trumpet-playing Zaz (Isabelle Geffroy) has recently been drawing comparisons to Edith Piaf and Barbara. Blending boisterous manouche, rock musette, big band and bluesy sounds in the songs on her self-titled debut, she is racking up triple-platinum sales and getting plenty of feet moving on the dance floor. (Sony)

Born in Nigeria, French singer, composer and multiinstrumentalist Robin Leduc counts Fela Kuti and Serge Gainsbourg as musical influences.

Leduc’s eclectic new album, which combines African rhythms and la chanson française, contains stylish and at times lyrically intimate and selfdeprecating songs such as “Je casse tout.” He also interprets day-to-day Flemish life in the album highlight “Zuydcoote song.” (Tôt ou Tard)

Additional film and music reviews as well as sound clips are available at francemagazine.org.

12 F r a n c e • w i n t e r 2 0 1 0 -11

JEAN MICHEL COUSTEAU (2010)

Documentary; produced by Jean Michel Cousteau, with cinematography by Feodor Pitcairn. (PBS Distribution) WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD (2006)

Drama; directed by and starring Faouzi Bensaïdi, with Nezha Rahil and Fatima Attif. (Global Film Initiative) CHABROL: TWO CLASSIC THRILLERS (2000-2004) Two thrillers by director

Claude Chabrol, Merci Pour le Chocolat (starring Isabelle Huppert) and The Bridesmaid (starring Benoît Magimel).

(First Run Features)

Masters of Cinema Since its founding in 1951, Cahiers du Cinéma—credited with introducing the concept of auteur theory and spawning the revolutionary New Wave movement—has been an authoritative voice in film criticism.

English-speaking cinephiles will delight in the release of the new Masters of Cinema—the first series available in translation—which profiles 10 of the “world’s greatest film directors.” Woody Allen, Pedro Almodóvar, Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick are among those chosen. (Oddly enough, not a single French director made the cut.)

Authored by various film critics and experts, each book provides a thorough biography and succinct timeline that blend career milestones and personal events. On-set photographs, film stills and sequences illustrate the text. Available individually or as a complete set of 10; a second series of five profiles is set for release this spring. (Phaidon Press)

By RACHEL BEAMER

M u s i c B o x F i lm s

Sons & Images

Bon Voyage

Notes for the savvy traveler TOASTING COGNAC

The Council for Wine Tourism awards its prestigious “Vignobles et Découvertes” designation to winegrowing regions based • The new Shangri-La Hotel Paris is generating great excitement among fans of les palaces parisiens. Built in 1896 as the home of Prince Roland Bonaparte, this historic Above: The Shangri-La’s regal restaurant; inset: sumptuous residence next to the Trocadéro passementerie at the Hôtel Athénée. has been fully restored; 81 rooms and suites feature plush, Empire-style décor by Pierre-Yves Rochon as well as spacious marble bathrooms with soaking tubs, large walk-in showers and heated floors. Along with breathtaking views of the city, the hotel offers fine French and Cantonese cuisine, a stylish bar and a state-of-the-art fitness center and swimming pool. From €750; shangri-la.com.

• The Hôtel Athénée—a luxurious 20-room boutique hotel designed by the famed Jacques Garcia—draws inspiration from the nearby Opéra. Opulent rooms draped in sumptuous fabrics from Maison Pierre Frey reference “La Traviata,” “Aida,” “Don Giovanni” and “Faust.” For predinner drinks and cocktails, check out the cozy Red Bar, which has the feel of an exclusive private lounge. From €180, including free Wi-Fi; hotel-athenee.com.

• The Konfidentiel, a new luxury hotel about 100 yards from the Louvre, features suites that evoke iconic figures and episodes from the country’s history—the Kings of France, Molière, Marie Antoinette, the French Revolution, Gustave Eiffel—imaginatively reinterpreted by painter/ designer Robert Clévier. Amenities include Etro bath products, unlimited free calling to land lines in France and abroad, international TV channels, high-speed Internet and free Wi-Fi. The restaurant is housed in the hotel’s 15th-century cellar, where François Villon wrote many of his poems. From €490 including in-room breakfast; konfidentiel-paris.com.

•

(g)

GOOD to know

DK Publishing’s new iPad app Eyewitness Travel: Paris is an excellent all-around guide to the French capital, with illustrated itineraries, maps and listings for hotels, restaurants, boutiques and cultural destinations; $16.99 • Visitors to the Eiffel Tower can now avoid lines thanks to a new online ticketing service (available in English). Make sure to reserve at least one day in advance. tour-eiffel.fr • Air France has streamlined its motor coach service between Paris and Orly Airport. Its new Line 1 serves Orly-Ouest and Orly-Sud, and stops at the Porte d’Orléans, the Gare Montparnasse, Les Invalides and the Place de l’Etoile. Departures every 30 minutes from 6 A.M. to 11:30 P.M. lescarsairfrance.com • Air France is kicking off daily A380 service between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Washington-Dulles on June 6. Tel. 800/237-2747; airfrance.com/us.

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on the amenities they offer visitors.

Cognac—France’s

second-largest AOC in terms of area—has just received certification as an official wine tourism destination thanks to its plethora of picturesque vineyards, distilleries and museums, and a welldeveloped network of restaurants, hotels and B&Bs. cognac.fr

Sha n g r i - L a H o t e l Pa r i s ; H ô t e l At hé n é e ; c o g n a c f r ap i n

IMPERIAL BEDROOMS

Bon Voyage

Notes for the savvy traveler

TABLE TALK

• A couple of years ago, Jean-Michel Rassinoux and Viveka Sandklef wowed Paris by serving kangaroo with wild violets. Now the globe-trotting duo is back with Playtime. Fusion food is the name of the game here, with soybean and green tea milkshakes, sea bass in a walnut parmesan crust with a creamy dashi sauce and, for dessert, walnut cognac ice cream with grated roast fig and curry sabayon. The décor is a tad Tati-esque, with Eames chairs, lacquered tables and vintage transistor radios. Lunch menus € 17 and € 21; dinner menus € 28 and € 35; 5 rue de Petits-Hotels, Paris 10e.

• The cushy banquettes of JeanJean-François Piège François Piège, a tiny boudoir is Paris’s latest shrine to gastronomique perched above gastronomy. Inset: Playful the chef’s bustling Brasserie cuisine from Playtime.

Thoumieux, accommodate just 20 diners. Guests choose one or several dishes based on a single ingredient listed on the menu, such as scallops or beef; what comes may be raw and cooked scallops drizzled with watercress coulis, or beautifully marbled Chilean beef and mashed potatoes topped with a classic chive cream garnish. Meals include amuse-bouches, cheese and dessert (deconstructed Tarte Tatin!). € 70, € 90 or € 115; 79 rue Saint-Dominique, 7e.

• Film legend Gérard Depardieu is embracing the role of restaurateur. Small dishes are the stars of his new bistro, Le Bien Décidé, which seats about 30 diners. The eatery specializes in wines by the glass (€ 4 for Chenin, € 3.50 for Grolleau) and quintessentially French fare: foie gras aux épices douces (€ 9), magret rose aux cèpes (€ 24) and delicious roast quail and fagot de haricots verts (€ 17). 117 rue du Cherche Midi, 6e.

•

South Pacific

Travelers to French Polynesia can choose

from several fabulous packages this winter, including “Moorea and Huahine Explorer,” the “Rangiroa Extravaganza” and the “Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa and Manini Pearl Beach Resort.” Averaging 10

CARIBBEAN The French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe celebrates Carnival longer than anywhere else, with parades, concerts and masquerade balls throughout the month of February, from Epiphany through Ash Wednesday. Every village joins in the fun, but Point-à-Pitre and Basse-Terre have the largest parties. go2guadeloupe.com/travel-guide/ events/carnaval CÔTE D’AZUR The Carnaval de Nice (Feb. 18 through March 8) just happens to coincide with the 78th annual Fête du Citron in Menton. Save on sightseeing with the French Riviera Pass (one-to-three day pass for sightseeing buses, museums, gardens, etc., on the Riviera and in Monaco). frenchrivierapass.com NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS The Carnaval de Dunkerque (Feb. 12 through March 26) is one of the largest and liveliest Mardi Gras festivals in France, with a series of village balls and parades (known as bandes) where spectators and entertainers alike don colorful costumes and masks. Check • Fun at the with the local tourism office for hotel deals during the Fête du Citron. season. dunkerque-tourisme.fr Heather Stimmler-Hall and Julia Sammut contributed to this section.

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nights, they include accommodations in overwater bungalows and spectacular snorkeling and diving.

Departures are from L.A. From $2,299 per person including airfare and transfers.

Tahiti-Tourisme.com.

J e a n - F r a n ç o i s P i è g e ; play t i m e ; F ê t e d u c i t r o n ® m e n t o n

CARNIVAL TIME

Nouveautés

What’s in store

GOT THAT SPARKLE Baccarat’s stunning So InsomNight collection might cause more than a few jewelry lovers to lose sleep. Clean shapes and fluid lines give a light, modern feel to this line of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings. Each piece is set with a rectangular crystal that’s exceptionally sparkly, thanks to an innovative faceting technique. From $395; baccarat.com.

Going dutch Jardin d’Eden, Christofle’s new line of silverware, is its latest collaboration with an eminent contemporary designer, this time the irrepressible Dutchman Marcel Wanders. The sevenpiece collection features a sensuous, laser-engraved pattern of interlacing leaves, flowers and flourishes. $500 for a full fivepiece setting; christofle.com.

HANDS OFF Parents of toddlers will always have their hands full, but now they have one less thing to carry. The Paris-based company Magic Stroller Bag offers remarkably stylish diaper bags equipped with eyelets that allow them to slide over the handlebars of umbrella strollers and detachable loops so they can hang from the crossbar of singlebar carriages. About e90; magicstrollerbag.com.

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b a c c a r at; c h r i s t o fl e ; ma g i c s t r o ll e r b a g ; b e r n ha r d t d e s i g n

GOOD WOOD Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance’s new Corvo chair is one hot seat. Created for the venerable U.S. furniture company Bernhardt Design, it’s all sexy curves when viewed from the front; seen from the back, it reveals a straight-edged outer structure. Each solid walnut or maple chair is carved, shaped and sanded by hand and comes in a variety of wood and lacquer finishes. From $1,200; bernhardtdesign.com.

LYRICAL LIGHTING

BACK TO NATURE

At e l i e r L Z C ; b l e u n at u r e ; e d i t i o n s d e pa r f u m s f r É d É r i c mall e ; al e s s i ; c i r e t r u d o n

Emblazoned with birds, branches and floral patterns, Atelier LZC’s charming new Tuuli collection draws inspiration from traditional Finnish motifs. Look for eyecatching pillows and cushions, tea towels, mugs and silkscreened wall art. atelierlzc.fr

Bleu Nature’s designs juxtapose natural and manmade materials in ways that are often, well, illuminating.

A case in point: their new Kiinau lamp, which weds rustic driftwood and sleek chromeplated glass to poetic effect.

From E494; bleunature.com.

SCENT OF A LADY Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle fêtes its 10th anniversary with a new fragrance. The niche perfume house teamed up with one of its favorite noses, Dominique Ropion, to create Portrait of a Lady, a “modern Oriental” composed of Turkish rose essence, berries and spices. If Isabel Archer had owned a bottle of this, who knows what might have happened? $185 for a 50ml spray bottle, $280 for a 100ml spray bottle; editionsdeparfums.com.

DISH NETWORK Whenever the Bouroullec brothers come out with a new design, it seems to gain instant-icon status. Their new Ovale tableware for Alessi is no exception. With its rounded corners and simple, slightly asymmetrical shapes, this collection of white ceramic, glass and stainless steel tableware effortlessly complements every style of décor. $14 to $275; alessi.com.

THE ORIGINAL KINDLE

Cire Trudon, a royal wax manufacturer that once supplied tapers to Marie Antoinette, survived not only the Revolution but also the advent of gas and electricity. Now this high-end fabricant de bougies has come to the U.S. Located in New York’s Nolita neighborhood, its first stateside boutique is modeled after Versailles’s Hall of Mirrors. The store features the entire line of Cire Trudon products including scented candles, room fragrances and wax busts along with such items as candelabras, wick trimmers and candle snuffers. ciretrudon.com F r a n c e • w i n t e r 2 0 1 0 -11

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à la carte

French food & drink in America

By Renée Schettler Rossi

BEYOND BREAKFAST For those who like their food on the sultry, smoky, salty side, it’s hard to beat the new herbes de Provence smoked bacon from Aux Délices des Bois. From $6.49; transatlanticfoods.com.

FOR THE BIRDS This whimsical birdhouse is handcrafted from a vintage copy of The French Chef Cookbook, with the cover forming the roof and a wooden mixing spoon providing a convenient perch. What would Julia think? We’re not certain, but rest assured it’s not intended as a commentary on the recipes. $125; uncommongoods.com.

ALMOST FRENCH

RAW GOODNESS No more nervous trips through customs: Le Châtelain’s pasteurized brie—awarded last year’s coveted gold medal from the Concours Général Agricole—approximates the delicate flavor and nuanced texture of raw milk brie while satisfying the FDA’s strict legal requirements. $8.99 to $18.99 a pound at select cheese counters nationwide.

mille feuilles • Absinthe Cocktails: 50 Ways to Mix With the Green Fairy

by Kate Simon. This lovely little assemblage of inebriating temptations (left) combines a brief history lesson with a compendium of concoctions both classic and contemporary. Chronicle, $20.

• Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert A companion book to the PBS show of the same name, this new work draws upon Ripert’s recent travels as inspiration for pictures, first-person essays and, yes, recipes. Wiley, $35.

• Quiches, Kugels, & Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France by Joan Nathan. A veteran cookbook author shares her

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quest to understand how Jewish influences—both traditional and contemporary—helped fashion French culture and cuisine. Knopf, $40.

• Chefs at Home: Favorite Recipes From the Chefs of Relais & Châteaux in North America How do the pros cook for friends and family? These 69 chefs start with local, seasonal ingredients and keep things easy. Luscious photographs provide requisite inspiration, while first-person comments add charm. Relais & Châteaux, $30.

• Fresh from the Market by Laurent Tourondel. Classic French techniques and simple seasonal ingredients yield sophisticated, spectacular results in the hands of this Manhattan chef. Wiley, $35.

• 85 Inspirational Chefs: Recipes from North America, Mexico, and the Caribbean Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller and Patrick O'Connell are among the mega-talents gracing these pages. Good luck determining whether the nearly 600-page tome belongs on the coffee table or the kitchen counter. Relais & Châteaux, $60.

g a b y; t r a n s at la n t i c F OODS ; la c tal i s ; am u s e b o u c h e w i n e r y; L a r a F e r r o n i

New from Napa’s most Francophile vintners: Prêt à Boire, a rosé that will go on the market in spring 2011. It’s the latest offering from Amuse Bouche, a cult winery known for its French-style winemaking, Gallic monikers and arresting labels such as this one by blue dog artist George Rodrigue. $75, amusebouchewine.com.

( ) Talking art and dessert with...

Michel Richard Award-winning chef, cookbook author and artist

This has been a big year for you—you won the Toque d’Argent from the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, opened a third restaurant in the DC area, and wrote—and illustrated!—a new dessert cookbook, Sweet Magic.

Congratulations! Thank you, but I have only

wanted to show my work in the café, but that didn’t work out. It would have been so much fun to say that my paintings had hung in the National Gallery!

been doing what I enjoy. When I’m in the kitchen, when I share my food, I’m happy. I’ve spent my entire life in the kitchen. My mother worked in a factory, so I was responsible for cooking for my family from the time I was eight or nine years old.

exhibition? Yes, he was amazing! He looked at vegetables and imagined a person’s head. No one had ever done that before. He makes you think, he makes you dream…. He should have been French.

Have you seen the NGA’s Arcimboldo

When did you begin to draw?

I always drew, but I didn’t start to paint until I was 14. Before that, I didn’t have the money to buy oil paints. Around that time, someone gave me a book on Van Gogh or Monet, I don’t remember which, and I loved it. I’ve always tended to draw food because I spend so much of my time around it. When I draw an ingredient or a dessert, I can feel the flavor as I draw. It’s quite nice.

i ll u s t r at i o n s b y m i c h e l r i c ha r d

What is your preferred medium?

I used to work in oils, but now I like watercolors.

They dry faster! And I find the results more charming, lighter….

Who are your favorite artists? I still like the Impressionists. Like nouvelle cuisine, they take away everything extraneous and superfluous, leaving only a strong impact. I love Van Gogh, his paintings jump out at you from the frame, they have so much power.

Given your interest in art, your collaborations with the National Gallery of Art must have been especially meaningful for you. I really enjoyed doing the French menu for their café.

I was so honored to be able to go there every week and work near the Manets, Cézannes, Monets … even that Spaniard Picasso. I had

You also seem to have a great fondness for trompe l’oeil—you have even served teeny pink cupcakes that are actually salmon….

I’ve been doing that sort of thing for years. It’s fun, I love to surprise people!

Have your artistic sensitivities influenced your cuisine in other ways? I have always believed that food must be beautiful on the plate.

Beautiful presentations convey to your guests that you respect them, that you care about them.

How do you find time to paint with your busy schedule? It’s hard. Recently, I took off a week and went to the beach with my dog, Scout. I painted every day, morning to evening. For me, painting is like cuisine, I have to focus on it intensely to get the results that I want.

Will we see your artwork on display at any of your restaurants? No, no. The good thing about food is that after you cook it, it disappears. I know that if I hung my artwork where I would see it all day long, I would look at it and say to myself, “I wish I’d done this instead of that,” or “That is not the right shade of blue,” or any of countless other things.

I would stop creating.

Have you ever sold any of your paintings?

Once, at a charity event to raise money for cancer. They went for $7,000. I was so proud!

Sweet Magic includes recipes for French classics, American classics and “Richard classics.” What are your latest sweet inspirations? Everything. I am always trying to change things so there is something new, something surprising.

I just came up with a new chocolate vanilla ice cream.

I took a thin leaf of white chocolate, broke it into bits and mixed them into vanilla ice cream. You don’t see the chocolate, but when you taste the ice cream, it goes crunch crunch crunch. I love that!

If you could be any dessert, what would you be? [Richard laughs.] I would be a soufflé. An orange soufflé. All sweet and sunny. I’m already a big, puffy guy, so I’m almost there.

What advice do you have for home cooks?

You need your imagination and you need to have fun in the kitchen. And when you cook something for your friends, your food is always delicious, because you add a little love to your food. Never cook or bake for people you don’t like. It’s a waste of time.

F r a n c e • w i n t e r 2 0 1 0 -11

21

à la carte

French food & drink in America

la gazette

“

A propos...

CHICAGO Paris native Vincent Colombet responds to popular demand with his third La Boulangerie, which offers made-to-order crêpes—legendary among locals— as well as proper French pastries and baguettes baked fresh every two hours. 2569 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Tel. 773/358-2569.

NEW ORLEANS Midcentury Modern decor and French-inspired fare takes Bouligny Tavern beyond, well, a tavern. Creative small plates include upscale gougères and comté-filled beignets (this is, after Clockwise from top left: Vincent Colombet; the convivial Café des Amis; New York’s Rouge et Blanc; all, New Orleans). 3641 Magazine the new Lyon Bouchon Moderne.

Street. Tel. 504/891-1810; boulignytavern.com.

NEW YORK Chef Laurent Manrique’s seafood brasserie Millesime combines updated French classics with an understated, elegant emphasis on la mer. Witness such indulgences as lobster pot-au-feu. 92 Madison Avenue. Tel. 212/889-7100; — Chef Jean-Pierre Moullé millesimerestaurant.com. • Rouge et Blanc features a French colonial décor Chez Panisse reminiscent of Saigon in the 1940s and a menu with accents both French and Vietnamese. 48 MacDougal Street. Tel. 212/260-5757; rougeetblancnyc.com.

• Chef François Latapie has reinvented the space formerly known as Café Bruxelles, naming his new restaurant Lyon Bouchon Moderne and tailoring the menu to an audience with a preference for seasonal, local products. 118 As if you needed another excuse to buy French bubbly, it’s Greenwich Avenue. Tel. 212/242-5966; lyonnyc.com. now crafted with its carbon footprint in mind. Redesigned SAN FRANCISCO Old and new coexist quite nicebottles have thinner walls and slightly narrower shoulders, ly at Café des Amis, a neighborhood brasserie green using less glass and cutting down on energy needed for where the cassoulet contains pork belly in addition champagne transportation. According to the Comité Interprofessionnel to duck confit, and the coq au vin is made with du Vin de Champagne, the initiative could slash carbon red-wine braised guinea hen. 2000 Union Street. emissions by 8,000 metric tons annually.

Tel. 415/563-7700; cafedesamissf.com.

When it comes to matching your favorite dish with a

nice bottle, you are your own

‘wine expert.’ If you want to drink apple cider with a

•

raw-milk camembert, do it!

class acts Anyone seeking a more serious wine education than uncorking a bottle at home would do well to consider the French Wine Scholar program. The online, on-demand curriculum is offered by the French Wine Society and endorsed

by FranceAgriMer, a national association of French wine professionals. It consists of separate modules for each wine-growing region in France, with text, maps and webinars that cover the history, climate and tastes unique to each terroir. The course’s self-paced approach makes it practical for both personal and professional purposes. $285 for one-year access; $125 for the 250-page study manual. frenchwinesociety.org

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” v i n c e n t c o l o m b e t; M i c ha e l M c Ca r t h y; c af ê d e s am i s ; A l i s o n M ay f i e l d ; V é r o n i q u e PA GNIER

(By the way, it’s delicious!)

Littérature

The French Agent

by Roland Flamini

“Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor….” The old rhyme doesn’t say “literary agent,” but then again, some careers just aren’t the stuff dreams are made of. Georges Borchardt certainly wasn’t dreaming of any such future when he was a teenage Jewish boy staring out of the classroom window in Aix-en-Provence, watching German soldiers parading in the schoolyard. He was hiding in plain sight, boarding at the lycée but not listed on its attendance register. He had lost his father to cancer at 11 and had not heard from his mother since her deportation to Auschwitz when he was 15. Then he received the worst possible news: She had died in the concentration camp.

But the Germans never found Georges, even though the schoolyard was their regular drilling ground. As with so many survivors, the immediate postwar years determined the course of the rest of his life: To escape from a devastated Europe, his two older sisters managed to travel to New York in 1947, taking 19 -year-old Georges with them.

Drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he did spend some time as a soldier—in Iceland, which is about as distant from the 38th Parallel as one can get.

Afterward, he went back to his job in New York as a lowly assistant at a small literary agency that specialized in finding American publishers for French authors. He had taken the job because it was the only one he could find. “I certainly never thought of working in publishing and didn’t know anything 24

F r a n c e • w i n t e r 2 0 1 0 -11

about it. I was amazed that you could get paid to read books,” he recalled in a recent interview.

Young Borchardt soon learned that literary agents act as business intermediaries between authors and publishers, charging the writers a 20 percent commission on each book deal. W hen he started, his employer, the Marion Saunders agency, had just sold Albert Camus’s The Stranger to Knopf for $350.

Now 82 , he is still being paid to read books, running his own long-established, highly respected agency on Manhattan’s busy 57th Street, together with his wife, A nne, and daughter, Va lerie. With a personal story that Truffaut or Chabrol could have invented—and any of the publishing houses he deals with would have published—his own remarkable life

has remained unwritten. Last fall, President Sarkozy recognized his contribution to exporting French culture (he has sold the rights to more than 2,000 French books in translation) by making him a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur. The investiture took place at the French Consulate in New York, presided over by no less a luminary than former Culture Minister Jack Lang.

Given today’s publishing realities, it is astonishing to realize that, while still in his early twenties, Borchardt channeled a number of French literary legends to the American public: Jean-Paul Sartre, Marguerite Duras and Michel Foucault, among others. All were represented by Gallimard, which in turn dealt exclusively with Marion Saunders. But Borchardt also made personal discoveries, including an Irish playwright and novelist who wrote in French: Samuel Beckett.

“Back then, when the Prix Goncourt wa s awa rded, publishers here wou ld immediately want to buy the rights,” he explains. “Often, they would bid for the prizewinner on the day the award was announced. It’s just harder now because there are fewer editors in America who read and speak French.”

P i e t e r M . va n H at t e n

T

georges borchardt’s life story could be one of his bestsellers

In spite of his early successes, Borchardt decided to take advantage of the GI bill, leaving the agency to study at NYU, where he got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and also taught French for several years. At the same time, he started his own business, initia lly selling U.S. rights to book s represented by a couple of Paris publishing houses. Eventually, Georges Borchardt Inc. expanded to represent other French publishers as well. Early landmark sales included Marguerite Duras’s The Lover, Henri Alleg’s The Question—an Algerian War novel about what Borchardt calls “the French Guantanamo”— and The Story of O. But Borchardt soon learned that America’s tastes were impossible to predict. In 1952, Librarie Plon commissioned him to find a U.S. buyer for Charles de Gaulle’s threevolume war memoirs. “We had a little auction going, and Houghton Mifflin actually won it,” he relates. “But De Gaulle turned them down because he didn’t want to be published by the same house that was publishing Winston Churchill. So we went to the next one, and that was Viking. De Gaulle was a very good writer, he had a beautiful style, and I had thought, you know, this would make my career. But the first volume of the memoirs did badly, and Viking pulled out.

The whole project was then taken over by this young editor whom I’d befriended called Bob Gottlieb at Simon & Schuster.”

everyone in De Gaulle’s entourage seemed at least six foot-two. “So here we were, two dwarfs in the land of giants. De Gaulle was at his desk, sitting very straight—and he was still towering over us.”

He remembers that in the course of the conversation, the French agent brought up the name of Raymond Cartier, a Paris Match reporter who had been a collaborator during the war. Thinking he had made a faux pas, the agent quickly tried to change the subject. “But De Gaulle said to him quite kindly, ‘I know very well he was a collaborator, but he isn’t one now.’ You never think of De Gaulle as somebody with a sense of humor, but he had a very good one.”

As does Georges Borchardt. In a recent interview with Poets&Writers, he quipped, “In general, good authors have always been fairly miserable. They were then.

They are now. It’s always been a somewhat alien existence.” If he is anything to go by, the same is hardly true of agents. His easy conversation is leavened with a gentle irony—usually directed at some perceived oddity of human nature—and sprinkled with frequent bursts of quiet laughter. The accent is faintly French; although he had studied English in high school, he didn’t speak it when he arrived in New York.

In spite of this linguistic handicap— and what he perceived as intimidating competition from U.S. agents—Borchardt

The publishing industry has changed considerably during his five-decade career, but one aspect remains the same: Who shapes public taste is still a mystery.

Still, there was a silver lining: Because of the book sale, Borchardt was invited to meet De Gaulle. It was one of the high points of his life. “For me, this was enormous. During the war, De Gaulle was our only hope, he was like God. He was more than God for most people, because you can usually go through life without God, but in a way, you couldn’t have survived in France without De Gaulle.”

Borchardt visited the General together with the latter’s French agent; neither was tall, but

began taking on a few American authors in the 1950s, selling their work to both U.S. and French publishers. The list would grow to include fiction by John Gardner, T.C. Boyle, Robert Coover and Susan Minot; poetry by Rafael Campo and John Ashbery; and non-fiction works by Susan Jacoby, Stanley Crouch and Anne Applebaum. The “French agent,” as he was initially known in publishing circles, has long been a leading American agent as well.

Meanwhile, frequent pilgrimages to France keep him in touch with the other side of his business. He still makes the rounds at publishing houses, seeking out works that might hold promise for the American market. And he still finds pearls: At Gallimard, he discovered Trois femmes puissantes by Ma rie NDiaye, who is half French, half Senegalese. She became the first black woman ever to win the prestigious Prix Goncourt, and in 2009, he sold the U.S. rights to her book to Knopf.

A question about how French he still feels gives him pause. “When I’m in Paris, I feel rather French, although my French is not the same as the French spoken there today, because practically none of those people were born when I left. There is so much that has invaded the language—I don’t even use the word “cool” in English, let alone in French!”

With a career as long as his and clients as famous, anecdotes are inevitably there for the taking. He regales interviewers with tales of how the U.S. publication of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and two novels was delayed because Beckett insisted on translating them himself, which meant rewriting them. Or how when Jean-Paul Sartre came to New York in the 1950s, he was virtually unreachable, staying in an apartment with no telephone.

Borchardt has equally delightful stories of his dealings with the legendary barons of the publishing business, some of whom became friends.

W hile the publishing industry has changed considerably during his f ivedecade career, one aspect remains the same: Who shapes public taste is still a mystery. “It certainly isn’t agents, because it’s really publishers who make the decisions,” Borchardt says. “But I don’t think publishers shape taste either. No one seems to know why people read certain things and not others.” Witness the surprising success of Mark Twain’s autobiography published this past fall, a century after his death, by the University of California. It became an instant posthumous bestseller.

“I like that because it’s made publishers insecure,” he observes mischievously. “It shows once again that they don’t have the slightest idea of what will sell. They just don’t know.”

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Nafea faa ipoipo (When Will You Marry?) 1892 ______ Gauguin was fond of giving his paintings Tahitian titles, as much for the mysterious poetry of the foreign words as for the actual meaning, which often hinted at hidden narratives.

The Fabulous Fabulist

Picasso claimed that “art is a lie that makes us realize truth.”

At the National Gallery of Art,

the largest Gauguin exhibition in 20 years probes the fantasies,

half-truths and untruths of the artist famous for his

idyllic scenes of Brittany and Polynesia.

By Sara Romano

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Anyone with even a passing interest in art knows that Paul Gauguin excelled at making things— paintings, sculptures, ceramics, prints. What is far less known is that he was an equally gifted manufacturer of myths, deftly crafting his own

outsized image while subtly weaving bits of stories, fables and legends into paintings of exotic places that were as imagined as they were real.

For the first time, an exhibition at Washington, DC’s National Gallery of Art (“Gauguin: Maker of Myth,” February 27 through June 5) presents Gauguin—who so famously exiled himself to Polynesia in search of unspoiled civilizations—as an artist who created a colorful persona that was not randomly eccentric but rather deeply intertwined with his artistic endeavor.

Exhibition curator and Gauguin expert Belinda Thomson expects that many visitors will come to the show aware that Gauguin, after dabbling with Impressionism, became a pioneer of Modernism. He is widely known for freeing painting from truthful portrayal of nature, liberating attitudes toward color and opening the eyes of the Western world to the beauty and power of so-called primitive art. With this show, Paul Gauguin and his she aims to deepen that understanding, Danish wife Mette Gad revealing that while other Modernists in 1873, shortly after their wedding. were intent on purging painting of narrative, Gauguin took a radically different approach, investing his works with a new kind of meaning, one that was only suggested or implied, often inscrutable or ambiguous.

Indeed, Thomson puts narrative at the core of Gauguin’s work.

As she writes in her catalogue essay, the artist himself said that Impressionism—a reaction to the literary painting that had preceded it—was not “sufficiently intellectual” and claimed that his “simplification 28

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Clovis Asleep, 1884 ______ The wooden tankard shown here, grasped in the artist’s son’s small fist, is among the objects that showed up repeatedly in Gauguin’s paintings.

Their presence is suggestive but never overtly explained.

Still Life with Profile of Laval, 1886 ______> During the fall and winter of 1886, Gauguin worked in the Haviland Studio in Paris, producing 55 highly unconventional ceramic pots. He was very attached to them, frequently integrating them into his still lifes, where they complicated what might otherwise have been a straightforward narrative.

of form” was deliberately conceived to support “the complication of the idea.” At the same time, he re-created his own image to lend a supporting role to his art, gradually morphing from sophisticated Parisian, bourgeois businessman and investor into the outsider, the “savage,” the legendary genius.

No one will leave this show doubting that Gauguin embraced his fabricated identity with conviction and flair. When it comes to self-mythologizing, it would be difficult to do better than his striking “Christ in the Garden of Olives” (1889), in which Gauguin depicts himself as none other than Jesus. Seated on the left of the painting, he gazes down dejectedly, his hair and beard a flaming orange that recalls Vincent van Gogh, whom he had just visited in Arles. The artist is cast as the victim of betrayal, the long-suffering figure whose life is nothing less than a Calvary.

It is but one of the masterpieces on view in what is the largest U.S. exhibition of Gauguin’s art in 20 years. In all, there are some 120 works—canvases as well as watercolors, pastels, drawings, sculptures, writings and books—drawn from throughout his career (1880 to 1903). Together, they reveal an artist whose life and art remained remarkably on message—right up until his lonely death on a desolate South Pacific island.

To observe Gauguin’s body of work, as you do in this dazzling

exhibition, is to watch his life play itself out before your eyes. The man is never divorced from the art; he looms in every canvas, in every sculpture, displaying that exaggerated sense of self that led him once to say, “I am a great artist and I know it.”

Gauguin (1848-1903) is best remembered as the artist who walked out on his wife and children, who shared a house with the self-mutilating Van Gogh and who took up with Tahitian girls barely past puberty. He made no secret of that; it was open, public and on record. Yet many other details of his life remain cloaked in mystery—possibly because Gauguin found them inconvenient to the image he later adopted.

What we do know for certain is that Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was born in Paris in 1848, a year of revolution and upheaval, to Clovis Gauguin—editor of Martinique the radical newspaper Le National—and Aline Landscape, 1887 ______ Marie Chazal. The following year, they took Painted during Paul and his sister, Marie, on a four-month Gauguin’s foursea voyage to Lima, Peru, to visit relatives. month stay in Halfway to their destination, Gauguin père, Martinique, this landscape sums then unemployed and unwell, died of a up all the contemporuptured aneurysm. rary French myths Gauguin’s maternal grandmother was the of the tropical paradise: lush foliillegitimate daughter of a Peruvian descended age, abundant fruit, from Spanish nobility (a heritage that would sun-drenched sea later conveniently play into the artist’s selfand mountains.... construct as a “savage” with Incan blood). His mother, now a widow with two mouths to feed, resolved to claim her share of the family inheritance. For four and a half years, the family lived in the grand one-story home of greatuncle Don Pio. There, young Paul was tended to by legions of exoticlooking servants and led a pampered, courtly life.

In August 1854, Aline uprooted her two children, taking them to Orléans, France, to seek the support of her late husband’s family.

Paul was enrolled in a local school, and his mother struggled to make ends meet. By the early 1860s, the family had moved again, this time to Paris, where Aline worked as a dressmaker. There, she befriended a businessman of Spanish descent, Gustave Arosa, who became their protector.

Visiting Curator Thomson believes Gauguin’s these early experiences had a Brittany significant impact on the artist. ____________________________ “Moving from place to place, The Musée des Beaux-Arts change and restlessness were de Pont-Aven part of Gauguin’s life almost Inaugurated in 1985, this mufrom birth,” she says. “For exseum is devoted to artists who ample, he came back to France worked in Brittany between 1860 and 1970. It was conceived by from Peru speaking Spanish and a group of people who were suddenly had to adapt to French passionate about the School of boarding school. Instability set Pont-Aven, the artistic movement in very early with him.” that took shape here in the late By age 17, Gauguin was ready 19th century and notably included Paul Gauguin. Like his fellow artto see the world and joined the ists, Gauguin was attracted by merchant marine, repeatedly Brittany’s culture and language, circling the globe. “His time as which lent it something of an exotic a sailor encouraged the feeling flavor and stimulated his creativity. that the world was increasingly Equally appealing were the

Gauguin re-created his own image

to lend a supporting role to his art, gradually morphing from sophisticated Parisian, bourgeois businessman and investor into the outsider, the “savage,” the legendary genius. becoming open and exploitable for the man of action and the man of ideas,” adds Thomson.

It was during a stopover in India in 1867 that he learned his mother had died. Gauguin headed back to Paris, where he discovered he had received a substantial inheritance. Helped by Arosa’s high-flying connections, he was soon hired as a stockbroker.

Through Arosa, who bought from and mingled with artists, Gauguin discovered Eugène Delacroix, Camille Corot, Gustave Courbet and Camille Pissarro. He started painting in his own right at age 21, just months before his wedding to an exuberant Danish girl by the name of Mette Gad, with whom he would father five children.

No one knows exactly what sparked this new vocation—not even Thomson, who has devoted much of her adult life to studying the artist. His grandfather was an engraver, so “there was some talent in the family in that respect,” but the genesis of Gauguin’s artistic passion remains unexplained.

His earliest works were landscapes influenced by Courbet and Corot; one was accepted by the 1876 Salon, the state-sponsored contemporary art fair. A self-portrait from this period is featured in the exhibition; though he pictures himself in somber shades of brown and black, the timid-looking 28-year-old sports a black calotte and the beginnings of a goatee. Already, he seems to have a romanticized idea of himself as an artist.

beautiful countryside and inexpensive cost of living.

The permanent collection contains paintings by Emile Bernard, Maurice Denis, Meijer de Haan and Paul Sérusier, with other works, including a Gauguin, on long-term loan. Special exhibitions highlight both historic and contemporary works created in Brittany. Tel. 33/298-06-14-43, museepontaven.fr.

The Maison-Musée du Pouldu When Gauguin returned to PontAven in June 1889, he found the town overrun by tourists, so he withdrew to the rugged coastal hamlet of Le Pouldu. He settled in an inn called La Buvette de la Plage and proceeded—with help from artists Paul Sérusier and Meijer de Haan—to decorate its dining room.

(Gauguin’s panels are on view in the NGA exhibition.)

The original Buvette was completely overhauled in the 1930s and turned into the Café de la Plage, but since 1989, it has been reconstituted in an old, similarly shaped house just a few yards away. The dining room is on the ground floor, and Gauguin’s bedroom is on the first floor. Tel. 33/2-98-39-98-51; museedupouldu. clohars-carnoet.fr. Closed between November and April.

—SR Franc e • WI N T ER 2 0 1 0 -1 1

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Not long after taking up art, Gauguin became

friends with Pissarro. The Impressionist master taught him the ropes and introduced him to his circle; in exchange, Gauguin, by then a successful stockbroker, bought his paintings. At this point, Impressionism was past its peak, and Gauguin suffered from being associated with it.

When he submitted a marble bust of his son to the fourth Impressionist group exhibition in April 1879, critics were unimpressed. His work did not fare any better during subsequent group shows.

Feeling out of place, he broke ranks with the Impressionists in 1882. They weren’t sorry to see him go; Claude Monet and Auguste Renoir, the doyens of the group, found the young Gauguin to be rather pushy and worried that his inclusion might depress their prices at a time when business was languishing following a stock-market crash.

For the thirtysomething Gauguin, making Bonjour Monsieur his way as an artist without the Impressionists Gauguin, 1889 was tough. By now, he had given up his stock______ Inspired by the broker job and had no other income. He moved Courbet painting he his family to Rouen in the hope that the local saw while visiting bourgeoisie would take a shine to his paintMontpellier’s Musée Fabre, this ings, but within a few months, his wife took the self-portrait set in children to Denmark, where she became a Brittany similarly French-language teacher-translator. depicts the artist as a wandering Jew. Two months later, Gauguin rejoined the family when he landed a job in Copenhagen as a tarpaulin salesman for a French textile company. It was a stifling setup, with the artist confined to painting in a narrow attic. You can measure his misery in his “Self-Portrait” of 1885, painted in that cramped space. Dressed in his overcoat, Gauguin looks glumly away from the viewer, his tiny paintbrush poised over a canvas in the gray northern light.

Mette resented him for living off her modest teacher’s wages. She had fancied herself leading the leisurely life of a Parisian artist’s wife, 32

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and her expectations had been dashed. Gauguin, meanwhile, informed Pissarro that if it weren’t for his love of art, he would have gone up to the attic and hanged himself.

Gauguin soon headed back to Paris with son Clovis in tow. He initially lodged the child with his sister, then sent him to boarding school.

Having lost his father at a young age, Gauguin proved incapable of being much of a father to his own children. “He fully understood the enormity of what he’d done,” says Thomson. “Although he could come across as very macho and self-satisfied, he did at times reflect on the awful fracture that he’d created—that there’s nothing like family life, and you can’t expect life to work out well if you destroy that.”

Amid all this upheaval and financial trouble, Gauguin’s artistic output had slowed to a trickle. Looking for a cheap place to live, he decided to spend the summer of 1886 in Pont-Aven, a small Breton town with a thriving artist community. He checked into the Pension Gloanec, an inn patronized by fellow artists, and tirelessly painted the surrounding countryside.

Compared with bustling Paris, Brittany was primitive and

Self-Portrait, Les unspoiled. Women wore elaborate costumes, Misérables, 1888 and Bretons practiced their own particular ______ Gauguin frequently strand of Catholicism with specific rituals and evoked literary ceremonies. The stay in Pont-Aven could be themes in his work, considered the first phase in Gauguin’s lifedrawing on myths, novels, poems and long quest for the pre-modern society of his fables. Here, he dreams, a quest that would eventually lead depicts himself as him across the world, to the South Seas.

Jean Valjean, the hero of Victor Hugo’s Les “It was quite a prevailing desire in the Misérables.

19th century to step back from this relentless ______ progress that everyone, particularly governRight: Paul Gauguin ments, was pushing,” says Thomson. “The in 1891. modern, industrial, technological rat race was something that Gauguin reacted against very profoundly, even though he’d been caught up in it and understood it—perhaps because he had been caught up in it and understood it.”

When he returned to Paris that winter, Gauguin took up ceramics, hoping that his works would become a commercial success. That never

happened, but his creations nonetheless played an important part in the development of his artistic expression, not only in their own right but as props that he integrated into his paintings, where they became odd, disturbing presences. His Still Life with Profile of Laval (1886), for example, shows a monocled man staring intently at a spooky-looking piece of pottery placed alongside fruit on a table.

The exhibition presents such incongruous scenes as part of Gauguin’s narrative, his attempts to express the unseen or unknown. National Gallery of Art curator Mary Morton comments, “Gauguin was a writer and a deep thinker and a deep reader, but you could also say he was a liar. Part of his project was obfuscation and preserving mystery, not letting people understand on a simple level anything that he made.”

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The following spring, Gauguin set sail to Central America with his

artist friend Paul Laval, whom he had met in Pont-Aven. “I am going to Panama to live the life of a native,” he boasted in a letter to Mette.

Yet the reality he found on arrival was bleak: The region was one big construction site, with the French hard at work on their grand projet du jour, the Panama Canal. Short on funds, Gauguin and Laval were forced to roll up their sleeves and work briefly as manual laborers.

From there, they headed for Martinique, which offered something of the wild, untouched environment that Gauguin was looking for. He and Laval lived in a hut Haystacks in alongside Creole workers, and Gauguin spent his Brittany, 1890 ______ days painting the island’s black women—editing Gauguin returned out the mixed-race Martiniquais and white repeatedly to settlers who didn’t fit into his idyllic picture.

Brittany, lured at first by the low Among the few paintings dating from this cost of living, then four-month sojourn is “Women in a Mango seduced by “the Grove, Martinique” (1887), which shows a red wild and the primitive” aspects of the house set amid towering tropical trees. Dotting region, which he the foreground are Antillaises in bandanas carryembellished to ing baskets on their heads, representatives of the great effect in his paintings. idealized Caribbean of popular imagination.

This period is said to have crystallized Gauguin’s idea of himself as an isolated outsider. For the rest of his life, he would restlessly search for a place where, relieved of financial worries and family responsibilities, he would be totally free to live, love and create. When that paradise proved elusive, he would create it in his mind—through fantasies, half-truths and untruths—and transfer his dreamlike visions onto the canvas.

“Deux têtes de Gauguin’s Martinique adventure was soon Bretonnes” cut short by worsening dysentery contracted in 1894 (detail) ______ Panama; he became so weak that he had to return Gauguin dedicated to France for treatment. In Paris, his Martinique this pastel to his paintings attracted the attention of a Dutch friend, the artist Maxime Maufra. dealer named Theo van Gogh, who worked It shows the black for the Goupil gallery and who had heard of lines inspired by Gauguin from his artist brother, Vincent, one of Japanese prints that became an Gauguin’s regular correspondents. integral element of But money was tight, so Gauguin retreated his simplified style. to Brittany and the Pension Gloanec. There, he worked closely with artist Emile Bernard, unabashedly appropriating his bold forms and dark contours.

“I love Brittany,” he wrote to his friend Emile Schuffenecker. “I find the wild and the primitive here. When my clogs resonate on this granite ground, I hear the muffled and powerful thud that I’m looking for in painting.” In truth, the picturesque region he rendered on canvas existed even then only in romantic fantasies and stereotypes. But they served Gauguin’s purpose: Portraying the cliché of Brittany as a land of superstition and desolation, for example, effectively conveyed his own suffering and other emotions.

“Gauguin is in essence a painter of sensations that emanate from memories and literary assimilations,” wrote painter Armand Seguin in 1891. “He alone has understood Brittany, not as it really is, certainly not; and yet it corresponds more closely, the way he sees it, to our preconception than to the way it really looks, and with such truth that it seems the reality has become a dream to suit our illusions.”

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And although there was enormous charm in Vincent van Gogh’s art and writings, people who had a great deal to do with him found him pretty intolerable. And that includes even the saintly Theo, who supported him and loved him and looked after him but nonetheless moved out of the flat they were sharing in Paris.

It has been written that the two artists ended most days at the brothel. Is that true?

Yes, they seem to have gone to the brothel quite a lot. That’s not exhaustively documented because Vincent didn’t want to emphasize it in his letters to Theo, who was, after all, paying for the whole thing. We don’t really know what happened there; it was the sort of place you might go to socialize and have a drink.

Letter to Van Gogh from Gauguin, 1889.

Van Gogh–Gauguin ________________________________________________________________________

Paul Gauguin spent nine weeks of his life sharing a tiny yellow house with that other great genius of the late 19th century, Vincent van Gogh.

It is the most documented period in the history of art, culminating with the Dutchman slicing off a piece of his ear. Critic Martin Gayford, author of a recent book about the episode (The Yellow House, Mariner Books, 2008), relates how this famous episode transpired.

How did Gauguin come to spend time in Arles with Van Gogh?

The idea seems to have popped into Vincent’s mind as soon as he signed the lease for the Yellow House. For him, Gauguin was the great contemporary painter, the artist of the future he felt he needed to learn from and whose work he felt closest to. That’s partly because Gauguin had recently been working in Martinique and the Caribbean, and his paintings had started to show brighter tropical hues and flatter color, which Van Gogh himself was very interested in.

In letters written during the summer and early autumn of 1888, Van Gogh repeatedly invited Gauguin to Arles. Initially Gauguin accepted but then had second thoughts. The idea was that [Vincent’s art-dealer brother] Theo would pay a monthly income to Gauguin, which he sorely 36

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needed, on the understanding that he’d keep Vincent company.

In the beginning, the arrangement seemed to go well….

Yes, in a way it seemed to stabilize Vincent. Gauguin’s first letter to Theo said, “Your brother seemed a little agitated when I arrived.”

After a few days, though, they were working more or less side-by-side outdoors. Van Gogh seemed to be much more cheery, and that lasted for several weeks. Gauguin too seemed happy enough.

So why did everything fall apart?

Having two great geniuses who are both highly neurotic—one of whom was on the edge of insanity—living on top of each other in what was effectively a two-up-two-down was a recipe for disaster. It didn’t help that the weather turned unseasonably bad and they couldn’t go out much.

What did Gauguin draw from the Arles experience?

He was probably impressed—more impressed than he admitted— by the first sight of Van Gogh’s paintings. In Arles, Van Gogh had run one of the great sprints in Western art, but no one had yet seen what he’d been doing.

When Gauguin arrived, he went upstairs, and in his bedroom were two “Sunflowers” and four other paintings. The room was about 12 feet by 7 feet, so you can imagine the effect.

Although he spent only nine weeks in Arles, he wrote about it extensively in his memoirs and elsewhere. He continued to paint sunflowers in the Marquesas Islands in the last years of his life, and he continued to think about Van Gogh. What he got out of this relationship more than anything was an idea of what an artist could be: a prophetic, poetic seer. That was the Symbolist idea of an artist, and in Gauguin’s mind, Van Gogh incarnated that concept.

The irony is that Van Gogh didn’t see himself that way, even if posterity often perceives him as such.

You could even say that Van Gogh’s posthumous reputation is partly a conceptual work by Paul Gauguin. If you think about it, almost no one saw Van Gogh for any length of time after Gauguin.

He was in an institution in the south of France. He came north, he spent two days in Paris visiting Theo and his young wife, went to Auvers and shot himself. What Gauguin said to people must have carried a lot of weight.

So how did that fateful ear incident come about?

On the morning of December 23, the two artists were talking. Van Gogh challenged Gauguin, saying, “You are about to leave.” Gauguin said yes. Van Gogh tore out a piece of the newspaper in front of him that read “The Murderer Took Flight” and stuck it in Gauguin’s hand.

Gauguin left at some point.

Much later, he said that Van Gogh pursued him. “I heard his quick nervous step behind me as I crossed the square.” Van Gogh did have a quick nervous step, and Gauguin claimed in his final version that Van Gogh produced a glinting knife blade and threatened him. Gauguin said he stared him down, and Van Gogh took off. But no one really believes that. The consensus is that Gauguin added that bit to make his disappearance seem a little more justifiable.

Gauguin went back the next day, either to get his possessions or possibly to tell Vincent that he was sorry. What he discovered was a crowd of police around the Yellow House, with blood stains on the windows and all over the ground floor. He was immediately arrested for murdering his friend.

Vincent was upstairs, tucked in bed, covered in blood. Gauguin poked him, and when Vincent showed signs of life, he was taken to the hospital.

It turned out that after Gauguin had left the night before, Van Gogh had mutilated his ear. He wrapped the grisly fragment of flesh in newspaper, stuck Gauguin’s beret on his head to cover up the damage, went up across the park to the brothel, handed it over and said it was for a girl called Rachel. She opened the package and promptly fainted. Vincent then went home and apparently went to sleep. After he was taken to the hospital, Theo came down, and once everything seemed under control, he and Gauguin returned to Paris on the train. Gauguin never saw Vincent again, although they exchanged friendly letters for the next 18 months, the remainder of Van Gogh’s life.

Don’t you think Gauguin’s superstar status derives in part from his time with Van Gogh in the Yellow House?

This astonishing, dramatic story certainly didn’t do either of their posthumous reputations any harm.

—SR

Gauguin would produce some of his most outstanding paintings here, yet he continued to suffer financially. The prospect of receiving payment from Theo van Gogh for spending time with his brother finally prompted him to accept Vincent’s invitation to visit him in Arles (see sidebar). Although things started out well enough, the relationship quickly unraveled. Van Gogh liked to paint from nature, while Gauguin preferred to let his imagination run free. “Vincent and I don’t agree on much and especially not on painting,” he wrote to Emile Bernard. “He is a romantic, whereas I, I am more inclined to a primitive state.” And on a day-to-day level, cohabitation with the Dutchman was difficult. He was admiring one minute and fiercely judgmental the next. Then came the notorious ear incident, after which Gauguin promptly returned to Paris.

There is every reason to believe that Arles put Gauguin in a tortured frame of mind. The first thing he did once back in Paris was to witness the execution by guillotine of a criminal, probably innocent, whose story he and Vincent had followed in the press. Among the earliest works that he produced post-Arles was “Self-Portrait Vase in the Form of a Severed Head” (1889), a disturbing depiction of himself with a split-open cranium and blood-red streaks running down his temples.

Gauguin spent the next two summers in Brittany but had a more

difficult time finding the “the wild and the primitive” that had so enthralled him. Turned off by the tourists invading Pont-Aven, he retreated to the tiny hamlet of Le Pouldu, staying in a little inn with fellow artists Paul Sérusier and Meijer de Haan. Together, they painted every square inch of the dining room; two of Gauguin’s panels are in the exhibition.

Back in Paris, Gauguin roamed the pavilions at the Exposition Universelle, the 1889 extravaganza that included the new Eiffel Tower Left: and marked the centenary of the French Teha’amana, Revolution. Inside the domed Grand Palais, Gauguin’s vahine. entire colonial villages were reconstituted.

Gauguin was mesmerized.

When other travel plans failed to materialize, he set his sights on Tahiti, the perfect escape from a Europe that, in his eyes, had been ruined. There, “beneath a winterless sky, on marvelously fertile soil, the Tahitian need only lift up his arms to pick his food...” he fantasized in 1890. He had to sell paintings to fund his expedition, and backed by new connections that included poet Stéphane Mallarmé, he managed to auction off enough works to finance the trip. In March 1891, Mallarmé hosted a farewell dinner for him at the Café Voltaire, and the artist was on his way.

Manao tupapau, 1892 ______ Gauguin wrote extensively about this painting, calling the lines and colors the “musical part,” and the theme of ghosts, or tupapaus, the “literary part.” In this way, he deflected any criticism of the nude subject matter. ______

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pon arriving in Tahiti, Gauguin wrote a

letter to his wife, assuring her that his stay would be short. “But let me live like this for a while,” he pleaded. “Those who heap blame on me don’t know everything there is in an artist’s innermost being.” He had traveled to Copenhagen to visit her and the children before leaving; it was the last time he would ever see them.

Papeete, the Tahitian capital, was not the primitive place he had hoped it would be. Run by a coalition of white settlers and enterprising missionaries, the island had cast off its traditional culture and adopted the churchgoing way of life imposed by the missionaries. The straitlaced local bourgeoisie had no taste for Gauguin’s art.

Gauguin moved away from the capital and settled in a small village with his Anglo-Tahitian mistress, Titi, whom he would soon reject for being too Westernized. He began studying Maori culture, incorporating local myths and legends in his art. “I am now living the life of a savage,” he wrote to art dealer Daniel de Monfreid, “walking around naked except for the essentials that women don’t like to see (or so they say).”

Shortly afterwards, in the spring-summer of 1892, Gauguin took the 13-year-old Teha’amana as his vahine—a practice not uncommon among European men and Tahitian girls at the time. His relationship with Teha’amana and other girls her age “was of a limited kind and of an exploitative kind, and it was essentially for the purposes of his art,” explains Thomson. “He needed that intimate relationship to have an available model. He couldn’t employ girls to pose the way they did in Europe, so to have a live-in companion was a shortcut to the practice of his art.”

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Gauguin passed away on a remote

island “to preserve this fabulous myth of the artist in exile who could not bear to live in a corrupt society.”

Teha’amana is the ravishing subject of his painting “Manao tupapau,” (1892). In a composition inspired by Manet’s “Olympia,” she lies naked on her belly, face turned to the viewer, while a dark, hooded figure representing a spirit lurks in the background, leaning on her bedstead. A palpable tenseness and sense of foreboding emanate from the canvas.

Like so many of his paintings, it packed a big emotional punch yet was enigmatic. To enhance the sense of the strange, the unexplained, the mysterious, he frequently gave his Polynesian paintings titles in the local language along with French “translations” that actually meant something quite different. “People think they know what a painting is about, then the artist says, ‘Oh no’ and tells them a whole other story,” says NGA curator Mary Morton. In a similar vein, the inscription on the wall behind his Tahitian child bride in “Teha’amana Has Many Parents” (1893) meant absolutely nothing to his Polynesian contemporaries. It came from an Easter Island tablet.

Gauguin left his Pacific paradise and his loving muse Teha’amana in 1893, when he took a shipload of artworks to Paris, expecting a hero’s welcome, fame and fortune. Upon his arrival, Gauguin persuaded the famous dealer Paul Durand-Ruel to exhibit his work. The show drew critical acclaim but didn’t raise as much cash as Gauguin had hoped,

Aline—whom he cared for and wrote to—had died of pneumonia. It was a serious blow; within months, Gauguin suffered a series of heart attacks. He then produced his largest painting: “Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?” (1897-98), a searingly beautiful interrogation on the meaning of life. When it was complete, he attempted suicide.

In September 1901, after several costly spells in the hospital, Gauguin sold his Tahitian house to pay his medical bills and set off for the desolate and less expensive Marquesas Islands. There, he took up with a tribal chief’s daughter and got her pregnant. He refused to pay his taxes in open Where Do We defiance of the local authorities and, tauntCome From? What Are We? Where ing the bishop who lived nearby, named his Are We Going?, 1897 ______ house “La Maison du Jouir” (“The House of This painting is one Pleasure”), putting up a carved wooden panel of many that features above the door inscribed with those words. It an idol. The artist is on view in the exhibition. explained that this statue was one with Life in Polynesia was increasingly lonely nature, “dominating and painful, and Gauguin was strongly our primitive soul, the tempted to return to Paris. Yet dealer imaginary consolation of our sufferings and Daniel de Monfreid told him that if he did, what they contain of his works would lose their enchanting apthe vague and uncompeal. So he passed away on a remote island prehending before the mystery of our origins “to preserve this fabulous myth of the artist and our future.” in exile who could not bear to live in a ______ corrupt society,” says Morton. He succumbed Below: Gauguin’s hut in the to syphilitic heart failure on May 8, 1903, Marquesas. and was buried in the Catholic cemetery on Hiva-Oa, where he lies to this day. although two works were sold to none other than Edgar Degas.

At that point, Gauguin felt no commitment to anyone. Having walked out on his family in Copenhagen, “he wanted to relive the Bohemian student life that he thought younger artists enjoyed and that he had never known,” explains Thomson. “He felt a need to catch up; it was a sort of midlife crisis.” Adds Morton: “There were these dark forces that he struggled with every single day. He was very honest about them, he couldn’t beat them back, and he just felt horrible. His sexuality and his incredible drive—they just burned him out. He struggled with them, and he made art out of them, and you can see in the art that he’s tortured by them.”

He settled in a first-floor studio on rue Vercingétorix, which he decorated with Tahitian objects. There he hosted fellow artists and writers during nights of debauchery and took up with a teenage mistress-model named Annah the Javanese, who had a pet monkey.

During a brief trip to Brittany, he got in a fistfight with local sailors, sustaining injuries that would never fully heal. He returned to Paris to find that his studio had been ransacked by Annah and, not long afterward, was diagnosed with syphilis. His carefully nurtured image of the wild, untamed artist was very much intact.

When financial success continued to elude him, he decided to definitively indulge his taste for the exotic, declaring a self-imposed exile to Oceania. “Nothing will stop me and it will be forever. What a stupid existence is European life.” In mid-1895 he set sail for French Polynesia. He found work in Tahiti as a satirical journalist covering tensions between the indigenous population and their French rulers, all the while continuing to paint prolifically.

He took up with several Tahitian women and fathered more children, two of whom survived. Then came news that his daughter

Gauguin the individual cannot have been

very likable. “As a moral person, he was so repellent,” says Morton. “He didn’t behave in a healthy, loving way with anybody. He wasn’t a good friend, he wasn’t a good father.”

Gauguin the artist, on the other hand, is impossible to resist. More than a century after his death, he seems strikingly fresh and relevant. His work still speaks to people in a very big way. And while he was a creative cannibal who feasted on fellow artists’ output (as well as Japanese wood prints, Buddhist carvings, Egyptian wall paintings…), that practice actually made him a trailblazer in the art world.

Generations of artists since Gauguin have made up stories about themselves, disguised the truth and passed off other people’s ideas as their own. Today, “we’re very comfortable with that,” says Morton.

“We understand that’s how art works, that it’s all about building on and responding to other things that you’ve seen.” Looking back at Gauguin, we can see him as the forerunner of Surrealism, performance art and practically every other self-referential movement that we know of.

“He was a genius, even though we’re not allowed to use that word anymore,” Morton concludes. “He just couldn’t make boring things.”

Nor did he know how to be boring—even if truth was, more often than not, the casualty.

“Gauguin: Maker of Myth” was organized by Tate Modern, London, in association with the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. The exhibition runs February 27 through June 5. nga.gov Franc e • WI N T ER 2 0 1 0 -1 1

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This year, France will host the world’s most prestigious culinary competitions: the Bocuse d’Or and Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France.

Expect to see starred chefs brought to their knees and grown men cry.

By Lisa Abend and Tina Isaac

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The Japanese contender in the 2009 Bocuse d’Or puts the finishing touches on his dish minutes before the clock runs out.

This January, top chefs from around the world will compete before roaring crowds in Lyon, vying to take home the coveted Bocuse d’Or.

By Lisa Abend

With two minutes left on the clock, Timothy Hollingsworth was the picture of focus. The 26-year-old American held his body taut, his eyes set tight on the task in front of him, his blond surfer curls hidden beneath his hat. Working in graceful tandem with his teammate, he moved through the enclosed space in carefully calibrated steps. His coach gestured encouragingly to the crowd of spectators, who, already cheering wildly, raised their voices even higher until the ear-splitting din became almost unbearable. And then, just as Hollingsworth neared the finish line, he made a fatal mistake: He didn’t plate his cod quickly enough.

Welcome to the Bocuse d’Or, where haute cuisine meets worldclass sporting event. Held every two years in Lyon, the Bocuse draws some of the most talented young chefs in the world into a grueling competition that requires months (if not years) of training, a lot of funding and a five-hour marathon at the stove under conditions of stress unimaginable even for those accustomed to running a restaurant every night. Despite—or perhaps because of—the ubiquity of reality shows such as Top Chef and Iron Chef, the Bocuse d’Or retains its status as the most prestigious cooking competition in the world and in fact grows more exciting each year. When its 13th contest gets under way on January 25, 2011, upstart countries such as the United States will strive to prove that they’ve earned a place in the culinary firmament, while France and Norway and other historic favorites will fight to maintain their pre-eminence.

For its fans, the Bocuse might as well be the World Cup, so fierce 42

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During the 2007 finals, Paul Bocuse himself (center) passes judgment on one of the elaborate preparations.

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Center: Geir Skeie of Norway rushes to get his presentation ready for the judges during the 2009 finals.

Clockwise from above: Screaming fans are as much a part of the Bocuse d’Or as is the food; American contestant Timothy Hollingsworth races against the clock; judges from 24 countries taste each dish; Geir Skeie celebrates his win.

(and loud) are their loyalties. At the 2009 contest, supporters of the Swiss team, dressed in T-shirts emblazoned with their national flag, rang cowbells and cheered with a fervor equaled only by the home team’s fans, who alternated long, bone-jarring horn blasts with feverish belts of the Marseillaise. The British printed their encouragement on banners and T-shirts: “Allez les rosbifs.” Even South Korea, its fans dressed in chef’s whites, their faces painted with the national flag, managed to send out the occasional deafening cheer.

“The noise in the stands? That’s been there from the beginning.

It was part of Paul Bocuse’s vision,” says Florent Suplisson, director of the competition for the last 20 of its 23 years. When Paul Bocuse, chef of the eponymous Lyon restaurant and one of the most revered figures in French cuisine, first agreed to oversee the contest that bears his name, he imagined it as a sporting event, Suplisson explains. “In fact, the contest is held in a stadium, but there’s no soccer game or tennis match, just cooking.”

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It may not seem that way now, but when Sirha, Europe’s largest food trade show, first decided to hold a public cooking contest, it was a daring gamble. The year was 1987, the birth of the Food Network was still six years away, and the term “celebrity chef” was practically unheard of. At the time, in fact, Paul Bocuse was one of the very few who might reasonably wear the label. As the first French chef to come out from behind the stove to introduce himself to guests in the dining room of his renowned Lyon restaurant, the Auberge du Pont du Collonges, he helped transform the status of the chef from servant to admired professional. Beginning in the 1970s, he also pioneered the phenomenon of the global chef, exporting French products to Japan and opening multiple bistros bearing his name. With Paul Bocuse’s moniker and efforts behind the competition, what might have been a trade-show stunt quickly became the most important culinary contest in the world.

Victory brings with it €20,000 and a golden statue of the chef

himself. But as participants testify, the prestige of the Bocuse far outweighs the monetary prize. “Representing France in the Bocuse d’Or has been my dream since I was a small boy,” says Jerôme Jaegle, the 31-year-old chef de cuisine at Lyon’s one-starred Christian Têtedoie.

“I would ask my parents to take me to see it every two years.” In 2011, he will finally see it from the other side of the stage. Like the 23 other young chefs who will compete, he arrives having won both his national competition and the world regionals (every two years, the Bocuse organization holds qualifying rounds in Europe, Latin America and Asia to determine which countries will send representatives to the final competition).

Since winning the European semifinals in June 2010, Jaegle, blond and athletic, has been training daily for Lyon. “Right now, while I’m still deciding on recipes, it’s just two hours a day,” he says. “But as we get closer and start the time trials, I’ll put in six to eight hours a day.

I have to become as fast as possible.”

Indeed, in the Bocuse d’Or, speed matters. Jaegle and the other contestants will each have five and half hours to prepare, cook and plate two platters: one meat, one fish, both served with a number of accompanying garnishes. The proteins are assigned in advance by the organization; in 2011, all teams—which consist of the chef and his or her commis, or assistant—will be working with Scottish lamb and Scottish monkfish, langoustines and crab. When each platter is complete (preferably at the assigned time; delays are penalized), a host of servers first parade it in front of cheering fans and stoic jury, then set it down for the chef to portion into individual servings, one for each of the 24 judges, all of whom are elite chefs in their home countries.

“It can be nerve-racking,” says Jaegle, who won first place in France’s national competition but came in third in the European one. “You have to stay really focused.”

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” concurs Hollingsworth, who represented the U.S. in the 2009 competition. When he took on the challenge, the Americans had never placed above sixth at the Bocuse, but the U.S. was making a newly concerted effort. Chef Daniel Boulud, of New York’s three-star Daniel, had signed on as chairman of the Bocuse USA effort, and Thomas Keller, widely considered the best chef in America for his restaurants The French Laundry and Per Se, had agreed to be team president. Keller even set aside a small house on his Yountville property for Hollingsworth’s training, converting its kitchen into a near-exact replica of the one the chef and his France • winter 2010-11

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commis, Adina Guest, would be using in Lyon. “A lot of Europeans still think that American cuisine is hamburgers and hot dogs. That just makes me want to strive harder,” said Hollingsworth at the time.

“We want to show them what American cuisine can be.”

That noble goal was impeded, in Hollingsworth’s case, by the misplated cod and a few other small errors; he and Guest finished sixth, tying the previous American record for highest standing.

But the competition was no less exacting for Geir Skeie, who took the gold that year. The 30-year-old Norwegian spent more than a year preparing; he even trained with a boombox blaring in order to steel himself against the noise of the competition. “Sometimes my commis would put on really awful music, really loud, just to try to throw me off my game.” All that practice worked. “During the first two hours, we made some mistakes and were running behind, and

Daniel Boulud coaches the U.S. contenders.

Team USA Daniel Boulud talks about his team’s chances in 2011.

In 2008, Chef Daniel Boulud became honorary chairman of the U.S. Bocuse d’Or committee. It would be hard to imagine a more perfect candidate for the position. Born in Lyon but a longtime resident of New York—home to his Michelin threestar restaurant Daniel as well as to the funkier, more casual DBGB—the dashing 60-year-old chef balances a deep understanding of classic cuisine with gung-ho American patriotism. Together with president Thomas Keller (chef of Napa Valley’s The French Laundry and New

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York’s Per Se), Boulud has brought unprecedented attention—and funding—to his home team, which has never before done particularly well at the Bocuse d’Or. We asked him how things look for James Kent, sous-chef of New York’s acclaimed Eleven Madison Park, who will head the American team in 2011.

What do you think the American team’s chances are at the 2011 competition?

Our goal is to be up on the podium.

Or at the very least, do better than we’ve ever done before, which is sixth place. We want to perform in a way that is commensurate with the quality of American cuisine today.

You were involved with the U.S. team in the 2009 competition,

that was very stressful,” Skeie recalls. “But then I just focused, and everything fell into place. By the time our platters came up, I was feeling very confident.”

Norway has a glorious past with the Bocuse; it has medaled seven times since the competition began. Part of that success is financial: The country cares enough about winning that foundations funded largely by the Norwegian government help subsidize the enormous costs of training. “When you consider everything— the living expenses, the salaries, the travel to Lyon, the platters that have to be commissioned, the cost of all those ingredients to practice on—it’s incredibly expensive,” says Andrew Friedman, whose book Knives at Dawn traces the experiences of the 2009 American team. “Some of the Scandinavian teams received funding in the neighborhood of a million dollars.” In Norway’s case, that money even went to outfitting a trailer as a practice kitchen that Skeie and his team could then haul to when despite high hopes, chef Lyon, eliminating the distracTimothy Hollingsworth came in sixth. What went wrong? tion of packing all their gear I don’t think anything went wrong. and ingredients. Fittingly, the We just didn’t have enough time to trailer was painted with a giant, train compared with the rest of the gleaming cod. chefs competing.

Money isn’t the only source What are you doing differently of success, of course. Some critics this time around? have seen the repeated triumphs of We’ve invested a lot of time and a few countries, including not just resources to make sure that James is well trained. For example, David Norway but Sweden, Denmark, Bouley has donated his test kitchen and of course France (which has for training. There’s always a bit of won the gold six times), as eviluck involved, but we believe our dence that the Bocuse judges are best chance is to be perfect in every aspect. The cooking has to be biased toward classical French perfectly executed, of course, but flavors and preparations. In 2009, you also have to invest in the visual Spanish candidate Angel Palabeauty of the platters—that’s how cios was convinced that the jury you create the magical effect. was prejudiced against his avantWho do you see as the U.S. garde “spherified” scallops. team’s toughest competition?

Friedman writes that Hartmut Denmark. They’ve placed bronze Handke, who represented the and silver in the past, so they’ve got their eye on gold. And their president U.S. in 2003 and returned to is René Redzepi [whose restaurant watch Hollingsworth’s perforNoma was voted best in the world mance, believed his successor had this year]. After that, the other Scanbeen undone by relying too heavdinavian countries always do well.

And France, of course. ily on the simple beauty of California produce. Gesturing to the You were raised in Lyon but are judges’ table where 24 chefs in chairman of the U.S. team. Are toques had just finished marking your loyalties ever divided?

Absolutely not. When it comes to the their ballots, he observed, “Over Bocuse d’Or, I’m not French. Now, if here, there’s nothing special we are talking about loyalties to Paul about a good turnip. What they Bocuse, the person, that’s a different care about is technique.” story. —LA

Since its launch in 1987, the Bocuse d’Or has become a major media event, with journalists flying to Lyon from around the world to cover the competition. Below: A winning dish from the French team.

One glance at the elaborate platters that come bedecked with roulades and gelées suggests he is right. Yet contest officials counter that each country is represented by its own judge, so there’s no way for the jury to be stacked in favor of France. And as Friedman points out, “It was always Paul Bocuse’s dream that this be a World Expo of different culinary traditions; the fact that so many teams feel they have to cook in the European style depresses him.” Nevertheless, a familiarity with French cuisine is one thing that the diverse judges share, so wise contestants cater to that predilection. “It’s not completely French, but of course French cuisine is the basis for all European cooking, and this is a European competition. It’s not a Chinese contest,” says Skeie. “The best strategy is to use classic technique and integrate ingredients from your own country.”

One reason the Bocuse d’Or matters so much is the impact it can have on a young chef’s career, especially if he or she comes from a country with a respect for classical cuisine. Jacky Fréon, who won the very first Bocuse in 1987, saw business at his restaurant in Paris’s Hotel Lutetia go up 40 percent, a bump in income not unlike that achieved with the bestowal of a Michelin star. Fréon went so far as to serve his winning dishes on his restaurant’s menu for the first year after his victory. Chef Lia Linster, who took gold in 1989 and is the only woman ever to win, still serves her Bocuse d’Or dishes in her Luxembourg restaurant. For Skeie, his triumph has translated into a lot of travel, consulting opportunities and—not two years after his victory—his own restaurant.

Of course, televised cooking competitions can offer the same opportunities and are often a fast track to culinary success. Witness Harold Dieterle, who opened Perilla in New York after winning the

first season of Top Chef, or Stephanie Izard who recently opened Girl and the Goat in Chicago after clinching the fourth season. So in this day and age, why does anyone go through the arduous months and stomach-clenching stress of the Bocuse d’Or? Most chefs will tell you that the Bocuse still allows contestants to prove themselves in a way that television shows don’t. “The main reason to go on a show such as Top Chef is the publicity,” says Friedman. “The challenges mainly test your ability to roll with surprises.

But what does that really have to do with cooking? Not very much— it’s not representative of the whole job, or why people get into the profession. The Bocuse allows you to use the skill set you’ve been developing every day of your career.” Jaegle agrees with that. “Television doesn’t prove anything except that you look good on TV,” he says. “The Bocuse is about striving for perfection; it’s about getting to be where you want to be in your career.”

Which is why, on January 25 and 26, Jaegle will take his position inside the tiny box at the head of the stage and try to drown out both the shrieks of his countrymen and the over-amplified, overly enthusiastic voice of the emcee. Jaegle is well aware of the tough competition that the Swedes and Norwegians have posed in the past, and he’s heard rumors about the newfound strength of the U.S. team. But he says he’s treating all his competitors as equally challenging. “The level is so high,” he says. “And we’re all there because this is our passion.”

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( Heated competitions )

Winning France’s highest culinary honor takes passion, skill, dedication, nerves of steel— and no small amount of luck. By Tina Isaac

This past November, while millions of Americans were mulling over ways to prepare turkey and stuffing, some 560 chefs in France were intensely focused on two very different recipes: one for a flat fish called plaice, another for a duck pie. If they could get these deceptively complex dishes just right during a competition on November 23 and 24, they would have a shot at the coveted title of Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France during the finals in May 2011.

In an era when culinary awards and TV contests have proliferated, there is still nothing quite like this honor. It combines the star wattage of an Oscar, recognition of Olympic-level excellence, a celebration of the savoir-faire of the “worker elite” and a Sorbonne-backed diploma.

And it is not only for chefs—it is bestowed on the best of the best in some 180 métiers ranging from bricklaying, metalwork and carpentry to weaving, wallpaper, dog grooming, lace-making, dental prosthetics and graphic design.

“We make it a point of honor to represent excellence throughout French industry,” notes Gérard Rapp, president of the Société nationale des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France and a MOF himself since 1976 (printing, letterpress category). “We are the defenders of quality à la française. We stand for perfection.”

Since its inception 86 years ago, 8,565 MOF titles have been bestowed; about 2,000 members are still in the work force. For candidates, many of whom left the traditional academic curriculum while still in their teens, acceptance into this elite fraternity is the dream of a lifetime. And nowhere is the award more visible and glamorous than in France’s sacrosanct restaurant kitchens, where only MOFs may sport the tricolor collar on their chef’s whites. Of the more than 2,500 MOF contestants this year, some 20 percent are chefs hoping to win the Gastronomie-Cuisine competition.

The maddening difficulty seems to be part of the allure. Some of gastronomy’s biggest superstars have competed time and again only to 48

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Founded in 1924, the contest to become Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France attracts some of France’s most experienced chefs, each seeking the prestigious tricolor ribbon and bronze medal. In November 2010, more than 500 hopefuls took part in the first-round competition.

go home empty-handed. “That’s because being a Meilleur Ouvrier de France is not just about being great,” explains Rapp. “You can be a great athlete and not win the Olympics. And just because you don’t win the MOF doesn’t mean you’re not good at what you do.” As one observer notes, the Gastronomie competition is something like a steeplechase combined with a 400-yard-dash. “It’s a rare chef who can pull that off.”

The MOF owes its existence not to an artisan or industrialist but to a visionary journalist and art critic named Lucien Klotz. An ardent defender of creativity in all its forms, he paved the way for intellectual copyright laws protecting authors, scientists and couturiers. Writing in 1913, he lamented that “manual production is anonymous; assembly lines can always find arms, but quality [manual] labor is at a loss for brainpower.” Indeed, in the wake of the industrial revolution, workers were losing interest in crafts requiring long apprenticeships.

The remedy, he argued, was to offer humble, often anonymous craftsmen the same esteem granted to intellectual luminaries by making it possible to exhibit their work—furniture, bronzes, textiles—

and have it recognized at the highest level. After a decade of rallying the press, politicians and union chiefs, the idea was adopted by the Ministry of Commerce, and the first Exposition nationale du Travail was held at Paris’s Hôtel de Ville in 1924, inaugurated with great pomp by President of the Republic Gaston Doumergue.

The event featured some 200 chefs d’oeuvres selected from throughout France; competitors were grouped into categories, which were then subdivided into classes, an organization that prevails to this day. The 144 winners—including six chefs—were honored during a solemn ceremony at the Sorbonne.

The Exposition became a triennial event, but it wasn’t until 1949, after a decade-long wartime hiatus, that the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France really gained national prominence and prestige.

The heyday of its culinary competitions roughly corresponds to the period known as les trente glorieuses, the 30 years of postwar prosperity. Subsequently, however, the tradition and technique so prized by the MOF took a backseat to marketing and no-holdsbarred creativity, with the emergence of trends from fast food to

nouvelle cuisine to the breathtaking theatrics of molecular cuisine.

Observes Alec Lobrano, who writes about European food and travel for The New York Times, “I think MOF was dissed for a while because a younger generation of creative French chefs found it to be a bit mainstream or middle of the road. Now technique is respected again, and MOF seems to be more in tune with the times.”

The culinary contests also suffered from internal shenanigans such as cronyism and opacity. In an effort to turn things around, organizers have imposed new and stricter rules and have revised and updated competition categories (there are now 19 in all). The contests have also become more open. For the first time in its history, MOF allowed a film crew access to its kitchens during the 2007 pastry finals.

The resulting documentary, Kings of Pastry, directed by Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker, was released in September 2010 to critical acclaim, showing the intense preparation, grueling competition and high-stakes drama of the contest. In the film, a chef living in Chicago, Jacquy Pfeiffer, admits as he heads to France for six weeks of intensive practice before the finals: “If I don’t win this, I will never get over it.”

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Large Braised Plaice Lacquered with Lobster Butter Serves 6

• Braise a large plaice weighing 1.8 to 2 kg in a dry white wine.

Lacquer (untrimmed) with lobster butter.

• Arrange six plump lobster medallions along the backbone.

• Pierce the center of each medallion with a small bamboo skewer garnished with two large breaded and fried Spanish mussels.

• Prepare six pommes fondantes weighing about 100 g each (unprepped weight), peeled lengthwise en savonettes and hollowed out. Garnish each of them with finely diced meat from the two lobster claws and five cockles prepared marinière style.

• Set the plaice in the center of an oval dish (60 x 40 cm), arranging three pommes fondantes on each end.

• Serve white wine sauce from a separate sauceboat.

Above: Alain Ducasse (right) confers with Jacques Maximin during the 2007 finals. Opposite page: 1, 2: Competitors at the 2010 semifinals prepare

their dishes with judges rating their every move. 3, 4: A white board indicates when each dish is to be presented; a judge photographs the clock and the finished dish for the record. 5, 6: The two dishes in the competition.

7, 8: A tasting judge has his spoon at the ready; duck simmers in a copper pan. 9, 10: Kitchen judges score candidates on a wide range of skills and techniques, while tasting judges focus on what is on the plate.

Noting the rise of celebrity pâtissiers, boulangers, chocolatiers and other food-related professionals, organizers of the 24th MOF competition (2009-2011) created a separate category for them called Métiers de l’Alimentation, giving them the visibility they deserve. Chefs, meanwhile, compete in the Métiers de la Restauration et de l’Hôtellerie category (Gastronomie-Cuisine class), which also includes contests for sommeliers, maîtres d’hôtel and, new this year, bartenders. The category president is Paul Bocuse, the Pope of French cuisine who earned his MOF in 1961 and has held three Michelin stars since 1965.

For the 2005-2007 competition, Alain Ducasse signed on as president of the Gastronomie-Cuisine class, lending the event unprecedented prestige. A Michelin three-star chef thrice over, Ducasse may not be a MOF but he is the culinary world’s pre-eminent cultivator of young talent and a formidable media presence. “A new century opened, and it was important for the MOF to change centuries too,” he observes.

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Ingredients to be used: Raw, undressed plaice Raw cockles and mussels in their shells Live lobster Raw vegetables Fresh or prepared white stock Prohibited ingredients: Fish bones Fresh fish stock or any prepared ingredient Truffles, caviar

Duck and Turnip Pie Serves 6

• Cut up a plump duck or duckling weighing about 1.6 kg.

Set aside.

• Make a duck sauce using cider.

• Slice the turnips into thick rounds, brown them on both sides and steam them in the cider duck sauce.

• Cook the duck thighs (freestyle).

• In a plain, unadorned oval dish in porcelain or glazed terra cotta, arrange the thigh meat, turnips, six plump pitted Agen prunes, 12 cooked champignon de Paris caps and the cider duck sauce.

• Cover with a rolled-out sheet of puff pastry.

• On top, arrange 2 x 4 strips of puff pastry (1 cm wide, cut with a fluted pastry wheel) in a lattice pattern.

• Bake.

• Cook duck filets until rare.

• Slice them into aiguillettes, arrange on six identical plates (about 24 cm in diameter) with a cider duck sauce reduction.

• Send out the pie at the same time as the six aiguillette dishes.

Ingredients to be used: Dressed duck (or duckling) Raw vegetables Fresh or prepared white poultry stock Puff pastry, not rolled out Prohibited ingredients: Truffles and truffle products Foie gras Meat glazes

The competition is now headed by a veritable constellation of culinary stars. Ducasse’s vice presidents include Jacques Maximin, a MOF since 1979 who is considered by many of his peers to be the best chef in the land, and Michel Roth, the three-star chef at the Ritz Paris and a MOF since 1991. Together, they have restored the contest’s reputation for rigor, integrity and transparency. “The contest is more open, ethical and fair,” says Ducasse. “More foreigners and more women are competing; now, everyone has a chance to become a MOF.” Indeed, in 2007, Biarritz chef Andrée Rosier became the first woman named Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France in Gastronomie-Cuisine.

All of these factors—not to mention popular culture’s current infatuation with the kitchen—are luring growing numbers of candidates. And they are younger too. Not long ago, becoming a MOF was a twilight event in a distinguished chef’s career; now competitors’ average age is 36.

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officially kicked off on November 9, when organizers gathered in Paris for a drawing to select the two dishes for the semifinals on November 23 and 24. As journalists looked on, Alain Ducasse and Jean-Marie Panazol, president of the jury général, read out the names: “Large Braised Plaice Lacquered with Lobster Butter” and “Duck and Turnip Pie.” Both had been dreamed up by Jacques Maximin, who also chose the dishes for the 2007 competition. “I spend a lot of time thinking about what was featured in previous competitions, but I don’t use recipes from books,” he says of his method. “I also give a lot of consideration to seasonal products, what is available on the market at the time. And I try to keep ingredients relatively accessible—turbot, for example, costs €35 per kilo, so I choose more affordable fish.”

While testing chefs’ mastery of classical technique, he admits that he also tries “to come up with a little trick.” Sometimes it’s something very simple. “Freestyle cooking, for example, gets candidates thinking,” he says. “People expect something complicated, so I leave it open-ended, and that gets their wheels turning.”

You might say he gives chefs just enough rope to hang themselves.

Three days after the dishes were announced, their recipes and accompanying sketches were posted on the organizing committee’s Web site, and candidates were given a week to email questions. All queries and responses—more than a hundred—were posted online as they came in.

Jean-Luc Rocha, the 34-year-old chef at Château Cordeillan-Bages in the Médoc who won on his first try in 2007, remembers that after hearing the names of the dishes, “everything seemed insurmountable.” Then a few hours later, an idea began to form in his mind The 24th MOF competition

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of preparations that seemed feasible. “The recipes are drawn from the foundations of French cooking, and you really have to pick them apart, make them modern and practice to meet time restrictions. Your personal interpretation and method have to respect tradition yet be contemporary.”

By any measure, the competition is a tremendous commitment in terms of both time and money. Rocha plowed through 220 kilos of scallops and turned out 204 tartes soufflées in the eight days before the finals. He estimates he spent €13,000, including about €3,000 from his own pocket for special equipment. “Fortunately, I work for a restaurant that was happy to assume much of the cost,” he says.

Amandine Chaigneau, a thirtyish veteran of almost every Parisian palace hotel and currently a chef at the Crillon, ordered made-to-measure equipment to meet the exact specifications for the tarte soufflée when she competed in 2007 (she lost at the finals but is back again this year). “Since pastry shrinks when it cooks and there is no margin for error, we had special rounds made,” she recounts.

“It cost a fortune.”

Candidates may ask a mentor to accompany them throughout the practice period. Often they select a current or former boss who can offer the benefit of experience, some guidance and a personal take on what a jury might appreciate. This year Chaigneau, a newly minted Taittinger winner, chose her former boss, the three-star chef Eric Fréchon of Le Bristol.

Above: After the 2007

finals, Alain Ducasse (far right) presents the new MOFs the coveted chef’s jackets with the tricolor collar.

In the center is Andrée Rosier, the only woman ever to have won the GastronomieCuisine competition.

Others prefer to tackle the challenge alone. “Some people enjoy having feedback,” says Rocha. “But I find it risky because if you can’t completely reinterpret someone else’s suggestions, it can work against you. Their advice has to jibe with your way of working, and you have to work from the gut.”

The night before the semifinals, candidates reported to their assigned centers, one of 31 culinary schools throughout France. They delivered their ingredients and equipment, which were then photographed and stored before being inspected the next morning (unauthorized items can be grounds for expulsion).

The competition itself started around 5 A.M. the following day.

After taking part in a random drawing that determined the assignment of workstations, commis and order of presentation, contestants took a 45-minute written exam that counted for 20 percent of their score.

Then came the moment of truth. With journalists and photographers looking on from a distance, the aspiring MOFs began preparing their two dishes. Both had to be completed within four hours. There is a grace period of three minutes, but any dish that arrives more than five minutes late receives a score of zero.

Kitchen judges—MOFs, teachers from culinary schools and chefs— evaluated candidates as much for hygiene, economy of waste and manners (politeness to one’s commis is essential) as for their cooking methods. Even their ability to keep their chef’s jackets immaculately white is taken into account.

In an unfamiliar kitchen, Murphy’s Law rules. Chaigneau remembers that, as smoothly as the 2007 semifinal went, the finals were a struggle from the start. “My two commis cut themselves, the oven didn’t heat evenly, ingredients were damaged in transit and had to be thrown out,” she says. That she missed the title was due not to a technical misfire but an error of interpretation: She added the scallops to her tarte midway through the cooking process, not at the beginning—grounds for automatic disqualification.

This year, she found the semifinals more stressful. “Because I had already made it to the finals once, I put a lot more pressure on myself,” she says. “The execution wasn’t particularly difficult. What was challenging was the thought that had to go into these recipes up front.” She cites the freestyle

MOF Alums Founded in 1929, the Société des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France is a sort of alumni association for MOF laureates, allowing craftsmen from some 180 different métiers to network and exchange ideas. Members are serious about honoring their pledge to preserve French tradition and transmit savoir-faire, notably donating significant time to

organizing and judging MOF competitions in conjunction with the Ministry of Education. They also host their own contest to honor the country’s top apprentices.

“Winning the MOF is a great personal satisfaction, for yourself and those around you,” says Ritz chef Michel Roth. “But once you are a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, you have to demonstrate your talents, pass

(cuisson libre) element of the duck recipe, recounting that she ended up dumping early efforts at confit in favor of braising.

When each candidate’s time was up, assistants whisked their dishes off to another room and presented them to the tasting jury, which never saw the contestants nor had any contact with the kitchen jury. Each judge sat at a separate table, tasting and grading dishes identified only by a number.

Among the judges was Cédric Béchade of the Auberge Basque, a former Ducasse acolyte renowned for his contemporary takes on traditional Basque cuisine. “These are not flashy, sexy dishes,” he says.

“The point is to get back to the culinary classics that have inspired so much of today’s cuisine. Too many chefs these days have not mastered the basics, and they are essential.” One of these is the lacquage required in the braised plaice preparation. It may look simple to make lobster butter and brush it on a fish, but there are countless ways it can go wrong. “If the fish is too moist, for example, the butter just slides right off,” says Béchade.

When judging the dish, he first tasted the elements separately—the fish, the mussels, the lobster—to see if each was cooked perfectly. Many were not. Then he judged how well the elements worked together. “I tasted 15 dishes, and one definitely stood out,” he recalls. “With the first taste, there was that immediate emotional reaction: ‘Wow, this is so good!’ When I analyzed each aspect, I found that the chef had perfectly mastered all the techniques, then had added creative details—a little lemon on the mussels, especially fine bread crumbs and so on— that made all the difference in the way the entire dish came together.”

As this issue goes to press, the first-round contestants are anxiously waiting to hear if they will proceed to the two-day finals in Clermont-Ferrand next May. That competition will include three dishes, one of which is designed to allow candidates to show off their creativity. The new MOFs will be announced the next day; President Sarkozy will later host the official award ceremony at the Elysée Palace.

Of 33 finalists in 2007, nine won the title of MOF. As lifechanging as the event can be, bringing intense media interest and a flood of lucrative offers, what every chef points to as the primary takeaway is a lesson in humility. All agree that winning requires a golden combination of passion, skill, grit and luck.

“You may be a gifted artist, but you can’t win solely by imalong your knowledge and be reborn every day.” provising,” observes Michel Roth.

The nonprofit Société “You have to manage your is supported by a mix time, a kitchen that’s not yours, of public funding and recover from unexpected probprivate donations. Additional revenues derive from royalties lems. It has to come automatifrom books written by members, incally. For the duration of the cluding the mouthwatering Les Meilcompetition, this has to be your leures Recettes des Meilleurs Ouvriers sole purpose in life, more than de France (Editions Groupe Louis Le Duff, 2009; in French and English). family or anything else.”

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Calendrier French Cultural Events in North America

January-March 2011

• Dancer-choreographer Russell Maliphant embodies the gender-bending Chevalier d’Eon.

Reputed to be the first spy to include cross-dressing in his arsenal of deception, the Chevalier d’Eon (1728-1810) was a diplomat, soldier and top-notch swordsman who ended up living much of his life as a woman—partly by choice and partly by order of Louis XVI. Upon his death, his body was autopsied to determine whether he was male or female. His remarkable story inspired E onnagata , an exploration of gender and identity both created by and starring three luminaries of today’s performing arts scene: French ballerina turned contemporary dancer Sylvie Guillem; Canadian playwright, director and actor Robert Lepage; and British choreographer and dancer Russell Maliphant. The title combines Eon with onnagata, the term for male actors who play female roles in kabuki theater; the costumes, designed by the late Alexander McQueen, mix 18th-century French and traditional Japanese styles. Feb. 9 and 10 at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall; calperfs.berkeley.edu.

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E r i c k L abbe

NOTA BENE

exhibits Nashville

M useum M ee r man N o - W est r een i aum , T he H ague ; M usée N at i onal P i c asso , Pa r i s / © 2 0 10 E state of Pablo P i c asso / A r S , N ew Y o r k / R M N / A r t Resou r c e , N Y

BIRTH OF IMPRESSIONISM

While Paris’s Musée d’Orsay undergoes renovations for its 25th anniversary, much of its world-famous collection of paintings is on view stateside. Through some 100 mid- to late-19th-century works by Courbet, Renoir, Manet, Monet and others, Birth of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay situates the once avant-garde movement in the broader context of early Modernism. Contemporaneous pieces by Salon artists such as Bouguereau illustrate the conventions against which the Impressionists rebelled. Through Jan. 23 at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts; fristcenter.org.

Los Angeles ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS

The first major exhibition devoted to the theme of history in manuscripts, Imagining the Past in France, 1250-1500 unites more than 70 works chronicling the exploits of such larger-than-life figures as Alexander the Great and Charlemagne.

Commissioned by the rich and powerful from the greatest French illuminators of the era, the manuscripts on view served both as entertainment and as propaganda, depicting heroes of bygone days in contemporary clothing and settings, with accompanying texts in French rather than Latin. Through Feb. 6 at the Getty Center; getty.edu.

New York PATRICK JOUIN

Patrick Jouin spent four years working for Philippe Starck before founding his own design studio in Paris in 1998. He is not only the man behind many of the beautiful interiors in chef Alain Ducasse’s restaurant empire but has also conceived objects ranging from a Nutella spreader to Kartell chairs to Paris street furniture.

Patrick Jouin: Design and Gesture examines the designer’s philosophy that good design draws on the way people actually cook, eat and live. The exhibit notably features a multimedia installation showing examples of his creations in restaurants, from prep through table service.

Through February 6 at the Museum of Arts and Design; madmuseum.org.

San Francisco and Atlanta CARTIER-BRESSON

Known for his ability to distill a fleeting and often complex reality into a single arresting image, photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson revealed both the creative and documentary power of the medium that made him famous.

The first major U.S. retrospective of his

work in more than three decades, Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century brings together about 300 prints dating from 1929 to 1989. Some famous, others never before seen by the public, the images range from street scenes to portraits to photo-essays on China’s “Great Leap Forward.” Through Jan. 30 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, sfmoma.org, and Feb. 19 through May 29 at Atlanta’s High Museum of Art, high.org.

Minneapolis YVES KLEIN

Famous for his signature ultramarine blue monochromes, Yves Klein produced a large and diverse body of work before succumbing to a heart attack at age 34. The first major U.S. retrospective of his oeuvre in nearly three decades, Yves Klein: With the Void, Full Powers makes the case that he was one of the most important figures in 20th-century art history, instrumental in the development of conceptual art, performance art, Pop Art and many other artistic forms and movements. The 200-odd pieces on display include examples from all his major series, from the blue monochromes to the lesser known “air architecture,” featuring designs for structures made of the four elements. Through Feb. 13 at the Walker Art Center; walkerart.org.

Philadelphia

Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Resnick Pavilion, designed by Renzo Piano, Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915 showcases more than 150 examples of men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, undergarments and accessories, many never before seen by the public. The show examines both aesthetic and technical developments as well as the ways in which political events and global trade influenced the evolution of style from the Age of Enlightenment to World War I. Highlights include an 18th-century man’s vest embroidered with symbols relevant to the French Revolution and an ostrich-feather–adorned evening mantle by the 19th-century French couturier Émile Pingat. Through March 27 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; lacma.org.

St. Louis TREASURES OF NAPOLÉON

Treasures of Napoléon revisits the life and times of le petit caporal through more than 250 historical artifacts and works of fine and decorative art. Iconic portraits by such celebrated artists as David and Houdon are joined by intimate personal items that offer a glimpse of the man behind the myth—a letter he wrote at age 14, the lotto game he played with his wives and clothing he wore in exile on St. Helena. Through April 3 at the Missouri History Museum; mohistory.org.

PARIS IN BLOOM

A celebration of springtime in Paris, the 2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show invites visitors to stroll along the banks of the Seine amid lavender, lilacs and roses and take in displays devoted to such themes as the city’s culinary traditions, its role in art history and the timeless charms of its courtyards and cafés.

March 6 through 13 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center; theflowershow.com.

Los Angeles EUROPEAN FASHION

One of the inaugural exhibitions of the

Minneapolis MEDIEVAL TOMB SCULPTURES

Twenty-five years in the making, the tomb of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, and his wife, Margaret of Bavaria, is one of the prize pieces of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon. Surrounding the base of this lavish work of funerary art are 40 16-inch-high mourners sculpted in alabaster, each one a unique and poignant expression of grief. These statuettes have advanced from supporting to starring role as the subject of The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy, currently on a two-year tour of the United States. Jan. 23 through April 17 at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts; artsmia.org.

• “Charles V Being Presented

with a Book” (1372), one of the masterpieces on view at the Getty Center. lithograph “La Clownesse au Moulin Rouge” and a rare complete set of his celebrated “The Elles Series,” depicting life in the city’s brothels, are among some 80 works on view in Toulouse-Lautrec and Friends: The Stein Collection.

Other masters represented include Bonnard, Degas, Gauguin and Signac. Jan 29 through May 1; high.org.

New York CÉZANNE’S CARD PLAYERS

In the 1890s, Paul Cézanne painted a series of increasingly pared-down genre scenes of peasants playing cards.

Cézanne’s Card Players brings together several of these canvases along with preparatory oil sketches, watercolors and drawings. The Provençal laborers who served as the artist’s models appear in several of the closely related paintings that round out the show. Feb. 9 through May 8 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art; metmuseum.org.

Atlanta TOULOUSE-LAUTREC

Richmond

AND FRIENDS

PICASSO’S PICASSOS

Bridging the gap between graphic design and fine art, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec distilled the spirit of fin-de-siècle Paris in enduring images that are now among the most familiar legacies of that era.

One of the few impressions of his color

Closed for renovations until 2012, the Musée National Picasso in Paris is home to the world’s largest trove of the artist’s work; pieces from his personal collection form the core of its holdings. American audiences now have an unprecedented opportunity to view some 150 of the museum’s most prized paintings, sculptures and works on paper. Covering eight decades, Picasso: Masterpieces from

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Picasso’s “The Acrobat” (1930) is featured in a major show devoted to the artist in Richmond.

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paniment for René Clair’s silent film The Italian Straw Hat (1928), a classic comedy about a man whose wedding day is disrupted when his horse munches on the chapeau of a straying married woman. The score was written by French composer Raymond Alessandrini, who also conducts. Jan. 29 and 30 at the Crest Theater; sacphil.org.

New Orleans THE PEARL FISHERS

the Musée National Picasso, Paris surveys the prolific and ever-innovative artist’s career, with prime examples from every major period—Blue, Rose, Cubist and Surrealist, to name but a few. Feb. 19 through May 15 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; vmfa.state.va.us.

Boston MILLET

Born into a farming family, the 19thcentury artist Jean-François Millet invested the scenes of peasant life for which he is best known with a solemnity that elevated the genre. Millet and Rural France examines his revolutionary influence in this area yet also includes portraits, nature studies, still lifes and landscapes in a variety of media. The show explores how these works owe a debt to the Old Masters on the one hand and anticipate Impressionism and PostImpressionism on the other. Through May 30 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; mfa.org.

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum; cooperhewitt.org.

Washington, DC GAUGUIN

Gauguin: Maker of Myth is the first major U.S. exhibition in more than 20 years to invite viewers to take a fresh look at the artist, behind and beyond his dramatic life story and iconic images of Tahitian women. Through some 200 works spanning his career and representing every genre and medium in which he worked, the show explores how he incorporated European and Maori narrative, religious and mythological elements into his oeuvre, as well as how he mythologized his artistic identity. Feb. 27 through June 5 at the National Gallery of Art; nga.gov.

performing arts Sacramento FRENCH FLAIR

New York VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

Through a site-specific installation by design celebrity Patrick Jouin, Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels showcases some 300 pieces of jewelry, timepieces and other precious objects by the celebrated joailler, which opened its first boutique in 1906 on Paris’s Place Vendôme. The show explores the firm’s many innovations, such as the mystery setting, in which no metal is visible, and the “Zip” necklace, which unzips into two bracelets.

Another focus is the way in which American style influenced the jeweler’s designs (the Arpels family immigrated to the United States and opened a boutique on Fifth Avenue during World War II). Among the highlights are Princess Grace of Monaco’s engagement set and a bracelet Marlene Dietrich wore in the 1950 Hitchcock movie Stage Fright. Feb. 18 through June 5 at

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The Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra presents French Flair, an evening of music that combines Ravel’s crowdpleasing “Bolero” with the American premiere of contemporary composer Philippe Hersant’s symphonic lieder “5 Poèmes de Trakl.” Baritone Brian Leerhuber interprets the work of the Austrian Expressionist poet, who committed suicide in 1914 at the age of 27. The program also includes Debussy’s “Iberia” and Ravel’s “Piano Concerto in G Major,” featuring Jeffrey Kahane. Jan. 22 at the Community Center Theater; sacphil.org.

Sacramento UN CHAPEAU DE PAILLE D’ITALIE

The Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra provides live accom-

North American Tour L’EFFET DE SERGE

In Vivarium Studio/Philippe Quesne’s L’effet de Serge, the title character presents a series of low-tech special effects shows for a handful of friends gathered in his barebones apartment every Sunday evening. Set to music by artists as varied as Wagner, Led Zeppelin and José Feliciano, these micro-performances last only one to three minutes. Resolutely understated yet acclaimed for its poignance and humor, the piece celebrates the ability of art to restore wonder to the everyday. Jan. 27 through 29 at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN, walkerart.org; Feb. 3 through 6 at the Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, OH, wexcenter.org; April 6 through 9 at Theatre Junction Grand, Calgary, Canada, theatrejunction.com; and April 14 through 17 at On the Boards, Seattle, WA, ontheboards.org.

U.S. Tour Manassas, VA; Washington, DC; and New York LE MAGNIFIQUE

The period music ensemble Opera Lafayette performs a semi-staged version of André Grétry’s Le Magnifique, a romantic comedy set in Lorenzo de’ Medici’s Florence. First performed in Paris in 1773, the piece has never been presented in modern times. With Swiss tenor Emiliano Gonzalez Toro in the title role. Preview performance Feb. 4 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas; Feb. 5 at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater in Washington, DC; and Feb 9 at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater in New York; operalafayette.org.

Greensboro, NC FRENCH ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

The Greensboro Symphony Orchestra presents Paris: City of Light, a program that includes Fauré’s “Pavane for Orchestra,” Debussy’s “L’Après-midi d’un Faune” and Ravel’s “Piano Concerto in G Major,” with guest pianist Ignat Solzhenitsyn.

Feb. 24 at the War

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Van Cleef & Arpels’s exquisite “Bouquet” brooch (c. 1937).

PARIS PIANO TRIO

Each a successful soloist in his own right, violinist Régis Pasquier, cellist Roland Pidoux and pianist Jean-Claude Pennetier perform together as the acclaimed Paris Piano Trio. This winter, the ensemble visits venues in Virginia, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Vermont and Oklahoma to play works by Fauré, Ravel, Schumann and others. Feb. 12 through 20; for complete details, visit instantencore.com.

North American Tour LES PERCUSSIONS DE STRASBOURG

Les Percussions de Strasbourg was founded in 1962 by six classically trained musicians wishing to incorporate percussion instruments from around the world into contemporary music. Resolutely forward-thinking, the ensemble has built a repertory of works by such avant-garde figures as John Cage, André Jolivet and Iannis Xenakis; partnered with emerging composers; and introduced dance and theater into its performances. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the group kicks off a North American tour at Seattle’s Meany Hall for the Performing Arts this February. The program will include Gérard Grisey’s “Le Noir de l’Etoile” (1991), which incorporates sounds emitted by a dying star. Feb. 19 through March 13; for dates and venues, visit latitude45arts.com/artists/view/ percussions_strasbourg.

—Tracy Kendrick For a regularly updated listing of cultural events, go to francemagazine.org.

© 2 0 10 M useum A sso c i ates / L A C M A ; Pat r i c k G r i es / Van Cleef & A r pels

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A detail from a satin and organza dress (c. 1830) displayed in “Fashioning Fashion” reveals superb needlework.

The New Orleans Opera stages Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers, a love triangle set on the island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

Written when the composer was just 24, the piece is best known for its baritonetenor duet, in which a village chief and his childhood friend recall their former rivalry for the love of a priestess, whose reappearance in their lives will have tragic consequences. Starring William Burden and Liam Bonner as friends Nadir and Zurga and Lisette Oropesa as Leïla, the object of their affections.

Jan. 28 and 30 at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts; neworleansopera.org.

Memorial Auditorium and Feb. 26 at Guilford College’s Dana Auditorium; greensborosymphony.org.

France Magazine and the French-American Cultural Foundation thank the following foundations for their generous support The Florence Gould Foundation is a major contributor to arts programming with a French focus. Florence Gould, in whose name the Foundation was established, was born to French parents and raised in San Francisco. Throughout her lifetime, she cherished the arts, beauty and letters; the Foundation continues her legacy of French-American friendship and exchange.

The Florence Gould Foundation has supported exhibitions, programs and performances at many arts institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery, Brooklyn Academy of Music and the New York City Ballet. It takes special pride, however, in smaller projects such as helping the town of Vendôme repair its statue of Rochambeau and Poillé-sur-Vègre restore its church belfry in honor of the town’s role in harboring a downed American pilot during World War II.

The Gould Foundation helped Poillé-surVègre restore its church tower in 2004 in honor of the town’s role in rescuing a U.S. pilot during WWII.

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The Annenberg Foundation is a longtime supporter of L’Académie Américaine de Danse de Paris, which trains students from around the world.

The Annenberg Foundation is a private family foundation that supports nonprofit organizations in the United States and globally. Its mission is to advance the public well-being through improved communication; as the principal means of achieving this goal, it encourages the development of more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge. Since 1989, it has generously funded programs in education and youth development; arts, culture and humanities; civic and community life; health and human services; animal services and the environment.

The Foundation contributes to numerous program that foster cultural exchange between the United States and France. Among its French projects, the Annenberg Foundation provides funding to the American Friends of the Louvre for the development of educational tools at the museum and supports L’Academie Américaine de Danse de Paris, which offers American-style dance instruction to students from around the world. In the humanitarian sector, the Foundation funds a wide range of programs including clean water efforts in Africa by CARE France, Médecins du Monde’s youth healthcare projects in Peru, L’Envol pour les enfants européens and the Mémorial de la Shoah in Paris. The Foundation continues to be a vital presence abroad and remains among the most generous American contributors to France. annenbergfoundation.org

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title: france magazine

• (2) publication number: 0886-2478 • (3) filing 09/29/2010 • (4) frequency: quarterly • (5) number of issues published annually: 4 • (6) annual subscription price: $23.80 • (7) address: 4101 reservoir road, nw, washington, dc 20007-2182 • (8) headquarters: 4101 reservoir road, nw, washington, dc 20007-2182 • (9) publisher: emmanuel lenain, 4101 reservoir road, nw, washington, dc 20007-2182; editor: karen taylor, 4101 reservoir road, nw, washington, dc 20007-2182; managing editor: karen taylor, 4101 reservoir road, nw, washington, dc 20007-2182 • (10) owner: french-american cultural foundation, 1700 k street, nw, suite 300, washington, dc 20006-2365 • (11) known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders: none • (12) tax status has not changed during preceding 12 months • (13) publication title: france magazine • (14) issue date for circulation data: fall 2010 • (15) extent and nature of circulation: average no . of copies issued during preceding 12 months / no . copies of single issue published nearest to filing date • (15a) total number of copies: 37,187/36,529 • (15b) paid and or requested circulation: (1) paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions: 4,155/3,904; (3) sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other non-usps paid distribution: 28,732/28,116; (4) other classes mailed through usps: 74/68 • (15c) total paid and/or requested circulation: 32,961/32,088 • (15e) total free distribution: (1) outside-county: 923/787; (3) free mailed at other classes through usps: 220/215; (4) free outside the mail: 2,633/3,039 • (15e) total free distribution by mail: 3,654/4,041 • (15f) total free distribution: 36,737/36,129 • (15g) copies not distributed: 450/400 • (15h) total distribution: 37,187/36,529 • (15i) percent paid and/or requested circulation: 89,72%/87,84%. date:

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France Magazine’s

25th Anniversary Gala Grands Crus Classés Chefs Etoilés

We could not have wished for a more wonderful birthday party!

On October 27, 2010, chefs extraordinaires Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter, Jean-Pierre Moullé and Damon Gordon prepared an unforgettable dinner at the French Ambassador’s Washington Residence. Their rarefied cuisine was conceived to complement extraordinary wines from the Médoc and Sauternes, donated by the Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855.

Guests flew in from Dallas, Nashville, Miami, Atlanta, New York and other distant cities, enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime soirée and making generous donations to the French-American Cultural Foundation. Like all great parties, it continued on the next day, with a rare tasting of all 88 wines in the 1855 Classification at the lovely Jefferson Hotel. As one enthusiastic guest remarked, “It was like being in Wine Disneyland!”

Michèle Imhoff, Richard Koshalek, Caroline Collomb, Pascal Lecoz, Elizabeth Koshalek, Nicolas Glumineau. Flowers by Fred Paras.

Michelin North America’s Chairman and CEO Dick Wilkerson (far right) and guests.

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Leonard L. Silverstein, President of the French-American Cultural Foundation.

Jean-Guillaume Prats, Karen Taylor, Charlie Trotter, Philippe Castéja, Denise Moullé.

Jean-Pierre Moullé, Thomas Keller.

Larry and Jamie Beckwith, gala co-chair Tom Black.

Gala Partners

Gala co-chair Connie Milstein, Countess de La Haye St. Hilaire, and Count Jehan-Christophe de La Haye St. Hilaire; Jacqueline Leland.

The French Ambassador’s Residence in Washington, DC.

The entire 1855 Classification at auction.

Seven of the 61 Médoc grand cru wines offered at auction.

Deputy Chief of Mission François Rivasseau and his wife, Elisabeth.

Sydney and Michael Fanning.

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Evénement The Sauternes tasting at The Jefferson Hotel.

Caption caption caption caption caption.

Emmanuel Cruse, Liliane Georges.

Tom Adrian and Laura Ginsburg, Jaclyn Wetherholt.

Gala Sponsors & Donors Abbeville Press Abrams Airstar America Inc. Alto Restaurant Amuse Bouche Winery Assouline Augustine by Thierry Gripoix Baccarat Mr. and Mrs. Larry Beckwith Mr. Tom Black Château Cordeillan-Bages Château Pichon-Longueville Baron Christofle Daniel Restaurant de Young Museum Evian Mrs. Shannon Fairbanks Flammarion Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris Mr. Henry Hockeimer InterContinental New York Barclay La Tupina Restaurant MacArthur Beverages Marea Restaurant Meadowood Napa Valley Neiman Marcus Ms. Eliza Kraft Olander Phaidon Press Relais & Châteaux Rizzoli New York Roederer Cristal Champagne Seeko’o Hôtel Mr. and Mrs. Leonard L. Silverstein Taschen Tesseron Cognac Thames & Hudson

Elisabeth Rivasseau, Stanislas Vilgrain.

Scott Darling and Countess Elisabeth de Kergoulay.

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Lindsay Eakin, William Burkland.

Clay and Brenda Cockerell.

Connie Milstein, Alfred Tesseron.

Temps Modernes

Past Perfect

by MICHEL FAURE

to shape it in a way that would foster human happiness. of splendor—think Palais de Versailles—but no Louis ever imagined Godin (1817-1888) was one of these noble spirits. The son of a anything quite like the Palais Social. Yet even sans gilt, this four-story locksmith, he discovered Fourierism at age 25; after becoming a prosperresidence that once housed factory workers and managers is rather ous industrialist, he lost a considerable sum of money financing a vain impressive. Dating from 1858—a time when most laborers lived in attempt to establish a phalanstery in Texas. At that point, he distanced appalling conditions—it is composed of numerous apartments that look himself from Fourier’s social and libertine ideas while drawing inspiout over a huge, airy inner courtyard topped with a glass roof. Crowned ration from his plans for an ideal city. Architecture, Godin believed, by a clock tower and belvedere, it is part of a handsome architectural could offer the working masses a framework for a better existence.

“I am sticking to material things,” he wrote in his book Solutions Sociales ensemble that includes two smaller residences.

This unique “palace” constitutes the heart of an “ideal city” dubbed in 1871, “because they establish the moral direction.”

Health issues were of great interest to Godin, as they were to all Fouthe Familistère, which resembles the communities envisioned by a handful of 19th-century utopian philosophers. They included Henri rierists, and he designed the Palais Social accordingly. To ensure proper de Saint-Simon, who predicted a new “golden age,” and Charles Fou- ventilation, its spacious apartments had windows opening to the outrier, inventor of the Phalanstère— side and to the inner courtyard. huge communes where people Water fountains and trash chutes would live harmoniously in rural were installed on every floor. “It settings with no need for trade. is time,” he wrote, “to establish Then there was Robert Owen, the the conditions [for resolving] the Welsh industrialist who founded problem of rational lodgings.” the cooperative movement, and Godin was a true philanthroEtienne Cabet, whose Icara— pist, rather than a paternalistic capital of the imaginary country boss who saw the relative wellof Icaria—was a miniature version being of his workers as a means of of the “terrestrial universe.” (In assuring social peace. Along with 1850, Cabet and a small group of his second wife, Marie Moret, his disciples founded a short-lived he oversaw the education and community in Nauvoo, Illinois.) health of the children, establishAll of these men dreamed of ing a nursery, a kindergarten and happiness, harmony, social equity finally a school. Children were and practical efficiency. Their taught not only reading, writing visions emerged during the period • The Palais Social, the heart of an industrialist’s utopian community. and arithmetic but also sports and between the French Revolution and the Industrial Age, when Europe the arts. A theater, heated swimming pool and gardens were attached was seeking a coherent structure for the brave new world looming on the to the school to provide a well-rounded education. (Given the choice horizon. There was talk of science and the arts, a “new dawn” and the between a church and a theater, residents opted for the theater.) Godin “people’s springtime.” In short, they were dreaming of Thomas More’s also developed a mutual aid system that offered a social safety net that Utopia: “an imaginary country in which an ideal government reigns was unparalleled at the time. At the end of his life, he turned the comover a happy people.” pany into a cooperative and gave it to his workers.

The Familistère was one of the few reveries that managed to become But for Emile Zola, who once visited the site, the tenants’ happiness a reality. It was established on the edge of Guise, a small town in was “an open question.” In his notes, he compared the Palais Social with Picardy, by the manufacturer Jean-Baptiste André Godin, whose name “barracks.” “Glass house, you see everything, overhear sounds. Mistrust is still associated with the small round cast-iron enameled stoves used of neighbors. No solitude. No freedom. But very comfortable.” by our great-grandparents. Godin’s utopia actually survived for more Simone Dorge certainly found happiness at the Familistère. This than a century, outliving its founder by 80 years. It finally gave up the perky old lady experienced the final years of Godin’s ideal community ghost in May 1968—the date of another revolution, another unreal- after marrying a Familistérien in 1952. One of the complex’s last resiized dream. After the community’s demise, the buildings reverted to dents, she lives alone in her apartment amid memories and moving the city and were turned into low-cost housing. boxes that must be packed before she can be relocated to a new home in Touring this place, which opened as a museum in spring 2010, Guise. She has been told that the building will soon be converted into is a moving experience, evoking that not-so-distant time when the a hotel for visitors curious to see the vestiges of this utopian enterprise. f modern age was coming into being and generous minds were trying As far as she’s concerned, there’s nothing idyllic about that.

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apic

The word palais typically conjures up images