Autumn in Paris

It is wonderful to be back in Paris! Although the days have been mild, the leaves are changing color and fall is definitely in the air.

We arrived here 3 days ago after a short but nice visit in Cologne, Germany. Took a short train ride along the Rhine to visit the Hans Arp Foundation in Rolandseck. It was an interesting time and they have some beautiful works, not just by Arp. The Foundation is located in a villa overlooking the river with views of historic castles dating from the time of the Knight Roland and the Crusades. Also visited the Ludwig Museum in Cologne. Although their current exhibition "The Eighth Square: Gender, Life, and Desire in the Arts since 1960" was a bit too strident for my taste, their permanent collection of Modern Masters and Pop Art is outstanding.

A high speed train service now links Cologne to Paris in just under 4 hours and is a fun and comfortable ride. We got here in time to visit Sotheby's auction house and preview a sale of rare books and photographs from the collection of Fred Feinsilber. He had amassed a superb group of ancient manuscripts and printed books as well as rare 19th and 20th Century volumes of literature and art books. Many were in custom bindings which added to their value. It was a two-day sale and I attended the first day, both morning and afternoon sessions, and it was very exciting.

Haven't had time to see any museum shows as we are shopping for new and exciting material for the website and my next catalogue. There are lots of things to see and do and more blogs are coming. In the meantime, I leave you a photo taken early yesterday morning from my living room window! Have a great day!

Sunrise over Notre Dame